US Nobel Prize economist Milton Friedman said a policy should not be measured by its intentions but by its outcomes. For this reason, this summit is very timely as it has become necessary to reflect on the multicultural outcomes of the constitutional dispensation to prevent us from ending up in an irreversible slide towards monoculturalism.The importance of multiculturalism
Allow me to begin with expressing how much pleasure it gives us to work with the FW de Klerk Foundation as a partner.
In the past few years the partnership between the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the FW de Klerk Foundation as well as with its Centre for Constitutional Rights (CFCR) has been most productive and fruitful. We have jointly hosted many conferences, workshops and seminars on important constitutional topics that are pertinent for a sustainable democratic future of South Africa.
The Board of Trustees of the FW de Klerk Foundation decided at its last meeting in 2015 to award the 2016 FW de Klerk Goodwill Award to Public Protector, Adv Thuli Madonsela, and her team.
The Board established the FW de Klerk Goodwill Award in 2010, to give recognition to individuals and organisations that have made exceptional contributions to the promotion of goodwill between South Africans. Past winners include Dr Danny Jordaan (2011); Pieter-Dirk Uys (2012); Studietrust (2013); Patrice Motsepe (2014) and Afrika Tikkun (2015).
THE FW DE KLERK 2016 GOODWILL AWARD TO PUBLIC PROTECTOR, ADV, THULI MADONSELA AND HER TEAM The Board of Trustees of the FW de Klerk
It is a great pleasure for me to be able to address you this afternoon.
When we consider the challenges that confront us, when we read of gloom and despondency, we should step back for a moment and remember two consoling thoughts: that we live in one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in the world; and that this is by far the best time in human history.
The FW de Klerk Foundation has today submitted a complaint to the SA Human Rights Commission regarding 45 social media postings that incite extreme violence against white South Africans.
The Foundation is particularly concerned about recent statements in the media and the social media that constitute hurtful racist remarks. In this regard it issued a statement on 5 January in which it strongly condemned the recent racist remarks made by Penny Sparrow regarding black South Africans who made use of public beaches on New Year’s Day.
The FW de Klerk Foundation condemns in the strongest possible terms the deeply insulting and racist remarks made by Ms Penny Sparrow regarding black South Africans who enjoyed KZN’s beaches on News Year’s Day.
Our Constitution calls on us to heal the divisions of the past and to establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental rights. Non-racialism is one of the foundational values on which our new society has been created. Human dignity is another.
Letter first published by The Times of London
26 December 2015
Dear Sir
It is regrettable that the “Rhodes Must Fall” folly has spread from South Africa to Oriel College. My people – the Afrikaners – have greater reason to dislike Rhodes than anyone else. He was the architect of the Anglo-Boer War that had a disastrous impact on our people. Yet the National Party government never thought of removing his name from our history.
The remarkable developments of the past week have raised a number of fundamental questions about our President; about the ANC, about power – and about our constitutional democracy.
The first of these relates to the ability of Mr Zuma to carry out the grave responsibilities that our Constitution devolves on him. In the wake of his inexplicable – and still unexplained – decision to dismiss the Finance Minister, Nhlanhla Nene, it is perhaps more important than ever to try to understand what motivates Jacob Zuma.
