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The Conversation Africa
@africa.theconversation.com
1.8K followers 10 following 980 posts
An independent source of news and views on Africa from the academic and research community.

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africa.theconversation.com
🚨 After 1994, South Africa’s police shifted to serve all citizens—bringing real change, but later reforms lost momentum.

theconversation.com/south-africa...

#Politics
South Africa’s police serve the ANC insiders, not the people: here’s how it happened
Since around 2000 the South African Police Service has been used to manage internal political dynamics in the ANC.
theconversation.com
December 6, 2025 at 3:57 PM
africa.theconversation.com
🕵️‍♂️ Whistleblowers have shaped South Africa’s fight against corruption, but even new laws haven’t guaranteed them real protection.

theconversation.com/south-africa...

#Politics
South Africans who blow the whistle face retaliation and murder: their stories over five decades
By fulfilling their public duty, South African whistleblowers have put themselves at serious personal risk.
theconversation.com
December 6, 2025 at 3:55 PM
africa.theconversation.com
🌍 The #W20, part of the #G20, focused on women’s entrepreneurship, health, and climate justice under South Africa’s 2025 presidency.

theconversation.com/womens-voice...

#Politics
Women’s voices at the G20: action urged on economic empowerment, care work, health, climate justice and forced labour
The G20’s Women 20 group agreed that action is needed to stop unpaid care work and forced labour, and improve women’s health and climate leadership.
theconversation.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:48 PM
africa.theconversation.com
📚 Nigerian fiction is reshaping how Christianity is seen—no longer just foreign, but deeply woven into local life and imagination.

theconversation.com/god-in-niger...

#ArtsCultureAndSociety
God in Nigeria: the country’s novelists help us understand the complexity of Christianity
Nigeria’s Christian population grew by 25% to 93 million from 2010 to 2020. Today’s novels reflect its social complexity.
theconversation.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:45 PM
africa.theconversation.com
🧬 New DNA research reveals southern Africa’s hunter-gatherers were among the earliest modern humans, tracing ancestry back 300,000 years.

theconversation.com/becoming-hum...

#ScienceAndTech
Becoming human in southern Africa: what ancient hunter-gatherer genomes reveal
Studying ancient genes can tell us more about the evolution of humans’ anatomy, behaviour and thinking.
theconversation.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:42 PM
africa.theconversation.com
⚖️ Nearly 60 years after Albert Luthuli’s death, a court has ruled he was murdered by apartheid police, correcting the record.

theconversation.com/who-was-albe...

#Politics
Who was Albert Luthuli? The murdered South African leader who put his people above himself
His image is the watermark in South African passports, but he is not as widely known as leaders like Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.
theconversation.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:40 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Young Sudanese have built strong neighbourhood networks since 2013, helping communities survive repression and civil war through grassroots support and resistance.

theconversation.com/sudans-prote...

#Politics
Sudan’s protesters built networks to fight a tyrant – today they save lives in a war
Sudan’s neighbourhood committees represent a unique blend of political and practical action. They mobilise for change while addressing immediate community needs.
theconversation.com
December 3, 2025 at 9:07 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Africa’s drylands aren’t empty—millions of pastoralists and farmers are innovating and sustaining food systems across the continent.

theconversation.com/africas-dryl...

#EnvironmentAndEnergy
Africa’s drylands need the right kind of support – listening to the pastoralists who live there
Africa’s drylands need support, but it shouldn’t overlook systems that people rely on.
theconversation.com
December 3, 2025 at 9:04 PM
africa.theconversation.com
🌱 Zambia aims to slash emissions by 2030, but industrial growth still relies on fossil fuels. The path forward isn’t clear.

theconversation.com/zambias-fact...

#EnvironmentAndEnergy
Zambia’s factories burn too much coal – how reusing hot water can cut energy use
Wastewater heat recovery, which recycles hot water from drains to preheat new water, could cut coal use, lower carbon emissions, and create local jobs in Zambia.
theconversation.com
December 3, 2025 at 9:01 PM
africa.theconversation.com
🌏 As life gets more digital in South Africa and Brazil, tackling inequality online is key. Everyone deserves fair access and safety.

theconversation.com/expensive-da...

#Politics
Expensive data and poor internet access: South Africa fails to measure up against Brazil
South Africa’s G20 presidency’s Digital Economy working group tried to make progress on digital inequality, high data costs and weak broadband. How did they do?
theconversation.com
December 3, 2025 at 8:57 PM
africa.theconversation.com
📊 South Africa’s data gaps mean services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities miss the mark. Better info, better care!

theconversation.com/south-africa...

#HealthAndMedicine
South Africa needs to rethink how it measures intellectual and developmental disabilities – what’s lacking
South Africa needs to take pragmatic steps to plug the shortcomings in the data that’s collected on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
theconversation.com
December 2, 2025 at 7:47 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Land shapes lives and culture, but debates over land rights—individual or communal—continue to shape our homes and food security. 🌱

theconversation.com/african-land...

#BusinessAndEconomy
African land policy reforms have been good for women and communities – but review of 18 countries shows major gaps
There’s a significant shift towards the recognition of customary rights and the strengthening of women’s land rights.
theconversation.com
December 2, 2025 at 7:44 PM
africa.theconversation.com
South Africa’s coast holds over 350 ancient animal tracksites, revealing Ice Age secrets in stone. 🦶

theconversation.com/fossil-hunte...

