Hakainde Hichilema is so desperate to cling on to power that he is preparing the ground to amend the Constitution before the elections
The public and civil society taking action to ensure compliance with environmental sustainability local and international laws and treaties is likely to gather momentum
Building a musical constitution with a 10-piece band requires the musician to go deep
The Strategic Dialogue Group and foundations named after the country’s leaders believe that South Africa can move beyond the paralysis in social, economic, political and governance spheres and national despair
The Constitution Amendment Bill divests the National Prosecuting Authority of its power to institute criminal proceedings regarding corruption and organised crime and instead vests these powers in the proposed anti-corruption commission
Silencing civil society’s voice threatens the country’s democracy — and the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill could be misused to do just this
The national dialogue is more than a discussion, it is our chance to forge a path towards a more just, equitable and democratic South Africa
There is a weakened mechanism for public consultation in the draft legislation
The toxic xenophobic politics pushed by Gayton McKenzie and the Patriotic Alliance debases us all
The dialogue can only be meaningful if poor people, the unemployed and workers can genuinely participate in it
Government is bound by the Glenister findings but has behaved as if it is not so bound by enacting the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) bill
The legal fraternity is uneasy after the ANC president’s recent comments
Section 25(3) of the Act perpetuates a harmful historical stereotype that reduces attorneys to mere office administrators
These kinds of amendments are regressive and driven by political expediency for short-term gains
The country’s the last major constitutional change was in 1992
Zero discrimination is essential to if we are to change the fact that 7.8 million South Africans live with HIV, but 5.8 million people are on ARVs, highlighting a treatment gap
Despite constitutional promises, millions continue to suffer from hunger and malnutrition, perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality
The unsettling reality of Biowatch principle neglect in lower courts imperils the constitutional integrity of South Africa
It is this generation’s obligation to find a new path that will ensure the injustices of the past are undone
The country must chart a humane policy for refugees that flows from the spirit and objects of the post-apartheid constitutional order
Municipalities collectively owe Eskom more than R1 billion and are mired in unauthorised and wasteful expenditure and lack of consequence management
The presence of democratically elected leaders in the Judicial Service Commission is critical
Capitalism may be democracy’s enemy. Democracy has become a brand name, used by even fascist dictators. We may not abandon it though
The onus is on us to increase the calibre of leadership we allow through the door
The proposed change would raise the presidential term from five to seven years, and scrap its two-term limit
South Africans are demonstrating a strong commitment to active citizenship, with a focus on localised community activities
Political parties and voters need to understand that a fundamental principle of democracy is that political systems should represent the desires and best interests of all citizens
We must reject our government’s natural position of saying nothing of consequence, regardless of the abuses in countries it regards as friends
In a changing world it cannot be business as usual for human rights and democracy thinkers
The department is opposing a bid to declare unconstitutional the defence a rape accused can use — that they believed the victim had consented
Fair discrimination requires all South Africans to have an equal chance to meet the minimum standard to access institutions of higher education
Only the government — not Eskom or municipalities — can address load-shedding by building more capacity and ensuring sufficient supply, the parties said