Evelyn Groenink
Read the full article in Dutch here . Searching for the paradise of coffee and milk At first the Cape of Good Hope had been no more than a ‘refreshment station’ for the Dutch VOC ships. Then Jan van Riebeeck planted a hedge of bitter almonds around his camp to keep out the 'natives' and it became a colony. Then the colonisers, in an attempt to remove aforementioned natives completely from their privileged existence, adopted the cruel system of internal exile and near-slavery that became infamously... Read the full article in Dutch here . Searching for the paradise of coffee and milk At first the Cape of Good Hope had been no more than a ‘refreshment...
ZAM reporter
ZAM’s partner the African Investigative Publishing Collective asks for international solidarity to protest the internet blackout that is suffocating the southern Cameroon regions since 22 January. The AIPC says that one of its members, veteran investigative editor Chief Bisong Etahoben in Cameroon, has been cut off from its interactions and its transnational investigative projects by the blackout, intended to suffocate protests in Anglophone regions against the mainly Francophone elite. The AIPC... ZAM’s partner the African Investigative Publishing Collective asks for international solidarity to protest the internet blackout that is suffocating the...
ZAM reporter
ZAM’s partner the Premium Times in Nigeria is preparing for worst case scenarios in which editor and reporters might get arrested, or even killed, for their critical reporting on failures of their country’s army. A letter from Chief of Staff Tukur Buratai accuses the paper of ‘deep hatred’ for the army and even of ‘unalloyed loyalty to the terrorist cause’ of Boko Haram. “Being labelled a Boko Haram supporter is like a death sentence because Nigerians are really angry with the insurgents,” says... ZAM’s partner the Premium Times in Nigeria is preparing for worst case scenarios in which editor and reporters might get arrested, or even killed, for...
Evelyn Groenink
On Sunday 18 December the UK newspaper The Guardian headlined that the United Nation’s ban on child labour was a ‘damaging mistake’ . It quoted an array of eminent academics -from ‘across the globe’ the paper said, meaning Denmark, France and Canada- who explained that, if one stops poor families from requesting their children to help out at the farm, one actually doesn’t magically achieve that these same children then go to school instead. “Without the labour of the child, these families may not... On Sunday 18 December the UK newspaper The Guardian headlined that the United Nation’s ban on child labour was a ‘damaging mistake’ . It quoted an array...
ZAM
Scroll down for Dutch version 'Dear Sylvana' | Members of the ZAM Team take part in a campaign to support of Sylvana Simons who is targeted by racist and sexist hate speech and threats. Dear Sylvana, You are the target of a hideous racist and sexist hate speech. Almost daily new insults are directed at your person. A 'joke' in a talkshow, a photoshopped KKK lynching on Facebook, a cowardish carnival song. It's difficult to maintain that these are statements by confused loners. We call upon everyone... Scroll down for Dutch version 'Dear Sylvana' | Members of the ZAM Team take part in a campaign to support of Sylvana Simons who is targeted by racist and...
ZAM reporter
On Wednesday 2 November TV cameras will cover the streets of Pretoria’s inner city as protestors of many colours and backgrounds will march against the reign of President Jacob Zuma. The hashtag #stopthelooting is uniting even the radical Economic Freedom Front of Julius Malema, whose supporters hail mainly from impoverished black areas, and the still mainly white Democratic Alliance. This is a marked difference from earlier anti-Zuma marches, which were largely white middle-class based. Though... On Wednesday 2 November TV cameras will cover the streets of Pretoria’s inner city as protestors of many colours and backgrounds will march against the...
Evelyn Groenink
Activists climb the Kilimanjaro. The ‘Africa Rising’ slogan, which depicts the continent as one whole happy black-and-gold glob uplifting itself from misery, is old, discredited and serves dictatorial and corrupt African regimes more than anyone else. It is, –according to the latest economic research- also untrue. Africa as a whole is not getting richer , even if some corrupt elites are. Like everywhere else, the gap between rich and poor is widening. Enter “Africans rising.” Africans. Rising . Now... Activists climb the Kilimanjaro. The ‘Africa Rising’ slogan, which depicts the continent as one whole happy black-and-gold glob uplifting itself from...
