The South African Civil Society Information Service
A nonprofit news agency promoting social justice. Seeking answers to the question:
How do we make democracy work for the poor?
A nonprofit news agency promoting social justice. Seeking answers to the question:
How do we make democracy work for the poor?
A shop steward talks about HIV on the factory floor, highlighting challenges facing poor workers who are unable to afford treatment. She argues that it takes three months for workers to qualify for their sick benefits. Given the high cost of HIV drugs, poor workers continue to die despite the fact that they contribute to the economy.
Geoff Budlender talks about how the South African Constitutional Court gives meaning to the expression of "health as a human right," particularly in relation to how the state should be prioritising its health budget. He argues that the Constitution obliges the state to spend its budget in a progressive and transformative manner, which means that it must have a pro-poor tilt aimed at eradicating inequalities.
Glenn Ashton -
The Case to Include GM Labelling in the Consumer Protection Bill.
The Consumer Protection Bill, an act of Parliament devised to protect the rights of consumers, as its name suggests, has come before the National Council of Provinces, usually the final step before ratification. Interestingly the NCOP has asked for comment on the bill before it is ratified. One issue that has elicited much debate is the matter of foods derived from crops that have been genetically modified (GM).
Some of the...
Saliem Fakir -
First came Zuma, which seemed to scare a lot of people, then the atrocious matric results, then Eskom, the slow disappearance of the Scorpions, the Zimbabwe crisis, then the disgraceful saga at the SABC, the anarchy at the ANC Youth League conference, racism at Free State university, the food crisis and now xenophobia.
There are a few other issues not worth adding to this litany as the point has been made. Everywhere we look is a seemingly unending verve of one crisis after another....
Loren Landau -
More than a year ago, the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA) requested that the Human Rights Commission (HRC) host public hearings to hold leaders accountable for not addressing xenophobia, hate speech, violence, and threats to human dignity. But CoRMSA was told that the HRC’s agenda was set for the year and that they would see what they could do. Clearly they have not done enough.
Over the past week, South Africa has been shaken by anti-foreigner violence...
While celebrity causes invite circumspection, this clip by Leonardo DiCaprio is worth noting for its warning about the struggle for water. Unregulated corporate privatisation threatens access to water for the poor. Access to clean water is a basic human right.
