The recent appointment of Mr Sy Mamabolo as Chief Electoral Officer at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is key to ensuring that this important Chapter 9 institution continues to fulfil its constitutional mandate to manage free and fair elections at all levels of government, in a competent and fair manner.
In the midst of the ongoing sensational revelations about state capture and corruption, and the developing struggle for the leadership of the ANC, other important news often goes almost unnoticed. An example of this is the report card on infrastructure that the South African Institution for Civil Engineers (SAICE) recently published, with the help of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
They pinpoint a festering sore that is not only costing the country huge amounts of money, but which also could also kill us (literally and figuratively). SAICE has done intensive research into all kinds of infrastructure: water, sanitation, solid waste, roads, airports, railways, electricity, health and education. Based on their findings, they graded these categories (and subcategories). The ratings range from “world class” (A) to “unfit for purpose” (E). Between these are “fit for the future” (B), “satisfactory for now” (C) and “at risk of failure” (D). Their overall rating of South Africa’s infrastructure is D+, down from a C- in 2011, just after the Soccer World Cup’s infrastructure upgrades. This means that SA’s infrastructure, according to the civil engineers (including those that work for the state), is “at risk of failure”.
The FW de Klerk Foundation team would like to convey their warmest birthday wishes and congratulations to Archbishop Emeritus, Desmond Tutu, who is celebrating his 86th Birthday on Saturday, 7 October 2017. The Foundation would like to wish the Arch the very best of health for the year ahead, and give recognition to his lifelong efforts towards fostering a peaceful, non-racial, democratic South Africa. The Foundation applauds the Arch for speaking out for the constitutional values and rights upon which our democracy is built. Happy Birthday Arch!
The Portfolio Committee on Social Development might have been bracing itself for a much-awaited report from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) on its 2016/17 performance.
For many South Africans, the daily news cycle feels like more of the same: body blows to the economy, bailouts to state-owned enterprises despite a revenue undershoot, and a governing party at war with itself, taking the rest of the country hostage in the process.
The FW de Klerk Foundation developed this informative brochure offering a brief overview of former President FW de Klerk’s life and work, specifically aimed at primary school learners. This resource forms part of the Foundation’s Legacy Programme.
As the country braces for a long weekend, the Heritage Day public holiday will give us pause from work but sadly not from an increasingly brittle political, economic and social climate.
It is a great pleasure for me to visit Quinnipiac University.
I first met Professor David Ives several years ago at one of the annual Summits of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates. Over the years we became firm friends. Each time I met David he told me about Quinnipiac – and each time I listened to him I told him how much I would like to visit his university.
Johann Rupert, Executive Chairman of Remgro and CEO of Richemont, said recently in London at a shareholders meeting that “radical economic transformation” was just a codeword for theft.
The ANC responded within hours with a blistering statement and a torrent of comments, straight from the socialist-Marxist economic textbook. They warned Rupert to remain silent because he is a “beneficiary of apartheid’s exclusionary policies” with “ill-begotten privilege”. The insinuation is that he opposes economic empowerment and change, and that he does not act in the interests of a democratic system.
Even though no comments have been forthcoming from other South African business leaders, it can be assumed that a substantial number of them agree with him on this point and say exactly the same in private conversations and in board meetings.
