History Matters

Recent calls for nationalisation of mines and expropriation of land  without compensation have  evoked a sense of anxiety  and discomfort in  sections of  South African society,  the international financial sector and observers of South Africa’s policy processes. These ideas are said to be to be based on the Freedom Charter, adopted by the Congress of the People, on [...]

Mondli Makhanya Published:Dec 27, 2008 Sunday Times When he announced his candidature for the American presidency in February 2007, Barack Obama invoked the legacy of Abraham Lincoln. He stood on the steps of the Old Capitol, where the man regarded as one of the greatest American presidents had delivered the iconic A House Divided speech [...]

Study Cites Toll of AIDS Policy in South Africa Download the Harvard study ‘Estimating the Lost Benefits of Antiretroviral Drug Use in South Africa’ here.

Sue Blaine Education Correspondent Business Day 27 November 2008 THE education department intends to rid SA of unsafe school environments by 2012. This aim is part of the minimum norms and standards for school infrastructure published for public comment by Education Minister Naledi Pandor this month. Education department statistics show that 42% of SA’s 25043 [...]

Government, NGO’s and other concerned parties are engaging in different activities across the country for the 16 Days of Activism for No violence against Women and Children. There are many events taking place all over South Africa for the campaign until the 10 December when the campaign officially ends, but where hopefully the message does [...]

Recently I’ve been amazed at how the internet can be used to benefit NGO’s and other development agencies. Where before (as in before the internet, Google and Facebook) communication campaigns and fundraising were significantly more difficult because of the start up capital required. Now (as in the now of social media marketing, creative commons licenses [...]

The Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR), Cape Town invites you and members of your organisation to the seminar: “The Future of Opposition Politics in South Africa“ CHAIR:           Professor Anthony Butler Associate Professor, Department of                                                Political Studies, University of Cape Town SPEAKERS:                             Mr Bantu Holomisa, President of United Democratic Movement Ms Patricia De Lille, Leader of Independent [...]

Durban police constable Kwesi Matenjwa confesses – on the morning of Saturday, 1 November – how “the great white shark”, City Manager Michael Sutcliffe, ordered his unit to evict (without alternative accommodation) 47 desperate people, mostly from the Eastern DRC. Sutcliffe accused the refugees – mainly women and children – of being involved in “crime”, [...]

    On 8 and 9 November 2008, the Electoral Commission (IEC) will open 19 713 voting stations from 8am to 5pm to enable first-time voters to register. It is also an opportunity for voters who have moved house to re-register in their new voting district. All details are available on the IEC’s website but please [...]