Professor of Sociology, University of the Witwatersrand
Roger Southall is an Emeritus Professor in Sociology at the University of the Witwatersrand. He was previously Distinguished Research Fellow at the Human Sciences Research Council (2001-2007) and Professor of Political Studies at Rhodes University (1989-2001). Prior to that he worked in universities in Uganda, Lesotho, Canada and the UK. He is author of South Africa's Transkei: The Political Economy of an 'Independent' Bantustan (1983), Imperialism or Solidarity? International Labour and South African Trade Unions (1995), Liberation Movements in Power: Party and State in Southern Affrica (2013) and The New Black Middle Class in South Africa (2016). He has also published extensively on African politics, political economy and labour in leading academic journals, as well as contributing chapters to numerous books. He receives research funding from the National Research Foundation.
ANC will go to the polls with only one major asset: its president Ramaphosa
Oct 29, 2018 19:19 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
It is common cause that the performance of South Africas government, led by the African National Congress (ANC), has been worse than abysmal. Under former President Jacob Zuma, ANC functionaries pillaged numerous...
South Africans differ on land reform. But there needs to be a meeting of minds
Aug 13, 2018 14:32 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
President Cyril Ramaphosas late night announcement that the government was going to push ahead with implementing a decision taken by the African National Congress (ANC) at its national conference last year to expropriate...
Southern Africa's liberation movements: can they abandon old bad habits?
Aug 13, 2018 13:33 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
Until recently, southern Africas political and economic outlook seemed to be moving in a promising direction. The highlights were provided by Zimbabwe and South Africa with the displacement of Robert Mugabe by Emmerson...
Ramaphosa's new dawn: much better, but not nearly enough
May 20, 2018 14:58 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
Cyril Ramaphosas rise to power has been greeted enthusiastically by most South Africans. Their hope is that the new president represents a leadership cohort within the governing African National Congress (ANC) thats...
White monopoly capital: good politics, bad sociology, worse economics
May 14, 2017 16:29 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy
Many would like to consign the polarising debate about white monopoly capitalism (WMC) in South Africa to the margins. They argue that its proponents are nothing more than Marxist ideologues or mischievous political...
ANC military veterans and the threat to South Africa's democracy
Apr 12, 2017 17:34 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
We may look back on the days in April 2017 when tens of thousands of South Africans marched demanding that President Jacob Zuma should fall as the beginning of something bigger. Theres been a wistful glint in the eyes...
Zuma's state of the nation address: nothing but farce and fisticuffs
Feb 10, 2017 15:47 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
Lets face it. Over the last three years the annual State of the Nation address in South Africa has become embarrassing. First the citizens of the country tune into the usual punch-up between the opposition Economic Freedom...
A sustainable future begins at ground level
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