New Party Website Goes Live: COPE

Web sites South Africa Political parties Trackbacks (0)

The recently formed ANC breakaway party, Congress Of The People (COPE), has launched a new website and Facebook group.

The new website, hosted at http://www.congressofthepeople.org.za/ , provides information about the new party such as its declaration, membership details and media statements. 

The Facebook group – which complements the party’s news website - has attracted 1 242 members so far.

From:

Violence And Xenophobia In South Africa: Developing Consensus, Moving To Action. HSRC

South Africa Xenophobia Trackbacks (0)

In its latest report, Violence and Xenophobia in South Africa: Developing Consensus, Moving to Action , sponsored by the British High Commission, the HSRC pools common wisdom and experience of immigrant communities, government and civil society and comes up with a series of consensual principles and recommendations that are intended to guide the way toward preventing similar outbreaks and unravelling growing xenophobic attitudes in South Africa. It is hoped these will help to shape thinking and policy on this complex and challenging subject.

Following the HSRC's rapid, on-the-ground study into community perceptions on the xenophobic violence (launched at a press conference in Johannesburg in late May 2008, two weeks after the outbreak of violence), a roundtable was hosted to discuss the issues and findings in more detail. Fifty delegates from government, civil society and from affected communities attended a roundtable at the HSRC's Pretoria office to do this in late July. This report is the outcome of the roundtable and contains within it a set of agreements and recommendations that the 50 stakeholders feel will make a difference.
http://www.hsrc.ac.za/Document-2994.phtml

 

Thanks to Fareeda Jadwat for this.

Economic Freedom Of The World: 2008 Annual Report. Cato Institute

Economic conditions and policy South Africa Trackbacks (0)
A global effort has been devoted to reducing world poverty. Some claim poverty can be best combated by foreign aid. Others point to the importance of domestic policies, such as those that support or weaken economic freedom. In new research published in this year’s report, Seth Norton and James Gwartney investigate the connection between economic freedom and poverty. Using various measures of poverty, Norton and Gwartney find a strong positive relationship between economic freedom and poverty reduction and call for more research in this area.

This year's report notes that economic freedom remains on the rise. The average economic freedom score rose from 5.46 (out of 10) in 1980 to 6.65 in the most recent year for which data are available. Of the 102 nations with chain-linked scores going back to 1980, 89 saw an improved score and 13 saw a decrease. In this year’s index, Hong Kong retains the highest rating for economic freedom, 8.94 out of 10, followed by Singapore, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Chile, Canada, United States, Australia, and Ireland.

The first Economic Freedom of the World Report, published in 1996, was the result of a decade of research by a team which included several Nobel Laureates and over 60 other leading scholars in a broad range of fields, from economics to political science, and from law to philosophy. This is the 12th edition of Economic Freedom of the World and this year's publication ranks 141 nations for 2006, the most recent year for which data are available.

 

Press Release

Contents:
Table of Contents and Acknowledgments [pdf, 240Kb]
Executive Summary [pdf, 85Kb]
-->Chapter 1 [pdf, 849Kb]
Chapter 2 [pdf, 460Kb]
Chapter 3, Country Data Tables [pdf, 974Kb]
Appendix 1 [pdf, 271Kb]
Appendix 2 [pdf, 228Kb]

SA slips down economic freedom rankings

Mail & Guardian, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA Sep 16 2008 16:01

The Great Economic Policy Debate: What Does The Future Hold. Mail And Guardian

Economic conditions and policy South Africa Trackbacks (0)
MP3 recording of the M&G's Critical Thinking Forum held on August 26 2008 in Johannesburg, where a panel comprising Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, Steve Booysen (group chief executive of Absa), Nazmeera Moola (head of macro strategy in South Africa for Macqaurie First South Securities) and Dr Stephen Gelb (executive director of The Edge Institute in Johannesburg) took part in a discussion titled The Great Economic Policy Debate: What Does the Future Hold?.

Click on a link below to listen (MP3, about 30 minutes each):
  • Part one (initial presentations by panellists)
  • Part two (debate continues and questions)
  • Part three (more debate and question time)
  • 5th Annual Ashley Kriel - Memorial Youth Lecture: ON UDF

    South Africa Protests and resistance Trackbacks (0)
    Keynote Address:
    Dr Allan Boesak on ‘Three Little Words for South Africa Today’
    25 years after the launch of the United Democratic Front (UDF)
    All Welcome
    Organised by the Institute for  Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) and hosted by the University of the Western Cape (UWC)

    Date:Wednesday, 30th July 2008

    Time:18h30 for 19h00
    Venue:UWC Main Hall
     
    Thanks to Fareedaq Jadwat. 

