Moody’s has downgraded SA’s long term foreign and local currency debt ratings to ‘Ba1’ from ‘Baa3’ and maintain the negative outlook. South Africa’s credit ratings by Moody’s are now one notch below investment grade. The negative outlook reflects the risk that economic growth will prove even weaker and the debt burden will rise even faster […]
COVID-19 Testing: answers to six questions
28 March 2020 As COVID-19 spreads throughout the world, the need for more extensive laboratory testing increases. Testing and diagnosing people who have the disease is critical to tracking cases and managing the pandemic. But countries around the world have been unable to meet the demand to expand testing. Glenda Mary Davison, Associate Professor, Cape […]
COVID-19, South Africa on 21 day lockdown
The South African National Defence Force will be deployed to support the South African Police Service in ensuring that the measures announced are implemented. Statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on the escalation of measures to combat the Covid-19 epidemic, Union Buildings, Tshwane on 23 March 2020 My fellow South Africans, It is a week since […]
Measures to combat the COVID-19 epidemic
The number of South Africans infected with the Coronavirus has risen to 62. 15 March 2020 Fellow South Africans, I am addressing you this evening on a matter of great national importance. The world is facing a medical emergency far graver than what we have experienced in over a century. The World Health Organisation has […]
News, Politics & Opinion
Namibia is showing wear and tear after 30 years under SWAPO rule
Henning Melber, Extraordinary Professor, Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria - … [Read More...]
Clarification from the Presidency on IPPs
The smokescreen created by government that Eskom can be saved must immediately be lifted, and the … [Read More...]
New leader is changing Angola – but to what end to isn’t yet clear
Claudia Gastrow, Lecturer in Anthropology, University of Johannesburg João Lourenço’s presidency … [Read More...]
South Africa takes fresh steps to restrict rights of refugees
Christine Hobden, Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, University of Fort Hare 5 February … [Read More...]
Finance
SA in a recession … and likely to stay here
Maarten Ackerman, Chief Economist and Advisory Partner, Citadel - 3 March … [Read More...]
Minister Tito Mboweni’s 2020 Budget
26 February 2020 Madam Speaker Mr President Mr Deputy President Cabinet … [Read More...]
Investors’ guide to 2020: Markets upbeat, but storm clouds gathering
Consider using 2020 to begin taking profits, de-risking your portfolio and … [Read More...]
Science & Technology
How the moon formed – new research
Christian Schroeder, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science and Planetary … [Read More...]
How heat can be used to store renewable energy
Antoine Koen, PhD Candidate in Pumped Thermal Energy Storage, University of … [Read More...]
Interesting
What the discovery of a new HIV strain means for the pandemic
Linda-Gail Bekker, Prof. of medicine and deputy director of Desmond Tutu HIV … [Read More...]
Secret histories of drugs – legal and illegal – in southern Africa
The highs and lows of the opium trade in southern Africa Thembisa Waetjen, … [Read More...]
Finding answers to what makes – or breaks – South Africa’s young cricketers
Mary Ann Dove, Honorary Researcher, University of Cape Town Most of South … [Read More...]
Nature & Animal Chat
New discovery: penguins vocalise under water when they hunt
Andréa Thiebault, Postdoctoral fellow, Nelson Mandela University; Isabelle … [Read More...]
Can cats really get or pass on COVID-19, as a report from Belgium suggests?
Sarah L Caddy, Clinical Research Fellow in Viral Immunology and Veterinary … [Read More...]
Discovered – two new shark species
Per Berggren, Marine MEGAfauna Lab, Newcastle University and Andrew Temple, … [Read More...]
Lifestyle and The Arts
The Healing Power of Dance
When a body moves, it’s the most revealing thing. Dance for me a minute, and … [Read More...]
TB, HIV and COVID-19: urgent questions as three epidemics collide
Emily Wong, Africa Health Research Institute, University of … [Read More...]
History and Biographies
Fossil track sites tell the story of ancient crocodiles at the Cape
Charles Helm, Research Associate, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, … [Read More...]
Sun Tzu and the ‘Art of War’
The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting During … [Read More...]
Philosopher and Father of Taoism, LAO TZU
Lao Tzu felt it was man and his activities that constituted a blight on the … [Read More...]
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