NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2024

One of the major highlights of the last few months is the international conference on the theme: Thucydides Trap or Orderly Multipolar World? Challenges and Opportunities for Africa, held in Sandton in October. The Thucydides Trap is a concept often used to explore the relationship between major and emerging global powers, which can easily escalate if relations aren’t managed carefully. The event brought together prominent scholars and policymakers from various parts of the world to reflect on critical responses to emerging global challenges, particularly from an African perspective.

Another highlight was the launch of MISTRA’s latest publication, Migration in South Africa: Conflicts and Identities. This volume builds the argument that a humanitarian approach and effective application of laws are crucial to the attainment of sustainable migration ideals, while also keeping in mind Africa’s long-term objective of the free movement of goods and people.

At the end of November, MISTRA hosted its Ninth Annual Platinum Group Metals (PGM) Roundtable, which focused on green hydrogen, PGMs and other critical minerals and South Africa’s role in low-carbon supply chains. This event provided a unique opportunity for strategic reflection on the progress being made and continues to serve as a platform for industry stakeholders to scrutinise the pace of implementation of projects in this space.

In recent months, we have also welcomed three new staff members to the MISTRA team: Nonhlanhla Adous joined MISTRA as Consultancy Services Officer in May; Ronewa Sadiki took up the role of Associate Researcher in the Political Economy Faculty in November; and Prof Sandy Africa has been appointed as our new Director of Research and will officially be starting at MISTRA in January 2025.

Key engagements in September, October and November, include:

In September, the Director of Operations, Dr Yacoob Abba Omar, presented at DIRCO’s Virtual Strategic Engagement Session which was looking at the development of its 2025 – 2030 Strategic Plan.
Joel Netshitenzhe, MISTRA’s Executive Director, Dr Abba Omar and Senior Researcher: Humanity, Na’eem Jeenah attended a roundtable on the State-of-the-State hosted by The Presidency in September.
Our publication, Why Innovations Live or Die was discussed at the CSIR book club in September with authors Dr. Xolile Fukui, Senior Lecturer (UNISA), Mr Pierre Schoonraad, Chief Director (Centre for Public Service Innovation CPSI), and Prof. Michael Kahn of Stellenbosch University, in attendance.
Gloria Britain, MISTRA’s Company Secretary, represented the organisation at the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China, at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in September.
MISTRA’s Researcher: KESA, Dr Nqobile Xaba, participated in a panel discussion on South Africa’s Just Energy Transition and a meeting with stakeholders including the World Bank at the Virginia Commonwealth, Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment (ISEE) in Washington DC in October.
Dr Abba Omar attended the Global South Knowledge Summit (GSKS) Design Workshop in The Hague, Netherlands, in October.
In October, Dr Abba Omar addressed the Independent Philanthropy Association of South Africa’s Annual Philanthropy Symposium.
Netshitenzhe presented at the Intelligence Academy (IA) Seminar on Government of National Unity (GNU) after the 2024 Elections, at the State Security Agency (SSA)’s headquarters.
Joel Netshitenzhe addressed the Strategy Planning Session of the Electoral Commission in October.
Na’eem Jeenah attended an event entitled Critical Conversations: The Government of National Unity and Coalition Politics: Implication for Accountability, Conflict, and Cohesion, hosted by ACT Ubumbano, in Johannesburg, at the beginning of October.
Dr Abba Omar was a guest speaker at the Eastern Cape Socio-Economic Consultative Council Board of Directors Strategic Planning Session in November.
Na’eem Jeenah attended the Annual Octagon roundtable discussion that took place under the theme: ‘Facing existential Crisis: From Gaza to Europe and the Role of the Global South’, at the Wellington Hotel, Madrid, in early November.
MISTRA Publications Manager, Terry Shakinovsky, Na’eem Jeenah, and Dr Abba Omar attended the Transforming Evidence Network Biennial Conference at Century City, Cape Town, in November.
Dr Abba Omar has been invited to serve on the International Panel on Social Progress (IPSP)’s Working Group titled Key Drivers for Systemic Transformations and to contribute a chapter to a publication by the Panel.
Gloria Britain attended a roundtable discussion hosted by the South African University Chancellors Forum. The roundtable provided an overview of the transformation of South African’s Higher Education Sector, received a presentation by Imperial College of UK, and engaged with a presentation on equity in Higher Education in South Africa.
Joel Netshitenzhe was a guest speaker at the Kagiso Trust Group Strategy Session that took place during the month of November.

