“Hard realism” versus liberal principles
In an article for The Common Sense, Frans Cronjé argues that America’s foreign policy is a strategic necessity to “restore America”. Cronjé’s political analysis is
What does “outside executive control” mean in SA law?
Arising out of feedback received after the Daily Friend published my commentary, The state of the rule of law in SA in 2026, on 14
PAD statement on the Uganda election
The Platform for African Democrats (PAD) takes note of developments around the Uganda election held on 15 January 2026. This was an election that offered
Accept the new US ambassador – he represents a new reality
What is South Africa to do about its fractured relationship with US? Since Donald Trump took an interest in the state of South Africa last year, this
Why does Somaliland matter?
More than 30 years ago, Somaliland declared itself as an independent state from Somalia. They have been functioning as a country with all elements and
Will for Peace and the cost of strategic pretence
Exercise Will for Peace was meant to show that South Africa could host a complex naval exercise, engage major powers on its own terms, and
Four years on – Ten lessons from Russia’s war in Ukraine
From a conflict expected to be over in days, four years of battle followed Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The first thing to note is
Accountability gaps surround NatJoints
When Covid‑19 struck in early 2020, the government created two emergency bodies to centralise decision‑making: the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) and the National Joint
Because Jay Powell fought back, Fed independence is more secure
Jerome Powell’s eloquent defence of Federal Reserve independence, delivered in a two-minute YouTube video on January 11th, was an inspiring act of courage. The 72-year-old
Iran: On the political economy of global moral attention
Why some crises mobilise the world while others fade into silence The disparity between the scale of suffering in certain conflicts and the level of