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Patrick Bond

Patrick Bond is professor of political economy at the Wits School of Governance and from 2004-16, directed the University of KwaZulu-Natal Centre for Civil Society. His PhD studies were at Johns Hopkins University (1985-93) under the supervision of David Harvey, and he also studied at Swarthmore College, the Peabody Conservatory and the University of Pennsylvania. He has lived in Southern Africa since 1989, and was editor or author of more than a dozen policy papers in the Mandela government. His books include BRICS (edited with Ana Garcia, 2015), Elite Transition (2014), South Africa - The Present as History (with John Saul, 2014), Politics of Climate Justice (2012), Durban's Climate Gamble (2011) and a dozen others.

Emerging Market Crisis Series

Steering the budget between excess patronage and prudence

Feb 25, 2017 12:28 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

After investigating the massacre (as termed by both the opposition Democratic Alliance and African National Congress Youth League) of more than 100 mental health patients under the guise of cutting costs, South Africas...

Emerging Market Crisis Series

South Africa needs tougher exchange controls before junk status hits

Nov 10, 2016 22:35 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

During this interminable period of economic stagnation, with no prospects of an upturn in sight thanks in part to Donald Trumps victory, South Africa desperately needs the radical economic transformation repeatedly...

Why military and market responses are no way to save species from extinction

Sep 26, 2016 05:34 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature

The arrival of climate change brings with it large-scale habitat loss and unprecedented species extinctions. The booming black and grey markets in already-threatened animals, including the rhino, elephant, and pangolin,...

Economy

Beyond the spin, beyond the handouts, here’s how to get a handle on what’s really happening on budget night

Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, TV or news websites on budget night. The quickest way to find out what...

Johannesburg in a time of darkness: Ivan Vladislavić’s new memoir reminds us of the city’s fragility

Ivan Vladislavić is Johannesburgs literary linkman. He tells us, in the first pages of his new book, The Near North, that before cities were lit, first by gaslight and later electricity, people of means paid torchbearers...

Economist Chris Richardson on an ‘ugly’ inflation result and the coming budget

With Jim Chalmerss third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief beyond the tax cuts although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As this weeks consumer price...

Why is the London Stock Exchange losing out to the US

London Stock Exchange (LSE), which can trace its heritage to the coffee houses of the 17th century, is failing. The volume of shares traded is sharply declining, and some UK companies are swiftly moving to the US...

Why Germany ditched nuclear before coal – and why it won’t go back

One year ago, Germany took its last three nuclear power stations offline. When it comes to energy, few events have baffled outsiders more. In the face of climate change, calls to expedite the transition away from fossil...

Politics

Labour can afford to be far more ambitious with its economic policies – voters are on board

To say that the Labour party is flying high in the polls is something of an understatement. But despite its consistent lead against the Tories, the opposition finds itself in a rather odd position: on the cusp of power but...

History for sale: what does South Africa’s struggle heritage mean after 30 years of democracy?

One of my favourite statues is the one of Nelson Mandela at the Sandton City shopping centre in Johannesburg. Larger than life, its oversized bronze shoes shimmer in the evening light, polished by the hands of many...

Sudan: civil war stretches into a second year with no end in sight

In the early hours of April 15 2023, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) a Sudanese paramilitary force attacked the military airstrip in the town of Merowe and deployed troops across strategic locations in Sudans capital,...

Joe Biden Proposes Record 44.6% Capital Gains Tax in Latest Budget Plan That May Favor Cryptocurrencies

President Joe Biden has proposed raising the capital gains tax to an unprecedented 44.6% in a bold fiscal move, targeting the wealthiest Americans. This hike is part of his 2025 budget proposal to reduce income...

Turkey’s suppression of the Kurdish political movement continues to fuel a deadly armed conflict

The world has 91 democracies and 88 autocracies. Yet 71% of the worlds population (some 5.7 billion people) are living under autocratic rule, a big jump from 48% ten years ago. This trend towards authoritarianism can...

Science

A Nasa rover has reached a promising place to search for fossilised life on Mars

While we go about our daily lives on Earth, a nuclear-powered robot the size of a small car is trundling around Mars looking for fossils. Unlike its predecessor Curiosity, Nasas Perseverance rover is explicitly intended to...

The rising flood of space junk is a risk to us on Earth – and governments are on the hook

A piece of space junk recently crashed through the roof and floor of a mans home in Florida. Nasa later confirmed that the object had come from unwanted hardware released from the international space station. The 700g,...

Peter Higgs was one of the greats of particle physics. He transformed what we know about the building blocks of the universe

Peter Higgs, who gave his name to the subatomic particle known as the Higgs boson, has died aged 94. He was always a modest man, especially when considering that he was one of the greats of particle physics the area of...

Could a telescope ever see the beginning of time? An astronomer explains

The James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST for short, is one of the most advanced telescopes ever built. Planning for JWST began over 25 years ago, and construction efforts spanned over a decade. It was launched into space on...

US media coverage of new science less likely to mention researchers with African and East Asian names

When one Chinese national recently petitioned the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to become a permanent resident, he thought his chances were pretty good. As an accomplished biologist, he figured that news...

Technology

KT Innovates Media, Content Business Through AI

KT Group is transforming its media and content business through artificial intelligence (AI). The company is innovating the mentioned units as part of its acceleration strategy. According to Yonhap News Agency, KT said...

Musk Engages China: Baidu’s Data Deal and High-Stakes Hotel Meet with CATL

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is making headlines with a double play in China: securing critical navigation data from Baidu and engaging in strategic talks with CATL. These moves underline Teslas push to lead in global tech and...

Elon Musk Injects $10 Billion Into Tesla AI, Eyes Autonomous Robotaxi

Elon Musk has declared a monumental $10 billion investment in Teslas artificial intelligence, setting the stage for advanced autonomous driving and a potential Robotaxi service. Tesla to Invest $10 Billion in AI for...

OpenAI and Worldcoin Eye Strategic Partnership Amid Regulatory Gaze

Amid escalating regulatory scrutiny, OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, is reportedly discussing a potential partnership with Worldcoin, another venture Altman co-founded. As detailed by Bloomberg, these talks could lead to...

Traders Forecast Best Altseason Since 2017 as Bitcoin Momentum Cools

As Bitcoin stabilizes above $64,000, traders forecast a burgeoning altcoin market that may mirror the explosive growth last seen in 2017. Bitcoin Rebounds Over Weekend, Traders Anticipate Potential Altcoin...