With a youth unemployment rate reaching more than 45% in the first quarter of 2024, South Africa faces a significant challenge: young people are disproportionately affected compared to the national average of 30-35%. Despite the Department of Employment and Labour’s recent establishment of a National Minimum Wage of R27.58 per hour effective from March 2024, many workers remain in precarious jobs, often without social security or stable working conditions.

In this episode, we explore the complex landscape of workers' rights in South Africa with Dr. Mosa Phadi, an expert on state formation, Blackness, and class dynamics. Dr. Phadi, a researcher at the Public Affairs Research Institute and accomplished author of numerous articles and book chapters, shares her insights into the lived experiences of South African workers, unpacking the intersection of labor rights, socioeconomic instability, and the fight for fair treatment in the workplace.

Related statistics and sources (last accessed November 2024)

Unemployment rates
https://www.statssa.gov.za/?p=17266

Minimum wage
https://www.ccma.org.za/labourlaws/new-minimum-wage-and-maximum-threshold/#:~:text=The%20Department%20of%20Employment%20and,with%20effect%201%20March%202024.

History of migrant labor in South Africa
https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/history-migrant-labour-south-africa

Timeline of the Marikana Massacre
https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/timeline-marikana-massacre-2012-2013

Labor relations and trade unions in South Africa
https://www.gov.za/links/labour-relations-0

Precious working conditions in South Africa
https://marxistsociology.org/2022/09/reorganizing-the-core-precarity-organizing-and-the-labour-process-in-south-african-manufacturing/

With a Criminality Score of 7.18, South Africa ranks first out of 13 countries in Southern Africa, third in Africa and seventh worldwide in crime statistics. In this episode, we dive deeper into this topic and talk to Dr. Guy Lamb, a commissioner in South Africa's National Planning Commission and an expert on crime in South Africa. He has also worked with the UN on gun regulation and crime prevention projects.

In this episode, we discuss the topic of crime: what crime means, by whom and how it is committed and against whom it is directed. We also dive into the dimension of inequality, the role of the police and the government, and finally, why South Africa also has a comparatively high resilience score despite its high criminality score.

Related statistics and sources (last accessed November 2024)

Organized Crime Index
https://ocindex.net/country/south_africa

Global Militarization Index
https://gmi.bicc.de/#rank@2022

Global Firepower Index
https://www.globalfirepower.com/countries-listing.php

UNGA Third Committee on hate speech and xenophobia rising
https://press.un.org/en/2023/gashc4393.doc.htm

ONCHR on xenophobic violence in south Africa
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/07/south-africa-un-experts-condemn-xenophobic-violence-and-racial

Report on gun use in South Africa
https://gfsa.org.za/news/#

With the phrase “From Pariah to Paragon,” South Africa’s foreign policy transformation is often described as a journey from isolation to active global engagement. Since the end of apartheid, the country has emphasized the promotion of human rights, multilateralism, pan-Africanism, and fostering good relations with both the global North and South. However, as the international order continues to evolve, so has South Africa’s approach to foreign policy.

In this episode, we unpack the dynamic interplay between South Africa’s foreign policy priorities and the challenges of a shifting global landscape with Prof. Dr. Scarlett Cornelissen, a leading expert in South African foreign policy. Prof. Cornelissen’s is a highly accomplished scholar with a PhD from the University of Glasgow and degrees from several universities in South Africa. She has held prestigious fellowships, including the aFellowship at Harvard's Radcliffe Institute. Her research has also been supported by institutions in Japan, such as Kyoto University, and the Institute of Developing Economies. As a co-editor of the Review of International Studies and Geopolitics, Dr. Scarlett also contributes to the editorial boards of leading journals.

Related sources (last accessed November 2024)

South African Department of International Relations & Cooperation (DIRCO)
https://dirco.gov.za/strategic-overview/

South Africa´s International Relations
https://www.gov.za/about-sa/international-relations

Current Presidency asserts responsibility and stance on South Africa’s foreign policy
https://dirco.gov.za/presidency-asserts-responsibility-and-stance-on-south-africas-foreign-policy/

Media Statement of Memorial to the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
https://dirco.gov.za/south-africa-delivers-evidence-of-israel-genocide-to-icj/