    Economic Assessment Of South Africa 2008: Summary. OECD

    Economic conditions and policy South Africa OECD Trackbacks (0)

    http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/58/32/40959551.pdf

    Action For A Safe South Africa

    Crime South Africa Trackbacks (0)

    Action for a Safe South Africa is an initiative to actively address both the context and the factors that feed the cycle of crime and violence being experienced by the country and to encourage all South Africans to be a part of the solution.

    ...A partnership needs to be formed between government and civil society both at policy level and at community level, to start a conversation about the way forward.  “A Safe South Africa” aims to begin this conversation for defining the solutions and then aims to set up a structure to start combating the problems outlined.

    http://www.safesouthafrica.org.za/

    South African Government’S Response To The Xenophobia Crisis

    South Africa Xenophobia Trackbacks (0)

    Fears Over the South African Government’s Response to the Xenophobia Crisis

    The xenophobic violence that started on 11 May 2008 came as a big shock to the people of South Africa and, judging from its response, it came as a surprise to the state. Since the beginning of this year, isolated incidents of xenophobic violence were reported in Mamelodi, Attridgeville and Diepsloot, all in the Gauteng province. The reaction to these incidents came mostly from local government level and there was no response from the national government...

    ISS Today 

    South Africa: Protect Victims Of Xenophobic Violence

    South Africa Xenophobia Trackbacks (0)

    Provide Basics of Food, Water, Shelter, and Safety to Displaced

    Johannesburg, June 5, 2008) – The South African government should ensure that “temporary shelter sites” for homeless and traumatized victims of recent xenophobic violence comply with international standards, Human Rights Watch said today. The UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement require states to provide food, water, shelter, medical care and security to displaced persons...

    Human Rights Watch: Human Rights News 

    Isandla Development Dialogue On Water Provision And Use

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    Waterwise:  Advancing life, equity and sustainable resource use

      Thursday 12 June 2008, 16h30 - 18h00 

     (tea and coffee served beforehand, please be seated at 16h30)    

    Centre for the Book, Cape Town

    Isandla Institute and the Open Society Foundation for South Africa invite you to a Development Dialogue on

    Few South Africans have been left unaffected by the energy crisis facing South Africa. But what about the state of water in the country? The official government position states that there is no current or impending water crisis, but is that perspective shared by poor households whose access to safe water is severely constrained? Last month's High Court ruling that installing prepayment water meters in Phiri, Soweto, is unconstitutional and unlawful suggests that the South African government needs to do more to ensure that people’s right to water is realised. In light of this ruling, is it appropriate to commodify a natural resource like water and if so, what price can consumers reasonably be expected to pay? Taking a longer term view, is South Africa able to ensure consistent water supply in the face of growing demand? Given that water is a limited natural resource, are we using it wisely? And given that water is a life force, are we using it equitably and in the interest of the public good?

    Jackie Dugard from the Centre for Applied Legal Studies will summarise the legal arguments put forward to the High Court on behalf of the Phiri residents and share her views on the implications of the judgment for poor communities and municipalities.  

    Laila Smith, Mvula Trust, will comment on how local communities can get more involved in water management 

    Osman Asmal, City of Cape Town, will bring in a municipal perspective on the challenges and possible contradictions between equitable water provision for the poor and sustainable environmental resource management.

      

    The Development Dialogue will be held on Thursday  12 June 2008 from 16h30-18h00, at the Centre for the Book, 62 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town. Tea and coffee are made available between 16h00-16h30. Kindly note that the event will start at 16h30. Afterwards, there will be an opportunity for informal interaction over drinks and snacks. 

    If you are interested in attending this event, please r.s.v.p. on admin@isandla.org.za  by Tuesday 10 June. You will receive confirmation of your attendance.

    We look forward to seeing you there!


    South Africa On Path Towards Failed Statehood?

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    ANC setting South Africa on path towards failed statehood - 29th May 2008 / John Kane-Berman

    John Kane-Berman asks whether Jacob Zuma has the courage and ability to change the African National Congress into a different kind of animal. This article appeared in Business Day on 29th May 2008.

    The recent explosion of xenophobic violence in South Africa has caused President Thabo Mbeki finally to be written off. Can Jacob Zuma reverse the slide towards failed statehood?

    The question is about both Zuma himself and the African National Congress (ANC). This party wants to tighten control of the state, but the party, like the state, is increasingly characterised by arrogance, complacency, corruption, and cronyism. They would sooner rename streets than repair them. They can vote millions for a ‘Pan-African parliament’ but cannot supply all schools with lavatories. They can provide billions for an international soccer jamboree but little for sports facilities in poor communities...

