Both the state of the nation address and budget speech didn't leave a sense that there has been much reflection on the depth of the economic malaise gripping South Africa.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on National Development Plan
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Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to emphasise stability - in government and the ANC. Given his history he is likely to want to stabilise the economy rather than pursue radical interventions.
South Africa has one last hurdle to cross before it implements a sugar tax to prevent a wide-range of obesity related non-communicable diseases.
South Africa's five-year-old National Development Plan suffers from gross misinterpretation by different parties.
South Africa's governing ANC has always seen economic growth as the driving force for change. This was wishful thinking as the damage done by apartheid will take far more to undo.
After South Africa's first democratic election in 1994, the previously oppressed and dispossessed black majority hoped for constitutional restitution of their land. This has largely failed.
The economic transformation discussion document released by South Africa's governing party, the ANC, fails to be radical.
South African finance minister Pravin Gordhan's medium-term budget speech was a lot about balancing the politics of a divided ruling ANC.
South Africa must examine how science funding is allocated to universities. It also needs to acknowledge that not all universities should be focusing on research and development.
Land issues are increasingly at the centre of politics in South Africa, but the debate needs fresh ideas.
Through developing their technological skills, South Africa's local municipalities can increase their capacity to compete with markets in neighbouring countries.
For more than 100 years South Africa's ruling ANC and its leaders have often been able to speak to and for the nation with resonance and moral authority, their words matching actions. Not any more.
Justice Malala argues that South Africa faces a governance and leadership crisis, rather than an economic crisis. He argues that is not up to the ruling party alone to solve the problem.
Vocational training is regarded as "low status" in South Africa. Much of the negativity around technical and vocational work seems to lie in the country's history.
The future is not bleak as long as the government recognises the importance of and continues investing in science.
South Africa's lack of a clear policy direction, poor leadership, corruption and electricity supply problems will be the major constraints to its economic growth over the next 20 years.
Top contributors
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Head of Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand
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Professor of Political Studies, University of Johannesburg
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Deputy Chair: SA Research Chair on African Diplomacy and Foreign Policy, University of Johannesburg
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Editor-in-Chief of the South African Journal of Science and Consultant, Vice Principal for Research and Graduate Education, University of Pretoria
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Associate Professor in Politics, Rhodes University
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Program Director, PRICELESS SA ( Priority Cost Effective Lessons in Systems Stregthening South Africa), University of the Witwatersrand
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Chair of the Board of Trustees and Head of African Futures & Innovation at the Institute for Security Studies. Extraordinary Professor in the Centre of Human Rights, University of Pretoria
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Deputy Director, PRICELESS, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand
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Professor of Education and Ombudsman, University of South Africa
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student, Université Libre de Bruxelles
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Textile and Fashion Theory Lecturer LISOF, Tshwane University of Technology
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Lecturer at Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand
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Ruth First Fellow, Journalism, University of the Witwatersrand
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Professor of Economics and Public Finance, School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand
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Professor, Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape
