Many observers have been quick to argue that the recent US-Africa summit was meant to deepen America’s involvement in Africa at a time when China is fast expanding its presence on the continent. That may well be so, but it is also not unlikely that the US could work with China and other nations for mutual exploitation of Africa

Few are aware that the rainbow nation of South Africa continues to imprison freedom fighters who fought against apartheid. Many have languished in South Africa’s jails for years and have been sacrificed on an altar of reconciliation in a so-called “new South Africa.” They should be immediately released

Through the exploitation of loopholes in the tax system, under a veil of proprietary confidentiality, the diamond industry is systematically short-changing the citizens of South Africa.

In 20 years, the population which has chosen not to vote has increased by 9.4 million. What does this largely hidden tale tell us about South Africa’s political system and its democracy?

There was no question about the ANC winning this election, despite disaffection with its performance. The opposition parties have not worked hard enough to convince voters that they are a better alternative.

South Africa is a much better place to live in under the ANC, but the former liberation movement delegitimizes itself by failure to redress growing structural inequalities and injustice rooted in apartheid. A leftist party is needed to drive a true democratic revolution

New book tells how a global anti-apartheid movement helped South Africa win its freedom, and its lessons for us

Amnesty International, made up of millions of individual members and supporters, is a truly global human rights movement. It is made up of people who are passionate about defending human rights for all, and who believe the world would be a better place if together we took injustice personally.

The constitution’s Equality Clause ensuring non-discrimination because of sexual orientation was not South African exceptionalism or simply the benevolence of the ANC: it was the result of consistent work by anti-apartheid gay activists, including black women

As these three sad stories show, refugees and asylum seekers who happen to be gay are subjected to the double stigma and violence of homophobia and xenophobia in the Rainbow Nation that has some of the most progressive inclusive laws in the world

In post-apartheid South Africa, sexual violence has become a socially endorsed punitive project for maintaining patriarchal order. Black township lesbians have not benefited from legal protection because of important weaknesses in the justice system. These need to be addressed

The seemingly bizarre performance by the deaf signer at Nelson Mandela’s memorial is a manifestation of disorder in South African society. Service delivery protests and the shadow of Marikina haunts the nation, among many other socio-economic and political ills

South Africa has been praised for progressive laws relating to women’s reproductive health. Free state-performed abortions have increased to 500,000 since 2004. But still, controversy and resistance have led to inadequate implementation of the law

When South Africa became democratic and political equality was adopted, little was done for economic equality. That mainly benefitted the already powerful whites. Economic liberalisation coupled with inequality and capitalist competition have engendered massive corruption

South Africa appears poised to reclaim its revolutionary legacy from the clutches of the African National Congress, which has “devolved into a fat and corrupt partner of white capital.” As the Age of Obama nears its end, Black America must also awake from the catastrophe of racial symbolism and self-delusion.

In the future, South Africa will explode into a racial Armageddon unless the crimes committed under apartheid are addressed following the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) that was the handwork of Nelson Mandela

The Toronto-based Biko Rodney Malcolm Coalition (BRMC) played an important role in isolating those African musicians who collaborated with the reviled apartheid regime and celebrating those who culturally boycotted South Africa. This history is important for us to remember

Among some of the important ways to continue to honour, cherish and act upon Madiba’s legacy are for Africans to stop fighting one another and the white minority to give up their white privileges and economic might

The metal wokers union has consistently refused to be used as a rubber stamp to all the anti-worker policies of the South African government that is clearly pursuing policies that have put profits above people, especially workers

After a historic handshake between President Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro, relations between the United States and the island nation have been put in the spotlight. Castro was one of five world leaders invited to speak at Nelson Mandela’s memorial, highlighting Cuba’s importance to the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.

In this interview with Democracy Now! historian Piero Gleijeses of Johns Hopkins University puts the Obama-Castro handshake in context and discusses his new book, “Visions of Freedom: Havana, Washington, Pretoria, and the Struggle for South Africa, 1976-1991.” Gleijeses believes that Cuba had "destroyed the myth of the invincibility of the white oppressor ... [and] inspired the fighting masses of South Africa."

Watch the interview