“King Kong”, the South African jazz musical, first toured the country’s major cities in 1959 before moving to London’s West End. Aside from a failed revival attempt in 1979, the musical has been absent for almost 60 years. Gavin Robert Walker explains why the latest production comes at an interesting time given deep political tensions in the country.
Political violence in Kenya stretches back to its colonial past. Often rooted in land grievances and tribal rivalries, in recent decades election-related conflict has also been exacerbated by vigilantes and militias deployed by leaders in their quest for power. Leighann Spencer tracks the history of violence in the country.
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Andile Gumbi beats down his opponent Given Mkhize in the King Kong musical.
John Hogg
Gavin Robert Walker, Stellenbosch University
The returned musical "King Kong" embodies the germinating seeds of two potential and mutually exclusive South Africa's.
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Politics + Society
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Leighann Spencer, Charles Sturt University
Elections in Kenya are never just a matter of casting ballots. Historically, they have been marred by ethno-political violence, exacerbated by vigilantes and militias deployed by politicians.
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Business + Economy
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Leslie J. Bank, Human Sciences Research Council; Tim GB Hart, Human Sciences Research Council
South Africa should review its rural development strategy and land reform policy to win the fight against rising poverty.
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Education
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Hanne Kirstine Adriansen, Aarhus University
Universities play a major role in procuring the human and intellectual resources needed for fulfilling the various goals of the UN's Agenda 2030.
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From our international editions
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Sterghios Moschos, Northumbria University, Newcastle
QuRapID can find Ebola in a drop of blood in just over an hour.
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Benjamin Habib, La Trobe University
We should interpret the threat posed by North Korea from an informed perspective based on demonstrable strategic logic, rather than on caricatured misrepresentations of its leadership.
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Haifaa Jawad, University of Birmingham
Saudi Arabia is in deep trouble on various fronts, so an international PR coup surely can't hurt.
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