Media
The next chokepoint, the next conflict
01 May, 2026
Modern power is not just about armies; it is about controlling bottlenecks, as we have seen with the war between the United States (US), Israel, and Iran. When the Strait of Hormuz first closed, the world felt it immediately through fuel prices, freight costs, and the quiet panic of logistics departments at companies that had never once thought about Iranian foreign policy.
When the room goes quiet: why SA cannot afford multilateral illusions
30 April, 2026
This week the African Union convened a Strategic Retreat in Malabo to prepare for the 2026 US G20 Presidency. The agenda is ambitious: lessons from South Africa’s G20 Presidency, positioning Africa under Agenda 2063, building a unified continental voice. The language is confident, and the symbolism is rich.
Minister downplays US blockade risk as fuel prices soar
23 April, 2026
SA education: the bill is due
23 April, 2026
South Africa spends more on education than on anything else. According to National Treasury, education claims 23.2% of consolidated expenditure over the medium term: the single largest share of the budget. And yet, at every stage of the pipeline, the system fails the young South Africans it is supposed to serve.
Growth outlook darkens for 2026
17 April, 2026
Commodity gains offer only temporary relief to fiscal pressures
Tables turn on South Africa
16 April, 2026
South Africa’s economic fortunes have reversed since the beginning of 2026, when it was widely believed the country’s future was the brightest it has been since 2010.
To Washington - Thage first, Meyer later
16 April, 2026
Road from presidential preference to functioning ambassador in Washington will be a long political journey
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
15 April, 2026
The International Trade Administration Commission (Itac) has proposed raising import duties on solar panels, wind turbine components and lithium-ion batteries to World Trade Organisation bound-rate ceilings; in some cases, from zero to 30%. The stated rationale is industrial localisation.
Markets are overly optimistic about a volatile ceasefire
13 April, 2026
After 38 days of war and an oil price that had climbed roughly a third above preconflict levels, markets were primed for any good news. The announced ceasefire thus understandably triggered a relief rally on the JSE on Wednesday (“Iran ceasefire triggers JSE buying spree”, April 9). However, the scale of the bounce reflects a degree of optimism that is not warranted by the terms of the ceasefire.
There is more to diplomacy than this
01 April, 2026
US ambassador L Brent Bozell III’s article, published a day before the Sixth South Africa Investment Conference, was a welcome reminder that the South Africa-US relationship is far more layered than the political disputes of the past year might suggest (“The art of the possible”, March 30).
Food security has become a weapon
11 March, 2026
Gulf Co-operation Council food imports at risk due to Iran war disruptions