#ScienceAndTech
#FossilHeritage
Fossil hunters find tracks of animals from about 3 million years ago – a first in South Africa
These tracksites appear to contain the first recorded Pliocene vertebrate tracks described from southern Africa.
theconversation.com
December 2, 2025 at 7:41 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Nigeria’s private schools are diverse, but hundreds have been closed for lacking approval or proper facilities. Education faces fresh challenges. 📚

theconversation.com/nigerias-low...

#Education
Nigeria’s low-cost private schools are the only option for millions: is closing them a good idea?
Stronger public investment is needed so families are not forced to pay privately for basic education.
theconversation.com
December 2, 2025 at 4:28 AM
africa.theconversation.com
Fresh produce markets are vital for South Africa’s food security, with street traders offering fruit and veg at lower prices. 🍎🛒

theconversation.com/johannesburg...

#BusinessAndEconomy
Johannesburg’s produce market has supplied the informal sector for decades: a refresh is due
The Johannesburg Market has many challenges, including poor governance and infrastructure decay. Its story underscores the need to protect such markets nationwide.
theconversation.com
December 2, 2025 at 4:26 AM
africa.theconversation.com
Most industries fix things after they break. But predictive maintenance uses data to spot problems early, keeping everything running smoothly. 🛠️

theconversation.com/machines-whi...

#ScienceAndTech
Machines whisper before they scream: we built an AI model that predicts expensive problems
Predictive maintenance has massive potential for keeping machines running smoothly.
theconversation.com
December 2, 2025 at 4:22 AM
africa.theconversation.com
Grasslands shape South Africa’s future. Decades of research at Ukulinga Farm guide sustainable farming and protect vital ecosystems. 🌱

theconversation.com/africas-long...

#ScienceAndTech
Africa’s longest-running grassland research project offers up a wealth of knowledge
Decades of experimentation revealed slow ecological processes and long-term interactions that have international scientific value.
theconversation.com
December 2, 2025 at 4:20 AM
africa.theconversation.com
HIV treatment saves lives, but some side effects like weight gain or high blood pressure mean care needs to be better integrated. 💊

theconversation.com/how-to-stay-...

#HealthAndMedicine
How to stay healthy on HIV treatment, and what side effects to look out for - Malawi research
By integrating HIV care with non-communicable disease prevention and care, healthcare systems can help people living with HIV remain healthy.
theconversation.com
November 30, 2025 at 1:03 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Development banks are backing factory farming in Africa, risking decades of high emissions and debt for farmers. 🐄💸

theconversation.com/factory-farm...

#EnvironmentAndEnergy
Factory farming in Africa: development banks see it as a good idea, but it’s bad for the climate
Development banks have spent over US$1 billion on factory farming in Africa, locking in high greenhouse gas emissions. Natural farming systems are a better choice.
theconversation.com
November 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM
africa.theconversation.com
Social media is now key for young South Africans seeking mental health support—digital platforms are shaping how youth access care. 📱

theconversation.com/youth-worker...

#HealthAndMedicine
Youth workers are spreading health messages on social media: how to support what they do in South Africa
South African youth workers, despite limited resources, are finding creative ways to connect with young people through digital tools.
theconversation.com
November 30, 2025 at 12:57 PM
africa.theconversation.com
In South Africa’s Makanaskop, the kraal is a sacred space for rituals but small plots with outside toilets undermine this cultural use.

theconversation.com/no-space-for...

#EnvironmentAndEnergy
No space for culture: ‘matchbox housing’ leaves residents unable to honour customs in a South African town
In South Africa’s Makanaskop, the kraal is a sacred space for rituals but small plots with outside toilets undermine this cultural use.
theconversation.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:02 AM
africa.theconversation.com
Men’s drinking doesn’t just harm themselves—women and children often suffer too. New research points to urgent need for change. 🍷

theconversation.com/mens-drinkin...

#HealthAndMedicine
Men’s drinking harms women and children, and the impact is worst in poorer countries
Governments across the world must look at alcohol and its related harms through the eyes of women and children who are mostly affected.
theconversation.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:00 AM
africa.theconversation.com
Distance education is transforming access to Universities across Africa, giving millions the chance to study despite barriers. 🎓

theconversation.com/distance-lea...

#Education
Distance learning changes lives, but comes with its own challenges
For rural students, distance education can keep existing inequities in place.
theconversation.com
November 28, 2025 at 3:54 AM
africa.theconversation.com
News creators and influencers are outpacing traditional media on Instagram and TikTok in South Africa. Social platforms are shifting news habits. 📱

theconversation.com/news-influen...

#ArtsCultureAndSociety
News influencers are reshaping the media – insights from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa
The most prominent news creators on social media and video networks are men and YouTube is the most important platform for them.
theconversation.com
November 28, 2025 at 3:51 AM
africa.theconversation.com
Some African countries have consumer protection laws that they could use to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for pretending to be green.

theconversation.com/totalenergie...

#Climate
TotalEnergies: French court ruling over false climate claims could boost African cases against polluters
Some African countries have consumer protection laws that they could use to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for pretending to be green.
theconversation.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:52 PM