The University of Johannesburg, one of the largest, multi-campus, residential universities in South Africa, seeks to achieve the highest distinction in scholarship and research. Born from the merger between the former Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), the Technikon Witwatersrand (TWR) and the Soweto and the East Rand campuses of Vista University in 2005, the University of Johannesburg fosters ideas that are rooted in African epistemology, but also addresses the needs of South African society and the African continent as it is committed to contribute to sustainable growth and development.
Solar power is a key piece of South Africa's energy puzzle.
South Africa was hit by an unprecedented wave of student protests against fee hikes, racism and for the decolonisation of curriculum.
Reuters/Mike Hutchings
Many works published on decolonisation originate from Ngugi wa Thiongo's idea of decolonising the African mind. Imperialism, he writes, has left its mark on the minds of the previously colonised.
Nhlanhla Nene, South Africa’s former finance minister. President Zuma’s decision to fire him is irrational.
EPA/Nic Bothma
It is difficult to analyse political developments in South Africa. Decision-making does not fit any neat political science theory. President Zuma is unpredictable and his policy thinking is woolly.
Presidents Hollande and Obama. Is it still possible for nation states to build a global alliance against organisations such as Daesh?
Reuters/Jonathan Ernst
To save mankind from the scourge of war… These eight words drawn from the preamble to the Charter of the United Nations have been ringing in my head for the past week. Most believe that they were penned…
Miners pray during the one-year anniversary commemoration of the killings of 34 striking miners by police outside Lonmin’s Marikana platinum mine.
Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko
The reporting of the Marikana massacre was characterised by embedded journalism, sensationalism and polarisation of views. The media became a loudspeaker for powerful political and economic interests.
Grim, single sex workers’ hostels are still common in South Africa’s economic capital Johannesburg.
Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters
Architects and those working on the built environment can learn valuable lessons about their discipline – how it's taught, and how it's carried out – from the 2015 student protests.
South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma being welcomed on his arrival in Khartoum by Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir earlier this year.
Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
South Africa's withdrawal from the ICC could have mere symbolic value. The country will continue to have obligations to binding decisions taken by the UN Security Council – including those pertaining to the court.
Former presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki. Both men had clear ideas about South Africa’s foreign policy.
Reuters
Over the past two decades, it has not been easy for any country – let alone a newly freed one, like post-apartheid South Africa – to understand the rapidly changing world.
The role of police during the students protests has come in for strong criticism.
Reuters/Sydney Seshibedi
The #feesmustfall movement brought gains for democracy. As relatively free spaces for enquiry, universities have a public duty to fight, not facilitate, a slide into a national security state.
South Africa is considering new nuclear power stations to supplement the Koeberg plant near Cape Town.
Mike Hutchings/Reuters
Cyber security has been identified as a global challenge, with Africa facing renewed threats through increasing internet use across many platforms.
Universities are losing sight of their role as places of teaching and learning. Instead, they are becoming hugely stressed business enterprises.
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When funding imperatives dominate universities' strategies, higher education loses sight of the work it ought to be doing: developing graduates who can make a real difference in the world.
South Africa’s Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene has a difficult task of performing a balancing act as the country’s economy grows slowly.
Reuters/Sumaya Hisham
African academics and universities have been caught in the predatory journal web. It's time for the continent's universities to start taking this threat to their integrity seriously.
A few changes in South Africa’s tax administration will have a huge impact on business.
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South Africa has sent a strong signal against tax evasion and is planning to introduce a carbon tax. There are also incentives for employers keen on taking inexperienced job seekers.
South African students want free university education. In a deeply unequal society, could there be another way?
Kim Ludbrook/EPA
To the mark the eighth annual Open Access Week, we asked our readers what they wanted to know about the initiative. Here are their questions with answers from our experts.
A racially segregated train station entrance during apartheid.
Apartheid Museum
The infamous Muldergate scandal of the 1970s was the exemplar case of apartheid’s "unorthodox diplomacy" of buying influence around the world.
An Egyptian engineer at work on a project to upgrade the Suez Canal. Engineers will be crucial in making the sustainable development goals a reality.
Amr Dalsh/Reuters
If we want the Sustainable Development Goals to be more than just big dreams, Africa will need well trained engineers who can put their skills to good use in their own communities.