History Matters

Simeon BlackOctober 18, 2010 at 11:24am Subject: IS ANC DIVIDED ON MEDIA CLAMPDOWN? Democracy in South Africa is currently at a crossroads with locaql and international resistance still building up against the ANC’s efforts to impose a clampdown on press freedom in the country. While numerous groups and actions are dedicated to protect our constitutional [...]

Yesterday I returned home after participating in the ‘All African Moot’ competition. This competition, which was expertly organised and run by the University of Pretoria’s Centre for Human Rights, saw the coming together of 73 universities from around the continent. The students were required to draft memorials, which are in essence one’s argument in written [...]

by Lindy Wilson In the depths of the country I opened an e-mail from Prof. Njabulo Ndebele inviting me to a Dialogue between four young South African novelists and Ariel Dorfman, the world-acclaimed Chilean-American author on Suspect Reconciliation to take place three days later at the Fugard Theatre.   There was something in his personal tone [...]

MEDIA reports of xenophobic threats have become commonplace. After the horrors of the last wave of attacks in 2008 that left more than 60 people dead, one would expect a more vigorous response from across society. Local mobilisation has been the key to preventing this kind of attack. But there needs to be more consistent [...]

Attacks on sexuality rights are undermining constitutionalism, writes Raymond Suttner May 30, 2010 11:05 PM | By Raymond Suttner While noting government indecisiveness, especially at the top, we must recognise that much is still happening below and above the surface that might have far-reaching effects and require attention beyond this period. One way of addressing [...]

Prof. Mahmood Mamdani : Text of talk on receiving an honorary doctorate at the University o Johannesburg, 25th May, 2010 It warms my heart to see these flowing gowns.  I congratulate you on work accomplished!  For over a millennium, these gowns have been a symbol of high learning from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic.  [...]

Its Time for True Transformative Justice in SA Suren Pillay Cape Times 2010-05-06 On a recent visit to a government agency- as a citizen, not a researcher- I began chatting with an affable front desk consultant. After some general conversation on the dire state of the world, she – of Afrikaner descent – confided to [...]

I was torn with anguish when I first heard of the unspeakable brutality that has raged down on to the Kennedy Road shack settlement. In recent years I have spent many hours in the Kennedy Road settlement. I’ve attended meetings, memorials, mass ecumenical prayers and marches. I have had the honour of meeting some truly [...]

Allister Sparks Published: 2009/09/02 THE decision by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) not to refer the complaint of gross misconduct against Cape Judge President John Hlophe to a formal hearing and to find him not guilty is disturbing, but hardly surprising. It has been apparent from the start of this drawn-out saga that there has [...]