CONSTITUTIONAL COMMENTARY AND EVENTS
ARTICLES AND STATEMENTS
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: CITIZEN NEWSPAPER
Dear Madam/Sir
I refer to your article of 6 October 2019 titled “The policy that has seen R60m spent since 2016 on former Presidents and their wives” dealing with the benefits afforded to former Presidents.
The article quotes DA MP Leon Schreiber – referring to “the lifestyles of the rich and shameless” – and claiming that
“…taxpayers foot the bill of the lifestyles of six former presidents, deputies and their families….We spend about R3.5 million per year on each former president…” and “this is all on top of the generous pension benefits and the R3 million annual salary each president continues to receive for the rest of their lives.”
STATEMENT: HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARCH!
Former President De Klerk, Mrs De Klerk and the staff of the FW de Klerk Foundation would like to extend their warmest birthday wishes to Archbishop
ARTICLE: WHOSE HERITAGE?
Today is Heritage Day. This day was placed on the calendar after the 1994 negotiated settlement. The celebrations differ from South African to South African, but on the first commemoration of Heritage Day in 1995, President Nelson Mandela said the day was introduced because the government realised that “our rich and diverse cultural heritage has the power to help us build our new nation”. Heritage is therefore not only intended to celebrate diversity, but also to help build unity.
It is interesting that 24 September was initially not on the list of public holidays when the Public Holidays Bill was presented in Parliament in 1995. The Inkatha Freedom Party insisted that this day, upon which the Zulu nation traditionally celebrated Shaka Day (commemorating the Zulu King’s conciliatory role between the different Zulu tribes), be added to the list of public holidays. The compromise accepted was that the day would be called Heritage Day – and would apply to all South Africans, and not just to the Zulus.
PODCASTS
SUBMISSIONS
SPEECHES
EVENTS
BRIDGING THE GENDER GAP THIS WOMEN’S DAY
According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2023, South Africa stood unchanged from its 20th position in the world in terms of gender equality. The report noted that South Africa had “closed more than 70% of the overall gender gap”, but that it would “take 102 years to close the gender gap”.
EPISODE 11: ALLEGATIONS ABOUT ‘THIRD FORCE VIOLENCE’, THE HARMS COMMISSION & REMEDIAL STEPS (1992)
In episode 11 of the FW de Klerk Foundation’s exclusive biographical videos on President FW de Klerk, viewers will learn about the events between September 1992 and December 1992.
PLAYING WITH MATCHES IN THE GUNPOWDER STORE
Last Saturday, Julius Malema addressed a packed FNB stadium in Johannesburg to mark the 10th anniversary of the EFF. The scarlet-clad masses undulated to the rhythm of African music and the chanting of EFF slogans, while red and black balloons, confetti and streamers were discharged into the stadium. It was a cross between a rock concert, a soccer match and a religious revival.
CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES
- Equality
- Non-racialism
- Gender Rights
- The Constitution
- The Rule of Law
- Multiparty Democracy
- Personal Rights
- Cultural, Religious and Language Rights
- Freedom of Expression and Political Rights
- Social and Economic Rights
- Property Rights
- Education
- Access To The Courts, Information And Fair Adminstration