Venezuela is once again in the grip of violent protests, targeting the post-Chavez administration of Nicholas Maduro and which have claimed at least 19 lives as of writing. The official reasons for these protests range from a high crime rate (particularly violent...
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Developments in NUMSA
Developments in NUMSA are of considerable significance, portending substantial changes in the South African political landscape. Notably this entails the possible fatal split of COSATU and the ANC-led alliance. But as with all break-ups, one cannot be certain what...
The Third Intifada? | by Uri Avnery
Is this the third intifada? This question was raised this week by a number of Israeli security experts. And not only by them – their Palestinian colleagues were almost as perplexed. All over the West Bank, Palestinian youth threw stones at Israeli soldiers. All the...
The Marikana Massacre reveals the depths of the fault lines in South Africa | by Sahra Ryklief
On Thursday 16th August, 34 striking mineworkers were shot dead by police at LONMIN's platinum mine in Rustenberg. It is not yet clear why the police were using live ammunition, nor whether a warning was issued. Audio-visual depictions of the event demonstrate a...
On the Politics of Protest in Cape Town
By Jared Sacks A few weeks ago the City of Cape Town was rocked by a spate of road blockades and other significant protests. Certain liberal NGOs have joined the DA in condemning the protests claiming that they are violent and motivated by political party agendas. To...
The Marikana action is a strike by the poor against the state and the haves | by Justice Malala
The shooting at Lonmin's Marikana mine exposes weaknesses at the heart of South African society The story of the London-listed Lonmin's Marikana mine shootings is that of a trade union that cosied up to big business; of an upstart and populist new union that exploited...
Malema: Miners were killed to protect Cyril Ramaphosa shares
President Jacob Zuma and Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa must resign following the death of mineworkers at Lonmin's Marikana operations, in the North West, expelled ANC Youth League President Julius Malema said on Saturday. "President Zuma decided over the massacre of...
Amandla Editorial Comment : A Brutal tragedy that should never have happened
No event since the end of Apartheid sums up the shallowness of the transformation in this country like the Marikana massacre. What occurred will be debated for years. It is already clear the mineworkers will be blamed for being violent. The mineworkers will be painted...