Read more about some of these and other engagements below.

Thucydides Trap or Orderly Multipolar World? Challenges and Opportunities for Africa

Migration in South Africa: Conflicts and Identities

MISTRA’s Ninth Annual Platinum Group Metals (PGM) Roundtable

Chapter 6: Formalising artisanal and small-scale mining - Problems, contradictions and possibilities

[New] Director of Research: Prof Sandy Africa

[New] Associate Researcher, Political Economy: Ronewa Sadiki

[New] Consultancy Projects Officer: Nonhlanhla Adous

Transitions in global power do lead to tensions; but they do not necessarily have to result in a Thucydides Trap. Africa has the responsibility to contribute to global campaigns against these tensions in pursuit of a more orderly multipolar world, while at the same time taking advantage of great power competition to pursue the interests of Africa’s people. This was the word from MISTRA Executive Director, Joel Netshitenzhe, in the opening address at a two-day conference on geopolitics, hosted by MISTRA in partnership with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China and the Consulate General of India in October.

Read Netshitenzhe’s complete speech, and others, from the conference:

Joel Netshitenzhe

Opening Address

Hon. Ronald Lamola

Keynote Address

Sebastian Sperling

Partner Perspective

Watch the conference recordings on YouTube

Watch Day 1 Conference

Watch Day 2 Conference

MISTRA, in partnership with the University of Pretoria, hosted a launch event for our latest publication, Migration in South Africa: Conflicts and Identities. This volume interrogates the relationship between migration governance and border control in relation to South Africa’s proposed legislative reforms on migration. It also explores the intersection between socioeconomic rights, identity and social cohesion.

Policy Brief

Contents Page and Preface

Launch Recording

At the end of November, MISTRA hosted its Ninth Annual Platinum Group Metals (PGM) Roundtable. This annual event brings together stakeholders from the PGM industry to debate and discuss a common vision for the sector. This year, attendees were invited to share their thoughts on South Africa’s role in low-carbon supply chains, focusing specifically on critical minerals and social imperatives.

Welcome Remarks by Joel Netshitenzhe

Watch the Webinar Recording

This chapter is drawn from MISTRA’s book The Future of Mining in South Africa: Sunset or Sunrise? It explores the mining industry broadly, addressing hard questions around what could be different in the sector, and exploring how mining-affected communities and the nation at large can benefit equitably from the country’s mineral endowments.

Download the Chapter

Prof Sandy Africa is an Associate Professor in Political Sciences and the Deputy Dean for Teaching and Learning in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Pretoria. Here, she teaches International Relations, Security Studies and Public Policy. Her research interests include the study of post-conflict transitions, as well as governance and oversight of the security sector, particularly in Africa. She serves on the editorial boards of the Strategic Review for Southern Africa, Politikon and Africa Insight. Her leadership and collaborative roles over the years include the African Security Sector Network; the Southern African Defence and Security Network; the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance, and the African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum, where she serves as a trustee. She holds a PhD from the University of the Witwatersrand.

Ronewa Sadiki is our new Associate Researcher in the Political Economy division. She holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Venda. Prior to joining MISTRA, Ronewa worked at the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC), focussing on local government budget analysis and local government development. Her areas of interest include political economy, public policy and finance, macroeconomics, development economics, inequality and inclusion.

Nonhlanhla has obtained various certificates in Office Administration, Secretarial qualifications and Bookkeeping. She is an adept Project Office Administrator with a well-rounded skill set in providing effective and efficient administrative support. Prior to joining MISTRA, she worked for the Banking Association of South Africa (BASA) as a Projects Administrator in the Media and Communications Division. She also served as a Personal Assistant to Senior Management at BASA where she was responsible for the smooth running of many committees. She is a recognised expert in time-management and a communicative collaborator with extensive experience in basic report writing and minute taking.

In our next stakeholder newsletters, we will feature members of the MISTRA Fellowship which constitutes a network of researchers, experts and high-level partners involved in MISTRA’s past and current research projects.