The end of naval gazing as geopolitics takes centre stage

[View in browser]( [Mail & Guardian]( M&G Mornings | Fri 20 Oct   [Ron Derby] For more than a decade, South Africa like much of the world after the 2008 financial crash has been a country inwardly focused. First we were celebratory as we thought of the imminent hosting of the 2010 World Cup and thereafter we were more concerned with growing corruption in the governing party under its former president Jacob Zuma and the dramatic slowdown in the local economy as confidence seeped out of the system and we continued to grapple with power shortages. The Covid pandemic only further deepened the introspection, as our economy reeled from its impact and our behaviour’s radically changed and haven’t returned to normal in any shape or form – double digit office vacancies will be a thing for some time to come. It’s in this light that I thought the build up to next year’s elections will all be about our domestic woes, with scant regard to the global village in which we live. But as was evident too many in May this year, South Africa is not an island. The Lady R debacle brought us into the middle of the Russian/Ukrainian conflict, whether we liked it or not. It raised question marks whether we’d host a summit about USA’s future trade with Africa and in particular, South Africa, next month. Over the past couple of weeks, the conflict in Gaza has once again brought Naledi Pandor and her international relations department’s faux pas into focus. Geopolitics and exactly where we stand as a country matters again. At the polls next year, I still think that it’s service delivery factors that will carry much weight in the decisions of the vast majority and understandably so as Joburg faces a water crisis. But I can’t help but wonder what a person like Reverend Kenneth Meshoe, whose party ACDP is part of the DA-led Moonshot Pact, would have said this week about the Gaza conflict were he to become a foreign affairs minister in any future coalition government. It’s a thought isn’t it, especially if we think about all the tectonic shifts in the globe in the years to come.  Ron Derby | Editor-in-Chief [@Ronderby]( [I am an active SOE shareholder – Gordhan]( The public enterprises minister responds to coverage about his conduct at state firms [// Read more]( [Gcaleka voted in as new public protector]( The vote was expectedly fractious, with the official opposition walking out of the National Assembly [// Read more]( Premium [Interview: Sean Summers on Pick n Pay’s turnaround]( The retailer released a grim set of results on Wednesday, which saw its shares plummet more than 14% [// Read more]( ADVERTISEMENT Recommended Reads [The Last Afternoon in the Garden | Episode 3 – It’s a Dirty War]( In this third episode of The Last Afternoon in the Garden we are struck by incredible tragedy, but everyone involved pulls together, gets sensible and builds a strategy so they can win. [// Read more]( [Senzo Meyiwa trial: Judge to rule on admissibility and authenticity of confessions]( Defence advocate Thulani Mngomezulu said the rights of his clients were violated [// Read more]( Premium [Mkhwebane says EFF would be ‘wise’ to place her in ‘position of authority’]( But party members say they have had enough of being sidelined for high-profile newcomers who haven’t put in the hours [// Read more]( Premium [Global economy braces for Israel-Hamas spillover]( A wider Middle East war would hit an already fragile and fragmented economy. [// Read more]( [Study probes bats as natural pest control]( Ongoing research on how bats can be a cheaper and more environment-friendly alternative to pesticides [// Read more]( [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