COVID-19, Food Insecurity and a Government Response: Reflections From South Africa

The goal of this paper is to examine how life, already hard before the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic has further deteriorated and compounded the ability of South Africans to access food.  Departing, this paper argues that while food insecurity has always been a feature in South Africa, however, COVID-19 has laid bare the ineffective policy response by successive governments over the years. Food insecurity in the country not new, however, the government's ineffective response allowed COVID-19 to intensify poverty and inequality among the most vulnerable. To explore how COVID-19 exacerbated the food insecurity problem in the country, this paper employed a qualitative research approach where secondary data was collected through a review of the literature. From the onset, it became observable that government responses to COVID-19 were not only going to cost jobs and further entrench poverty and inequality, but they were also going to exacerbate the food insecurity problem in the country. Even though government measures to cushion the poor and vulnerable were largely welcomed, they were tainted by corruption, thus clouding their overall effectiveness. It was recommended that the government ought to be proactive rather than reactive in addressing issues around food insecurit

The Critical Analyses of Propaganda of the Terrorism Deed

This paper analyses the propaganda of the terrorism deed as the form of terrorism that is different from mainstream terrorism.  The propaganda by the deed is underpinned by specific political action which is meant to serve as a catalyst for revolution and terrors groups have over the decades used the propaganda by the deed to expand their operations and seek sympathizers.  The concept became consolidated in the late 19th and early 20th in Europe when proponents were driven by violence which included bombings and assassinations, targeted at the ruling class. The aim was to entrench the spirit of revolt, to consolidate the observation that the state was not omnipotent and by offering hope to the downtrodden, and also to expand support for anarchist movements as the state grew more repressive in its response. This paper argues that modern-day terrorism has greatly made use of the propaganda by the deed to carry out its violent missions. Therefore, this paper examines the use of propaganda by the deed by modern-day terror groups, it reflects on how terrorism has evolved not only to be linked to non-state actors but also observes how states have become sponsors of terrorism to advance their interests, finally, the paper how examines how terrorism has emerged to become a global security concern in a globalized era.   &nbsp