Spotlight Africa: Recent Episodes
Channel Africa
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
The Horn of Africa has been experiencing a drought for the past four years. The situation has been made worse due to the fact that the Horn of Africa is considered to be an Eco Sensitive region, the region receiving approximately 500 millimeters of rain per annum. As such any loss of rain makes the place dire with most of the flocks of the mainly pastoralist people dying. The unrecognized State of Somaliland is suffering greatly due to its status of being an unrecognized entity as such not receiving much government to government aid in Drought Assistance. Geno Teofilo is the head of communications of the Norwegian Humanitarian Organisation Norwegian Refugee Council. We also have Mr Faisal Ali Sheikh Mohamed the Commissioner of the Somaliland National Disaster Preparedness and Food Reserve Authority.
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
A weekly programme that showcases African countries from the historical, geographical, climatic, and demographic perspective and considers the struggle for independence, political developments, governance, and the economy
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR, is a world class South African Research Centre. The CSIR is South Africa's central and premier scientific research and development organisation. It was established by an act of parliament in 194. It is the largest research and development (R&D) organisation in Africa and accounts for about 10% of the entire African R&D budget. In its existence the CSIR has under taken some top level research some of which being controversial like the development of Apartheid South African Nuclear programme which culminated into the development of the Nuclear bomb. Presently the CSIR is celebrating ten years since the establishment, among others of its Nano medicine sector, key into this sector is the development of Nano pharmaceuticals, which have found great potential in the sector of treatment of Diseases of Poverty namely Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV. Dr Yolandy Jemmer is a Nano Medicine researcher involved in researching Nano carriers for the encapsulating and transporting of TB drugs directly to the affected cells and.
Somaliland is a country that is located in the very turbulent region of the Horn of Africa. Somaliland also is a country that has seen its fair share of violence; however, the country is very stable with peace and stability in place, this situation being there since 1991. Somaliland although it is an Island of Peace in a turbulent region, has another distinction. It is the only country in the world whose sovereignty has not been recognized by any other country, this despite the country having a stable government having jurisdiction within set and known boundaries also it having democratic election which legally install and remove governing authorities. Dr Ali Saad Shire is the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somali, he gives an account of the situation, challenges and achievement attained by Somaliland.
The Girl Child is the most vulnerable human being when it comes to violence abuse. In this programme we highlight the Plight that the Girl child faces and lives under in Kenya it being an example of the predicament that the Girl Child is in in African countries and also many under developed countries of the world, commonly known as the Global South. We engaged Mr Aggrey Willis Otieno a programme Manager attached to the Kenyan Chapter of the Pan African NGO ANPPCAN or the African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect
The campaign of activism for 16 days of no violence against Women and Children is observed, worldwide, between 25th and 10 December. However, the great retardant of fight this evil practice is the poor exposure of the extensiveness of this ill. The problem of violence against Women and Children in particular against the most vulnerable, the Girl Child is being under reported. This underreporting and in some cases elements of denials emanates from groups and institutions which are closely associated with the governing authorities. We interrogate the manner in which Gender issues and issues involving the girl child are being reported and admitted in Kenya, this being just an example of how issues are treated by various sectors in the African continent.
Africa accounts for just 20 percent of the world’s disasters yet it accounts for 80 percent of the loss emanating from disasters in the world. A key factor that has contributed to this anomaly is African countries unpreparedness in reacting to disasters. Mr Rapulane Monageng is the City of Johannesburg Emergency Services Training Academy Deputy Director. He talks on the need for Africa to coordinate and enhance its disaster intervention capabilities.
The African continent has been viewed in the world media as a continent that is plagued with poverty, underdevelopment, illiteracy pandemics and epidemics of all sorts from HIV to highly contagious Ebola. In short, the continent has been depicted as a disaster prone continent. Further, Africans and the African continent has been depicted as a continent that cannot assist its self in overcoming disasters that it is facing, this making it a recipient of aid and assistance from outside namely from The Western Countries. However, there are some facts that need to e put straight. Africa accounts for less than 20 percent of the world’s disasters, however, it accounts for 60 percent of the world’s losses due to disasters. This high attrition rate of Africa disasters is due to a number of issues, however, key in this is Africa’s weakness in reaction when disaster do occur. SA Rescue is a world class African Disaster Reaction NGO which envisages the upgrading of Africa’s Disaster preparedness.
