William Gumede

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A police strategy of shoot-to-kill won’t stop South Africa’s runaway crime, William Gumede writes in this week’s Pambazuka News, when the real issues are corruption, inefficiency and a lack of skills and resources in the police service and criminal justice system. What the country needs, argues Gumede, is ‘a comprehensive anti-crime, poverty and job creation strategy.’

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The battle to oust Thabo Mbeki from ANC leadership brought ‘two diametrically opposed groups’ together in support of Jacob Zuma, William Gumede writes in Pambazuka News. Now though, President Zuma finds himself walking a ‘tight-rope’ between the opposing groups, with one side seeking genuine party reform in favour of the people, and the other simply wanting its own place at ‘the feeding trough’. Will Zuma take the side of democracy? That depends on whether he wants to secure another term for...read more

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To survive the devastating impact of the global financial crisis, William Gumede tells Pambazuka News, African countries must learn one simple lesson they appeared not to have heeded since the end of colonialisation and apartheid: Do not listen to the advice of global financial institutions and leading Western nations. For that matter, do exactly what these Western nations do.

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With much of Africa facing an effective re-colonisation in the wake of the global financial crisis, William Gumede underlines the importance of ever increasing cooperation and trade between African countries. As forces to the east and west alike plunder the continent's mineral wealth, it remains the task of African countries themselves to develop a continental common market and political union based on sound democratic foundations, Gumede concludes.

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There is ‘a deep gulf between the call for women’s equality in South Africa’s model constitution and society’s predominantly archaic public attitudes towards women,’ William Gumede writes in Pambazuka News, with sexist views from leaders providing ‘a cloak of legitimacy’ for gender-based violence. If the country’s Gender Equality Commission is to succeed in its constitutional mandate to monitor whether the policy of gender equality is implemented, it must challenge prejudiced political leader...read more

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Taking to the streets is often the last resort, says William Gumede, and the community protests against poor service delivery sweeping across South Africa are evidence that ‘democratic institutions within the ANC’ and ‘broader society’ have failed the country’s poorest. ANC leaders whipped up expectations of immediate pro-poor reforms under a Zuma administration, which the current recession has put out of reach. If Zuma is to retain the support of the people, Gumede tells Pambazuka News, he m...read more

In light of the sustained problems of mismanagement and corruption burdening South Africa's provincial authorities, many have called for these institutions to be scrapped entirely. This, argues William Gumede in this week's Pambazuka News, would be a step too far and likely to make matters worse. Far more important, Gumede contends, is the need to dismantle a culture of cronyism and political impunity. The provinces in fact need greater power, the author argues, but this must be under the aut...read more

cc The majority of South Africans are dirt-poor, writes William Gumede, something which makes the country's leaders fondness for lavish living on public money all the more unacceptable. President Jacob Zuma must instil a culture of engagement with ordinary citizens among his officials, Gumede argues, one which ends self-serving cronyism and sees public funds directed ...read more

cc The South African government will have to bail out private companies as the global financial crisis begins to bite the national economy, writes William Gumede. But which companies should the government nationalise? Moreover, given its 'depressing record' thus far, is it actually capable of running a complex organisation without making the headlines for mismanagement and...read more

cc With South Africa in the throes of an economic crisis, William Gumede says it's time for the country's government to step up. With the rand's relative strength against the US dollar putting pressure on domestic manufacturing exports, Gumede calls for the Reserve Bank to intervene to weaken the country's currency. President Jacob Zuma must curb price increases, argues Gumede, and offer e...read more

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