    SAIRR 

     

     

    Urban Biodiversity Case Studies, Including Cape Town, Durban And Walvis Bay

    United Nations South Africa Environment Namibia Trackbacks (0)

    The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has launched a series of case studies on urban biodiversity at the Mayors Conference, a parallel event to the Conference of the parties to the UN Convention on Biodiversity (link to zipped files, 4.5 MB). Urban biodiversity is biological diversity of urban areas, which is influenced by the built environment and the economic, social and cultural dynamics of densely populated places. The cities studied include:

    • Barcelona, Spain;
    • Bonn, Germany;
    • Cape Town, South Africa;
    • Curitiba, Brazil;
    • Durban, South Africa;
    • Edmonton, Canada;
    • Ile de France, France;
    • Joondalup, Australia;
    • Montreal, Canada;
    • Nagoya, Japan;
    • Rome, Italy;
    • Sao Paulo, Brazil;
    • Waitakere, New Zealand;
    • Walvis Bay, Namibia.

    UN Pulse:

     Permanent Link: Urban Biodiversity Case Studies

    Parliamentary Monitoring Group: Ministerial Briefing On Xenophobia Attacks

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    Summary: 

    The Chairperson referred briefly to a remark made by a DA Member the previous day, which had appeared to inflame some of the perceptions around xenophobic attacks, and he noted that all Members of this Committee had been dealing with the matter on a non-party basis and were actively engaged in their constituencies to convey the concerns and the fact that such attacks were unacceptable. The Minister of Home Affairs addressed the Committee. On 14 May a Ministerial Task Team had been set up to investigate the nature and possible causes of attacks in Gauteng, and had interacted with a provincial team in Gauteng, with a first joint meeting being held on 20 May. Some preliminary work had been done, but not enough information was available to determine the causes. She mentioned that 18 000 people had been protected at police stations, and that a number of church groups and civil society organisations had proferred assistance. Temporary shelters had been created, but she stressed that it was not the intention of the department to create refugee camps, as this was contrary to the principles of integration. Communities must be empowered to understand that xenophobia manifested itself in various ways. Border control issues were raised and she emphasised that migration was a world-wide challenge, and that it was not the task of the Department to police the borders but rather to regulate the stay of people in the country.

    The Task Team was still investigating the root cause of the attacks, which had been variously attributed to poverty, challenges around service delivery, attitudes, failure to patrol the borders and documentation challenges. There was the possibility that criminal, violent and corruptive elements would also seize on the opportunity to prey on the ignorance and vulnerability of communities. There had been calls for a general amnesty, but this was not necessarily the best route, and not all migrants wanted to have political asylum, as some were economic migrants who returned to their families over weekends. She set out the interventions of the Mozambique government in respect of its nationals. The department was not using the opportunity to identify illegal migrants as an excuse to deport them, and any illegal migrants affected by the violence would not be deported at the moment and nobody would be arrested from places of safety. South Africa was not preventing anyone from returning to their home country, but neither was it intending to condone all illegal migration. Gauteng had been declared a provincial disaster area, and Western Cape was likely to be. The Department was investigating how the Immigration Act might be used to grant temporary exemption from arrest and deportation. Issues of safety and security were important, and special courts were being set up to deal with the incidents. The numbers at the centres were apparently decreasing, as some communities had actively called on those displaced to return. She concluded by summarizing the interventions of the special Turnaround project on migration, on which she and the Director General could brief the Committee if required.

    Members asked questions about the rumours of community meetings preceding the attacks, and people allegedly being transported to communities to attack them, the rumours of the involvement of a third force, whether there were now plans to deal with migration in a different or faster way, the possibility of economic causes arising from jealousy of others’ successes, and the reports that countries would be assisting their nationals to claim compensation. Other questions related to whether more staff would be assigned to the Department to deal with these matters, and what actions were being taken by the Police Service to investigate its own members.

    Date of Meeting: 
    29 May, 2008
    Chairperson: 
    Mr P Chauke (ANC)
    Audio recording of the meeting: 
     

    Fear Of Foreigners: What Does This Really Mean? And Xenophobia... Observations On The Recent Conflagration. ISS

    South Africa Xenophobia Trackbacks (0)

    The violence that spread from one township to another in South Africa for the past two weeks, got people thinking. How could this situation deteriorate so quickly? How could the presence of foreigners in South Africa suddenly become a national and regional security disaster?


    Events sometimes do mirror theory predictions. When it comes to defining classic communal violence, theories of communal violence can be useful to understand what has happened in South Africa. In theoretical terms, communal violence happens in a sudden wave, mobilising masses of people to take up violent actions. The underlying fact is that there has to be existing tensions and elements of discontent in the society in question. In addition, there is always a trigger to the violence, which is not necessarily related to any element of discontent.


    In the recent events, masses of people mobilised to take part in attacks against foreigners living in South Africa. There was a clear polarization opposing South Africans to black foreigners although other South Africans got caught in the cross fire. It is also undeniable that the attacks spread from township to township and aggression, threat and violence were an essential component. As to the suddenness and unexpectedness of the attacks, tensions have been brewing for a long time and South Africa has long been known as a hostile climate for other Africans. But it would have been impossible to predict that the hostile climate could so quickly turn into a place where people and homes were burnt and businesses destroyed.


