Dr Klaus Kotzé is Honorary Research Affiliate at the Centre for Rhetoric Studies, University of Cape Town.
Zuma asserts that it is not him, but the state that is behaving in an unconstitutional manner. In his challenge to the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Zuma alleges that he cannot conscientiously comply with the commission as its terms, and therefore the entire commission, are irregular.
He says the Public Protector “recommended that the chairperson of the inquiry be appointed by the Chief Justice and not the President as is the normal and correct legal procedure”. On these grounds, Zuma claims that the commission chaired by Judge Raymond Zondo is legally invalid and that he therefore cannot legally engage it. Only if Zondo recused himself would the commission not be illegal.
By Douglass S Rovinsky, Associate research scientist, Monash University Author provided
The thylacine (
Thylacinus cynocephalus), commonly known as the Tasmanian tiger, is an Aussie icon. It was the largest historical marsupial predator and a powerful example of human-caused extinction. And despite being extinct since 1936, it still gets featured in popular media.
Yet much is still unknown about the thylacine, as its extinction left us with almost no direct observational data. Several mysteries remain regarding its specific ecology, including the question of how wolf-like it was.
In a new study published in BMC Ecology & Evolution, my colleagues and I tackle this question. We show the thylacine was indeed similar to canids, a family which includes dogs, wolves and foxes.
Monique Huysamen theconversation.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theconversation.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
By Hazel L. Richards, PhD candidate, Monash University
Imagine going through life with your arms permanently bent and locked at the elbows. Awkward, right?
Until recently we thought the mega-marsupial
Palorchestes azael lived exactly like this. This rare, distant relative of the wombat became extinct (along with much of Australia’s megafauna) about 40,000 years ago.
Palorchestes could in fact move its elbows but only a very tiny amount compared to other mammals.
Thus, we think this enigmatic creature would have had a highly unusual gait, which may provide a clue to why it went extinct. Read more:
A strange setup