While Kenya faces an uncertain future, with its president-elect Uhuru Kenyatta indicted to appear before the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity, attention now shifts to the next potentially explosive African election, set to take place in Zimbabwe in July. 

Despite denials by the African National Congress, a second wave of purges of opponents of President Jacob Zuma in the governing alliance is clearly under way. This time round it is more co-ordinated and on a much larger, unprecedented scale than the purges that followed the ousting of former president Thabo Mbeki in 2007. It could have far-reaching consequences for South Africa. 

The South African party political scene is undergoing substantial change amid shifting possibilities affecting both the ruling alliance and the collective opposition. Over the past year or more new parties, formations and trends have emerged, fed by general dissatisfaction with the African National Congress and its iron grip on power under President Jacob Zuma. 

Earlier this month, the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church went into their conclave for the most enduring election process in history, to elect a new pope as the head of the church. To guess at the origins of the term ‘pope’ is not too difficult, but some of the other terms and traditions involved – and even the name of the church – have some interesting and surprising roots.

Last week was the 10th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its ‘coalition of the willing’ on 19 March 2003. Ten years after the ‘shock and awe’ bombing campaign on ‘strategic targets’ in Baghdad, which started the invasion, consensus is growing that the war was a key landmark in the demise – if not the beginning of the end – of the ‘American empire’. 

Despite having been endorsed by the African National Congress’s national conference in December, one trade union within the governing alliance has now called for an “alliance summit” on the National Development Plan (NDP). Another has alleged that the NDP has replaced the Freedom Charter. Indeed, a showdown seems to be looming around this much-hailed policy document.

In the past week, South African rugby news was dominated by the alleged fallout between the South African Rugby Union (SARU) and the Southern Kings over the illegal presence of too many overseas players in their squad. But the role of ex-Springbok coach Jake White in Australia’s Brumbies team drew attention as well. 

South Africa recorded their 300th one-day international (ODI) win since their reintroduction into the international fold as captain AB de Villiers propelled them to a comprehensive 6-wicket win against Pakistan in the fifth and final Momentum ODI in Benoni on Sunday. But a very tough assignment now lies ahead with the International Cricket Council’s Champions Trophy tournament in England in June.