https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/14521 Thu, 14 May 2026 07:55:05 GMT 2026-05-14T07:55:05Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/31130 Are Africa`s elections underscored by Accountability and the social contract? Maphunye, Kealeboga J. Do Africa’s elections enhance the social contract (relationship between ruler and subject)? Are they a pertinent yardstick for assessing public accountability and the social contract in Africa? In Africa, reference to ‘elections’ evokes mixed emotions because this technical and partly political psephological event engenders euphoria for the winners who experience immense relief, excitement, hope, and expect numerous spin-offs from their victory. But the losers confront sadness, uncertainty, embarrassment, fear, and repercussions of loss. This paper examines the relevance of Africa’s elections to the invisible contract between the sovereign and the subject. Highlighting the pathologies, dilemmas, and opportunities in Africa’s democratisation through elections, theoretically, the argument rests on Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s and other social contract philosophers’ ideas; especially Rousseau’s idea of the “general will”. Its argument rests on a review of the extant literature; primary and secondary data on African elections; legislation; official documents and reports; election observation; and inferences from South Africa’s 2014-2015 multi-disciplinary election dispute resolution research the author conducted with Unisa’s partner institutions in the disputed Ephraim Mogale Municipality, Limpopo. It concludes that sensitivity to the social contract can assist African leaders to account to the voters thereby improving the quality of Africa’s elections through public accountability. Thu, 19 Nov 2015 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/31130 2015-11-19T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/31082 Africa’s troubled transitions : going nowhere very fast Benyera, Everisto Tue, 21 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/31082 2023-11-21T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/30907 Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation: A Comparative Analysis of Reports Produced for Local Governments in South Africa and South East Queensland, Australia Meissner, Richard Climate change is dominating social, political and economic agendas. Because of the salience of the issue, scientists, researchers and consultants have developed a plethora of climate adaptation strategies. In this article I analyse two such strategies: Adapting South African Cities and Towns: A Local Government Guide to Climate Change Adaptation Planning by Ziervogel and Methner; and Climate Change Vulnerability in South East Queensland: A Spatial and Sectoral Assessment by Choy et al. For this analysis I utilised the PULSE3 analytical framework. My analysis indicated that the two adaptation strategies were predominantly positivist in scientific orientation. Other paradigms and theories are also applicable in explaining the issue of climate change and how to adapt to it. Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/30907 2023-03-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/30906 Ideology matters in unravelling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Meissner, Richard Mon, 23 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/30906 2022-05-23T00:00:00Z