This week — Youth Month, Post-election analysis and remembering Thulani Maseko

On Tuesday, 11 June at 2pm, the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies (SCIS) will host a seminar titled “Older Persons, Care Needs and Social Grants”.

Professor Elena Moore from the Department of Sociology at the University of Cape Town will discuss her latest research on Older Persons, Care Needs, and Social Grants.

“Older persons in South Africa are aided by government-funded non-contributory pensions. The seminar will draw on a recent report that tells the story of the financial lives of older person grant beneficiaries and raises questions for reviewing ageing policy and better meeting the needs of older persons. A lot of the research on the Older Persons Grant focuses on the poverty-alleviating aspects of the grant, especially at a household level.

“There has been little attention paid to the outcomes for older persons at an individual level, particularly in relation to their needs such as their care needs, access to health, nutrition, assistive devices etc. Policy makes the assumption that older persons get the grant, therefore they don’t invest more on funding services, even though it is widely known that the grant is used for households not older persons alone.

“The report therefore examines how the older persons’ needs are being met especially in relation to the actual outcomes that are possible given the amount of money that is available,” read the event poster.

Register here 

For enquiries please contact [email protected] or [email protected]



Also on Tuesday at 5pm, Right2Protest will launch “The Future of the Freedom of Expression in Africa” series. This panel discussion will include the unveiling of the Anti-Slapp model law and panel discussion on the future of the freedom of expression in Africa.

This is in partnership with the Centre For Applied Legal Studies for a series titled “The Future of the Protests in Africa”.

“The freedom of assembly continues to be youth-led across the continent, with many youth protesters becoming targets of repressive tactics in their fight for the individual and collective freedom of expression. Although these freedoms are protected by law, the freedom of assembly, expression and association is notably under immense attack and scrutiny across the African continent. Public interest law organisations in partnerships with social movements have tirelessly worked over the years to provide strategic legal and advocacy interventions to further the protection of these rights and protect activists as they exercise their constitutional rights to mobilise. Unfortunately, repression tactics such as Slapp suits, interdicts and arbitrary arrests are being utilised by states and private actors to demobilise many youth activists across the continent. The law has increasingly become a tool of repression and intimidation against activists, communities and social movements that seek to hold public and private actors accountable for human rights violations,” read the event poster.

In response to this, the Right2Protest (R2P) coalition member, the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS) has developed an anti-Slapp model law that seeks to protect protesting communities and individuals across South Africa

“In the efforts towards the adoption of the model law in the national assembly of South Africa, R2P calls for the adoption of anti-Slapp laws across the continent in solidarity with protesting individuals and communities against human rights violations. As South Africa commemorates 48 years since the June 16, 1976 massacre, which led to the brutalisation, incarceration and death of hundreds of youth protesters, R2P and Cals seek to reflect on the progress and current challenges in the promotion and protection of the freedom of assembly, expression and association”.

This will take place at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

For more information contact Omhle Ntshingila

(082) 322 0383 or [email protected]

Download their latest guide here



On Wednesday, 12 June at 2:30pm the Centre for Human Rights Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria in collaboration with the Thulani Maseko Foundation and Corruption Watch will host the Thulani Maseko Memorial Democracy Lecture.

The lecture will be on the lack of accountability and impunity in the persecution of human rights defenders and will take place at the  University of Pretoria, SRC Chambers.

RSVP here 



On Thursday, 13 June at 2pm, the Climate Ambition to Accountability Project and the Presidential Climate Commission will host the 3rd Annual Youth Climate Champions Intergenerational Dialogue

“Recognising that a climate-resilient future hinges on commitments made by today’s leaders, young people are determined to ensure their voices are heard and acted upon, so their specific needs are included in climate policies and actions. They will bear the brunt of future climate change impacts,” read the event description.

This will take place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, Durban, eThekwini Municipality and will create a hybrid moderated discussion and interactive audience engagement with youth leaders, policymakers, civil society, and experts in energy, climate, and sustainable development.

“It offers a unique opportunity to gain and share insights, fostering a sustained intergenerational discourse and engagement on South Africa’s just transition development pathways,” read the event description.

Register here



Also on Thursday at 5pm Black Sash will host a post-election analysis.

‘Khuluma’, the isiZulu word for ‘speak’, is a public conversation hosted by Black Sash on topics affecting those who live in South Africa.

“Our next Khuluma will be a post-election analysis and will focus broadly on the 2024 General Elections and what the results mean for ordinary people, young people specifically, and on the protection of our democratic institutions. We will also look at whether the inclusion of independent candidates in these elections have had an impact on broader democratic representation,” read the event poster.

Barbara October, GroundUp Deputy-Editor will moderate and speakers include Khaya Sithole a chartered accountant, activist and academic, and Pearl Pillay: NYDA board member, Managing Director-Youth Lab.

Join via Zoom

Meeting ID: 894 6585 6186

Passcode: 515160

On Friday, 14 June, at 1pm, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group is hosting a Facebook live session on “Exploring  Dialectical Behavioural Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder: How DBT Can Make a Difference”.

The session will unravel the benefits of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in managing Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).

16 June is Youth Day

It is a day which honours all the young people who lost their lives in the struggle against Apartheid and Bantu Education.

“In 1975 protests started in African schools after a directive from the then Bantu Education Department that Afrikaans had to be used on an equal basis with English as a language of instruction in secondary schools. The issue, however, was not so much the Afrikaans as the whole system of Bantu education which was characterised by separate schools and universities, poor facilities, overcrowded classrooms and inadequately trained teachers,” according to the presidency.

“On 16 June 1976, between 3,000 and 10,000 students marched peacefully to demonstrate and protest against the government’s directive. The march was meant to culminate at a rally in Orlando Stadium.

“On their pathway, they were met by heavily armed police who fired teargas and later live ammunition on demonstrating students. This resulted in a widespread revolt that turned into an uprising against the government. While the uprising began in Soweto, it spread across the country and carried on until the following year.”



On Sunday, 16 June at 4pm, The International Union of Scientists (IUS) will host a webinar on militarism and technology.

“The International Union of Scientists (IUS) presents a conversation with two leading experts on how Israel uses technology to surveil and kill, in Palestine and beyond, and how Israel enables repression elsewhere,” read the event poster.

It will be moderated by Natalya Dinat and Manabendra Nath Bera.

For an invitation, subscribe to the IUS newsletter at iuscientists.org.

Invitation emails will be sent the day before the event. DM