Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News from EconoTimes

Become a contributor

Bookmark Econotimes

Wed, Aug 12, 2026 04:45 AM All times are UTC

Follow Series

©Econometrics LLC . All Rights Reserved.

Susan Booysen

Research director at Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (Mistra), Visiting Professor and Professor Emeritus, University of the Witwatersrand
Susan Booysen is the Director of Research at (Mistra), Visiting Professor and Professor Emeritus at the University of the Witwatersrand. She is the author of several books on the African National Congress (ANC), including The African National Congress and the Regeneration of Political Power (2011) and The ANC’s March on Mangaung (2012). She edited Local Elections in South Africa: Parties, people, politics (2012) and co-edited Compendium of Elections in Southern Africa, 1989-2009: 20 years of multiparty democracy (2009) with Denis Kadima.

Booysen is a past president of the South African Association of Political Studies (SAAPS) and serves on the editorial board of the South African Journal of Political Studies, Politikon. She started her academic career at the University of Johannesburg in its ‘RAU days’, then moved to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University before joining Wits in 2005.

She holds a D.Litt. et Phil. from the University of Johannesburg. She obtained both her Masters and Honours degrees cum laude. She has held some major research fellowships, including a post-doctoral fellowship at the Southern African Research Program (SARP) at Yale University.

Booysen has published a wide range of refereed academic articles in national and international journals, chapters in books, and monographs. These publications focus on South and Southern Africa, with the specific focus on issues of politics, power, and policy.

South Africa’s unity government is being tested – the toppling of a mayor in a key city exposes faultlines

Oct 08, 2024 07:20 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

South Africas long-governing party, the ANC, performed disastrously in the countrys May 2024 elections. Its electoral fortunes are now tied to regaining support in Gauteng, the most populous and economically important...

Multiparty democracy is in trouble in South Africa – collapsing coalitions are a sure sign

Oct 31, 2022 08:54 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

South Africas 28-year-old, continuously transforming multiparty democracy was reminded of its own fragility when, in September, a coalition running its biggest city, Johannesburg, collapsed. The speaker and the mayor lost...

Emerging Market Crisis Series

ANC's anniversary statement – damp squib or new benchmark for South Africa?

Jan 10, 2020 10:53 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The statement issued by the African National Congress (ANC), South Africas governing party, each January to mark the anniversary of its launch in 1912, is many things to many people. It is a multipurpose vehicle to...

Economy

Asian Stocks Rise as AI Chip Rally Lifts South Korea, Japan

Asian stocks mostly advanced Wednesday as renewed strength in technology and semiconductor shares boosted markets in South Korea and Japan. However, higher oil prices and uncertainty surrounding U.S.-Iran negotiations kept...

Asian Currencies Steady Ahead of US CPI as Oil Prices Rise

Asian currencies were mostly unchanged against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday as investors awaited key U.S. inflation data that could shape expectations for the Federal Reserves next interest-rate decision. Meanwhile, rising...

Iran War Escalates as US, Houthis Target Ships Near Key Oil Routes

The United States and Yemens Iran-aligned Houthis reported separate attacks on commercial shipping Tuesday as hopes for a quick end to the Iran war faded. Tehran warned that the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for...

Canada, US Hold Fresh Trade Talks as August 19 Tariff Deadline Nears

Canada and the United States held another round of high-level trade talks on Tuesday as Ottawa seeks to prevent new U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods from taking effect on August 19. Dominic LeBlanc, Canadas minister...

Australia Sets New Minimum Pay, Insurance Rules for Gig Workers

Australias Fair Work Commission (FWC) has approved new minimum standards for food and grocery delivery workers, giving gig economy workers higher pay and greater protection against workplace injuries. Under the new rules,...

Politics

U.S. Military Operations Killed 153 Civilians in 2025, Pentagon Says

U.S. military operations killed 153 civilians and wounded another 243 in 2025, according to Pentagon assessments cited by a U.S. official, marking a sharp increase from the civilian casualty figures reported for 2024. The...

North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile as US-South Korea Drills Near

North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward waters off the Korean Peninsulas east coast on Wednesday, raising regional tensions just days before major US-South Korea military exercises are set to begin. South Koreas Joint...

Taiwan Slams ‘Dangerous’ China-Indonesia Naval Drill Near Island

Taiwan has condemned a planned China-Indonesia naval drill east of Taiwan, accusing Beijing of using the exercise to create the impression that it has authority over waters surrounding the democratically governed island....

Bashar al-Assad Sentenced to Death by Syrian Court

A Syrian court has sentenced ousted President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia, marking the first conviction against the former leader since his government collapsed in December 2024. The Damascus court convicted Assad...

Bashar al-Assad Sentenced to Death After Syria Regime Collapse

Bashar al-Assads 24-year rule over Syria ended dramatically in December 2024 after rebel forces launched a rapid offensive that overwhelmed his weakened military. With Russia focused on its war in Ukraine and Iran weakened...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

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...

Technology

OpenAI Executive Brad Lightcap to Leave for New AI Venture

Brad Lightcap, one of OpenAIs most senior executives and its former chief operating officer, is leaving the artificial intelligence company to launch a new venture, adding to a series of major leadership changes across the...

Anthropic Signs $9.1B AI Data Center Deal With Riot Platforms

Anthropic has reportedly signed a $9.1 billion long-term agreement with Riot Platforms (NASDAQ: RIOT) to secure large-scale AI computing capacity, marking another major investment by the Claude developer as demand for...

Trump Media Says Truth API Draws 10+ Customers as Conflict Concerns Grow

Trump Media Technology Group said Monday that more than 10 customers have signed up for its upcoming Truth API, a real-time data service designed to provide rapid access to posts from prominent Truth Social accounts,...

Nvidia Secures $500 Billion AI Infrastructure Push With Wall Street Giants

Nvidia is expanding its influence beyond semiconductors after announcing agreements aimed at mobilizing up to $500 billion in third-party capital for artificial intelligence infrastructure. The move brings the AI chip...

SEC Clears Path for Data Center Securitizations as AI Financing Demand Surges

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has provided regulatory clarification that could make it easier for data center owners and operators to access capital markets as the artificial intelligence boom drives...