Understanding violent behaviour in South Africa By Masana Ndinga-Kanga

Image by: Sunday Times.

The current state of affairs across the world has made peace and security a pressing concern not just in policy circles, but also in public discourse. Issues of marginalisation and violence continue to plague numerous parts of the world, with often dire results: The rise of Isis in the Arab world, the prevalence of social unrest in South America and European countries grappling with challenges in their political economy, or poor policing decisions in US. The trend globally has been that intrastate conflict has escalated while there has been a notable decline in interstate conflict.

Islamic State kills Ethiopian Christians in Libya

This undated image made from a video released by Islamic State militants, Sunday, April 19, 2015, appears to show the killing of a group of captured Ethiopian Christians in Libya. 

Islamic State militants in Libya shot and beheaded groups of captive Ethiopian Christians, a video purportedly from the extremists showed Sunday. The attack widens the circle of nations affected by the group's atrocities while showing its growth beyond a self-declared caliphate in Syria and Iraq.
The release of the 29-minute video comes a day after Afghanistan's president blamed the extremists for a suicide attack in his country that killed at least 35 people — and underscores the chaos gripping Libya after its 2011 civil war and the killing of dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

South Africa's Government vows to track down xenophobic violence leaders

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba.

State Security Minister David Mahlobo on Sunday warned users of social media not to "instigate" attacks‚ saying they would be dealt with, The  Business Day  reported.
"We do have systems to detect unrest from an intelligence point of view‚” Mr Mahlobo said.
“But there are certain issues where the question emerges‚ even if you have an early warning system‚ will you be able to respond? You can report the issues but if the resources are not there‚ you cannot respond properly."

Nigerian singer, Adokiye Kyrian offers Boko Haram her virginity in exchange for kidnapped girls

Adokiye Kyrian
Image by: Facebook

According to sowetanlive.co.za, 23-year-old singer earlier this year revealed that she's was still a virgin, before adding that she would be willing to give herself to anyone who buys her mother a private jet.
She said that she'd be willing to abide by the sexual bidding of the Boko Haram members if they returned the girls, who were kidnapped from the Nigerian town of Chibok, and took her instead.

SA Xenophobic Attacks: Three men to appear in court over Sithole’s murder

Mozambique national Emmanuel Sithole is attacked by men in Alexandra township in Johannesburg. He later died from his wounds.
Image by: Sunday Times.

Sithole’s murder on Saturday in Alexandra was captured by Sunday Times photographer James Oatway‚ and the images of the brutal death prompted police to offer a reward of up to R100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the culprits.
The arrests overnight were‚ reportedly‚ made with the help of the community.
Yet‚ following the attack‚ Oatway received grudging support when he attempted to remove Sithole from the scene and get him to medical help.

Photos: EFF Anti-Xenophobic Protest In Pretoria, South Africa

 Members of the EFF, the 3rd largest political party in South Africa with some members of APC SA held a peaceful protest on the streets of Pretoria on Saturday April 18, 2015. More pics after cut...

Big Nuz cancel Harare tour amid threats of violence from Zimbabweans

According to state-owned newspaper The Herald, the group was set to perform in Zimbabwe on Friday but have been receiving threats of a boycott and violence from Zimbabwean nationals – as reported by Times LIVE on Thursday.

South Africa seeks diplomatic support to defeat anti-immigrant unrest

Police officers walk past a car that was burnt overnight in Johannesburg, April 17, 2015. South African police fired rubber bullets and a stun grenade on Friday to disperse a gang of African immigrants who had armed themselves with machetes in a run-down district of east Johannesburg, a Reuters photographer said. South Africa has been hit by a wave of violence against African and other immigrants in the last two weeks. The foreigners have complained about a lack of protection and some have started to arm themselves.
Image by: REUTERS

Foreign nationals have complained that the South African police are failing to protect them, raising the prospect of a row between Pretoria and its neighbours, as well as stirring hostility to South Africans working abroad.

Buhari’s Strategy for Stopping Boko Haram by John Campbell

On the one-year anniversary of the Boko Haram kidnapping of more than 200 school girls from Chibok, President-elect Muhammadu Buhari, in a New York Times op-ed, concisely laid out his approach to defeating Boko Haram. His op-ed is remarkable for its candor, realism, and its recognition of his government’s need to address the social and economic drivers of support for Boko Haram.

Nigeria's President Jonathan Rejects UN Help To Fight Boko Haram

Outgoing Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has rejected international forces from the United Nations to help fight Boko Haram in northern Nigeria, Agence France-Presse reported. Jonathan said Thursday that the West African nation instead needs help rehabilitating its people and reconstructing its communities worst affected by the Islamist insurgency.

King Zwelithini to express his thoughts on xenophobic violence On Monday.

FILE PIC: King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu. (Photo: DoC)

Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini will hold an imbizo (high-level gathering) on Monday

 with other traditional leaders and government dignitaries to express his opinion on the recent spate of xenophobic violence plaguing the country.

The announcement was made today by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Senzo Mchunu at a press conference.

Meet: Tarina Patel, the beauty on Generations- The Legacy, SA Largest Soap Opera.

BEAUTY. Tarina Patel plays a trophy wife on Generations – The Legacy and is also working on a movie about former president Nelson Mandela.

Tarina Patel is undeniably among the most beautiful women on television, but the actress, who recently joined the cast of Generations – The Legacy, says her looks have been a big challenge in her career.

“My beauty works against me almost all the time,” she says adamantly. “I’ve lost out on roles because people think I’m too beautiful. When I do get a role, then I have to work so much harder for people to look past my looks and recognise my talent.”

Yes, the #saynotoxenophobia tweets are great, but they won't make a difference By Pearl Boshomane

While I think it's great that many of us are trying to spread a positive message and calling out this gross discrimination and the senseless violence it has birthed, the practical part of me thinks we're wasting our energy.

Now, I am quite the slacktivist. Send me a petition to (digitally) sign and I'll do it. I'll share it on Facebook, Twitter and email it to my friends. Sell me a T-shirt with an important message on it and I'll buy it. I'll write and read columns about an issue. Gladly. Just don't ask me to take to the streets in an actual, physical protest. 

Malawi's forced sex camps hurt girls as much as child marriage: campaigner

The custom in Malawi of sending girls to sexual initiation camps is just as harmful as child marriage and must end if the nation is serious about protecting girls' rights, a teenager who escaped being a child bride said.

Memory Banda, 18, said the tradition of early sexual initiation, seen as a way of preparing pubescent girls for marriage, was forcing girls to have sex and exposing them to the risk of HIV infection.

Banda said even if girls were not sent to the camps, they may receive a night time visit from an older man.

SA Xenophobic Attacks: South Africans Stopped From Entering Malawi And Congo.

The Malawian and Congolese government have reportedly stopped all South Africans from entering their country following the recent Xenophobic attacks where a few of their citizens were killed and their businesses destroyed.