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From data to impact: communicating research through power point, infographics, and social media
No full textPaper presented at the STEP Academy Presentation, 02 Decembe
African union and the agenda 2063 project
No full textOn 9 July 2002, South Africa played host to eminent Africans as the African Union (AU) was officially founded and launched in its port city of Durban, amid diplomatic fanfare. The AU emerged as the custodian of continental unity and integration, inheriting the noble mantle from its precursor, the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which had gallantly steered the course since its inception in 1963. Both the OAU and AU stand as formidable bastions of Pan-Africanism and heralds of the African Renaissance, epitomizing the fervent pursuit of state-driven continental cohesion and solidarity. As the AU commemorated 20 years of its existence in 2022, a judicious appraisal of its trajectory became imperative. This momentous and intellectual reflection beckons an introspective gaze into the milestones achieved, the trials encountered, and the path charted for the future. It is a timely contemplation, adorned with significance, especially amidst the ingenious adoption of Agenda 2063 – The Africa We Want. Agenda 2063 is a visionary blueprint orchestrated for the collective socio-cultural and
politico-economic metamorphosis of the African continent and its people. Thus, as the AU moves past the 20-year mark, the confluence of introspection and foresight shall illuminate the path ahead, guiding the Union towards the realization of its noble aspirations and the fulfilment of the boundless potential inherent within the rich socio-political landscape of Africa.
Indebtedness and aspiration: a credit journey to higher status or ruin?
No full textAspirations of upward mobility, poor credit regulation and unscrupulous credit providers have contributed to millions of South Africans becoming critically indebted. When the latest amendments to the National Credit Act were published in August 2019, the issue once again received significant media coverage.
Systems view of BRICS value chains and how South Africa can host some for BRICS participation in African continental free trade area
No full textGlobal value chains have shaped world production and trade. This research article examines the connections
between the value chains of the BRIC economies and South Africa's role in positioning BRICS-Africa trade as a
member of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) using BRIC value chains that has been tailormade
to increase BRICS share of the AfCFTA market. It argues that in order for BRICS's to increase its competitiveness in AfCFTA and the global market, intra-BRICS trade should be based on value chains that has been developed specifically to support BRICS and provide it with the competitive leverage necessary to explore new market opportunities. AfCTA presents such a market. Additionally, the article reveals that for BRICS to succeed in AfCFTA through its value chains, it must recognise South Africa's potential (to host some of these) and its geographic location on the African continent. Furthermore, BRIC needs to appreciate that South Africa can successfully host some of BRIC nations' value chains. This indicates that South Africa's membership of BRICS and AFCTFA provides an opportunity that can benefit BRICS through its participation in AfCFTA using value chains approach. This however requires academic interrogation, which will yield information and knowledge that can be used to formulate programmes, policies and strategies of how BRICS value chains can be of significant support to AfCFTA.
Democracy@30: community voices from Matsulu township in Mpumalanga, South Africa
No full textThis chapter takes a deep dive into the community of Matsulu, a township in Mbombela in Mpumalanga province. It examines people’s stories of their experiences pre- and post-1994, and whether a ‘better life for all’, promised upon the attainment of independence, has indeed been achieved and is worth celebrating. South Africa’s constitutional democracy guarantees social, economic, cultural and political rights. As the country celebrates 30 years of democracy, examining citizens’ actual experiences and perspectives is crucial to evaluate both achievements and ongoing challenges in a system centred on the Batho Pele (people first) principles.
Science, Technology and Innovation for all: a compendium of good practices in STI policy
No full textThis compendium serves as a resource for policymakers and stakeholders in support of the G20’s
commitment to ‘science, technology and innovation for all.’ It is guided by the G20 Recommendations
on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Science, Technology and Innovation, that were agreed
at the G20 Research and Innovation Ministers’ meeting held in Manaus, Brazil, on 19 September 2024.
