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        <description><![CDATA[The Conversation is a network of not-for-profit media outlets that publish news stories written by academics and researchers.]]></description>
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            <title>Global justice report offers bold ideas but misses the realities of 2-billion informal workers ...</title>
            <link>https://www.polity.org.za/article/global-justice-report-offers-bold-ideas-but-misses-the-realities-of-2-billion-informal-workers-economists-2026-09-02</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Rising inequality is, at its core, a political and policy choice. This is the central message of the Global Justice Report authored by experts based at the World Inequality Lab, led by economists Thomas Piketty and Lucas Chancel.  As economists and experts on labour, inequality and the informal economy, we believe there is a great deal to support in the report, which was released in June 2026. It is a bold effort to connect redistribution, climate action and global democracy.]]></description>
            <author>Creamer Media Reporter  </author>
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            <title>Old people in Namibia are going into debt to pay for everyday costs – new report examines ...</title>
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            <description><![CDATA[Your grandmother in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, is struggling to breathe. You call the public ambulance service, but you’re told it could take more than 24 hours to arrive, if it comes to your area at all. So you make the only call that might actually save her: the City of Windhoek’s ambulance service. It arrives quickly. It also comes with a bill of 800 Namibian dollars (about US$50).  If you can’t pay on the spot, the city doesn’t turn you away, it simply adds the charge to your municipal account alongside your water and electricity. That should be a relief. In practice, it becomes a trap. Fall behind on that bill, and the city can cut your water and power.]]></description>
            <author>Creamer Media Reporter  </author>
            <category>The Conversation</category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 10:46:00 +0200</pubDate>
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            <title>Farming can help drive southern Africa’s growth if countries in the region make trade easier</title>
            <link>https://www.polity.org.za/article/farming-can-help-drive-southern-africas-growth-if-countries-in-the-region-make-trade-easier-2026-09-01</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The focus on agricultural development at the Southern African Development Community’s 46th summit in August 2026 reflected a clear understanding that the sector can still play a key role in the region’s economic development. Agriculture accounts for around 10% of the GDP of many of the regional community’s members.  The conversations about agriculture focused on improving productivity, agricultural finance, climate resilience and regional value chains, all to enhance food security within the region.]]></description>
            <author>Creamer Media Reporter  </author>
            <category>The Conversation</category>
            <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 10:16:00 +0200</pubDate>
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            <title>Food garden or swimming pool? South Africa’s water crisis isn’t just about a shortage. ...</title>
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            <description><![CDATA[South Africa is one of the world’s most water-scarce countries. South Africans know what water shortages look like: taps dry, water restrictions, failing municipal infrastructure and growing competition for water between cities, farms and industry.  When there is not enough water to meet everyone’s needs, deciding who has access to water first is not just a technical question – it’s also one of fairness.]]></description>
            <author>Creamer Media Reporter  </author>
            <category>The Conversation</category>
            <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 10:15:00 +0200</pubDate>
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            <title>People forage for wild food in public spaces in South African cities – how to plan for this</title>
            <link>https://www.polity.org.za/article/people-forage-for-wild-food-in-public-spaces-in-south-african-cities-how-to-plan-for-this-2026-08-26</link>
            <description><![CDATA[Foraging, the act of gathering wild plant and animal materials from the environment, is becoming more and more popular in cities around the world. In South African cities, some people pick wild berries and imifino (wild spinach) in open areas, considering them to be fresher and more nutritious than store-bought foods.  Many people also associate foraging with their cultural heritage, reminding them of time spent in the bush or on rocky beaches harvesting mussels with elders or childhood friends.]]></description>
            <author>Creamer Media Reporter  </author>
            <category>The Conversation</category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 11:42:00 +0200</pubDate>
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            <title>South Africa produces enough food, yet millions face hunger. ...</title>
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            <description><![CDATA[South Africa can produce enough food for its population, according to official statistics. But-millions face hunger, partly because food is lost and wasted in the value chain. An estimated 10.3-million tonnes of food are wasted annually in the country, 19% of it fresh produce. A substantial portion of this loss and waste occurs during harvesting, transportation and marketing in the form of handling problems and inadequate infrastructure.]]></description>
            <author>Creamer Media Reporter  </author>
            <category>The Conversation</category>
            <pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 10:26:00 +0200</pubDate>
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            <title>Ageing with HIV: global report highlights the need to prepare health systems</title>
            <link>https://www.polity.org.za/article/ageing-with-hiv-global-report-highlights-the-need-to-prepare-health-systems-2026-08-25</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Lancet HIV Commission on Ageing’s 2026 report highlights how profoundly the global HIV epidemic is changing.  In 2025, an estimated 11.5-million (29%) people living with HIV were aged 50 years and older. This is projected to increase to 20.2-million by 2040. That would account for more than half (51%) of all people living with HIV. And, crucially, 96% will live in low- and middle-income countries. Sub-Saharan Africa is continuing to shoulder the greatest burden of the global HIV epidemic.]]></description>
            <author>Creamer Media Reporter  </author>
            <category>The Conversation</category>
            <pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 10:24:00 +0200</pubDate>
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            <title>Refinery rivalry: billion‑dollar oil projects expose East Africa’s long‑running regional ...</title>
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            <description><![CDATA[East Africa, a region that has been working to deepen economic integration for more than 25 years, has a history of disagreements about the location of energy infrastructure. Uganda discovered oil in 2006 with the potential to pump an estimated 210 000 to 230 000 barrels of oil per day at peak production. Back in 2014, Kenya and Uganda agreed on a joint crude oil pipeline from Uganda’s oil fields at Lake Albert to the Indian Ocean. But the plan was shelved in 2016. Eventually, Uganda chose a ...]]></description>
            <author>Creamer Media Reporter  </author>
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            <pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 10:21:00 +0200</pubDate>
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            <title>Why water rights aren’t enough to fix South Africa’s deeply unequal farming sector</title>
            <link>https://www.polity.org.za/article/why-water-rights-arent-enough-to-fix-south-africas-deeply-unequal-farming-sector-2026-08-24</link>
            <description><![CDATA[South Africa’s commercial farming sector is still shaped by the legacy of slavery, colonialism and apartheid. Black South Africans make up more than 80% of the population. But most commercial farms are still owned by a relatively small number of white farmers.  During apartheid, Black farmers were prevented by discriminatory land and water laws from owning productive farmland. They were also cut off from accessing irrigation water or taking part in commercial agricultural markets. Many Black communities were forced into overcrowded areas known as Bantustans, with poor infrastructure and few opportunities to build successful farming businesses.]]></description>
            <author>Creamer Media Reporter  </author>
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            <pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 10:57:00 +0200</pubDate>
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            <title>Zambia’s messy but decisive election: government shows strength; democracy shows weakness</title>
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            <description><![CDATA[Across southern Africa, sitting presidents have faced a wave of turnovers and electoral setbacks in the past few years.  Malawi and Botswana saw opposition victories. In Namibia and South Africa, incumbents were re-elected, but with significantly smaller majorities.]]></description>
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