In September the Gauteng provincial legislature published for public comment the Gauteng Township Economic Development Draft Bill, which has as its main objective the promotion and development of the township economy. This is arguably an important initiative since a thriving township economy is essential for the fight against poverty and the realisation of socio-economic rights. […]
Introduction Over the past few weeks, two events have underlined the extreme vulnerability of migrant children as well as the noticeable lack of political will by governments to act in their best interests. Statistics earlier this year estimated that migrants under the age of 18 constituted 12% of the global population of people on […]
1. Introduction An eighteenth century French lawyer called Joseph de Maistre observed, probably disapprovingly, ‘Every nation gets the government it deserves.’ But do nations also get the opposition parties they deserve? The African National Congress is now in its 27th consecutive year of governance; in all that time it has never dipped below 50% of […]
The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown imposed to contain its spread have compounded the vulnerability and inequality of women. Women make up more than half more than half the population yet they are systematically excluded from the mainstream economy; have little access to property; seldom receive equal pay for equal work; and are often reliant […]
Introduction Food insecurity occurs when people’s access to food is minimally adequate and they struggle to meet their basic dietary requirements. The opposite – food security – occurs when all people at all times have access to sufficient and nutritious food to meet their dietary requirements for an active and healthy life. This is achieved […]
Introduction Two months ago, with the declaration of a national lockdown due to COVID-19, the Parliament of South Africa decided to halt the passage of the National Health Insurance Bill (NHI). South Africans, especially critics of the idea, could have been forgiven for thinking that the legislation would die a slow death, and thus also […]
While the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown imposed to prevent its spread have exposed the fault lines of inequality in our society, there has been less focus on the psycho-social consequences of the lockdown for families required to stay at home. While for some this has been an opportunity to spend quality time with family, […]
Advocacy implies speaking for the disadvantaged or marginalised in society. We tend to think of advocacy as a modern phenomenon, yet biblical literature has advocated for the marginalised in society since time immemorial. Our world today also marginalizes people, and we can take a leaf out of the Old Testament’s advocacy in these troublesome situations. […]
South Africa faces unprecedented economic challenges. Some, such as the billions of Rands scurried away by those bent on emptying the state coffers, have been self-inflicted; others, such as the devastating effects of COVID-19, are imported. When Statistics South Africa released its latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the three months to March 2020 (this […]
South Africa’s economy and business environment consists mainly of energy intensive industries including manufacturing, transportation, mining, and agriculture. These are some of the main contributors to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and to economic growth. There is a series of connections linking most of these industries – and their abilities to achieve economic growth […]
