Political Diplomacy

Zambian opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema was recently in South Africa for a three-day visit, during which attended a question session addressed by President Jacob Zuma in Parliament on Thursday. During his stay, the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, called for South Africa to end its quiet diplomacy on Hichilema’s arrest. In other news, Recently, Riek Machar, the ex-vice-president of South Sudan, has been reported as a “de facto prisoner” in a farmhouse outside of Johannesburg and restricted from political activity. Clearly, from this we see from this that South Africa plays a huge in political interventions on the continent.Today, we look at the current role that South Africain diplomatic issues. To help us on this we are joined by: • Mr Roland Henwood, lecturer in political science at the University of Pretoria • Prof, Shadrack Gutto, from Unisa