This week — remembering Marikana, the impact of policing and surveillance on rights, and homelessness in Cape Town

This week marks 12 years since the Marikana Massacre. On 16 August 2012, 34 miners were gunned down by the South African Police Service (SAPS) during a six-week strike at a Lonmin platinum mine in what has been categorised as the most lethal use of force by the SAPS in a post-apartheid South Africa.

More than a decade later, the survivors still endure the horror of the day, and the widows of the dead mineworkers are still coming to terms with the tragedy. On Friday, 16 August, South Africans remember the workers who lost their lives protesting for a livable wage of R12,500.

Monday, 12 August is International Youth Day, the United Nations’ theme for which is “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development”. 

The Be Seen Be Heard Campaign says half the world’s population is 30 or younger and is expected to reach 57% by the end of 2030.

“Young people are leading the charge in digital adoption and innovation, with three-quarters of those aged 15 to 24 using the internet in 2022, a rate higher than other age groups,” the UN says. “However, disparities persist, particularly in low-income countries and among young women, who often have less access to the internet and digital skills compared to their male counterparts. While there is an urgent need to enhance digital inclusion, youth are largely recognised as ‘digital natives’, using technology to drive change and create solutions. As the 2030 deadline for the [Sustainable Development Goals] approaches, the role of young people in digital innovation is essential for addressing global issues. By celebrating the digital contributions of youth, we can inspire further innovation and collaboration towards achieving sustainable development.”

Also on Monday, 12  August at 6pm, the Southern Defenders Network will host a Space on X where young Zimbabweans in the diaspora are encouraged to share their perspectives and concerns about the ongoing human rights violations in Zimbabwe.

This comes as Zimbabwean authorities have intensified a clamp down on dissenting voices, most notably when four activists, Vusumuzi Moyo, Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere, and Samuel Gwenzi, were forced from a plane at Robert Mugabe Internation Airport in Harare on Wednesday, 1 August. The group was held for eight hours in a barely lit room where they were allegedly brutally tortured and beaten.

The brutal clampdown has placed Zimbabwe's treatment of Human Rights defenders in the spotlight as the nation is gearing up to host the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit on Saturday, 17 August.

Join the conversation here.

Later on Monday, at 7.30pm, New Hope South Africa, along with U-turn Homeless Ministries, the Rea Thusana Foundation and MES, will host a webinar exploring innovative approaches to addressing homelessness.

Tune in to the live discussion here.



On Wednesday, 14 August and Thursday, 15 August, at 9am, the Legal Resource Centre will host a hybrid seminar on human rights in the context of policing and surveillance.

Experts and advocates will lead the discussion exploring the impact of policing and surveillance on human rights.

“For many South Africans, the perception of policing has not changed fundamentally since the abolishment of apartheid despite cosmetic changes that successive governments have made. The intersection of human rights and policing has always been a crisis point in South African society,” the organisers say. “The motivation for this thematic area within the conference stems from a need to acknowledge the failure of the South African government to ensure sufficient police reforms which are infused with relevant human rights considerations. This failure to properly incorporate the necessary constitutional human rights provisions interlinked with the legacy of historic and systematic racism in policing has made South Africa a particularly vulnerable place for police interaction. It is therefore essential to unpack and explore the intersection and disconnect between safety, policing and community-led solutions to social issues.”

Kimal Harvey, Nuhaa Hendricks and Yanel Frans will join the Legal Resource Centre on the panel.

Attend in person at  Lagoon Beach Hotel, Milnerton, or register to attend online.



Also on Wednesday, the Climate & Health Africa Network for Collaboration and Engagement, in partnership with Health Systems Global, will host a webinar on climate-resilient and sustainable health systems in Africa. 

Rudolf Abugnaba-Abanga will present his research on climate-resilient primary healthcare facilities in Ghana, followed by a discussion on how to further this research agenda. Abugnaba-Abanga is vice-chairperson of the Africa region in the Thematic Working Group on Climate Resilience. 

Register at this link.



The Institute for Security Studies will host a discussion on Wednesday, at 11am, on how South Africa’s government of national unity (GNU) will manage migration.

The formation of the GNU “marks a crucial moment for the country’s migration governance. Political parties in the GNU with diverse views on migration need to implement the long-awaited Border Management Authority and the White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection gazetted shortly before the election. The new policy promises to overhaul the country’s migration system,” the organisers say.

Moderated by Ottilia Anna Maunganidze, ISS head of special projects, Njabulo Nzuza, deputy minister in the Department of Home Affairs, Sabelo Mbokazi, head of the Division of Labour, Employment and Migration, Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development in the African Union, Mmabatho Mongae, a governance expert at Good Governance Africa will explore the implications of these developments for migration governance in South Africa and alignment with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Venue: ISS Pretoria, seminar room and online via Zoom (register to attend in person, register to attend online).

On Thursday, 15 August, at 6pm, Maverick Citizen journalist Tamsin Metelerkamp will be joined by Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, urban policy researcher at Ndifuna Ukwazi Nick Budlender and land and housing activist Nkosikhona Swartbooi for a Daily Maverick Live Journalism Webinar on tackling housing and homelessness in Cape Town.

The webinar will unpack some of the critical factors behind housing and homelessness issues in Cape Town, as well as workable strategies to address challenges faced by people living in unhoused communities and occupations. The aim is to explore what can be done at different levels of government and the roles that private entities, civil society groups and individuals can play in making a difference.

Register to join in on the conversation here.



On Friday, 16 August at 9am, My Vote Counts will launch the Civil Society Electoral Reform Panel (CSERP) at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg. 

The launch of CSERP is in response to the government setting up another panel to advise on broad electoral reform, which lacks inclusion from any civil society organisations.

On 11 June 2020, the Constitutional Court ruled that the Electoral Act was unconstitutional because it excluded citizens not affiliated with a political party from being elected to the National Assembly and provincial legislature as independent candidates. The ruling paved the way for a parliamentary process in electoral reform, with President Cyril Ramaphosa signing the Electoral Amendment Act into law in April 2023. However, the process has been marred by inadequate public participation.

“Political reform that meaningfully ensures the government is more accountable to citizens can only take place through a people-led process. We will launch an alternative panel to advise civil society on broad electoral and political reform. The year-long process will be led by representatives of NGOs working in government accountability and social movements representing young and working-class people,” the event description reads.

Date: 16 August 2024.

Time: 9am to 12pm.

Venue: Human Rights Conference Room, Constitution Hill, Johannesburg.

Save a seat using this link.

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation has launched its National Essay Writing Competition Against Racism, and entries are still open. The competition aims to encourage critical thinking, raise awareness and stimulate discussions on the critical issue of racism within our society, especially among young South Africans.

Submissions can be in the form of essays, poetry or original artwork. Prizes will be awarded in each category: First place: R1,000 and a new laptop. Second place: R500 and a new laptop.

All participants will receive certificates of participation. Winning entries will be featured on the foundation’s website, social media platforms and publications, ensuring these young writers’ exceptional work reaches a broader audience.

Participants should submit entries related to one of the following topics:

• Is Zionism = Racism?;


• My Anti-Racism Manifesto;


• The impact of apartheid on a born-free generation; or


• The influence of pop culture on racism.