Why cabinet reshuffles in South Africa are bound to disappoint

By Steven Friedman, Professor of Political Studies, University of Johannesburg

These days, there are two types of cabinet reshuffles in South Africa – those which disappoint immediately and those which keep the disappointment for later.

The cause of the disappointment is not the reshuffles themselves but the expectations which the country’s media, politicians and citizens’ organisations place on them. This fundamentally misunderstands the roles which ministers play in a democracy, making it inevitable that reality will never match their hopes.

Thanks largely to a media whose love of sensation dwarfs its interest in truth, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s…

Read complete article

~	Hong Kong ranks low on global press freedom index as watchdog cites ‘unprecedented’ setbacks

~	Media coverage of campus protests tends to focus on the spectacle, rather than the substance

~	The good news is the government plans to cancel $3 billion in student debt. The bad news is indexation will still be high

~	Albanese government to wipe $3 billion in student debt, benefitting three million people

~	The Indigenous Peoples Camp that calls for rights every April in Brazil

~	Pillay: Israel is helped by ‘powerful States’ in violation of Palestinians’ rights

~	Debates on campus safety in response to Palestine solidarity activism show we need strategies to navigate discomfort

~	El Salvador: Constitution “à la carte” could deepen human rights crisis in coming years

~	Arrest Warrant Issued for Former Central African Republic President

~	With eyes on Gaza, violations against West Bank journalists multiply