The Wicked Conversation
Governance Performance Index – South Africa 2024
South Africa’s system of local government is presently undergoing its most widespread sequence of changes since the introduction of a new system shortly after our transition to democracy. Politically, the 2021 local government elections produced a record number of...
Expert analysis
It’s time to book for the 2024 ESG Africa Conference
It's time to book for the ESG Africa conference, an event hosted by ESG Africa Events in partnership with GGA. The 2024 conference will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre from 1 to 2 October 2024, and will focus on topics linked to Environmental, Social and...
Law must evolve as politics changes
Governance and politics often go hand in hand in a delicate balancing act. Governance in its most basic form is about the allocation of resources; it’s the process of deciding who gets what, when and where. Politics is largely about who is responsible for these...
Addressing Zambia’s Water Security Challenges
This policy briefing outlines the scale of Zambia’s current water crisis and examines its impact on agriculture, the environment, and the economy. Based on this analysis, it recommends a multifaceted approach to improve water management and distribution. Key...
GNU must reignite the culture of democracy
A growing axis of authoritarianism across the world threatens the democracies that remain, of which there are only a handful (24) that The Economist Intelligence Unit classifies as “full democracies”. In its 2023 index of democratic health — Age of Conflict — South...
Gas plan is a regional opportunity
In the wake of South Africa cementing itself as a coalition nation — through forming a government of national unity — attention is focused on re-elected President Cyril Ramaphosa to announce a new cabinet. The new ministers will pick up from where the sixth democratic...
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Latest webinars
COP26: What should be at the top of Africa’s agenda?
In November, the United Kingdom will host the 26th annual United Nations (UN) global climate summit – called COP – or “Conference of the Parties” in Glasgow. COP26 (delayed by a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic) has a unique urgency and could prove to be one of the most important conferences of our time. Most experts agree that the…
The Africa Governance Papers
Podcasts
GGA’s Pranish Desai appears on The Citizen’s podcast
On 15 February 2023, GGA’s Pranish Desai appeared on the podcast The Citizen’s...
GGA’s Pranish Desai on coalition issues in municipal councils
On 14 February 2023, GGA's Pranish Desai spoke to SAfm's Songezo Mabece about...
GGA’s Pranish Desai on corruption in local government
On 12 January 2023, GGA's Pranish Desai spoke to Radio 702's Thabo...
News feed
Political popularity has a price to pay for both politicians and citizens
In a general election where South African voters participated at lower rates than ever before, those who cast their ballot primarily put forward five political parties. These include the African National Congress, the Democratic Alliance, the uMkhonto WeSizwe Party,...
Democracy must deliver development
Effective governance, infrastructure improvement, and human capital development are crucial for democracies like Nigeria and South Africa to meet the needs of their citizens. Without these elements, democracy fails to improve lives, leading to social discontent and...
Inclusive biodiversity conservation and the unsustainability of ‘sustainable use’
The South African Government’s Reviewed National Biodiversity Economy Strategy (2024) continues to promote trophy hunting as a conservation tool. This policy briefing challenges this approach, arguing that trophy hunting, particularly of endangered species, should be...
Participation beyond the ballot box is essential for democracy in South Africa
In 1998, four years after the inaugural elections in South Africa, Patrick Kulati wrote in the Environmental Justice Network newsletter that “public participation is one of the major issues that continue to elude South Africans as they grapple with the realities of...
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