    The event that sparked the fire has been hard to find. The trigger event does not necessarily have to be related to the contributing factors. However, it needs to be of the nature of 'the final straw' and that will make people say 'enough is enough'. It may be a job application turned down, or a South African child beaten up by a foreigner or even an infidelity case between a South African and a foreigner, a bar fight gone wrong or a customer lost. To date, not a single fact can be singled out and pointed at as a trigger to the violence in South African urban townships.


    Unemployment, price hikes, economic disparities, lack of opportunity and generally dire living conditions are some of the contributing factors to this social unrest. An environment in which violence and aggression flourishes, has been stimulated by increased socio-economic pressures and increased competition for scarce resources. This environment has been made all the more volatile by the presence of foreign Africans adding further competition for opportunity and scarce resources.


    Media reports, analysts and governments officials call the events 'xenophobic' attacks. The next question should be 'what makes South Africans living in townships have a 'phobia' of black foreigners?'...

    Claudine Inamahoro, Peace and Security Fellow at King's College London, Intern, Security Sector Governance Programme, ISS Tshwane (Pretoria)

    ISSblog 

    Xenophobia on the Loose in South Africa: Observations on the Recent Conflagration
    ...

    An important point to note is that South Africa is not the first country in the world, or indeed in Africa, to encounter violent motivated by an aversion to foreigners or minorities. The term xenophobia generally encapsulates a deep fear and dislike of foreigners or unknown persons. In South Africa, as in the case of attacks on foreigners in urban areas in contemporary Germany, xenophobia takes the form of contemptuous, negative attitudes to and hostile treatment of black foreigners. In the last three weeks the treatment has tended to be extremely violent, murderous or life threatening. The nature of the violence, particularly in Cape Town perhaps left a few critical lessons.

    ... ISS Today 29th May 2008 

    South African Institute Of Race Relations .

    South Africa Trackbacks (0)
    South African Institute of Race Relations ... UCT's subscription provides full access to the largest, most comprehensive database for tracking trends in South Africa.  The wide variety of statistical and other data covers topics ranging from education, health, social development and welfare to business, employment, the economy, and politics.

    Causal Factors Behind The Violent Unrest In Gauteng. SA Institute Of Race Relations

    Violence South Africa Xenophobia Trackbacks (0)

    The South African Institute of Race Relations this morning described the wave of violence that has gripped Johannesburg and surrounding areas for the past week as a direct response to policy failures on the part of Thabo Mbeki’s government. According to the Institute, poor and ineffective governance had created a tinder box of unmet expectations which exploded in Alexandra and has now spread to several other areas – similar to many of the causal factors that contributed to apartheid era unrest. Essentially these failures contributed to create a perfect storm of lawlessness, poverty, and unfulfilled expectations which has now erupted into violence...

    SAIRR: Help us help the victims of the Gauteng violence

    SA Red Cross: http://www.humanitychain.org/

    Nelson Mandela

    Africa South Africa Trackbacks (0)

    Memory for Justice
    Collection of documents about former president of South Africa and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, including a narrative biography, chronology, bibliography, photo essay, database of speeches, tributes, and more. From the Nelson Mandela Foundation, which (among other projects) collects and curates Mandela's personal archive.
    URL: http://www.nelsonmandela.org/index.php/memory/
    LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/25356

    Mandela: An Audio History
    Website for a "five-part radio series documenting the struggle against apartheid through rare sound recordings, the voice of [anti-apartheid leader] Nelson Mandela himself, as well as those who fought with him, and against him." In addition to audio and transcripts of the series, the site features interview biographies, an audio timeline, and suggestions from educators for using the program in a classroom. From Radio Diaries, a nonprofit radio production company.
    URL: http://www.radiodiaries.org/mandela/
    LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/25355

    Annotations Copyright 2008 by Librarians' Internet Index

    Human Rights Watch Report 2008: South Africa

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    http://hrw.org/wr2k8/pdfs/southafrica.pdf

    Pro-Poor Tourism. Websites Fro Intute.Ac.Uk

    Poverty Africa South Africa Tourism Trackbacks (0)

    Improving access for the informal sector to tourism in the Gambia This 40 page paper (2003) considers tourism in the Gambia and a pro-poor project based there; it includes a methodology, defines the problem by providing a background to tourism in the area; specific initiatives are outlined regarding those who work in the sector including fruit sellers, juice pressers, guides and the craft markets. It also contains lists of tables and figures.
    http://www.propoortourism.org.uk/15_Gambia.pdf