ZAM
The ZAM Team mourns the passing of Fezeka Kuzwayo. She had the courage to fight the powerful. In a poem, published by ZAM in 2009, Fezeka recalled the horror she experienced one night in the house of the man who became president of South Africa. Khwezi, as Fezeka was also known left us last Saturday. We will remember her. I am Khanga I wrap myself around the curvaceous bodies of women all over Africa I am the perfect nightdress on those hot African nights The ideal attire for household chores I... The ZAM Team mourns the passing of Fezeka Kuzwayo. She had the courage to fight the powerful. In a poem, published by ZAM in 2009, Fezeka recalled the...
Benon Herbert Oluka
Two of our best editors in Uganda recently quit journalism for government jobs. They have been criticised for this. But I understand them. See, I never studied journalism. My jam was human resource management, so don’t be surprised if you see me swap media for HR someday. But I was drawn to print journalism by my passion for the written word and for using it to disseminate information to the public. However, after 12 years of putting myself in the firing line to break some big stories, and being... Two of our best editors in Uganda recently quit journalism for government jobs. They have been criticised for this. But I understand them. See, I never...
Muno Gedi
Deputy president of the Banadir Journalists Union in Somalia and ZAM correspondent, Muno Gedi, tried to attend the historical peace summit in her country. But there were roadblocks and she was left sitting next to the radio with her hopes, fears and dreams. There is change in the air. Mogadishu is quiet when I wake up on this Tuesday, without any noise or traffic in the streets. Today there will be no bomb attacks. Police are everywhere. Hotels and institutions are barricaded, on every corner there... Deputy president of the Banadir Journalists Union in Somalia and ZAM correspondent, Muno Gedi, tried to attend the historical peace summit in her...
Ayo Adene
Girls abducted. Girls married off before they turn 15. Women denied equality before the law. Why do so many African societies move like a car on two left-side wheels? Are children as capable of thought and insight as adults? How do they react to stereotypes about age, race, ethnicity, culture, religion or gender? At what age do children form opinions, or start to remember things? Too often, adults assume that childhood is some sort of mental, auditory or visual impediment: when really, they are... Girls abducted. Girls married off before they turn 15. Women denied equality before the law. Why do so many African societies move like a car on two...
Evelyn Groenink
Revolution at a girls' school 6 September 2016 | Damn, I am missing out on the revolution. Where were all these teenage girls with their fists in the air, shouting and singing, when my daughters schooled at Pretoria High School for Girls (PHSG)? Even last year, all I ever saw on the school grounds were polite and quiet pupils in their green dresses and blue blazers who, as soon as you passed them, would chime "Good Morning Ma’am!" Right little ladies they were, black, coloured, Indian and white.... Revolution at a girls' school 6 September 2016 | Damn, I am missing out on the revolution. Where were all these teenage girls with their fists in the...
ZAM reporter
In January 1961, Dutch broadcaster AVRO transmitted the first interview with Nelson Mandela in a documentary on 'Boers and Bantus'. It's less than a minute but a most telling interview. Mandela states: "From the very beginning, the African National Congress set itself the task of fighting against white supremacy. We have always regarded it as wrong for one racial group to dominate another racial group.” It is assumed that the interview was held five years earlier during a break at the 1956 Treason... In January 1961, Dutch broadcaster AVRO transmitted the first interview with Nelson Mandela in a documentary on 'Boers and Bantus'. It's less than a...
Bart Luirink
An apartheid assassin and many former secret service agents conspired against law enforcement in South Africa together with ‘big tobacco.’ Scrutiny of the hundreds of secret agent files, payment sheets and activity reports leaked from within ‘big tobacco’ in South Africa last week, reveals that the tobacco companies who corrupted South African law enforcement counted many former apartheid secret service operatives in their ranks, including notorious ‘superspy’ and killer Craig Williamson. Searching... An apartheid assassin and many former secret service agents conspired against law enforcement in South Africa together with ‘big tobacco.’ Scrutiny of...
