OPINION: Appeal by China’s President for true multilateralism must be embraced

Discourse around the origins of COVID-19 or its source tracing investigation is the terrain of qualified scientists and politics should never be allowed space to interrupt scientific research work. This is the view of leading international scientists including South Africa’s Prof Salim Abdool Karim, the director of the Centre for the AIDS Program of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA).

In 2016, the World Health Organisation (WHO) set an ambitious target to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030. This was followed by commitments from governments – including African countries – to develop national strategic plans for viral hepatitis and earmark resources to eliminate the disease.

Proponents of democracy, believing in the central claim that strong opposition parties lead to a strong and healthy democracy, might see the expulsion of Julius Malema from the ANC and the rejection of his appeal at the party's 53rd Elective Congress in Mangaung in 2012 as a blessing in disguise.  

The issue of riots, crime, and violence in South Africa is a growing concern as it presents a significant obstacle to human rights and respect for the rule of law in the country.

From the outset, communities were concerned about the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on children. This was justifiable because many other respiratory viruses such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus disproportionately affect children.

On July 20, 2021, just as the other courts before, the Gauteng High Court dismissed the EFF's application, linked to the Public Protector, to have the President’s CR17 bank statements unsealed – while stating that the Public Protector went beyond her jurisdiction in the investigation.

South Africa’s over-reliance on coal-fired power plants places the country among the world’s top carbon emitters and does huge damage to the health of its citizens. The country has also struggled to maintain a stable energy supply since 2007. Power cuts are now a regular feature of South African life.

Coming out as gay used to be the kiss of death for sponsorship deals in sport. But as a record number of openly LGBT+ athletes prepare to participate in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, marketing analysts say the opposite is now true: authenticity sells.

Social media is fast becoming a primary source of information for many online users. While some use it for interacting or touch base with it for current affairs – others use it primarily to disseminate information as seen with the recent unrest that took South Africa by storm. SABC News looks at why you need to be cautious when sharing information online.

Petro Poroshenko, the deposed former President of Ukraine who was ousted from office in a democratic election that saw voters embrace a comedian and shun the chance to re-elect him, has been quiet and still in the wilderness – almost non-existent in matters of politics and public discourse.

I grieve to start this way. No sooner had I struggled to find some means to say my goodbyes to Mabi Thobejane and Steve Kekana, than South African music lost singer and composer Tsepo Tshola, writes David Coplan, Professor Emeritus, Social Anthropology, University of the Witwatersrand.

Struggling with rising coronavirus cases and a deeply unpopular Olympics, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is at risk of becoming the next in a long line of short-term leaders.

The civil unrest that has beset South Africa raises questions about the security of fuel supplies. What are the risks down the value chain – from supply to consumption? Without fuel to farm with or to bring food from the farms to the cities, hunger follows.

The destruction of property and looting is a result of poverty and inequality - these are structural and deliberately designed through unequal education or lack of access thereof, limited economic activity enforced by spatial injustice to put Black people at the bottom of the food chain to inherit a life of destitution.

The numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths in South Africa have increased exponentially over the past 12 months. At the beginning of July 2020 the country had 168 000 cases of COVID-19 and 2 844 deaths. A year later, at the start of July 2021, there were over two million confirmed cases and more than 61 000 deaths.

Not too long ago, former US President Donald Trump poked fun at China about the origins of COVID-19.

African football is faced with a situation that needs urgent, aggressive and decisive action, writes professional football coach Zipho Dlangalala.

Agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is under-performing, leaving 30% of people in the region food insecure. Food insecurity means that not all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs.

China’s resounding economic boom and towering political global stature are premised on its early acknowledgement that it is better to develop one’s self and one’s domestic understanding rather than to copy foreign traits because carbon copy offers no guarantee for success.

The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced several truths about the detrimental effects of Africa being over-reliant on western and international stakeholders to solve its health challenges and using western solutions to Africa’s health problems.

Tournament fortunes often turn on individual moments of magic or folly and Sweden’s exit from the European Championship on Tuesday was down to the latter.

Women’s bodies must not be the object of war or the collateral in conflict. Rather women must be the central subject and partner in peacebuilding, writes Dr Julitta Onananjo.

The 2018 Nobel Laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege, a gynaecologist, celebrated for his work with survivors of sexual assault in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Panzi Hospital said, “Rape is a strategy of war – it is meant to destroy women and communities physically and mentally”. Sadly, this destruction has become a daily reality for women and girls in Tigray.

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa has brought a new perceptive on how young people should perceive careers that are relevant to the digital economy of the country, writes Cindy Nomalanga Ngozo.

The antagonistic US foreign policy stance towards both Russia and China has led in recent times to closer cooperation between Moscow and Beijing in a spirit of “besieged mentality” created unwittingly by Washington, writes Abbey Makoe.

Nigerians have been justifiably confused by conflicting poverty data presented by the Muhammadu Buhari administration and the World Bank.

At the height of Europe's vaccine supply crisis in March, Johnson & Johnson's (J&J) single-dose COVID-19 vaccine was touted as a game-changer. But two months into its rollout, the shot has the lowest uptake of all four approved vaccines.

Very few political parties exist meaningfully until they reach their centenary celebration. Closer to home, the ANC is such one party. But, internationally, the Communist Party of China (CPC) is a shining example of a people-centred political party whose relevance is continually enhanced by mass endorsement of the people, particularly ordinary citizens, writes Abbey Makoe.

A year ago, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we predicted that school closures in South Africa would result in learning losses. A loss of contact learning time would lead to lower educational outcomes, and the losses would be higher in no-fee schools (serving children from low income families) than in fee-paying schools.

The COVID-19 crisis has revived discussions on localising vaccine manufacturing to the African region to reduce the dependence on imports. The fact that Africa is lagging so far behind on the COVID-19 vaccination compared with Europe and North America has highlighted the importance of the issue. Most African countries depend on the WHO-sponsored COVAX scheme, […]