     Practical strategies for pro-poor tourism: a case study of the St. Lucia heritage tourism programme This is a 28 page case study (2001) with a focus on St Lucia and is part of the larger programme working toward a pro-poor tourism strategy for poorer regions, which aims to make the tourism sector more sustainable, more equitable and more focused on the needs of the poor. It considers whether tourism, as a key economic sector in this area, has generated substantial benefits to the poor. A table sets out actions which can be employed by the programme in order to involve poor people in tourism.

    http://www.propoortourism.org.uk/st_lucia_cs.pdf

    UCOTA : Uganda community tourism association : a comparison with NACOBTA This 33 page document (2001) is a case study written as a contribution to a project on 'pro-poor tourism strategies'. This project was a collaboration of a number of organisations including the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and Department for International Development (DFID). Six case studies were commissioned, results of which are provided; these include a number of papers which have separate records in Intute.
    http://www.propoortourism.org.uk/uganda_cs.pdf

    Pro-poor growth strategies in Africa This 66 page document is the result of a meeting which took place in Kampala, Uganda in 2003. Discussion includes tourism in developing countries with a focus on Africa. It asks the question whether tourism can be pro-poor and whether pro-poor tourism can be sustainable. The paper uses case studies to illustrate points made.
    http://www.propoortourism.org.uk/UNECA_Tourism_Poverty.pdf


    Joint venture decision making framework for community-based nature resource management areas This is a 20 page study (2001) which aims to develop a database and decision-making framework for establishing joint venture partnerships. The objective is to use the framework as material and tools for awareness and capacity building (workshops, courses and manuals) for partnerships; refining contractual relationships and financial models for evaluating proposals and for negotiating or renegotiating joint venture partnerships. All southern African countries were studied where Joint Venture partnerships have been formed between the state, communities and the private sector for nature-based tourism enterprises.
    http://www.propoortourism.org.uk/joint_ventures_LG.pdf

    Working with the private sector on pro-poor tourism This 18 page document (2003) discusses the experience of working with the private sector in the tourism industry from both a development and poverty perspective. The engagement of business from a pro-poor perspective is considered with two initiatives drawn on as examples; the first is the Sustainable Tourism Initiative (STI) and the second, a Southern African programme ‘Pro-Poor Tourism: Pilots in Southern Africa'.
    http://www.propoortourism.org.uk/working%20with%20the%20industry_final.pdf

    Tourism issues affecting the poor for use in tourism codes This two page document (2001) sets out tourism issues, or definitions, which particularly impact the poor. Following research in this area, a large number of issues that were prioritised by the poor were revealed. The list is based on ‘pro-poor tourism strategies’ and particularly on interviews with poor people involved in six case study sites. These issues have been summarised in order to inform the socio-economic components of existing or new codes.
    http://www.propoortourism.org.uk/tourism_issues_affecting_the_poor.pdf

    Transforming roles but not reality? Private sector and community involvement in tourism and forestry development on the Wild Coast, South Africa This 115 page document (2003) follows studies in South Africa looking at sustainability in institutional, organisational and policy reform around land, water and wild resources, in particular the relationship between the private sector and community. The main discussion points are how do people in this area gain access to and control over land and other resources; how do emerging institutional arrangements in the context of decentralisation affect poor people’s access to these resources; and lastly, how are the concerns of poor people represented in policy processes concerning natural resources.
    http://www.propoortourism.org.uk/Publications/SLSA_ASHLEY_Ntshona.pdf

    Impacts of tourism on rural livelihoods : Namibia's experience This 34 page document (2000) assesses the wide range of impacts that tourism has on the livelihoods of rural residents in Namibia. It firstly illustrates that a focus on livelihoods offers a useful perspective on tourism for enhancing local benefits. Taking a livelihoods perspective helps identify the wide range of impacts that matter to local people. This perspective differs from others which tend to focus exclusively on economic, commercial or environmental impacts. It also looks beyond local benefits which focus on job creation and cash income. Secondly, the paper aims to show how tourism’s contribution to livelihoods can be enhanced by adjusting decisions on what is developed and how, in ways that reflect the livelihood priorities of local people.
    http://www.odi.org.uk/publications/wp128.pdf

     

     

    SA Politics After The Polokwane Conference: A Public Seminar. Centre For Conflict Resolution

    South Africa Trackbacks (0)

    Dear Colleagues 

     

     The Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR), Cape Town, South Africa, invites you and your organisation to the public seminar

     

    SA Politics after the Polokwane Conference

     

    CHAIR:            Professor Ben Turok

    (Member of Parliament, Cape Town)

     

    SPEAKERS:       Dr Steven Friedman

    (Political Analyst, Institute for Democracy in South Africa, Johannesburg)

     

                Ms Karima Brown

    (Political Editor, Business Day, Johannesburg)

     

     

    DATE:               Thursday 7 February 2008

    TIME:                17H30 to 19H00

    VENUE:              Centre for the Book, 62 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town

    RSVP:               Lavenia Benjamin

    TEL:                  (021) 689 1005

    E-MAIL:            lavenia@ccr.uct.ac.za

    Website:          http://ccrweb.ccr.uct.ac.za/

     

    Thanks to Fareeda Jadwat for sending me this information. 

