MYSTERIOUS: Conversation africa | Mind Blowing Facts

Brics: African countries face opportunities and risks in alienating China or the US - an expert weighs in

South Africa recently hosted a Brics summit. The event attracted international attention because the group has recently begun to emerge as a possible rival against US dominance of world affairs. The US and China lie at the heart of this debate. They are the two biggest trading partners of most…

The Conversation · Aug 29, 2023

Elections can lead to conflict if they are not free and fair - what role observers play to make sure they are

At least two dozen presidential, national, regional and local elections are held across the African continent each year. The sometimes fierce electoral competition, a history of violence or vote rigging make it especially important to know that elections are free, fair and credible. This is where election observers come in.…

The Conversation · Jun 29, 2023

The world's first Islamic art biennale shines a light on Muslim African artists

The inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale is underway in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Biennales are large and prestigious international art exhibitions held every two years.) This important new event for the Muslim world features numerous African artists. And the biennale’s artistic director is Sumayya Vally, a South African architecture professor and principal…

The Conversation · Mar 9, 2023

Over 12% of South African adults have diabetes - education is critical to achieve good outcomes

Over 12% of adults in South Africa have diabetes. Since 2019, researchers at the University of Pretoria have been working on the Tshwane Insulin Project. The project consists of delivering training workshops on comprehensive diabetes and hypertension management in primary care. The researchers also provide technical assistance to healthcare professionals…

The Conversation · Nov 14, 2022

Crime, COVID and climate change - South African tourism faces many threats, but it’s resilient

South Africa’s tourism industry has been rocked by the murder of a German visitor during an attempted robbery. The development resulted in negative media publicity, with a potentially adverse impact on the country’s image as a safe tourist destination. This comes at a time when the sector is recovering from…

The Conversation · Oct 26, 2022

Lesotho elections: newcomers score impressive win, but politics will still be unstable

The 2022 national elections in Lesotho will go down in the country’s history as among the most eventful. A party formed only six months ahead of the legislative election, Revolution for Prosperity, emphatically ended the reign of the All Basotho Convention and the Democratic Congress, which have dominated politics in…

The Conversation · Oct 14, 2022

Africa in space: continent has a lot to gain, but proper plans must be put in place

Every year in October nearly 100 countries organise activities to mark World Space Week. The theme this year is space and sustainability. In this interview, Adejuwon Soyinka, West Africa regional editor at The Conversation Africa, asks Etim Offiong about how far Africa has come in the space age and what…

The Conversation · Oct 4, 2022

17 strikes in 23 years: a unionist explains why Nigeria’s university lecturers won’t back down

Lecturers at Nigeria’s public universities have been on strike 16 times since 1999. On 14 February 2022 they went back on strike to make it the 17th. Only 11 of Nigeria’s 59 state universities haven’t taken part in the current strike action. The Conversation Africa asked Dele Ashiru, a lecturer…

The Conversation · Sep 8, 2022

How migrants who move between Zimbabwe and South Africa access healthcare in border towns

Zimbabwe and South Africa share a 225 km common border. There is only one official border crossing, at Beitbridge. An estimated 15,000 migrants and refugees from Zimbabwe and other countries cross daily either through the official border post or at illegal crossing points. Migrants’ access to healthcare, particularly in the…

The Conversation · Sep 5, 2022

Foot-and-mouth disease: the gaps in South Africa's efforts to keep it under control

In mid August, South Africa’s minister of agriculture, land reform and rural development Thoko Didiza responded to outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease with a nationwide ban on the movement of cattle for 21 days. By late August, 127 cases of the disease had been recorded in six of the country’s nine…

The Conversation · Aug 31, 2022