Over the past month the continent lost two great artists: one a music maestro, the other a master of the visual arts. David Coplan offers a moving tribute to the great singer, songwriter and performer Johnny Clegg while Ruth Simbao honours David Koloane, who earned the reputation of being a loyal fighter for the liberation of South Africans. Meanwhile, looking back 50 years and much further north on the continent, David Murphy recalls how an Algerian-hosted party to celebrate a post-imperial world eclipsed news from the West of men landing on the moon.

How countries deal with protesters on the one hand, and how they manage violence perpetrated by criminals on the other, has been the subject of debate again recently. In South Africa the issue is back in the headlines because the government has decided to send in the army to try and quell gang violence in parts of Cape Town. Laetitia Olivier explains what needs to accompany the deployment. In Uganda, the Constitutional Court has delivered a judgment that opens the door to police reform. But Sylvie Namwase examines why it’s unlikely to actually curb the excessive violence against demonstrators.

The general depiction of African countries is that they are weighed down by a massive deficit in democracy. So it’s refreshing to have more optimistic views on the issue. Nic Cheeseman sets out why other countries have a lot to learn from the experiences of some countries on the continent where democracy has been embedded despite incredibly difficult odds. For his part Theunis Roux provides some refreshing insights into the actions of South Africa’s Public Protector. He argues that the vigour of the public debate about the actions being taken by Busisiwe Mkhwebane shows the fight to protect constitutionalism is an ideal that’s very much alive and kicking.

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