    ANC 52nd National Conference, Polokwane, December 2007

    South Africa Political parties Trackbacks (0)

    http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/conf/conference52/index.html.

     

    ANC 52nd National Conference Homepage
     
    General documents
    •  Press statements
    •  Discussion documents
    •  Conference News
    Conference documents
    •  Conference Programme
    •  President's Political Report
    •  Secretary General's Organisational Report
    •  Speeches
    •  Messages of support
    Conference decisions
    •  Conference Declaration
    Resolutions
    Constitution
    Strategy and Tactics
    Newly-elected National Executive Committee

     

    Public Service Accountability Monitor. South Africa

    Public services South Africa Trackbacks (0)
    Public Service Accountability Monitor
    The Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) is an independent monitoring and research institute dedicated to strengthening democracy in South Africa. PSAM is based at Rhodes University in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province, and gathers information on the management of public resources and the handling of misconduct and corruption cases by government departments.

    The Role Of Civil Society Organisations In Promoting Social Justice And Sound Developmental Policies In SADC

    NGOs and NPOs South Africa Zimbabwe Civil society Mozambique Trackbacks (0)

    The Role of Civil Society Organisations in Promoting Social Justice and Sound Developmental Policies in SADC: A case study of Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe
    Keith Muloongo, CIVICUS, June 2007
    This study aims to (a) examine how civil society actors relate to the government and its policies at national levels; (b) identify key constraints impacting on the role of civil society in policy formulation and monitoring implementation of policies; (c) make recommendations on how to strengthen the role of civil society in working to build social justice and contribute to broad-based participatory development processes.

    http://www.afrimap.org/english/images/documents/PGSADCStudyJune2007.pdf

    South Africa: APRM Country Review Report

    South Africa African Peer Review Mechanism Trackbacks (0)

    South Africa: APRM Country Review Report
    APRM Secretariat, May 2007

    Country review report of the APRM process in South Africa.

    http://www.afrimap.org/english/images/documents/SA_CountryReviewReport_14May07.pdf 

     

    See Also:APRM South Africa


    South Africa: Effective Delivery Of Public Services. AfriMAP

    Public services South Africa Trackbacks (0)

    South Africa: Effective Delivery of Public Services
    AfriMAP and OSF-South Africa

    Completing AfriMAP's series on South Africa, this report uses the examples of the health and education sectors to consider South Africa's compliance with the various standards and best practices laid down in relation to the functioning of the public service -- including the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, and the Charter for the Public Service in Africa. While South Africa has many examples of best practice on paper, it is struggling to ensure that these policies are fulfilled in practice: this report offers analysis and suggestions on critical problems for attention.

    http://www.afrimap.org/english/images/report/AfriMAP_SA_PublicServices.pdf 

    F. W. De Klerk Speaks At Harvard [Webcast]

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    Webcast: From Apartheid To Democracy: Former South African President F. W. de Klerk Speaks at Harvard
    President F. W. de Klerk, Anthony James Leon, Mr. Robert Rotberg

    ++ MP3
    ++ Real Video
    ++ Windows Video
    ++ QuickTime Video

    Recorded on October 7, 2007
    Source: Harvard, JFK School of Government

    Docuticker

    South Africa: 2007 State Of The Public Service Report. Public Service Commission

    Public services South Africa Trackbacks (0)

    2007 State of the Public Service Report

     From InsidePolitics blog

    InsidePolitics, A Blog Devoted To The Analysis Of South African Politics

    South Africa Trackbacks (0)

    InsidePolitics - a blog designed to give you the inside track on and the best analysis of South African politics.

    It has a number of  features, including our series called “ What is it?” – a compilation of easy-to-understand political definitions and “Quotable Quotes”– various collections of the more outrageous political statements that make it into the public domain.

    On top of that the site will have regular contributions from a range of public representatives and political commentators, offering insights on breaking stories and analysis of South Africa’s political landscape.

    In other words, the site also serves as a valuable political resource.

    All our older stories are logged in our Archives section.

    The last seven stories appear on the front page, the remaining stories for the current month appear in scroll-down format in the Archives section. Stories older than that are accessible in two ways – first there is a easy to access list of the last 100 posts on InsidePolitics and second, there is a search function for any stories older than that.

    If you are interested in South African politics, and if you want the inside track on what’s happening behind the scenes, we suggest you take a moment to add InsidePolitics to your favourites list and visit the site on a regular basis...
    From : About InsidePolitics

    Thanks to my colleague, Ingrid Thomson, for telling me about this site. 