These address five areas: promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) in STI systems; closing
the gender gap in science; fostering dialogue between different knowledge systems; transitioning to open
science; and combating inequities in STI. Using the EC-OECD STIP Compass as its primary data source, this
compendium curates over 1,000 policy initiatives. The data, collected from G20 members and other countries
participating in the 2025 Research and Innovation Working Group, is presented in an accompanying Excel
database that may serve as a practical and navigable guide for future policy development.
Can MTB-BLE deliver an ideologically symmetrical educational assessment reform in contemporary South African education?
No full textPaper presented at the 11th HuMEL International Conference on Language and Literacy Education Location, Wits School of Education, Parktown, Johannesburg, 13-15 September
Couple-based intervention to improve HIV care engagement for women and their partners in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: outcomes of pilot randomized controlled trial
No full textWe evaluated a couple-based intervention targeting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care needs of women, with the option to support HIV-related needs of male partners. Adult women with HIV adherence difficulties in a monogamous relationship with a male partner for ≥6 months were recruited in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Twenty couples were randomized (1:1) to either START Together, a five-session manualized behavioral intervention, or treatment as usual, adherence counseling referral. Assessments were completed at baseline, post-treatment, and follow-up. Of the ten couples randomized to START Together, 70% attended at least one intervention session (feasibility); of those, 71% attended all five sessions (acceptability). Independently rated interventionist fidelity was very high (M ≥2.94 out of 3). Women’s self-reported antiretroviral therapy adherence increased similarly in both interventions. For men, self-reported antiretroviral therapy adherence increased up to
25 percentage points in START Together, but not treatment as usual. Findings suggest that START Together may be potentially beneficial for improving HIV outcomes for men.
Intra-African migration and the prospects for regional integration
No full textcontinental unity and integration: peace and security, democracy and governance, socio-economic development, and repositioning Africa in the global arena. A major theme that cuts across the four agendas is migration (i.e. human movement). It needs to be emphasized that migration has been part and parcel of human life from time immemorial (Cohen 2019). It cannot be wished away. It is here to stay. This chapter discusses intra-African migration of Africans with a special focus on the free movement of persons. The principal thesis of the chapter is that, while the free movement of persons is key for the pursuit of Pan-African unity from below, efforts of the AU on this front lag far behind its expansive and progressive normative frameworks. The key normative instrument of the AU in this regard is the 2018 Protocol to the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community Relating to the Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment, together with its Implementation Roadmap. The chapter advances knowledge on migration in general and free movement of persons in particular by arguing that to open up the continent to its citizens to move freely across the colonially constructed borders, the noble idea of free movement of persons should be pursued with the same vigour with which member states of the AU are pursuing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Although the easiest starting point is the relaxation (and ultimately abolition) of visas, a major catalyst for the free movement of persons is surely the issuance of an African passport to the public, which is bound to accelerate progress toward a common identity and a shared African citizenship.
When democracy fades away: loss of faith in local government elections in Lesotho, 1960–2023
No full textVoter turnout in Lesotho’s local government elections is low and has declined over the years (Shale & Moholisa, 2010; Kapa, 2011). While this trend has also marked general elections (Likoti & Likoti, 2018; Modau & Nyane, 2023), it is more pronounced in local government elections. This chapter aims to unpack this phenomenon’s structural drivers and superstructural triggers within the broader democratic theory and regime typology discourses. The chapter focuses on public participation, a concept within which voter turnout should be understood. This study is unique because it uses a combination of the political economy and electoral cycle approaches to identify the causes of low voter turnout and voter apathy in Lesotho’s local government elections. The study is not confined to identifying the causes of low and declining voter turnout. It also proffers possible solutions aimed at broadly entrenching democracy and community/village democracy specifically. The study adopts a qualitative methodology encompassing desk research and interviews with purposively selected
multi-stakeholder key informants (KIs). The next part of this chapter offers a contextual and theoretical basis for this study. This is followed by the conceptual frameworks that inform the discussion. The methodology for data collection and analysis is then introduced. This is followed by identifying the political economy and electoral cycle factors that explain low and declining voter turnout in Lesotho. Finally, the conclusion highlights the core argument of the chapter, distilling the main findings and proposing remedies for this phenomenon by way of policy recommendations.