CONSTITUTIONAL COMMENTARY AND EVENTS
ARTICLES AND STATEMENTS
A VISIT TO LIFE CHOICES – HELPING THE YOUTH TO REACH ITS POTENTIAL
On 23 April 2025, a FW de Klerk Foundation delegation visited Life Choices’ campus to learn more about the youth empowerment programmes that they run.
NEWS RELEASE REGARDING GNU MEETING WITH THE WHITE HOUSE
Christo van der Rheede welcomes President Ramaphosa’s visit to Washington and hopes that the representatives of both South Africa and the United States put the needs of their countrymen before trivial domestic matters.
ASSESSING THE RIGHT TO DIGNITY IN SOUTH AFRICA: PROGRESS AND PERSISTENT CHALLENGES
Shanees Nkandu examines the constitutional right to dignity and the recent developments affecting the full enjoyment of this right, as outlined in the FW de Klerk Foundation’s Human Rights Report Card 2024.
PODCASTS
SUBMISSIONS
ARTICLE: THE POST-MOODY’S NEED FOR NATIONAL UNITY IN AVOIDING A RATINGS DOWNGRADE
There is an eerie unreality about the debate that has followed Moody’s decision to retain South Africa’s rating at two notches above junk grade status (with a negative outlook).
Moody’s explained its decision on the basis of three principal considerations:
- South Africa’s economic growth is expected to recover after reaching its trough in 2016 – based on the prospect of closer collaboration between government, business, labour and civil society in restoring confidence in the economy and addressing the constraints to economic growth;
- following the 2016 budget, it is expected that general government debt to GDP will be stabilised under the direction of the Treasury – which has a reassuring fiscal track record; and
- Moody’s was impressed by South Africa’s institutional strength compared to its peers – no doubt a reference to the roles played by the Constitutional Court, the Public Protector and civil society in the recent “spy tapes” and Nkandla judgments, and in the Nene affair.
ARTICLE: WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY
World Press Freedom Day (3 May) gives us the opportunity to assess the freedom of our press in South Africa.
As anyone who regularly reads our newspapers will be aware, the press is often extremely critical of government and does not hesitate to pour scorn on national leaders – often in the most derisive terms.
The ANC’s official approach gives full recognition to the need for freedom of expression. It confirms that “the Constitution protects and provides for the freedom of the media, freedom of expression and access to information.” However, there might be some difference of opinion on the role of the media and what freedom of expression actually means.
ARTICLE: SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT ON WORKERS’ DAY
Workers’ Day provides us with an opportunity to assess the nation’s labour relations and the degree to which our economy is succeeding in its responsibility to provide jobs for all our people – and particularly for our youth. We are confronted with the reality that, according to a recently released Statistics SA report, The Social Profile of the Youth, 2009-2014, approximately three-quarters (3.4 million) of the more than five million unemployed South Africans in 2014 were youth (aged 15–34 years). This alarming statistic requires an honest introspection into South Africa’s current modus operandi in the labour arena and calls on us to confront the failures that are crippling our ability to create an inclusive and prosperous South Africa – particularly for our young people. There are four obstacles to solving the youth unemployment crisis.
SPEECHES
EVENTS
THE FW DE KLERK FOUNDATION PRESS STATEMENT CAUTIONING AGAINST PRAISE FOR ZIMBABWE’S LAND REFORM
The FW de Klerk Foundation notes with deep concern the recent remarks by President Cyril Ramaphosa in which he appeared to praise Zimbabwe’s land redistribution policies.
MEET OUR INTERN: LUSANDA MAHKUNTSU
The FW de Klerk Foundation is pleased to have Lusanda Mahkuntsu on board as an online intern.
MEET OUR INTERN: THANDO MALINGA
The FW de Klerk Foundation is pleased to have Thando Malinga on board as an online intern.
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