Facebook Twitter Youtube Linkedin Instagram


+27 (0) 21 930 3622
info@fwdeklerk.org
View Archived Content

ARTICLE: THE STRUGGLE FOR THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE ANC

2020-12-10

After his election as national President in 2018, Ramaphosa showed that he was serious about combating corruption by strengthening and supporting key institutions – including the National Prosecuting Authority and the Zondo Commission – that were investigating corrupt practices and state capture. These steps finally bore fruit on 10 November, when the NPA issued an arrest warrant for Magashule on 21 charges of fraud and corruption – associated with the so-called Free State asbestos affair which involved irregular contracts to the value of R255 million.

Read More »

ARTICLE: HIGH NOON IN SENEKAL

2020-09-23

Heritage Day

The long-simmering crisis of farm murders has come to a head following the murder on 1 October of a 21-year-old farm manager Brendin Horner at a farm outside Paul Roux in the Free State.

Horner’s body was found tied to a pole and the 21-year-old had injuries to the face and neck.

Only two days later police arrested two suspects, Sekola Piet Matlaletsa and Sekwetje Isaiah Mahlamba, in a township near Paul Roux. Blood-stained clothes and shoes were found in their possession.

Read More »

ARTICLE: THE DISMANTLING OF APARTHEID

2020-06-01

Apartheid illustration

 

There has recently been some debate regarding when, how and by whom apartheid was dismantled.   The “why” of the dismantling of apartheid is more complex: growing international pressure and domestic resistance undoubtedly played a central role.  However, other factors included the evolving attitudes of white South Africans; growing acceptance of the injustice of apartheid among white leadership groups; and the irresistible need to adjust policy to accommodate the de facto realities of an increasingly integrated economy and society.

 

Read More »

ARTICLE: IT’S STILL TOO EARLY TO SAY THAT IT’S GAME OVER FOR PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA

2020-01-23

2020 opt

In a recent article, I wrote about five trends that will characterise 2020. These five are:

  • Greater centralisation and State control by the ANC government on the actions of South Africans;
  • Better investigations, charges and prosecutions by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Hawks.
  • The gradual but definite erosion of government institutions’ ability to govern, manage, maintain and provide basic services;
  • The ongoing infighting within the ANC and its alliance partners (and accompanying attacks on President Ramaphosa); and
  • The stagnant economy (with the possibility of a downgrade lurking).

In the past week, the focus of the media and citizens has specificially been on the infighting in the ANC (no. 4 above), which was influenced and even driven by Eskom’s problems (no. 3 above). 

Read More »

ARTICLE: FIVE TRENDS TO UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE 2020

2020-01-09

2020 opt

At the start of a new year, we all reflect on the year ahead, what we want to do, what we are excited about, and what we are afraid of. What about the country – politics, the economy and our social life? It is impossible to make predictions, but one can describe certain trends, which are accompanied by certain events and their possible consequences.

Broadly, there are five trends that emerged during 2019 that will significantly impact the political and socio-economic landscape in 2020 – and which can help one to understand and cope with the year.

The first is a growing trend of centralisation and state control (read ANC control) of various aspects of South African society. There are currently four pieces of draft legislation (most of which were recently published by the ANC-controlled Parliament before the December holidays) that have one thing in common: greater and/ or absolute control over important national issues, which do not necessarily need State control or that should not be controlled because it is in the private domain according to constitutional requirements. 

Read More »

ARTICLE: INTERNATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION DAY: 9 DECEMBER

2019-12-09

IACD2019 logo

On 31 October 2003, the United Nations General Assembly decided to declare 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day.  Its role would be “to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the UN Convention against Corruption” that came into force in 2005. 

Article 6 of the Convention required States Party to ensure the existence of “a body or bodies to prevent corruption”.   Such bodies would be granted the necessary independence to enable them to carry out their functions effectively and free from any undue influence. They would also be provided with the “necessary material resources and specialised staff, as well as the training that such staff may require to carry out their functions.”

Read More »

ARTICLE: DOES THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT JUDGMENT SIGNAL THE END FOR AFRIKAANS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

2019-11-26

ConCourt interior

The dust has settled a bit regarding the Constitutional Court’s ruling in the Gelyke Kanse (GK) case on Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Language Policy (read the full analysis of the case here). The implications of this ruling are relevant for SU and the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University (NWU Potch); and perhaps most importantly of all, for Afrikaans as a language of instruction in public schools. 

Read More »

ARTICLE: THE ANC’S DISASTROUS NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE PROPOSAL

2019-08-23

ARMY opt

There is nothing wrong with first world national health schemes if you are a first world country.  Unfortunately, South Africa is not a first world country and simply does not have the resources or manpower to achieve the ambitious objectives of the ANC’s proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme. 

As it stands, the NHI has the potential to cause more havoc than even the dire prospect of expropriation without compensation. If it is implemented as envisaged it will have a direct impact on the lived experience of South Africa’s multi-racial middle class, millions of South Africans who already bear a heavy tax burden.  If parents with sick children have to wait for weeks for medical appointments – and for yet more weeks to see specialists – their frustration and anger will dominate their lives.   And to make things worse, the NHI will not make any difference to the presently crippled and defunct public health system.

Read More »

CATEGORIES

ISSUES