Category: Uncategorized

• SONA 2026: Between Reassurance and Reckoning

  Feb 16

  President Cyril Ramaphosa’s ninth State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2026 was characterized by a mixture of cautious optimism and skepticism. The President focused on stability and incremental progress… more ›

• The Quiet Unravelling of Eskom: When Reform Becomes Dispossession

  Feb 16

  In Nco Dube’s analysis of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2026 State of the Nation Address, he delves into the implications of proposed energy reforms in South Africa. The President’s assurance of… more ›

• Radio and the Rise of AI: Keeping the Soul While Embracing the Signal

  Feb 13

  In the reflection on World Radio Day, Nco Dube emphasises the enduring intimacy and connection of radio amidst the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in South Africa. While AI can… more ›

• Zulu Nationalism Without a Nation: Power, Memory and the Politics of Invention

  Feb 12

  Zulu nationalism is resurging in South Africa, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, as the country approaches the 2024 elections. This revival is not a grassroots movement but rather a strategic tool utilized… more ›

• SONA 2026: The Performance of Stability, The Absence of Disruption

  Feb 11

  President Cyril Ramaphosa’s upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA) on February 11, 2026, will occur under the challenging context of South Africa’s Government of National Unity. While Ramaphosa has… more ›

• When Arrogance Meets Amnesia: Khusela Diko, the ANC, and the Politics of Lost Moral Authority

  Jan 28

  Khusela Diko, an ANC leader, recently engaged in a contentious exchange on social media, highlighting the ANC’s credibility crisis. Her dismissive tone, especially regarding the PPE scandal linked to her,… more ›

• Robert McBride and the Politics of Selective Memory: A Country’s Uneasy Relationship With Its Own Heroes

  Jan 22

  By Nco Dube | 22 January 2026 South Africa has always had a complicated relationship with its struggle heroes. We celebrate them in song, in murals, in the sepia-toned nostalgia… more ›

• The West’s Late Awakening: Mark Carney’s Davos Speech Is Not Renewal, it’s an Elegy

  Jan 21

  Mark Carney’s speech at Davos has drawn significant praise from Western elites, yet it highlights a troubling amnesia regarding the historical context of the global order, especially its selective application… more ›

• The ANC on January 8: A Glorious Past, A Fractured Present, and an Uncertain Tomorrow

  Jan 8

  The African National Congress (ANC) has been a pivotal force in South Africa’s history, transitioning from a symbol of liberation to a fractured party grappling with internal strife and declining… more ›

• Why Isolationism is Not an Option for South Africa

  Jan 5

  The article argues that South Africa’s international engagement is crucial for its domestic well-being, countering the notion that global issues are irrelevant to local life. Global interdependence means that international… more ›