CONSTITUTIONAL COMMENTARY AND EVENTS
ARTICLES AND STATEMENTS
STATEMENT: MANDELA DAY 2017
On Tuesday, 18 July, staff of the FW de Klerk Foundation will be taking part in various activities in commemoration of Mandela Day. The team will spend the morning making stimulation kits at Autism Western Cape, and the afternoon painting garden walls at Iris House Children’s Hospice.
Nelson Mandela International Day was launched by the United Nations in 2009 to commemorate former President Nelson Mandela’s lifetime of service to South Africa and the world. This year, citizens are encouraged to take action against poverty in a way that will bring about sustainable change.
Both Autism Western Cape, as well as Iris House provide essential services to children with disabilities, as well as support to their families – free of charge. In partnering with these worthy organisations, not only to offer 67 minutes of service for Mandela Day – but year-round – the Foundation contributes to restoring dignity, and changing the world for the better.
ARTICLE: IS THE CONSTITUTION IN JEOPARDY AFTER THE ANC’S 5TH POLICY CONFERENCE?*
The chairs and tables have been packed away, the delegates are home and the myriad of reports of the ANC’s 5th Policy Conference are at Luthuli House for editing, publication and, in due course, for sending to regions and branches countrywide for discussion. The final policy decisions will be made in December, at the Elective Conference.
It is important to consider whether, from the verbal feedback and media reports, the Constitution is in jeopardy after the Policy Conference. What must be taken into account is that this Policy Conference was less about policy and more about the fierce leadership struggle between the delegates backing Mrs Zuma (“NDZ”) and Cyril Ramaphosa (“CR17”).
ARTICLE: SOUTH AFRICA IN A POST-BELL POTTINGER AGE
For many in South Africa, Bell Pottinger has become a swearword, much like Gupta. References to both are now synonymous for what ails South Africa – corruption and state capture.
PODCASTS
SUBMISSIONS
SPEECHES
EVENTS
ARTICLE: RECONCILIATION IN SOUTH AFRICA: A WORK IN PROGRESS OR FORGOTTEN IDEAL?
It is crucial that racist and hurtful non-inclusive behaviour anywhere in South Africa should be addressed with firmly and effectively. Equally critical is a unified and unambiguous condemnation by all South Africans – including government – of racist threats and instigation of violence as such actions have the potential of provoking racial conflict that would cause immense harm to South Africa – we have seen this in Senekal and, more recently, Brackenfell.
ARTICLE: HISTORICIDE
Our history mirrors the troubled histories of many other countries in North and South America and Australasia that were ‘discovered’ and settled by Europeans between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. The indigenous populations were conquered, some were enslaved and nearly all lost their ancestral lands. As Chief Red Cloud of the Sioux observed: “They made us many promises, but they kept only one: they promised to take our land – and they did.” Some indigenous people died resisting the invaders – but many, many more succumbed to the settlers’ diseases – perhaps as many as 90% of the population of South and Central America.
STATEMENT: ST. GALLEN SYMPOSIUM INTERVIEW WITH FW DE KLERK
Former president FW de Klerk recently conducted an exclusive interview with Leader of Tomorrow Grégoire Roos from the St. Gallen Symposium. The St. Gallen Symposium is a world leading initiative for intergenerational debates on economic, political and social developments. The Symposium takes place annually in May at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.
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