Class action was incorporated into South Africa’s post-apartheid Constitution 22 years ago. Yet it remains relatively untested territory. In one of only two cases in the country, lawyers representing miners afflicted by silicosis - a form of occupational lung disease – recently secured an historic compensation settlement of R5 billion (US$400 million). Penelope Andrews spells out the five factors that make the settlement significant.
Does the truce between Kenya’s two main political protagonists signal a broader reconciliation process in the country? According to David E. Kiwuwa, it’s overly optimistic to expect ethnic politics to dissipate in Kenya in the short and medium term. What the country needs is a much more fundamental shift away from its notoriously tribal politics and political system that’s designed to create winners and losers in a zero sum game.
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Top stories
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David E Kiwuwa, University of Nottingham
Questions are being raised about the Kenyatta and Odinga relationship.
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Penelope Andrews, University of Cape Town
Class action is a newish feature in South Africa. Cases such as the silicosis matter are likely to influence many more.
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Science + Technology
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Asit K. Biswas, National University of Singapore; Kris Hartley, University of Melbourne
Now is the time for China to put its technological and diplomatic skills on display in its quest for superpower status.
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Politics + Society
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Roger Southall, University of the Witwatersrand
Littering in protest is indicative of a discordant society, and a culture of littering can tell us a lot about a society's ethos.
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From our international editions
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Simon Mabon, Lancaster University
Iran is a dangerous mischief-maker in the Middle East – but scrapping the nuclear deal will probably make things worse.
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Charles Hermann, Texas A&M University
Many presidents have radically changed US foreign policy. Truman created his own doctrine. Carter gave up the Panama Canal. But a presidential historian sees danger in Trump's decision-making style.
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Yunfeng Lu, University of California, Los Angeles
A new pill may lower blood alcohol levels, helping a hangover and preventing alcohol overdose deaths.
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