Bart Luirink
A giant data leak from within the South African tobacco industry presents evidence of large-scale infiltration by the tobacco mafia of the South African police, justice and secret services. The documents, leaked last week by whistle blowers from within the private ‘big tobacco’ -paid research agency Forensic Security Services (FSS) and tweeted from @EspionageSA , show in detail how scores of state officials (171 in total) were paid to sabotage competitors in the tobacco sector. They did this inter... A giant data leak from within the South African tobacco industry presents evidence of large-scale infiltration by the tobacco mafia of the South African...
Prisca Abranches
What does the death of Mandela means to youngsters under the age of 26? I was curious to find out what youngsters think about Nelson Mandela, and decided to ask 12 youngsters on the streets of Amsterdam to give me 2 words that come to mind when they think about him. All of them kindly accepted to play the game. Some of them told me that 2 words were not even enough to describe this man. It was inspiring to see how his memory and deeds still has impact among a younger generation Here is the result... What does the death of Mandela means to youngsters under the age of 26? I was curious to find out what youngsters think about Nelson Mandela, and decided...
Idris Akinbajo
The USA's mistake was 'not to plan for the day after' When President Barack Obama leaves office, he will be remembered as one of the most successful presidents in America’s history. Among his achievements would be leading the country to bounce back from one of the worst financial crisis, healthcare reform through the Affordable Care Act and promoting major liberal policies like gay rights. In the international scene, he’s ensured an overdue rapprochement with Cuba and joined the rest of the... The USA's mistake was 'not to plan for the day after' When President Barack Obama leaves office, he will be remembered as one of the most successful...
ZAM reporter
As military jets fly over Kampala, an eerie silence reigns in the Ugandan capital. Social protests have been banned by a court order, media are blocked from reporting on even the smallest eruption of activism and people suspected of being involved in such activism are being arrested. The country is preparing to swear in President Yoweri Museveni for the fifth time. Having been in power for the past thirty years, the name of Museveni’s ruling party NRM, -National Resistance Movement-, hardly applies... As military jets fly over Kampala, an eerie silence reigns in the Ugandan capital. Social protests have been banned by a court order, media are blocked...
ZAM reporter
As ZAM was preparing the publication of its new investigation into ruby plunder and abuse of local citizens in northern Mozambique, the tragic news of yet another organized crime-inspired murder in that country reached us. The victim of ‘unknown gunmen,’ this time, was prosecutor Marcelino Vilanculos, who was shot in the head through his car window as he arrived at his home in Matola shortly after 7 PM on 11 April. Vilanculos was in charge of the prosecution of a criminal network that had achieved... As ZAM was preparing the publication of its new investigation into ruby plunder and abuse of local citizens in northern Mozambique, the tragic news of...
ZAM reporter
The revelations in the Panama Papers –offshore account details held by the global rich and powerful, unearthed by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) last week- have caused turmoil in the Democratic Republic of Congo because of their mention of President Joseph Kabila’s twin sister, Jaynet. All of a sudden, the rumours around Jaynet’s business deals and suspicions that she was the channel through which the wealthy family is moving Congo’s money out of the country,... The revelations in the Panama Papers –offshore account details held by the global rich and powerful, unearthed by the International Consortium of...
Evelyn Groenink
Mistrust of 'white capital' feeds the South African president's racial populism “It’s a single minded onslaught,” says my friend Jakes with emphasis. “The whites in Cape Town. The Afrikaans millionaires. The (mainly white opposition party) DA. The media –they’re also still mostly white, you know that. And who do they want to replace Zuma with? Cyril Ramaphosa, the co-opted black mining tycoon. The killer of Marikana (1).” Jakes knows he’ll be called a conspiracy theorist. “But regime change has... Mistrust of 'white capital' feeds the South African president's racial populism “It’s a single minded onslaught,” says my friend Jakes with emphasis....