- Social:
South African novelist and playwright
South African novelist and playwright whose latest novel, Sometimes There Is a Void: Memories of an Outsider was published this year; Professor of Creative Writing and World Literature at Ohio University
PROFILE
Zakes Mda
Guest
FROM Zakes Mda
To the Point
South Africans Mourn the Death, Celebrate the Life of Nelson Mandela Since he died yesterday at the age of 95, much of the world has been mourning Nelson Mandela , South Africa's first black president. Despite 27 years of brutal imprisonment as a suspected "terrorist," he is remembered as the father-figure who liberated a black majority from oppressive white rule and became a champion of racial reconciliation. But, the history is more complicated than that. We hear different opinions about the man and his legacy.
To the Point
Mandela's Fading Vision of Peace for Southern Africa With just a few weeks to go before a presidential run-off election, Zimbabwe 's Robert Mugabe continues to crack down on his opponents and has banned aid groups from getting food to the hungry. And in neighboring South Africa , despite a strong economy, unemployment is rising and so is crime. A recent wave of violence directed at foreigners has shocked the nation. As Nelson Mandela turns ninety, what are the prospects for peace and democracy in the region? Should African and Western leaders put more pressure on Mugabe to hold fair elections? Have post-apartheid policies failed to create a new South Africa?
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Zócalo's Connecting California
The roofs above our heads What do our houses reveal about us – and what do they say about living in California?
To the Point
The Voting is Over, but the Campaign Continues Women had a major impact on the midterm elections. So did $5 billion in campaign spending. Meantime, Democrats now lead the House while Republicans dominate the Senate, and the politics of division continues on Capitol Hill. We’ll hear how former House Speaker Newt Gingrich helped start an era of gridlock and perpetual campaigning.
The 805
Following three tragedies: two fires and a mass shooting in Ventura On the heels of a deadly mass shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, two blazes in the area are forcing more than 100,000 residents in Ventura and L.A. Counties to evacuate their homes.
To the Point
Firestorms, Federal Relief and Climate Change Victims of California’s fires can apply for assistance, but President Trump had a warning for the state’s residents. He wants to see a change in forest management. Scientists tell us the firestorms are are result of climate change--which the president still denies. Should cities still allow for building in firezones? Later, Warren talks to one Malibu resident about his firsthand experience in the Woolsey fire.