Contemporary South Africa

South Africa’s 2019 General Election - Post Analysis

South Africa’s 2019 General Election - Post Analysis

18 November 2025

South Africans went to the polls on 8 May 2019 in a general election considered the most important since the dawn of dem...

Brazil - Russia - India - China - South Africa (BRICS)

Brazil - Russia - India - China - South Africa (BRICS)

BRICS is an acronym that refers to the grouping of five major emerging economies in the world: Brazil, Russia, India, Ch...

The Johannesburg launch of the book with Mavuso Msimang as the discussant

The Johannesburg launch of the book with Mavuso Msimang as the discussant

Event RSVP is essential: The Johannesburg launch of the book with Mavuso Msimang as the discussant 

Debating Stellenbosch University’s Language Policy

Debating Stellenbosch University’s Language Policy

In March 2015 students at the University of Cape Town (UCT), Western Cape, launched a student movement, namely #Rhodes M...

African Heritage Sites

African Heritage Sites

Within 37 African countries, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has listed 135 Wo...

Marikana Massacre - 16 August 2012

Marikana Massacre - 16 August 2012

On 16 August 2012, the South African Police Service (SAPS) opened fire on a crowd of striking mineworkers at Marikana, i...

South Africa needs a national holiday on 16 November to acknowledge its indentured

South Africa needs a national holiday on 16 November to acknowledge its indentured

21 January 2025

 SOUTH AFRICA NEEDS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY ON 16 NOVEMBER TO ACKNOWLEDGE ITS INDENTURED LABOUR HERITAGEBy Brij Mah...

Port Elizabeth Timeline 1799-1986

Port Elizabeth Timeline 1799-1986

11 October 2024

1799 2 March, British government lands troops in Algoa Bay. Construction begins on the building of Fort Frederick. 1...

National and Provincial Elections - 2024 - South Africa

National and Provincial Elections - 2024 - South Africa

Introduction President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the new members of the National Executive, for the seventh administr...

A Short History of ESKOM, Part 2 (2001-2022)

A Short History of ESKOM, Part 2 (2001-2022)

Following on from Part 1, this article seeks to analyse some of the historical and present dynamics bedevilling ESKOM. O...

The Seriti Commission

The Seriti Commission

Background Terry Crawford-Brown petitioned the Constitutional Court in 2011 to compel former president Jacob Zuma to ...

A Short History of ESKOM, Part 1 (1923-2001)

A Short History of ESKOM, Part 1 (1923-2001)

This short history of Electrical Supply Commission (ESKOM) aims to provide an overview of the history of the power utili...

South African Communist Party (SACP)

South African Communist Party (SACP)

9 February 2024

On 30 July 2011, the South African Communist Party (SACP) celebrated its 90th anniversary. Initially known as the Commun...

ANC January 8th Statements

ANC January 8th Statements

29 January 2024

The ANC in exile issued its first January 8th statement in 1972, the founding date of the ANC. This statement outlined t...

Indentured Indian labourers and their struggle for citizenship in South Africa by Dr Brij Maharaj

Indentured Indian labourers and their struggle for citizenship in South Africa by Dr Brij Maharaj

1 December 2023

16 November 2023, marks the 163rd anniversary of the arrival in South Africa of indentured labourers from India. From th...

Zarina Maharaj Biography by Sarah Rahimi

27 November 2023

This article was written by Sarah Rahimi and forms part of the SAHO and Southern Methodist University partnership proje...

Mangosuthu Buthelezi: the Zulu nationalist who left his mark on South Africa’s history

Mangosuthu Buthelezi: the Zulu nationalist who left his mark on South Africa’s history

15 September 2023

Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi played a prominent role in South African politics for almost half a century. He wa...

Mangosuthu Buthelezi was a man of immense political talent and contradictions

Mangosuthu Buthelezi was a man of immense political talent and contradictions

15 September 2023

Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi, who has died, was a history maker. He was born on 27 August 1928 into a tumultuous glo...

History of Women in Prisons during Apartheid

History of Women in Prisons during Apartheid

This article was written by Justin Lawler and forms part of the SAHO and Southern Methodist University partnership proj...

Omar Badsha - Awards, Publications and Exhibitions Timeline

Omar Badsha - Awards, Publications and Exhibitions Timeline

Timeline 20 years of Democracy 1994 to 2014

Timeline 20 years of Democracy 1994 to 2014

1994 27 April,South Africa's interim constitution which was adopted in November 1993 came into effect on 27th April 1...

State of the Nation Addresses

State of the Nation Addresses

17 February 2023

Socialism

31 January 2023

Socialism is a political and economic ideology aiming to create a society where all members distribute resources and wea...

The Johanna

The Johanna, or Joanna, was a British East Indiaman vessel sailing from Kent, England, to Surat, India, under the comman...

Shipwrecks in South Africa

Shipwrecks in South Africa

Historic shipwrecks are time capsules of their time, they are often untouched for decades, sometimes centuries, until th...

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis, also known as TB, occurs all over the world and is one of the most infectious diseases, causing more death...

African National Congress Timeline 2011 - 2020

African National Congress Timeline 2011 - 2020

AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS TIMELINE — 2011 – 2020 2011 8 January 2011 African National Congress (ANC) Presi...

African National Congress Timeline 2000 -2010

African National Congress Timeline 2000 -2010

During this period the ANC consolidated its hold on power but also faced both internal and external challenges. Signific...

Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)

Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)

30 January 2022

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) is a South African political organization, established by Chief Gatsha Buthelezi, which ...

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State (The Zondo Commission)

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State (The Zondo Commission)

28 January 2022

In 2016, former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela released a report, State of Capture, after an investigation into i...

COVID-19: The Whens and Whats of the Deadly Virus

COVID-19: The Whens and Whats of the Deadly Virus

COVID-19 versus the Corona virus:  What is COVID-19 Exactly? COVID-19 is an infectious respiratory disease th...

Pan Africanist Congress (PAC)

Pan Africanist Congress (PAC)

20 September 2021

The Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) is a political party whose presence in the South African political landscape spans jus...

South Africa’s Diverse Culture Artistic and Linguistic Heritage

South Africa’s Diverse Culture Artistic and Linguistic Heritage

2 September 2021

Introduction South Africa, called by some people the 'Rainbow Nation', a title that captures its diversity and 11 of...

South Africa’s Academic and Cultural Boycott

South Africa’s Academic and Cultural Boycott

2 September 2021

Introduction In 1948 with the election of the National Party and the enforcement of an Apartheid State, it took time ...

Women’s Rights and Representation

Women’s Rights and Representation

It was not until the introduction of the Bill of Rights that all women in this country received formal recognition as eq...

PAC’s African Women’s Organisation

PAC’s African Women’s Organisation

The aim of the African Women's Organisation is to rally African women under the banner of African Nationalism and to edu...

A Luta Continua Dialogues, Episode 1: Student Activism

A Luta Continua Dialogues, Episode 1: Student Activism

16 November 2020

Including Qondiswa James, Mbali Williams, Mihla Hanise, Anya Isabel, Kas and Hunter  Hosted by Didintle Ntsie ...

A History of Official Government HIV/AIDS Policy in South Africa

A History of Official Government HIV/AIDS Policy in South Africa

16 November 2020

About Nkosi Albert Luthuli Oral History Project

The Nkosi Albert Luthuli Oral History Competition is a national competition that has taken place annually since 2006. Ea...

Public Protest in Democratic South Africa

Public Protest in Democratic South Africa

9 September 2019