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?
Visit the archives.
Amy Stevenson's video examines the reality of the state of equity in the world. She highlights important themes such as inequality, racism, homophobia and gender equity. she argues that if you want peace, then you should work for justice. For those of us who come from privilege, she suggests we teach our children how to share this privilege.
Karen Peters -
According to the 2008 Budget Speech, currently there are 12.4 million grant beneficiaries in South Africa, with national expenditure on social assistance to the tune of 75.3 billion Rand.
However, despite spending on social security remaining a significant proportion of our GDP, an important segment of the population still slips through the social security net.
What's wrong with the social grants system in South Africa?
To start with, the targeted nature of our social...
Michelle Pressend -
It’s business as usual for Northern countries that have made the quick connection between climate change and climate trade. These days even pollution has a price, rather than a cost. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are trading at about €20 per ton and are forecast to increase to €24-30 per ton in trading emission schemes.
This picture gets bleaker still as proposals to deal with the ecological crisis facing our planet are decidedly more business-friendly than they are people...
Russell Wildeman -
Idasa believes that the time has come for the development and implementation of free quality basic education for all. However, we remain committed to researching key aspects of current education policy and its implementation in order to encourage policy initiatives that will result in better opportunities for poor children in the future.
A major piece of research that Idasa recently undertook was an inquiry into the reforms to the school funding policy. We enquire into whether the...
Danny Schechter -
Everyone has a memorable moment or special date that marked their political lives. For me, it was April 27, 1994, the day of South Africa’s first democratic election when a disenfranchised majority chose Nelson Mandela as its new president. To those that fought so many years against apartheid, it was a political miracle, seen almost a biblical moment ushering in a new Rainbow nation.
I had a front row seat 14 years ago inside the Mandela campaign, making an insider film that...
Saliem Fakir -
To say that inflation targeting as a monetary policy instrument has reached a dead end, is an understatement. It was Jeremy Cronin, the South African Communist Party (SACP) leader, who poignantly noted that perhaps the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Tito Mboweni, was overdoing things and that a new vision for economic stimulation is long overdue.
Cronin, the SACP and COSATU have for a long time been told to shut up by the Mbeki camp but have of late become more vocal and strident following...
