South Africa's transition from the racist apartheid regime to a democratic rainbow nation in
1994 has been admired worldwide. Its apparently peaceful reconciliation and emerging
economic power made South Africa a global player. Nevertheless, with the ANC in power
for over twenty years, one would have expected a change from former racist and colonial
structural policies. Although the so-called 'Rainbow Nation' proclaims “unity in diversity”,
racialisation and identity politics in South Africa have not evolved much from apartheid’s
pattern. Its contradictions can be observed through actual examples such as debates around
land expropriation, fees must fall movements and the striking racial inequalities.
This year, South Africa is celebrating the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela to honour
his humanitarian values and aptitude as a national hero. Where does the rainbow nation
stand after Nelson Mandela? Are his ideas of social justice and equality implemented in
today’s rainbow nation? Or were these broken promises (du Toit 2017)? This paper will trace
back the original mission of a rainbow nation and compare them with the present situation.

Charges of sponsoring terrorism have surrounded Iran from the earliest days of the Islamic revolution (1979) to the present. The United States (US), along with the rest of the West have repeatedly stated that Iran is the principal state sponsor of terrorism, providing a wide array of weaponry funds, safe harbour and logistical support to Shi’ite and occasionally Sunni terrorist groups (this paper will solely focus on Hamas and Hezbollah). In some cases, it is also claimed that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) directly perpetrate acts of terrorism (Stearns 2012). Essentially, among analysts and academics it is commonly argued that Iran utilises ‘terrorism’ to pursue its foreign policy objectives.

The African continent continues to face many complex challenges ranging from issues of governance, poor socioeconomic development within its borders to growing terror attacks from extremist groups. Given this context, Africa’s own insecurity is serving as a source of concern for not only the global community but also for African leaders. This growing concern is one of the contributing factors behind the phrase ‘African solutions to African problems’...

Thursday 30 March 2017 should be construed as a critical juncture in the history of a democratic South Africa. Regardless of the size or effect of an event or cause, critical junctures typically generate persistent paths of political development. As it is known by now, President Jacob Zuma made significant changes to the composition of the country’s executive leadership with the axing of five cabinet ministers. Notable in the cabinet reshuffle was the dismissal of the minister of finance Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas. The replacement of the minister of finance with home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba and the new deputy minister Sifiso Buthelezi triggered upheaval from many quarters of society.

The United States of America is undergoing a major multi-dimensional conjunctural transition, one affecting the politics of its domestic and foreign relations with global implications. As such, the role and future of Black America as a pivotal nation within the African Diaspora caught up in this transition deserves critical analysis in the wake of the election of 2016. This article was initially drafted in January 2016 and went unpublished. It was motivated by unease about the state of black political consciousness, focus and mobilizational sense of urgency in the election year that was unfolding.