WHY DIVERSITY MATTERS
2026-09-30
Diversity can be a mechanism for nation-building, because it can strengthen social cohesion and opens up economic value chains.
Diversity can be a mechanism for nation-building, because it can strengthen social cohesion and opens up economic value chains.
South Africa’s cultural and linguistic heritage depends on public spaces where communities can learn, gather and pass traditions from one generation to the next. Municipalities have an important role in maintaining the local facilities and public spaces that help make these constitutional rights meaningful in everyday life. As Heritage Month and the local government elections approach, communities should demand clear accountability for how these spaces are maintained, funded and protected.
The FW de Klerk Foundation welcomes the Speaker of the National Assembly’s confirmation that its submission on parliamentary disruptions has been shared with the National Assembly Rules Committee. The Foundation’s research highlights both the constitutional and financial costs of disruptions that undermine Parliament’s oversight role. It calls for consistent enforcement of the rules, appropriate penalties and clear feedback on how its recommendations will be taken forward.
The discovery of women’s bodies across Ekurhuleni has once again brought South Africa’s crisis of gender-based violence and femicide into sharp focus. The FW de Klerk Foundation calls for effective investigations, stronger prevention measures and greater accountability from the institutions responsible for protecting women’s constitutional rights. Ekurhuleni must become a turning point where national commitments against femicide translate into meaningful protection, justice and support on the ground.
The FW de Klerk Foundation today released its CRL Rights Report Card for 2026, identifying significant developments affecting cultural, religious and linguistic rights while highlighting persistent implementation challenges across South Africa’s constitutional landscape.
A guide for citizens on who does what in local government
After Nelson Mandela was elected in 1994 his government abolished racially segregated local authorities, creating ostensibly integrated municipalities. Today these range in size from Johannesburg, the commercial capital, to units like Mpofana that comprise a small town and rural areas. All are supposed to fund themselves through property taxes, business rates and charges for water, electricity and waste collection. The poorest also get a grant from the central government to fill any gap between revenue and expenditure.
In this article, the FW de Klerk Foundation argues that South Africa must confront abuse in religious communities without placing lawful belief under state supervision. Existing criminal, tax and nonprofit laws should be enforced properly, while faith communities strengthen voluntary safeguards and accountability. Protecting congregants must never make the exercise of religious freedom dependent on official approval.
The FW de Klerk Foundation proudly releases The Power of Financial Possibility: South Africa’s 2026 Constitutional Money Guide during Money Smart Week South Africa 2026. Available in full and condensed editions, the practical guide equips young South Africans to learn, earn, protect their money, build assets and understand how public finances shape their lives. It connects personal financial capability with constitutional citizenship, offering practical worksheets, official resources and a 30-day possibility sprint.