    Impact Of Globalisation On Industrial Relations: EU States, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Japan, South Africa And The US

    China United States of America South Africa European Union India Brazil Trackbacks (0)

    Impact of globalisation on industrial relations in the EU and other major economies
    Source: Eurofound

    This report looks at industrial relations systems across 25 EU Member States and seven global economies: Australia, Brazil, China, India, Japan, South Africa and the US. It explores the most significant effects of globalisation, including labour market flexibilisation, increasing labour migration, the rise of atypical employment forms, as well as changes in work content and working conditions. Through an analysis of the various components of industrial relations systems (actors, processes, outcomes and impact), it tries to identify which type of social model may survive in terms of global competition.

    + Full Report (PDF; 1.1 MB)

    Docuticker

    Positioning Power: Alliance Politics At Play : Development Dialogue, Isandla Institute

    South Africa Political parties Trackbacks (0)

    Isandla Institute and the Open Society Foundation for South Africa invite you to a Development Dialogue on

     

     Positioning power: Alliance politics at play   

     

     

    Thursday 22 November 2007, 16h30 - 18h00 

    (tea and coffee served beforehand, please be seated at 16h30)    


    Venue to be confirmed, Cape Town
     


    The build up to the ANC National Conference in Polokwane in December shows that the internal politics between and within the ANC, COSATU and SACP are intensifying. Alliance partners have recently expressed robust statements on key issues, suggesting that they are seeking to position themselves as ‘kingpins’ with respect to leadership and policy direction of the ANC. But the positioning does not only happen between alliance partners; we also see significant internal manoeuvring of groupings/factions within each party and this is likely to intensify in weeks to come. Clearly, the forthcoming ANC National Conference is significant not only from the perspective of the leadership question, but (and intricately linked with the leadership issue) also for marking future policy in the post-Mbeki era and in suggesting who/what will be the dominant ideological and strategic forces in the fourth democratic dispensation (2009-2014). Are these dynamics a sign of a healthy, vibrant political culture or is it indicative of problems with the current political culture and existing systems and procedures for engagement and debate? The Development Dialogue will seek to shed light on the current dynamics, what they mean for the future of the Alliance and for democratic politics more broadly.

     

    Yunus Carrim, MP (Member of the SACP) and Prof Sipho Seepe (political commentator, t.b.c.) have been invited to share their perspectives on these questions.


    The Development Dialogue will be held on Thursday 22 November 2007 from 16h30-18h00 in Cape Town. The venue will be confirmed. Tea and coffee are made available between 16h00-16h30. Kindly note that the event will start at 16h30. Afterwards, there will be an opportunity for informal interaction over drinks and snacks. 


    If you are interested in attending this event, please r.s.v.p. on admin@isandla.org.za by Thursday 15 November. You will receive confirmation of your attendance.

     
    We look forward to seeing you there!

     

     

    Isandla Institute
    PO Box 12263
    Mill Street, Gardens 8010
    Tel: + 27 21 465 8751
    Fax: + 27 21 465 8769

    Email: admin@isandla.org.za

    Website: www.isandla.org.za

    What Would It Take To Make A Change In Government's Macro Economic Policy? A SANE Forum

    Economic conditions and policy South Africa Trackbacks (0)

    SANE Forum 2007 SANE's October Forum

     

    What would it take to make a change in Government's Macro Economic Policy?

     
    A presentation by TONY EHRENREICH Provincial Secretary of COSATU

     

    TUESDAY OCTOBER 23 2007

    The Mowbray Town Hall

    6 to 8pm Refreshments will be served between 6 and 6.30pm

     

    The SANE Forums are an excellent opportunity for people and organisations involved in New Economics initiatives to network with fellow professionals.

     

    For information phone the office of the SANE network on 021 762 5933 or 021 762 2422

    or send an email to sane@iafrica.com.

    The Forums are an initiative between SANE and the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation (RLS) SANE questions the effectiveness and responsibility of the present world economic system in the face of widespread evidence of worsening in: Inequality Poverty, Unemployment, Violent crime, Environmental Degradation, Unfulfilling work and Disintegration of Traditional Values and Social Systems.

    SANE encourages dialogue oil economic theories and practices which are purposefully designed to promote social equity and justice, community self reliance and ecological sustainability.

    Anti-Apartheid Periodicals, 1950 - 1994

    South Africa Trackbacks (0)

    South Africa’s Struggle for Democracy: Anti-apartheid periodicals, 1950 - 1994

    Forty four periodical titles have been selected from a very comprehensive list, with a view to presenting not only a wide spectrum of political views published during these years, but also a diversity of subjects such as trade unions, religion, health, culture, and gender.

    Publications reflecting both black and white viewpoints are included, and an attempt has been made to represent distinctive regional variations.

    Some of the publications were short-lived and, by necessity, of limited distribution. These factors lend a certain rarity value in that the publications are generally not well represented in research collections.

    Search or browse.

