It was the highlight this week: Obama’s visit to South Africa. His Nelson Mandela Day speech features in our Top of the Blogs - but it is interpreted differently than in most newspapers. Politically, our other topics range from political advertising costs at ZBC in Zimbabwe to new ports in the Red Sea and a new airline in Nigeria.

Obama, Trump and Bullshit

synapses.co.za

Every newspaper, radio station or TV channel talked about this event: Obama’s speech in Johannesburg commemorating 100 years since the birth of Nelson Mandela. This blog article picked up the topic of Obama’s reference to President Trump: “the utter loss of shame among political leaders where they’re caught in a lie and they just double down and lie some more.” His remark brought to mind broader issues such as the value of truth to democracy, and the difference between lies and liars on the one hand, and bullshitters on the other. The blog article provides a distinction between the two.

Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation’s Problem is Editorial not Advertorial

africablogging.org

A recent statement from the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) is the basis of this blog article. The statement refers to the coverage of political parties during the current campaign period ahead of Zimbabwe’s 2018 harmonised election, after political decrying of the high costs of the broadcaster. The author makes his opinion clear about ZBC: “It is not playing its true public service broadcasting role”.

The politics of ports in the Horn: War, peace and Red Sea rivalries

africanarguments.org

Africanarguments started the series “The Thin Red Line” focusing on dynamics around the Red Sea. This article is the second part on how national, regional and international competition over ports is shaping political alliances and enmities across the Red Sea zone. It delivers answers to the following questions: Why are countries in the Horn of Africa developing so many new ports? Who will finance these projects? How does control of ports in the Horn relate to the war in Yemen?

From elephants to eagles: the evolving brands of Nigeria´s unsuccessful national airlines

qz.com

Nigeria Air – this is the name for the new national airline which should take off in December. Although air travel is an underserved market in Nigeria, the launch plans for the new airline aroused a lot of criticism from those who feel Africa´s largest economy has a myriad of other more pressing problems to deal with. However, even privately-owned Nigerian airlines have struggled and some eventually collapse. Read the revealed history of Nigeria´s unsuccessful brands.