Civil Society Watch, 27 January – 2 February 2020

Last week Maverick Citizen introduced the first of our weekly updates on activism and events taking place in the next seven days. The aim is to help activists be more aware of activities across the spectrum of issues, to join the dots of the activist community, to encourage support and participation across our silos. It’s to tell the world your stories and show how much participatory democracy depends on the mobilisation of active citizens. It should be news you can use.

As we predicted last week was a big week. The inquest into the murder of Neil Aggett began on Monday and painfully reminded us of the horrors of police brutality and torture that faced activists under the apartheid regime. It’s meaning was captured in a powerful editorial in our sister publication, New Frame. The inquest continues this week.

Also last week Oxfam released its latest report on the desperate level of global inequality, where 22 of the richest men in the world have more wealth than all the women in Africa.

The coming seven days are no quieter. Below is a selection of events that have come to our attention.

On Monday 27 January, British journalist and film-maker Harry Fear will present an all-day workshop at the Academia Library, Imran Haroon Road in Lansdowne, Cape Town. Delegates will participate in practical sessions, focusing on the need to listen to Palestinian voices, the use of credible sources and the production of ethical, relevant news and content.

Fear has been reporting on and from the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT) for more than a decade. In 2012 and 2014, he was in the Gaza Strip, covering Israel’s devastating war on the besieged coastal territory. Despite the Israeli government’s media blackout on Gaza, Fear’s ground-breaking use of social media made it possible for people around the world to hear real-time explosions, sirens, screams, and cries while reading live updates from Gaza. His most recent documentary is Gaza: Still Alive which focuses on the mental health challenges faced by Palestinians in Gaza.

The workshop is open to all media professionals, journalists, editors, producers and content-creators as well as members of civil society. For more information call 021 696 5404 or email [email protected]

On the same day, the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse’s (OUTA) “delinquent director” civil case against former SAA board chairperson Dudu Myeni will be resuming (if Myeni decides to pitch this time) at the Pretoria High Court. The application seeks an order to declare Myeni a delinquent director in terms of section 162(5) of the Companies Act, due to her conduct while chairperson of the SAA board from December 2012 until October 2017. The case has already been delayed by three unsuccessful interlocutory challenges brought by Myeni’s legal team. An outline of the charges being brought against Myeni is available on the OUTA website here.

It’s going to be another busy week for the TAC. Between 27 January and 1 February there will be public hearings on the controversial National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill in the Free State and North West. The purpose of these hearings is to allow ordinary South Africans an opportunity to make submissions of their concerns regarding the NHI. For more information on how to participate in the NHI hearings contact Ms Vuyokazi Majalamba at [email protected] or on 021 403 3770 or 083 709 8522.

On Thursday 30 January the Education Department of KwaZulu-Natal is due to announce a draft KZN provincial scholar transport policy for public comment, as agreed in the Pietermaritzburg High Court following court action by education rights organisation Equal Education. EE has been advocating for the provision of scholar transport since 2014 as thousands of rural learners have been facing the long, arduous and often dangerous journey of trying to get to and from school. This sometimes means walking for more than an hour, facing bad weather and crossing through dangerous rivers. This journey has proved particularly difficult for learners with disabilities.

Also on Thursday ActionAid South Africa will launch a report on the lived experiences and the contribution made by the Zama-Zamas or informal miners titled: Regularising Informal Artisanal Mining in South Africa – An Evidence-Based Report, 2019. The launch comes on the eve of the Africa Mining Indaba at a time when solutions are needed by government and the industry to address the triple challenges of unemployment, inequality and poverty. The report seeks to assist the government with solutions that will ensure the sector is recognised and regulated. It will be launched at the Johannesburg Action Aid offices in Rosebank at 10.30am and the Department of Minerals and Energy has been invited to receive the report. For inquiries contact Sifiso Dladla, Mining Extractives Project Manager, 078 849 8621.

Friday 31 January is the deadline for submissions for the much-contested 18th amendment to the Constitution that will allow for land expropriation without compensation. The draft bill was published in December 2019 and requests from civil society organisations to extend this deadline have proved unsuccessful. According to Parliament, the aim of the bill is to amend the Constitution so as to, among others, provide that where land and any improvements thereon are expropriated for the purposes of land reform, no compensation may be payable. Submissions and inquiries must be directed to Mr V Ramaano at [email protected] or tel: 021 403-3820 or 083 709 8427

The Treatment Action Campaign National Council is scheduled to take place from Friday 31 January until Sunday 2 February. The National Council is the organisation’s highest decision-making body between conferences.

Finally, public hearings for Eskom’s application for a backdated price increase for 2018/19 have been scheduled in February. Eskom has asked the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to allow it to raise an extra R27.3-billion from customers for 2018/19, in a Regulatory Clearing Account (RCA) application. Those wanting to attend a hearing or present their views must register with Nersa by 16:00 on 31 January.

And for the activist looking for some revolutionary entertainment, the Market Theatre Laboratory next week hosts the last week of Vuka Machel described as “a revolutionary comedy told by two chicken thieves from Kanyamazane, just outside Nelspruit in Mpumalanga. Through the eyes of this infamous pair, the audience is taken on a journey in which Samora Machel wakes from the dead to find his wife married to Mandela and Mozambique suffering. He challenges Mandela to all sorts of fights.” 

Activists need a sense of humour — some of our most trenchant political analysis comes from our comedians. So don’t miss it!

January is almost over… Planning and plotting for social justice is now well underway. So, this week Maverick Citizen will be bringing you the findings of our survey into what civil society organisations’ priorities and plans are for 2020. After two years of Thuma Mina, what is the civil society confidence index in Cyril Ramaphosa or the business community? In addition, we will bring you an update on the largely forgotten victims of the 2017 listeriosis outbreak. MC

If you have events or meetings which you think other activists ought to know about, write to us at: [email protected]