    Source: Digital Imaging South Africa

    Resourceshelf

     List of journals in database:

    Abasebenzi East Cape Update NUM News
    Afra Newsletter    
    African Communist   Phakamani
    Africanist News and Views Fosatu Worker News Phambili
      Fighting Talk Pro Veritate
    Apdusa Views Frank Talk Rixaka
    Arise! Vukani! Grassroots  
        Sash
    Black Review Ikwezi SASO Newsletter
      Inqaba ya Basebenzi SASPU Focus
    Clarion Call Isisebenzi SASPU National
    Congress Resister Isizwe Sechaba
    Cosatu News Izwi lase Township Speak
    Crisis News   Speak: the voice of the community
    Critical Health Journal of Black Theology  
    Contact   TRAC Newsletter
      Liberation  
    Dawn   Umsebenzi
    Democracy in Action Mayibuye  
        Work in Progress

    Land And Housing In The New South Africa: The Case Of Ethembalethu

    World Bank South Africa Housing Land Trackbacks (0)

    In Search Of Land and Housing in the New South Africa: The Case of Ethembalethu

     A World Bank case study

    The case study suggests a number of areas for policy and program reform:

    • overcoming reluctance and resistance by municipalities and prospective neighbors to low-income settlements
    • making land use planning in municipalities explicitly pro-poor
    • restructuring the land market
    • realigning planning processes
    • designing a land and housing program targeted to peri-urban areas
    • reengineering program implementations
    • freeing up and building capacity

     

    Democracy Development Programme

    Development South Africa Trackbacks (0)

    Our Mission
    To consolidate democracy through the promotion of citizen participation, a human rights culture, and good governance in South Africa.

    Our Vision
    We strive towards a society where those who govern do so with skill and integrity, and those who are governed participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives....

    http://www.ddp.org.za/

    Tracking The Pulse Of The People: World Values Survey Briefing

    South Africa Trackbacks (0)

    The WV-Survey has been tracking the values of South Africans since 1981. The seminar, organised in cooperation with the Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum (WCRLF) will present the latest findings of the survey to its members.

    On:
    Tue Oct. 23, 2007, 09h00-11h30
    Location:
    Winchester Mansions Hotel, Cape Town
     
    Arranged under the ausoices of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung

    Restorative Corrections

    South Africa Restorative Justice Trackbacks (0)
    Online review of the literature relating to restorative justice compiled by the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) and made freely available on their website. The review provides a definition of restorative justice and looks at the principles and practices of restorative corrections. There is an introduction to restorative prisons and coverage of the development of restorative justice programmes in the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, South Africa and Canada. References include links to online materials where available. The review was last updated in 2006. From Intute.ac.uk
    http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/portals/rj/litreview_e.shtml

    "Fit To Govern: The Native Intelligence Of Thabo Mbeki" By Ronald Suresh Roberts.

    South Africa Trackbacks (0)

    The Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR), Cape Town, South Africa, invites you and members of your organisation to the launch of this book.

    Date: Thursday 13 September 2007

    Time: 17H30 to 19H00

    Venue:

    Centre For the Book

    62 Queen Victoria St

    Gardens

    Cape Town

     (More)

    What Is A South African Identity?

    South Africa Trackbacks (0)

    Development Dialogue on

    Being South African: What is a South African Identity?

    Thursday 13 September 2007, 16h30 - 18h00 Centre for the Book, Cape Town

    Speakers:

    Xolela Mangcu
    Political commentator and former Executive Director of the Society, Culture and Identity research programme at the HSRC,

    Antjie Krog
    Author of Country of my Skull, t.b.c.)

    Ivor Chipkin
    Author of Do South Africans Exist? : Nationalism, Democracy and the Identity of 'the People'.

    If you are interested in attending this event, please r.s.v.p. on HYPERLINK
    http://webmail.mweb.net/src/compose.php?send_to=admin%40isandla.org.za"admin@isandla.org.zaby Monday 10 September. You will receive confirmation of your attendance.

    Isandla Institute
    PO Box 12263
    Mill Street, Gardens 8010

    Tel: + 27 21 465 8751
    Fax: + 27 21 465 8769
    Email: admin@isandla.org.za
    Website: www.isandla.org.za

     (More)

    2010 And Child Sex Tourism

    South Africa Trackbacks (0)

    SA warned over World Cup child-sex tourism

    From The Mail & Guardian

     (More)

    Reliefweb: African Maps

    Africa Sudan South Africa Trackbacks (0)

    Resourceshelf

    Reflections On The ANC's Policy Conference

    Africa Development Policy ANC South Africa Trackbacks (0)
    Rethinking South Africa's Development Path: Reflections on the ANC's Policy Conference Discussion Documents
    Edited by Dr. Omano Edigheji
    Special edition of Policy: Issues and Actors, Vol 20 no 10, June 2007