CONSTITUTIONAL COMMENTARY AND EVENTS
ARTICLES AND STATEMENTS
A VISIT TO THE BREAKFAST CLUB
On 15 April 2025, a FW de Klerk Foundation delegation visited the Breakfast Club at the Good Hope Seminary Junior School in Vredehoek, Cape Town.
FW DE KLERK FOUNDATION STATEMENT ON THE DECISION TO MAINTAIN THE VAT RATE AT 15%
The FW de Klerk Foundation welcomes the announcement by the Minister of Finance to withdraw the proposed VAT increase and maintain the Value-Added Tax rate at 15% from 1 May 2025.
EQUITY WITHOUT EXCLUSION: ALTERNATIVES TO RIGID RACE TARGETS
Ismail Joosub, Manager of the Constitutional Advancement Programme, analyses the recently enforced Employment Equity Amendment Act of 2022, the potential ramifications of this Act, as well as constitutionally sound alternatives.
PODCASTS
SUBMISSIONS
ARTICLE: DAY OF RECONCILIATION
On the eve of the 22nd Reconciliation Day after the founding of a democratic South Africa, the question must be raised: What happened to the reconciling rainbow nation of Mandela, De Klerk and Tutu? Because it is, sadly, very clear that reconciliation and tolerance are in short supply in South Africa today.
A few examples will prove the point: xenophobic attacks on foreigners, intolerance amongst and even inside political parties (especially in Parliament), the recent examples of attacks on and damage to statues, and the violence and racist undertones of some of the student protests.
Tony Ehrenreich’s now infamous statement in the controversy over the naming of a Cape Town street after FW de Klerk said it all: “The phase of reconciliation that brought together fair-minded white and black people is over. We are now engaged in a struggle for economic and social justice.”
ARTICLE: ALL ABOARD FOR THE DICTATORSHIP OF THE PROLETARIAT?
In his remarks to the ANC’s National General Council on 9 October 2015 President Zuma provided some crucial insights into how he views his Alliance partners and how he foresees their future relationship after the goals of the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) have been achieved. (President Zuma’s comments in isiZulu are indicated by italics.)
President Zuma spelled out the ANC’s role as follows:
“The ANC, the leader of the Alliance, is a multiclass national liberation movement advancing the NDR, the primary objective of which is the establishment of the National Democratic Society, which is united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous. That is the objective of the ANC.”
ARTICLE: PRESIDENT ZUMA’S CELEBRATION OF MEDIA FREEDOM DAY
President Zuma is understandably unhappy with the treatment he receives from the media – and particularly from the print media. He is regularly depicted with a shower emerging from his head. Artists paint him with his genitals exposed. He is castigated for corruption and the media continue to hound him over the expenditure of R246 million on his retirement home.
So, it is not surprising that when he went off text during his recent address to mark Media Freedom Day, the President expressed some emotion.
SPEECHES
EVENTS
ACHIEVING AN INCLUSIVE ECONOMY CONFERENCE COMPENDIUM
The FW de Klerk Foundation, in partnership with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, hosted its Constitutional Rights Conference on “Achieving an Inclusive Economy”. This is a compendium of the conference.
AFRICAN SOLIDARITY MUST SERVE CONSTITUTIONALISM AND THE YOUTH
The Foundation welcomes the Liberation Movements Summit’s declaration and genuine African cooperation that could strengthen constitutionalism and deliver measurable gains for young people.
MPs OPEN KEY CONSTITUTIONAL BILLS OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
The FW de Klerk Foundation wishes to alert the South African public to three significant private members’ bills.
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