A touch of joy on this Wednesday afternoon

With all the doom and gloom seemingly emanating from my posts this morning, I felt it necessary to bring some good cheer to this blog of mine (and to you, the readers!). While I can't buy you ice cream or transport you to far-away beaches (life's simple pleasures), I can share with you my love of photography which, in my humble opinion, is quite close to the next best thing.

I've long admired the photography of writer and photojournalist Glenna Gordon who blogs at Scarlett Lion. Among my most favorite recent photographs is this one taken in Monrovia:

Despite the decrepit architecture, the photograph conveys a wonderful sense of playfulness and childhood innocence, doesn't it? A wonderful contrast to the cynicism implicit in African politics. A wonderfully hopeful image. Cheers for this, Glenna.

Madagascar's post-coup update

The prognosis: Not. Good. (Shockingly enough).

Nearly a month after the coup d'état which overthrew then-sitting president Marc Ravalomanana, Madagascar appears to have spiraled from a political into an economic crisis - or some horrible agglomeration of the two. The country has been suspended from the African Union, and bloody protests continue to rage as the government cracks down on civil liberties, most recently curbing the media (ironically, the very matter over which opposition-leader-turned-president Rajoelina waged all-out political war on Ravalomanana). Recent findings from the World Bank further suggest that the country's economy is in as dire a state as are its politics, with the GDP growth rate expected to be negative for 2009 - down from a pre-crisis projection of 7.5%. More details can be found here.

[HT: Africa Can]

The more things change, the more they stay the same: The case of the South African election

South Africans are heading to the polls today for the fourth time since 1994, when the first democratic elections were held. The outcome is hardly any secret, with the populist Jacob Zuma expected to walk away victorious.

Yet despite the foretold outcome, larger questions loom: how will the opposition fare? How big of a majority will the ANC win? Will it retain the two-thirds majority it would need to change the constitution (Zuma has stated that he would like to review the status of the Constitutional Court, as he does not think South Africa should have people "who are almost like God in a democracy")? Recall that South Africa's government is based on strict proportional representation in which, among other things, the percentage of the vote is congruent to debate time in parliament. A most important factor given the plethora of pressing issues at hand. 

Indeed, while the ANC merits praise for upholding constitutional law, stabilizing the economy and expanding the social grant program, its overall record of governance remains mixed at best. Crime is on the rise, as is corruption. The education system is poor. Unemployment is high, and rising. Business confidence is at a ten-year low. Racial inequality persists. The list goes on. Adding more cause for concern, last week a mob overran a fruit and cane sugar farm, allegedly in frustration over the slow pace of the long-promised land reform, raising fears that the country may quickly be going the way of Zimbabwe. Not surprisingly, 42% of South Africans feel that their country is heading in the wrong direction. 

Will Zuma make things right? That much remains unclear and seems to hinge on the size of the ANC vote. As the ever-wise Economist aptly observes:

If it falls below 60%, it will be regarded as a severe blow to Mr Zuma, loathed by some as much as he is adored by others. He might then be persuaded to adopt a cautious approach to government. If, on the other hand, the ANC keeps its two-thirds majority, there are real fears that the already visible vices associated with one-party states—arrogance, corruption, nepotism, intimidation—could be reinforced, leading Africa’s biggest economy down the slippery path of other post-liberation failed African states.

For local election coverage, see South Africa's Independent Electoral Commission hompage and The Times. For South African commentary on the election, see the BBC's "Blog my beloved country" feature.