CONSTITUTIONAL COMMENTARY AND EVENTS
ARTICLES AND STATEMENTS
ARTICLE: MONEY AND POLITICS
Political parties in South Africa, like in many other parts of the world, are an integral part of the process of democratic pluralism.
STATEMENT: FW DE KLERK FOUNDATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON “ADDRESSING INEQUALITY”
The FW de Klerk Foundation will dedicate its 2019 Annual Conference on Friday, 1 February, to one of the most critical challenges confronting the nation, inequality. Election years, with their promises and platitudes, have not addressed this grave issue. The Foundation will reflect on this matter but also go further and ask the vital question, “What is to be done?”
Inequality in South Africa is stubbornly high and has over the last 24 years grown increasingly persistent. A 2018 World Bank report aptly sums up the triple challenge confronting the country including, “high poverty, high inequality and high unemployment”. While there is no quick fix to these challenges, the fact of the matter is that if we as a country do not address this deep-rooted problem effectively, we will not be a peaceful, prosperous and harmonious society. In addition, striving for equality is one of the basic mandates of our Constitution.
ARTICLE: UP’S CONFIRMATION OF ENGLISH ONLY
The University of Pretoria (UP) successfully won a court challenge against its “English only” language policy in December 2016. Since then, it prepared the way for this policy to be implemented. Last week, the UP found it necessary to announce that from this year, all first-year students will only be taught in English. This is not new, as the decision was already taken almost three years ago.
Nevertheless, the statement by the UP warrants analysis and commentary, for three significant reasons. Firstly, the media statement made by the UP’s spokesperson, Rikus Delport; secondly the comments by the newly-appointed Vice-Chancellor, Prof Tawana Kupe; and thirdly the tweet on the issue by the Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni (being a former Chancellor of the former University of the North-West in Mafikeng).
PODCASTS
SUBMISSIONS
SPEECHES
EVENTS
THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM
The Nature of the Problem Issued By the FW de Klerk Foundation on 13/04/2023 On 31 March, public servants accepted a 7.5% wage increase
FOUNDATION WELCOMES WITHDRAWAL OF GAGGING OF INFORMATION AT ESKOM
Foundation Welcomes Withdrawal of Gagging of Information at Eskom Issued By the FW de Klerk Foundation on 06/04/2023 The FW de Klerk Foundation welcomes
POLITICAL ASSASSINATIONS: KILLING THE WATCHDOGS
Political Assassinations: Killing the Watchdogs Issued By the FW de Klerk Foundation on 05/04/2023 The cold-blooded assassination of insolvency practitioner Cloete Murray and his
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