For some reason, South Africa still matters on the international stage

[View in browser]( [Mail & Guardian]( M&G Mornings | Tue 20 Jun   [Ron Derby] For many critics of South Africa’s eminence on the global stage after the release of Nelson Mandela and the creation of Desmond Tutu’s much-derided “Rainbow Nation”, the final of the football World Cup in 2010 and the death of its first black president marked the end of its time in the sun. The argument I heard some years back was that there were other, more important, economies emerging in the East that would play a bigger role on the world stage and that, on the continent, Nigeria would usurp this country’s position. This past weekend showed that this hasn’t quite come to pass — yet. South Africa, through no choice of its own (depending on the outcome of the probe into the Lady R saga, of course) still matters for some reason. There’s lots left to analyse about the badly executed, but critically important, excursion to Ukraine and Russia. The weekend coverage was a reminder of the weight that this country still has in international affairs, regardless of our size. We’ve almost assumed captaincy of the non-aligned movement. For all the years of navel-gazing, and focusing on the ANC’s house of cards, foreign policy matters and will matter even more as the world seems to be heading to an unavoidable split between East and West. When men such as Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema and Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen proclaim themselves ready for presidency, I start to think just how critical a role a South African president is likely to play in the coming years, as the divide grows. These are high-stakes games. Ron Derby | Editor-in-Chief [@Ronderby]( [gettyimages-1499013478-594x594]( [The arms dealer behind the African peace mission to Ukraine]( A weapons manufacturer on a peace mission. What could possibly go wrong? [// Read more]( Articles labelled as Premium are only available to subscribers. [CLICK HERE]( to subscribe Already a subscriber? [SIGN IN HERE]( [Inflation Increases As Grocery Shoppers Pay More For Meat]( [Meat-eating South Africa, is it time to slow down?]( Meat consumption is relatively high in South Africa [// Read more]( [Balance Scale On Blue Background]( [Labour court upholds dismissal of lying municipal chief financial officer]( The court overturned the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration ruling that Paul Mpele had been unfairly dismissed [// Read more]( Recommended Reads [Trump’s calculated moves aim to transform legal woes into political capital]( The former US president uses theatrics and plays the underdog in his bid to return to the White House in 2024 [// Read more]( [Man behind failed Soweto sports centre has fingers in several lottery pies]( Petrus Sedibe is linked to nonprofit organisations that applied for funding totalling more than R12.6 million [// Read more]( [Are social media trends in education empowering students or diluting learning?]( The social media trend of encouraging students to recite answers or educational content has both advantages and drawbacks. It can enhance participation and memory retention but limits critical thinking, understanding and application of knowledge [// Read more]( [Explainer: Earthquakes in South Africa]( Earthquakes don’t kill people; buildings do, says expert [// Read more]( [Did Homo naledi bury their dead?]( Researchers’ findings suggest that they possessed advanced cognitive abilities, something usually associated with Homo sapiens [// Read more]( Pic of the day [President Putin Of Russia Meets With African Leaders] Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his meeting with African leaders at the Konstantin Palace in Strelna on June 17, 2023 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. A delegation of African leaders, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Senegalese President Macky Sall, and representatives of Comoros, Congo, Egypt, Uganda and Zambia, met with President Putin in Saint Petersburg, a day after their meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as part of their mission to try a broker peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images) [Share]( [Share]( [Tweet]( [Tweet]( [Forward]( [Forward]( This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( Mail & Guardian Media LTD · 25 Owl St · Braamfontein · Johannesburg, Gauteng 2001 · South Africa