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Mcebisi Ndletyana

Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Johannesburg
Professor Ndletyana is a Fellow at the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection(Mistra) in South Africa. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of the Witwatersrand and is a columnist for South Africa's The Sunday Independent newspaper.

Emerging Market Crisis Series

South Africa's local elections: new entrants likely to be the big winners

Oct 31, 2021 23:39 pm UTC| Politics

Though a ritual, elections yield new insights about the state of the citizenry and the political elite. Life changes, either for the better or worse. Electoral outcomes are a statement about how citizens feel at that...

Emerging Market Crisis Series

Jacob Zuma isn't a man with a cause. Just a wily politician trying to evade the law

Jul 01, 2021 09:54 am UTC| Politics

South Africas Constitutional Court ruling to imprison the countrys former president, Jacob Zuma, was unprecedented. But it wasnt unexpected. The author of the majority judgment, Justice Sisi Khampepe, captured the...

Constitutional Court ruling heralds changes to South Africa's electoral system

Jun 15, 2020 12:43 pm UTC| Law Politics

Ultimately, it took Chantal Revell, a descendant of the Khoi and San royalty, to initiate a change in South Africas electoral system. This has been a contentious subject for almost 20 years. An official task team was set...

New book shows how corruption took root in democratic South Africa

Apr 08, 2020 12:56 pm UTC| Politics

In evidence before a commission of inquiry investigating corruption, South Africans have been treated to shocking revelations about brazen looting of state coffers. Ín his new book, Anatomy of the ANC in Power:...

Public approval is Ramaphosa's only defence against his enemies in the ANC

Jan 28, 2020 08:46 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

What are South Africans to make of the murmurs that its governing party, the African National Congress (ANC), plans to recall Cyril Ramaphosa as president of the republic at its next National General Council in June? Thats...

Economy

US Dollar Weakens as Yen Surges Amid Japan Intervention and Central Bank Moves

The U.S. dollar declined notably in global forex markets, with the Japanese yen emerging as a key beneficiary following reports of currency intervention by Japans authorities. The dollar index, which measures the greenback...

Markets Stay Strong Despite Oil Shock Concerns as Earnings Drive Investor Confidence

Global financial markets continue to show resilience despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and disruptions in oil supply. Analysts note that while the conflict involving Iran raised fears of a major oil shock, energy...

WTI Crude Oil Prices Rise Amid Iran Conflict Uncertainty

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices edged higher at market open, gaining 41 cents or 0.43% to reach $105.50 per barrel. The increase follows heightened volatility driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions,...

Oil Prices Ease but Remain Set for Strong April Gains Amid Middle East Tensions

Oil prices edged lower on Thursday, yet remained on track to close April with notable gains following a surge driven by geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions. Brent crude futures for June delivery slipped 3.3% to...

Iran-U.S. Conflict Escalation Threatens Global Oil Supply and Economic Stability

Tensions between Iran and the United States continue to rise as Tehran warns of long and painful strikes if Washington launches new military attacks. The ongoing Iran-U.S. conflict has significantly impacted global...

Politics

U.S. Flags Vietnam as “Priority Foreign Country” Over Intellectual Property Concerns

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has officially designated Vietnam as a Priority Foreign Country in its latest annual intellectual property (IP) report, signaling heightened concern over the...

Japan Eases Arms Export Rules, Opening Door for Potential Ukraine Defense Support

Japans recent relaxation of its weapons export rules could pave the way for future discussions on supplying military equipment to Ukraine, according to Kyivs ambassador to Tokyo. The policy shift, led by Prime Minister...

FEMA Reinstates Employees After Dissent Letter, Signaling Shift in Workforce Stability

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has reinstated more than a dozen employees who were placed on administrative leave in August 2025 after signing a public letter criticizing agency leadership and...

Iran Threatens Prolonged Strikes as Strait of Hormuz Crisis Drives Global Oil Surge

Iran has warned it will launch long and painful strikes against U.S. positions if Washington escalates military action, intensifying tensions in the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Tehran. The situation has...

Lula Plans New Supreme Court Nomination After Historic Senate Rejection

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is preparing to submit a new nominee for the Supreme Federal Court after the Senate rejected his initial choice, marking a historic political setback. According to...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

Apple Q2 2026 Earnings Surge as iPhone 17 Sales Drive Record Revenue

Apple delivered a strong fiscal Q2 2026 performance, reporting record-breaking revenue and profit growth fueled by robust iPhone sales and expanding services. The tech giant posted earnings of $2.01 per share on $111.18...

FBI Warns of China’s Expanding Hack-for-Hire Network Amid Extradition Case

The Chinese governments alleged hack-for-hire ecosystem is rapidly expanding and becoming increasingly difficult to control, according to a senior FBI official. Speaking on Thursday, FBI Assistant Director Brett Leatherman...

Taiwan Activates Backup Communications After Undersea Cable Break on Dongyin Island

Taiwan has activated emergency backup communications for Dongyin, its northernmost and strategically important island, after an undersea cable was damaged due to shifting shipwreck debris caused by severe weather. The...

Meta Raises 2026 Capex Outlook Amid AI Spending Surge, Shares Drop After Earnings

Meta Platforms has increased its full-year capital expenditure guidance for 2026, signaling continued aggressive investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure despite rising costs and market concerns. The company...

Amazon Stock Dips Despite Record Earnings as AI Infrastructure Spending Surges

Amazon (AMZN) shares slipped 2.6% in after-hours trading on Wednesday, even after the company delivered record-breaking quarterly earnings that exceeded Wall Street expectations. The decline reflects investor concerns over...