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Richard Calland

Associate Professor in Public Law, University of Cape Town

Richard Calland has for over 20 years been working in the fields of democratic governance and sustainable development in South Africa and beyond. Based at the University of Cape Town (UCT), Calland is also a Fellow of the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), working as a member of faculty on a range of customised leadership and strategy programmes for amongst others the World Bank, PWC, the African Development Bank, Nedbank, Namdeb, Network Rail and Tata. He is also the co-director of the African Climate Finance Hub and the governance advisor to the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative (CoST), an international initiative directed towards information disclosure in large public infrastructure projects. Amongst other corporate clients, he is a long-time retained consultant to Massmart, Africa’s largest retailer that was acquired by Walmart in 2011, advising on issues of politics, sustainability and governance, as well as providing regular political risk briefings to the investor clients of UBS and Citi Bank, and has recently established a new advisory organisation – The Paternoster Group: African Political Insight. His most recent book, Make of Break: How the next three years will shape South Africa's next three decades, was published in late 2016. He is also the author of Anatomy of South Africa (2006) and The Zuma Years (2013). His political column, Contretemps, has appeared in the Mail & Guardian newspaper since 2001. Before moving to South Africa in 1994, Calland practiced law for seven years at the London Bar.

Future of Coal Series

Gas isn’t a good alternative to coal – South Africa should focus on solar, wind and green hydrogen

Oct 08, 2024 07:23 am UTC| Economy

South Africa is immersed in a just energy transition from a fossil fuel-based energy system to a cleaner, low-carbon energy system. This new system will be based primarily on renewable energy, such as solar, wind and green...

Ramaphosa left with tricky choices as South Africa bungles Chief Justice appointment

Feb 08, 2022 03:38 am UTC| Politics

After a fraught and fractious week of public interviews that shed heat but little light on the four candidates eligible to become the next Chief Justice, South Africas Judicial Service Commission has recommended that...

The six mega challenges testing leaders at a time of national and global crisis

Mar 26, 2020 16:04 pm UTC| Politics Economy

The COVID-19 pandemic is an extreme crisis that puts government under severe pressure. It puts the political judgement of the president or prime minister under the most intense spotlight. Not since the height of the Cold...

Economy

Oil Prices Surge Amid U.S.-Iran Tensions and Supply Disruption Fears

Global oil prices climbed sharply on Thursday as escalating geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran fueled concerns about further supply disruptions in the Middle East. Brent crude oil prices surged by as...

Asian Stocks Slip as Oil Prices Surge and Fed Signals Inflation Risks

Asian stock markets declined on Thursday as investors reacted to a sharp rise in oil prices, mixed corporate earnings, and a cautious outlook from the U.S. Federal Reserve. The combination of geopolitical tensions, energy...

Dollar Holds Near Two-Week High as Fed Hawkish Shift Lifts Yields, Yen Near Intervention Zone

The U.S. dollar remained close to its strongest level in more than two weeks on Thursday, supported by a hawkish shift from Federal Reserve policymakers that pushed Treasury yields to a one-month high. Currency markets are...

US Stock Futures Mixed as Fed Holds Rates, Oil Prices Surge, and Big Tech Earnings Drive Market Moves

U.S. stock index futures traded mixed on Wednesday evening as investors reacted to the Federal Reserves latest policy decision, rising oil prices, and a fresh round of earnings from major technology companies. Market...

China Factory Activity Extends Growth in April Despite Global Pressures

Chinas manufacturing sector continued to expand for a second consecutive month in April, signaling resilience in the worlds second-largest economy despite ongoing global uncertainties. According to official data from the...

Politics

Russian Drone Strikes Hit Odesa Again, Injuring Civilians and Damaging Infrastructure

Russian drone attacks targeted the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight, marking the second assault this week and leaving at least 18 people injured, according to local officials. The latest strike adds to the...

US House Advances $70 Billion Immigration Enforcement Budget Plan

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a three-year budget framework that could unlock an additional $70 billion for immigration enforcement, marking a significant step in shaping future border security policies....

Trump to Receive Briefing on Potential U.S. Military Action Against Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to receive a high-level security briefing on Thursday regarding new military options targeting Iran, according to a report by Axios citing unnamed sources. The briefing will be led...

Taiwan Independence Explained: History, Status, and Rising China Tensions

Taiwan independence remains a highly debated issue in global politics, especially as tensions between China and the United States continue to shape international relations. The topic is expected to feature prominently in...

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...

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

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...

Alphabet Earnings Surge on AI Growth, Cloud Revenue, and Strong Search Performance

Alphabet Inc. delivered an impressive first-quarter performance, surpassing Wall Street expectations with strong growth driven by its Cloud division and core Search business. The tech giant reported adjusted earnings per...

Qualcomm Stock Surges Despite Weak Guidance After Q2 2026 Earnings Beat

Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) shares climbed sharply on Wednesday, closing up 9% after a volatile trading session triggered by its fiscal second-quarter 2026 earnings report and softer-than-expected forward guidance. The...

Microsoft Azure Growth Forecast Beats Expectations Amid Rising AI Competition

Microsoft has projected stronger-than-expected growth for its Azure cloud business, signaling continued momentum in the competitive cloud computing and artificial intelligence market. The company announced it expects Azure...