Marilize Ackermann (Advocacy Officer, Scalabrini Centre) presented a research report entitled Foreign children in care in the Western Cape Province. The report was written in collaboration with Prof Julia Sloth-Nielsen. The report looked at the fact that migrant children made up 4% of children accommodated at CYCCs in the Western Cape. The main challenges these […]

Hilton Trollip (Senior Researcher, Energy Research Centre, UCT) and Murray Hunter (Organiser, Secrecy & Securitisation, Right2Know Campaign) presented on the topic. Some of the issues covered by Mr Trollip include health and safety; nuclear waste; procurement legalities and the ever contentious matter of base load. Mr Hunter focussed on transparency and the importance of learning […]

This discussion dealt with issues pertaining to human trafficking, sexual and physical abuse, and exploitation of female children. The panel consisted of Marcel van der Watt, a lecturer on Policing Practice at UNISA, Joy Watson, an independent feminist researcher, and Claudia Smit, Director of Anex. Marcel van der Watt spoke on the issue of human […]

The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande, met with a SACBC delegation led by Archbishop Stephen Brislin (SACBC President). The delegation also included Archbishop Jabulani Nxumalo (Bloemfontein), Sr Hermenegild Makoro (SACBC, Secretary General), Bishop Guiseppe Sandri (Witbank), Bishop Kevin Dowling (Rustenburg), Fr Peter-John (CPLO), Fr Patrick Rakeketsi (SACBC, Associate Secretary General), Janice […]

On the 7th of September 2015, we hosted a group of young students from St Joseph’s Marist School, Rondebosch, who had been on a visit to Parliament. Though their visit was relatively short, we managed to explain to them what the CPLO was about; talked about the importance of the involvement of the church and […]

On the 4th of September 2015, the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CPLO) hosted a roundtable on municipal viability and intervention. It was chaired by Fr. Matsepane Morare, the speakers consisted of Kevin Mileham, the DA shadow minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs; Ian Palmer, founder of Palmer Development Group (PDG); Johann Mettler, the Municipal […]

Luncheon with Mr Trevor Manuel On 1st September 2015, the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CPLO) with the Jesuit Institute hosted a luncheon with former Minister of Finance, Mr Trevor Manuel. The purpose of this luncheon was to provoke leaders in the Christian community to assess and critique their position as the Church 20 years into […]

On the morning of 26 August 2015, the CPLO hosted a roundtable discussion entitled Exploring Encyclical Letter: Laudato Si’. The speakers for the event were Bishop Geoff Davies from the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) and Professor Coleen Vogel from the Global Change and Sustainability Research Institute at Wits University and they treated […]

On the 21st of August the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office hosted a round table discussion on the topic of “South Africa and Free Trade Agreements”. This event looked at South Africa’s position within the international economy, and the specifics of the major trade deals that South Africa is party to. The speakers were Ms Joanmariae […]

The Department of Basic Education’s Marie Schoeman shared a platform with Robyn Beere of Inclusive Education South Africa to talk about the progress and challenges of implementing Education White Paper 6. White Paper 6 – Special Needs Education (WP6), which was gazetted in 2001, was government’s commitment to realize the right to inclusive education within […]