Author: THE CONVERSATION

Bioenergy – the renewable energy derived from plant and animal waste products – is largely ignored in South Africa. Solar energy, wind power, and green hydrogen attract most investment in renewable energy. Sugarcane trash (the discarded leaves and tops of the plant) is a good example of plant waste that could be turned into energy. But it’s overlooked. South Africa is a major sugarcane producer, producing about 2.2 million tonnes of refined sugar per season. This generates an estimated average direct income of over R20 billion (more than US$1 billion) per year. The country has about 20,200 registered small-scale sugarcane growers producing about 2.09 million tonnes of cane every year.…

Mozambique’s long history of nation-building is still unfinished. The country is still pursuing a cohesive national identity, stable institutions, and the economic foundations that would unify diverse groups. This is crucial to foster harmony and political stability. Nation-building in Mozambique dates back to the last decades of Portuguese colonial rule, in the 1960s. At this time, it was mainly driven by resistance movements and anti-colonial struggles. As nationalist groups emerged, they aimed to unify diverse ethnic groups and overthrow colonial powers. A sense of shared identity was fostered through the fight for independence. But after independence in 1975, new challenges…

Whenever school holidays loom, many parents find themselves caught in an emotional tug-of-war: on the one hand, relief at bidding farewell to homework battles, bedtime struggles, and the lamenting of lost lunchboxes; on the other, terror at the daunting prospect of a barrage of “whys” and “buts” from their relentless interrogators. To avoid logic-defying arguments and endless debates, it is often not long before they find themselves playing the ultimate parental trump card: “because I said so”. As a parent, I can relate. But I’m also a moral philosopher with almost two decades of teaching experience. In philosophy classes, students…

Science fiction, fantasy, horror and other forms of speculative fiction are breathing new life into African writing. International awards, TV deals, new publishing imprints, a growing fanbase and academic studies are adding to the interest. So what are the best sci-fi and fantasy novels, short stories and anthologies to add to your wishlist? We asked six scholars who specialise in African sci-fi and fantasy to pick. Avenues by Train by Farai Mudzingwa Gibson Ncube Reading Zimbabwean writer Farai Mudzingwa’s Avenues by Train (2023), one cannot help but think of those moments when we find ourselves suspended between stations, neither here nor there, watching the passing scenes through the windows of a carriage that may or…

In the last few years, there has been a spate of military coups in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Sudan and Guinea. Military rule, long dormant in African politics, is back. Coup leaders have suppressed protest, gagged the media and spilled much civilian blood in the name of public safety. They claim to be protecting their people from enemies both internal and external – some invented to justify their takeovers and others very real (while military regimes have arguably made violent extremism worse, they did not create it). The generals fight with one another as much as with their enemies, leading to duelling coups in Burkina Faso and a full-on civil…

The first 1,000 days of a child’s life – pregnancy and the months leading to their second birthday – are a critical time. Expectant mothers need good antenatal care. The better their physical and mental health, the greater the likelihood of giving birth to a healthy baby and being able to nurture that baby through the first two years of life. There’s a large global body of evidence to show that what happens during this period has lifelong effects on a person’s health, growth and well-being. Less attention has been paid to the “next 1,000 days”, when children are between the ages…

The dramatic loss of power by the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which had governed Botswana since independence in 1966, will go down in history as one of the biggest electoral upsets in Africa. Duma Boko (54), of the Umbrella for Democratic Change coalition, has replaced Mokgweetsi Masisi as the southern African country’s president. The Botswana Democratic Party’s share of support dropped to 31% in the October 2024 elections, giving it only four out of 61 constituencies. The Umbrella for Democratic Change claimed 36 seats. We asked University of Botswana historian and political economist Christian John Makgala for his insights. Briefly sketch Botswana’s history When Botswana gained independence from…

In sub-Saharan Africa, high levels of particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution from vehicle tailpipe emissions cause poor health, developmental stunting, and even death. Vehicle emissions also contribute to global warming. Electric vehicles could help solve these problems but they’ve been slow to take off in the region. Its biggest economy, South Africa, had only about 1,000 electric vehicles by 2022. We are specialist transport engineers whose research has focused on electric vehicles and road freight transport in sub-Saharan Africa. In our work we look at how electric vehicles could contribute to reducing emissions in the region, and what is standing in the way of electrifying transport. One of the reasons for low uptake…

The electoral defeat delivered to the Botswana Democratic Party led by Mokgweetsi Masisi was met with incredulity in neighbouring states. Not many expected the party that had run the country comfortably since independence in 1966 to be so roundly defeated in national elections on 30 October 2024. Of the 61 seats in the national assembly, the Umbrella for Democratic Change coalition won 36 seats, the Botswana Congress Party 15. The Botswana Patriotic Front won five seats, the Botswana Democratic Party four, and an independent candidate won one seat. Batswana cast their ballots for opposition leader Duma Boko, who is largely unknown outside…

Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025, combined with a Republican-led US Senate and House of Representatives was widely feared among international allies and will be cheered by some of America’s foes. While the former put on a brave face, the latter are finding it hard to hide their glee. On the war in Ukraine, Trump is likely to try to force Kyiv and Moscow into at least a ceasefire along the current front lines. This could possibly involve a permanent settlement that would acknowledge Russia’s territorial gains, including the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the territories occupied since…