In 2019, the global population without access to electricity dipped below 1 billion for the first time. This progress has however been uneven, both across and within different regions. A new International…
One important aspect of managing emerging infections is identifying chains of transmission and assigned cases to clusters of infection. A case in point is South African trade union leader Zwelinzima Vavi, who…
Nigeria may have to implement a nationwide lock down to stem the rise in COVID-19 cases. Such a drastic measure would alter the country’s energy consumption pattern. This would further burden an…
Scientists don’t conduct research just to satisfy their own curiosity. Research is meant to benefit society by raising public awareness and creating products and innovations that enhance development. For research to serve…
The malam said: ‘there is no corona!’ We also say: ‘there is no corona!’ A video of crowds shouting this refrain circulated on Nigerian social media in late March. The “malam” or…
Language is a crucial element of any criminal justice system. Forensic linguist David Wright has written that people find themselves in the judicial system’s linguistic webs at every step of the legal…
Many African countries have imposed lockdown measures stricter than countries in Europe and Asia in a bid to contain the spread of the new coronavirus. But, due to the significant variation in…
What strategy should South Africa follow to contain the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus after the current 35-day lockdown? Any strategy should be informed by the trajectory of the disease, the effectiveness…
The coronavirus pandemic is accompanied by what the World Health Organisation describes as an “infodemic” – misinformation, disinformation or conspiracy theories: “coronavirus myths”. These circulate on social media and are further disseminated…
More than half of all African countries have now imposed lockdown measures aimed at flattening the curve of new COVID-19 infections. The reason for taking such drastic measures while infection rates are…
