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Walking in African cities can be a miserable experience: Accra study shows planners ignore needs of pedestrians
African cities aren’t welcoming places for pedestrians. Yet walking is free and, given the shortage of decent public transport, it’s often the only way for people to move around. More than 70% of Africa’s urban population of about 609 million walk daily to their various destinations. As...
Zimbabwe’s likely to abolish the death penalty: how it got here and what it means for the continent
Zimbabwe is likely to abolish capital punishment, following a cabinet decision on 7 February 2024. However, its parliament still has to endorse the move and pass the necessary law enabling the change. The question is when this will happen, especially since it appears that it would require a constitutional amendment.
Minimum wage for South African farm workers: study shows 2013 hike helped reduce poverty even though compliance was poor
Minimum wage policies are typically aimed at reducing poverty. Yet there is little direct evidence of this effect, especially in developing countries. And none for South Africa. In a recent paper, we consider the income, employment and poverty effects of the largest minimum wage increase South Africa has ever seen....
US-Africa trade deal turns 25 next year: Agoa’s winners, losers and what should come next
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) is a landmark piece of trade legislation enacted by the United States in 2000. Its goal is to promote economic growth, development and poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa by providing qualifying countries with duty-free access to the US market for over 6,500 products. By eliminating import tariffs and quotas, Agoa aims to stimulate trade, attract foreign investment and foster economic integration between the US and African nations.
Caesarean births: South Africa’s rates are too high – they can be dangerous for mothers and babies
A caesarean section is an important surgical intervention that can save the lives of mother and baby. Caesarean sections are essential in complicated labours such as prolonged or obstructed labour or if the baby is distressed. The World Health Organization says that while “every effort should be made to provide...
South African elections: research explores how disillusioned ANC supporters might use their vote
The African National Congress (ANC) has been in power since South Africa became a democracy in 1994. The party has been electorally dominant since then, reaching a peak of 69.7% of national votes in 2004. However, support for the party has declined sharply since the 2014 national and provincial elections,...
Kenya’s public universities: financing model overhaul fails to address biggest challenge – funding
Kenya adopted a new approach to public university funding beginning with the 2023-24 academic year. Rapid student enrolment growth and declining state revenues have triggered the need for the reforms, which will require students to meet a higher proportion of costs. Ishmael Munene, who has a scholarly interest in African higher education, examines the background to these reforms.
Nigeria’s minimum wage has never protected workers from poverty: here’s why
Wages have become the top issue for Nigeria’s organised labour movements in the past year. Reacting to recent increases in the cost of living, the labour movement has been calling for an upward review of the national minimum wage, currently N30,000 (US$24) a month. The Conversation’s Adejuwon Soyinka asks economics professor Stephen Onyeiwu if Nigeria’s minimum wage truly protects workers from poverty.
African countries can’t resolve their debt crisis under a system rigged against them
The debt situation in many African countries has escalated again to a critical juncture. Twenty are in, or at risk of, debt distress. Three pivotal elements significantly contribute to this. Firstly, the rules governing the international banking system favour developed countries and work against the interests of African countries. Secondly,...
South Africa’s national student financial aid scheme has helped millions but is in trouble: here’s why
The board of South Africa’s National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has been dissolved by the country’s higher education and training minister, Blade Nzimande, and the organisation placed under administration. Nzimande made the decision because of “(the problem of) non-payment of (students’) allowances”. Thandi Lewin...
What’s the job of a company chair? South Africa’s rules aren’t clear and need fixing
Historically, the chair of the board of directors filled a procedural and ceremonial role. This was a low bar focusing on the chair’s role in meetings. But in recent years their role in companies has evolved to become much more complex and demanding. Some reasons for this may be the global increasing governance burden on companies, more focus on strategy issues, and greater awareness of risk.
Hadeda ibises’ ‘sixth sense’ works best in wet soil: new research is a wake-up call for survival of wading birds with this superpower
Hadeda ibises (Bostrychia hagedash) are one of the most familiar species of birds across sub-Saharan Africa. They are large, long-legged birds with long, thin beaks for probing invertebrates out of soil, and though they appear dull brown at a glance, they actually have beautiful iridescent feathers on their wings. But they are best known for their loud, laughing calls, which often ring out early in the morning, winning them the title of “African alarm clocks”.
The challenges African election bodies face go beyond ‘democratic backsliding’ – analysis
Election management bodies are essential democratic institutions. To deliver national polls effectively, they need to be properly resourced, impartial and free from government or malicious interference. Independent election bodies established in the 1990s played an important role in the early deepening of democratic values across Africa. As most countries started...
South Africans are abandoning smallholder farming – history and policy can help explain why
South African smallholders are abandoning farming. The decline in field cultivation is a problem, since many of these smallholder households struggle to make ends meet. If people were able to produce more of their own food this would improve their lives. The current situation is a combined effect of the...
Great white sharks off South Africa’s coast are protected by law, but not in practice. Why this needs to change
In less than eight years, white sharks in South Africa have all but disappeared from their historical hotspots in False Bay and Gansbaai, on the Western Cape coast. These areas were once known as the “white shark capital of the world” and were home to a flourishing ecotourism industry. One possible explanation for this change would be a declining white shark population.
South Africa’s media have done good work with 30 years of freedom but need more diversity
In 1992, two years before the end of apartheid, Nelson Mandela bemoaned the state of South Africa’s print media. He said the media’s domination by middle class males from the minority white population posed the biggest threat to freedom of expression in the country. The same year, the African National Congress under his leadership adopted a media charter calling for all citizens to be empowered with the necessary information and contesting views to make informed choices. “An ignorant society cannot be democratic,” it declared. We asked Prinola Govenden, a media and communications senior lecturer at the University of Johannesburg, what became of the vision for free, inclusive and vibrant South African media.
Electricity from farm waste: how biogas could help Malawians with no power
In sub-Saharan Africa, over 600 million people (more than 50% of the population) are without access to electricity. Malawi has one of the world’s lowest electricity access rates – just 14.1% of the total population have access to the main grid. In rural areas, the electrification access rate is even lower, estimated at 5.6% in 2021.
Kenya’s devastating floods expose decades of poor urban planning and bad land management
Floods in Kenya killed at least 169 people between March and April 2024. The most catastrophic of these deaths occurred after a flash flood swept through a rural village killing 42 people. Death and destruction have also occurred in the capital, Nairobi, a stark reminder of the persistent failure to keep abreast of the city’s rapid urbanisation needs. Sean Avery, who has undertaken numerous flood and drainage studies throughout Africa, unpacks the problems and potential solutions.
Jobs for young Africans: new data tool reveals trends and red flags
An estimated 23.6 million young Africans (aged 15-35) are unemployed – that’s one in 22 (4.5%). With this number projected to grow to 27 million by 2030, the need for jobs is critical. But the key to good policies for job creation is good data. Against this backdrop,...
Business and management graduates can become climate change and sustainability champions – lessons from Uganda and Tanzania on how universities can support this
There is no doubt about it: the world is in the grips of a climate crisis. The headlines are full of reports about extreme weather events and the negative effects of the fossil fuel industry. This reality means that anyone entering the worlds of business or management today needs to...
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A nonprofit news source unlocking knowledge from African experts for the public. The Conversation Africa finds people who have been studying a subject for years or decades and helps them explain important information. All stories are based on these experts' research.
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