Trophy Hunting by the Numbers
In the run up to World Wildlife Day, The Humane Society International/Africa heavily publicized it report, Trophy Hunting by the Numbers, providing details on South Africa’s role in the tawdry international trade. Most significantly, the report finds that Trophy hunting does not contribute significantly to wildlife conservation in South Africa, debunking a common justification for the practice. In fact, over 80% of trophies exported are either captive-bred animals, non-native specie...
Summary: Budget Speech 2022
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s first budget speech may not have contained any policy bombshells, but there were some flashes of good news. Godongwana announced some tax relief for both individuals and corporates. And an easing in sin taxes and fuel levies promises to ease the inflationary burdens upon South African households.
The biggest budget increases will go towards economic stimulation, with spending on road infrastructure expected to increase by 13%. As expected, the Social ...
SONA 2022: President Ramaphosa announces a new social compact
President Cyril Ramaphosa focused on economic recovery during his 2022 State of the Nation Address, promising to unveil in 100 days, a “comprehensive social compact to grow our economy, create jobs and combat hunger.” In a soaring vision that merged economic and social justice, the president stated that by “working together to revitalise our economy”, we can “bring an end to inequality and injustice” that impeded South Africa’s progress, and promised that no one would be lef...
South African companies spent R10.3 billion on CSI in 2021
Johannesburg, 25 November 2021:
South African companies spent an estimated R10.3 billion on corporate social investment (CSI) in the 221 financial year. Representing a 7% decrease in real terms from R10.7 billion in 2020. This is according to CSI consultancy Trialogue, which released its findings in the newly published 24th edition of the annual Trialogue Business in Society Handbook.
Trialogue has been tracking CSI spend for almost a quarter of a century and for the first t...
New report brings Cape Town’s homeless policies into question
The Inkathalo Conversations (TIC), issued a 400-page report criticising the City of Cape Town’s response to homelessness, particularly recent changes to city by-laws which in effect, “criminalise homelessness.” To this end, the NPO Ndifuna Ukwazi is currently litigating against the City in relation to its homeless by-laws.
Some of the report’s key recommendations include:
Review and amend all by-laws that criminalise homelessness without just cause
Police shou...
Civil society calls on the public to stand up and fight corruption
Defend our Democracy announces anti-corruption week for 3 to 10 December
Civil society organisations are urging the public to participate in a “United in Action Against Corruption week” to run from 3 to 10 December.
Announced at a press briefing in Johannesburg on Monday and organised by the Defend our Democracy campaign, the week will build up to 9 December, International Anti-Corruption Day.
“The money that is stolen is money that is supposed to be used to serve the needs of our people...
Open Letter to Minister of Labour and Employment: Urgent Call To Withdraw Irrational And Damaging Coida Draft Regulations
OPEN LETTER TO HONOURABLE THULAS NXESI MP
Minister of Employment and Labour
Dear Minister Nxesi,
Call To Withdraw Irrational And Damaging Coida Draft Regulations
Collectively, we represent over 130 cross-sectoral bodies, ranging from healthcare associations, medical practices, unions and companies, who in turn, represent over four million impacted parties who are deeply concerned about the chronic and persistent failings of the Compensation Fund.
In particular, we are alarmed b...
Civil society coalition rejects National Treasury scheme to terminate income support for adults
Civil society organisations campaigning for basic income are becoming increasingly alarmed by the fact that National Treasury seems determined to unilaterally, and secretively, push through a woefully misguided and unfeasible proposal for income support: the so-called family grant. We have become aware of this proposal circulating in government in recent weeks but had largely assumed that it would be rejected because of its exclusionary nature, its deeply patriarchal bias, and quite simply, b...
[Media Release] IWAG calls for withdrawal of catastrophic new Compensation Fund regulations
New Compensation Fund regs prejudice medical service providers and side-lines Parliament
Fund gazetted regulations will enforce controversial Section 43(4) of the COID Amendment Bill, despite it being removed from the Bill by Parliament in August
Cape Town, 15 September 2021 -- The Injured Workers’ Action Group, is calling for the immediate withdrawal of controversial new regulations published by the Compensation Fund in the Government Gazette on Friday 10 September, on the ground...
Free art therapy, drama and stories help inner-city children find their way
For 27 years, Lefika la Phodiso has welcomed Johannesburg children from six to 18
For eight years, 16-year-old Hlomla Sithole has been coming from his home in Hillbrow in Johannesburg to attend afternoon programmes at the Lefika la Phodiso Community Art Counselling and Training Institute near Constitution Hill.
Lefika la Phodiso, which means “the rock of healing” or “holding” in Sesotho, has been operating since 2007 in the Children’s Memorial Institute, a building nearly 100 years old on t...
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