Of late the narrative Africa Rising has come to be used frequently this being used to give idea or a notion that the African continent has at last undergoing an economic revolution with African Country economies rising. True to the term the GDP indices of many African rises has been seen to be rising that in a situation when most developed and middle income countries’ economic indices have shown to be stagnant. An idea is thus generated that African countries are developing. However, there has arisen amongst African academics and within African think tanks that the notion of African Rising is far from being a reality, on the contrary, they claim, African countries have continued to be poor and the poverty levels of Africans has worsened in the period of Neo Liberal Market driven economies.
In the first episode of the programme on the East African Commission we presented different challenges that were in the way of the formation of the East African Regional Body. These challenges amongst other include the fear of loss of sovereignty, fear of economic domination, etc. However, the integration of economic activity generally considers the relations and integration of formal business dealings, this regime however, does not look at the other business sector which exist in all African countries, the informal sector. The informal sector involves the biggest fraction of any African country’s population and it gives livelihood to a majority of Africans, this also includes cross border informal trade. The issue of regional economic integration has also got to look into the integration of the informal sector and also the formalization of informal sector cross border trading.
The East African Commission, EAC, is a regional Body that is spear heading the Regional Economical Integration of East Africa. The body has its genesis in the colonial times basically in 1917, this being a Custom Union body serving then Kenya and Uganda. The body was expanded to include Tanganyika, Tanzania of today, and its main purpose was to put in place manage and provide common services to the three countries , it then being known as The East Africa High Commission. With Independence the body underwent changes this to accommodate newly found sovereignty of the member countries, however, due to the same reason of sovereignty the newly formed East African Commission was disbanded. The Commission has been revived with there being more countries joining namely Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan with Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan also showing intention of joining. The EAC however is still experiencing challenges which have to be addressed if the Union has to survive.
Rhe Bantu Somalis are Somalis who are found in Southern Somalia. Although this people have been domiciled in the regions that they are found for over two thousand years, this being evidenced and proven by archeological research, diggings of Bantu Somali settlements and finding of associated cultural artifacts, their belonging to the Somali nation group and as such their citizenry is not being recognized by their Somali compatriots namely the Cushitic Somali rulers, a people who they long predated in the region. The discrimination against Somali Bantus in Somalia is unknown further the Bantu Somali have suffered from many injustices they being dispossession of their lands and not accessing education and employment opportunities
The concept of power has many connotations, more so in international relations. This concept has seen the rise of and distribution of power to nations like Brazil, China and India countries which have risen to those positions through economic power. It is being claimed that African countries are rising economically, albeit the economic development has not been even throughout the continent this giving rise to new power dynamics amongst African counties. What really comprises power, and what issues contribute to its making?
South Africa has been known as the world’s biggest Gold Producer. In fact for over hundred years South Africa has been the world’s biggest Gold Producer. This saw the Industry establishing the biggest Migrant Labor system which saw Migrant labors being flown in by air from far flung location as the then Tanganyika, todays Tanzania. However, the Gold Industry has left a very bitter legacy. This being the political economic system of Apartheid and on the social level, great inequalities based on race. However, what many people are not aware of is the permanent dark legacy of toxic mining dumps that affect the communities that live next to the abandoned mines. Bench-Mark Foundation carried out a research which investigated the state of the communities that live next to the mining area. Unknown to many these communities live in Soweto, a location most affected by toxic mining dumps.
There have been many debates over the working, role and neutrality of International Criminal Courts and also of the International Criminal Court or ICC which was formed by the Rome Statute. African countries have been very vocal on the Neutrality of the International Criminal Court and there have been some quarters which have come to question the legality and working of the many International Criminal Courts or Tribunals which have been formed by the United Nations. What is it that is being challenged? For an answer to this question and many more we revisit some Tribunals and interrogate their formation and operation.
