The FW de Klerk Foundation strongly condemns the intimidation of people, the damage of property and the general violence associated with the current taxi strike in the Western Cape, led by the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco). The Foundation urges all parties involved to resolve the dispute in a constructive manner, abstain from any further acts of violence and respect the Rule of Law.
On 26 May 2023, the Western Cape government introduced the Western Cape Provincial Powers Bill, which seeks to grant provincial and local authorities more autonomous political power. The Bill aims to empower capable provincial and local governments to address issues where the national government has failed to deliver services to Western Cape citizens.
Dave Steward, Chairman of the FW de Klerk Foundation, reviews Anthea Jeffery’s recently published book, ‘Countdown to Socialism’ – a meticulous study of the ANC/SACP’s National Democratic Revolution (NDR), an ideology that lies at the heart of the dysfunctionality and crises that beset South Africa.
On Sunday 23 July, eight Presidential Protection Services (PPS) police officers were arrested for brutally assaulting three off-duty members of the SANDF on the N1 highway in Gauteng. The incident, which was captured on video, shocked millions of South Africans.
On Friday, 14 July, the FW de Klerk Foundation, supported by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), hosted a conference on the topic of property rights at the Bryanston Country Club in Johannesburg.
On 5 January 2022, the Minister of Home Affairs abruptly withdrew the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP). This decision triggered legal action and scrutiny over its validity and adherence to legal principles, particularly regarding the procedural fairness, constitutional rights, and treatment of refugees in the country. On 28 June 2023, the High Court found that the Minister’s decision was invalid, unconstitutional and unlawful
On 30 June, Acting Public Protector (APP) Adv Kholeka Gcaleka released her final report on allegations that President Ramaphosa had violated the executive ethics code in connection with the theft at his Phala Phala farm in February 2020. The Report, issued in terms of Section 182(1)(b) of the Constitution, cleared President Ramaphosa of any wrongdoing.
On 23 May 2023, Parliament passed the Land Court Bill, which it believes will resolve “backlogs in land claims and dispute resolution mechanisms”, and ensure that “land reform in its entirety be accelerated in a lawful and equitable manner, guided by progressive jurisprudence”. The FW de Klerk Foundation remains deeply concerned that the Land Courts and the Land Appeal Court, which will be established by the Bill.
A “ground-breaking” settlement reached yesterday between Employment & Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi and trade union Solidarity states that “affirmative action shall be applied in a nuanced way… and the economically active population (EAP) statistics will only be one of the many factors that will be taken into account in the compliance analysis of affirmative action in any workplace”.
