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President Cyril Ramaphosa is South Africa's fifth post-apartheid president. He first came to prominence in the 1980s as the founder of the National Union of Mineworkers. When Nelson Mandela was released from prison in February 1990, Ramaphosa was at the head of the reception committee that greeted him. Chosen as secretary general of the African National Congress in 1991, Ramaphosa led the ANC's team in negotiating the country's post-apartheid constitution.Thwarted in his ambition to succeed Mand...

State of the Nation: South Africa 2012-2013 offers 32 diverse angles on poverty and inequality in contemporary South Africa in one compelling and comprehensive collection. Five sections dealing with politics, economics, society, health and environment and the global context, each start with an introduction followed by chapters which analyse burning issues and highlight long-term and recent trends, with a focus on policies and practice. The in-depth analyses deal with ideology and modern and...

This volume, the fifth in the From Protest to Challenge Series, examines and documents the liberation struggle in South Africa from its nadir in 1964 to its resurgence by 1979. Four earlier volumes traced the long history of resistence against white domination and the pursuit of racial equality during the period 1882-1964. This publication is a documentary history of the national liberation struggle in South Africa which includes a priceless collection of new primary historical sources. The 129...

This book takes a unique look at the first Boer war by concentrating on the events and battles of the First Boer War. Due attention is also given to the 2nd Boer War - it's origins, key players and significance for the future of South Africa. The personal stories of heroism and sacrifice, sieges, rebellions and battles, make for an enthralling and dramatic tale - a classic of military history that will find a ready audience amongst military enthusiasts.

A fusion of linguistic, religious and ethnic groups with rich, diverse roots and intersecting histories make up South Africa. However, the literature on most of the smaller groups tends to be thin and uneven and often tends to relegate them to the margins of the country's major narratives. This study introduces readers to a fascinating world of linguistic, religious and cultural politics in the South African port city of Durban from around 1950, the world of the Arabic Study Circle. This associa...

The crushing defeat suffered by the British Army by the Zulus at Isandlwana on 22 January 1879 is by any standards a gripping and shocking story. The discovery of a complete set of diaries written by a young Royal Artillery officer who was the only survivor of his unit which lost all their guns is a very important find. Not only does this superb record tell of the dramatic events of that fateful day but it captures the atmosphere of the whole campaign and the age in which it was fought, and mak...

As a spokesman for a country, a continent and the developing world, Thabo Mbeki plays a crucial role in world politics, but to many people he is an enigma. Is this simply because Mbeki is a secretive man, or are there complicated political factors at play? In this book, experienced journalist William Gumede pulls together the insights he has gained from years of reporting on the Mbeki presidency to create a sophisticated but easy-to-read account of South Africa's seat of power. He explores the c...

This is the first in a new series of full-colour heritage books aimed at both local and overseas tourists. The author uncovers the rich history of the indigenous people of the Cape: Stone Age people, the San and the Khoikhoi, as well as the Griqua. This is the first time this history has been presented in a comprehensive, accessible way in a single book.

"An important contribution to the political history of this period [and] a must for those interested in the influence of the great pan-Africanists." -Elliott P. SkinnerThis study traces the evolution of the anti-apartheid movement from its origins in the 1940s through the civil rights and black power eras to its maturation in the 1980s as a force that transformed U.S. foreign policy. The movement initially met resistance and was soon repressed, only to reemerge during the civil rights era, when...

This biography explores the full story of Napoleon's short life, which ended with violent death, and the repercussions which turned an inconsequential skirmish into an international scandal and ruined a British officer's reputation.

In the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 Lieutenant-General Lord Chelmsford, commanding the British forces, fatally underestimated the Zulus, resulting in a series of shocking disasters until the Battle of Ulundi. This vivid account explores the war as it appeared to the professional and amateur war correspondents.