South Africa is one of few African Countries that suffered Settler Colonialism, the other being Namibia Zimbabwe, Angola, Kenya and Algeria. Again like all settler Colonial countries, the Native population had to undertake armed struggle to attain Independence. South Africa attained independence in 1994 this after talks between former warring parties. The Attainment of Independence however did not solve the inherent issue of the Native population of their land. The land issue has been a very sore question where the question of restitution and the equitable redistribution of land is hotly debated and contested. The land issue after two decades of low level debates has now broken it being on top of the political agenda. Issues of land have been taken up by the youth, the new political constituency, and they have come up with what they term the new discourse on Land. Advocate Thembeka Ngcukaitobi is an advocate with a specialty in Constitutional Law he points to the adequacy of the South African constitution in dealing with the land issue. Gregory Maxalane is a PhD candidate in Politics, he looks at the nature of dispossession, it originating from African lands being regarded Terra Nullis Land without owners.
In South Africa the Month of July has been designated as Mandela Month it is the Month that the late ex-President Nelson Mandela was born. On the 31st July 2017, the University of Johannesburg, NRF Chair of African Diplomacy and Foreign Policy and the UJ Library, in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, will host a public lecture by Dr Mamphele Ramphele and Ms Bomikazi Njova, local president, Junior Chamber International, and student of the University Of Fort Hare. on ‘(Re)imagining the State and Society: A Conversation’. The lecture also involved students of the University of Johannesburg. The Students, most of who are born in the Post-Apartheid era have priorities other than those of their elders.
The Pan African Parliament came into being in 2004 this by a resolution for its formation passed by the African Union. However, the idea of having an African Legislative organ was first muted by the now defunct Organisation of African Unity in 1997. Despite the views of many, the need for a continental legislative organ is of prime importance this borne by the new world order of economic and political globalization. It has been successfully argued that African countries can only succeed and survive in a globalized environment as part of a greater integrated political and economic combine, which would give voice and guidance to organs that deal on world level and also an organ that would look after the interest of ordinary African in a world that is dominated by international financial oligarchies and Corporates. However nothing much is known of the Pan African Parliaments Mandate and protocols of formation, its structural make up, its challenges and successes. To help us get a better picture of the Pan African Parliament we have Mr Vipya Harawa, the Pan African Parliament Clerk and member of the secretariat that he heads.
The late ex-President Nelson Mandela was born on the 18th July 1918. In South Africa 18th July has been designated as Mandela Day, on this day South Africans dedicate 67 minutes towards activities that would uplift the society as a whole. The 67 minutes signify the 67 years that Nelson Mandela dedicated his life towards fighting for freedom. However what i9s not known is that the United Nation has also designated 18th July as the International Nelson Mandela Day. The UN asks individuals around the world to mark Nelson Mandela International Day (18 July) by making a difference in their communities. As such Nelson Mandela day is commemorated internationally. Radio 2000 is a sister radio station of Channel Africa in that both fall under the South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC. In commemorating THE 2018 Mandela Day, Radio 2000 organized a feeding programme for the less fortunate inhabitants of one of Johannesburg suburbs.
Of late the issues that have dominated news the world all over has been the images, caption, narratives and discourses about desperate migrants, many of whom are African Youths, who are trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe this being done in very precarious crafts which results in many of these Immigrants perishing in the sea. The migration drama however, is not confined to Africa, the same issue of migration is unfolding in the Americas where migrants from the poorer central and Southern American countries are trying to reach the more prosperous Northern American States namely USA and Canada this too is being experienced in Asia where migrants from Diverse countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia are trying to reach Australia, and also Europe by various routes including the Mediterranean route. This talks to a very serious situation that has produced a very deprived Global South. Mr Katembo Tasakana is a migration Specialist having completed post graduate studies in Migration.
Africa is faced with a major disaster this arising from El Nino related drought. Foe the last two years many African Countries have experienced depleted rainfall, South Africa, which has Africa’s most developed agricultural system, has faced drought condition for the years 2016 and 2016. This forced the country, which is a net exporter of food, to import maize in 2016, this to make up the short fall All Southern African countries have experienced reduced grain harvest. However, the most affected regions of Africa have been the horn of Africa, this situation spreading East Wards to include the semi desert Sahelen regions of West Africa. The effects of the drought, however, has been exacerbated by break down of security in some of the affected countries these being Somalia, South Sudan, and the Lake Chad region countries. Millan Atam is the Managing Director of Gravitazz Institute for Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management.