President Zuma’s decision to dismiss Minister Nhlanhla Nene as Minister of Finance may signal a catastrophic turning point for South Africa’s already ailing economy. The Ministry of Finance and the Treasury have thus far been the main – and perhaps the last – bulwarks against unrestrained and profligate state expenditure. Minister Nene has maintained probity in the management of state finances and tried, with courage and distinction, to hold the line against irresponsible state expenditure.

It is widely believed that his opposition to the President’s plans to spend more than one trillion rand on Russian nuclear reactors and the firm line that he took in countermanding the highly suspect plans of the SAA Board Chairperson, Dudu Myeni, to reopen complex contracts for new aircraft, have led to his dismissal. Ms Myeni, a close confidante of President Zuma, is also the Chairperson of the Jacob G Zuma Foundation.

The FW de Klerk Foundation has written a letter to the Minister of Health proposing that Government should build an appropriate national monument to commemorate the lives of the four million South Africans who have so far died of HIV/AIDS. By any measure, HIV/AIDS is the most serious human catastrophe that has ever afflicted the people of South Africa.  We need a suitable monument, not only to commemorate the lives of all those who have died of the disease – but also to remind us of the ongoing threat that HIV/AIDS poses to our society.

The Foundation issued the following statement in response to a request by “Die Burger” for comment on the current language debate at the University of Stellenbosch

The Council of the University of Stellenbosch has the responsibility of determining the university’s language policy.

In the Foundation’s view, the Council should, in doing so, bear in mind the requirement in section 29(2) of the Constitution in terms of which “everyone has a right to receive education in the official language or languages of their choice in public educational institutions where that education is reasonable practicable.” 

Clearly it is practicable to do so at a university that has traditionally offered tuition in Afrikaans in a province in which Afrikaans is the principal language.

The Foundation has taken note, with shock and disappointment, of the letter and annexure of Prof Wim De Villiers to the Senate of the University of Stellenbosch.  The letter makes it clear that if the Rector’s proposals are approved by the University Council on 30 November, Afrikaans will no longer have an equal position with English at US.  So after having been assured only a few years ago that Afrikaans would be the default language, and after assurances only last year that the language would enjoy equal status with English, it now appears that Afrikaans is, for all practical purposes on its way out as a language of tuition. Under these circumstances, we must ask what confidence we can place on any assurances by the university administration?

We, the Nobel Peace Laureates and Peace Organisations, in the presence of youth from all over the world, gathered together in Barcelona from 12 – 15 November 2015, have considered issues affecting world peace – with special emphasis on the current refugee and migration crisis.

We are profoundly shocked and outraged by the barbaric killing of more than 150 innocent people in Paris on the evening of 13 November. We express our deepest sympathy and solidarity with the families of the victims and with the people of France.