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As voting patterns in South Africa’s elections emerge, it’s clear that former president Jacob Zuma’s MK Party is a significant new player in the challenge to the dominance of the African National Congress (ANC). While it may be common for breakaway factions of a ruling party to emerge in a democracy, it’s not often that the new party trades in the same symbols. Corinne Sandwith argues that the MK Party’s decision to use the ANC’s colours, names and liberation
slogan “Mayibuye!” is a conscious attempt to position itself as the true inheritor of South Africa’s liberation struggle.
Giraffes, the tallest animals on Earth, have a complicated evolutionary history. Scientists are still figuring out how different giraffe populations are related and how many species there are – which will guide efforts to protect them. Biologist Laura Bertola shares what she learned from giraffe DNA.
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Corinne Sandwith, University of Pretoria
Former president Jacob Zuma’s MK Party borrows the slogan “mayibuye” from the liberation party to make a point about the ruling African National Congress.
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Laura Bertola, Leiden University
Giraffes show remarkable genetic differences between populations.
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Environment +Energy
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Haroon Bhorat, University of Cape Town; Timothy Köhler
Power outages in South Africa pose a threat to employment.
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Bradley Hiller, University of Cambridge
Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, South Sudan and Uganda are investigating whether deep groundwater bores could support drought stricken communities. Could a networked approach help?
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Barnaby Joseph Dye, University of York
Recent flooding in Tanzania prompted debate about the role of a new megadam. This matters as climate change models predict flooding could increase.
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Establishing time-since-death is key in forensic investigations.
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Kara Adams, University of Cape Town; Victoria Gibbon, University of Cape Town
Pigs, specifically those weighing around 60kg, are useful in human decomposition studies.
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Politics
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Maxwell Maseko, University of the Witwatersrand
Digital technologies can help more people to participate in building their countries’ democracies.
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Godfried Asante, San Diego State University
Ghana’s supreme court will rule whether the anti-LGBTQI+ bill is constitutional. The proceedings are being broadcast live on television, a rarity. .
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Guy Berger, Rhodes University
Social media platforms need to open up data to Africans and researchers in the global south.
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Dirk Kotze, University of South Africa
The growing loss of support for the governing ANC raises the possibility of South Africa having its first national coalition government since 1994.
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Hannah Muzee, Kyambogo University
Women are constantly battling stereotypes that seek to maintain the status quo of male dominance in political spaces.
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iZhenya/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Gibson Ncube, Stellenbosch University; Princess Sibanda, University of Fort Hare
These social media posts aren’t just for fun – they’re a way to fight back against discrimination and show the world that queer love is powerful and important.
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