The View Point

Songezo Mabece spoke to the Law Trust Chair of Social Justice at Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Law, Prof Thuli Madonsela about the Social Justice Summit and the urgent need to eliminate
We’re in conversation with Professor Thuli Madonsela, about the Social Justice Summit and International Conference that kicks off on Thursday. The Summit aims to unpack the concept of social justice in South Africa, its various dimensions, the pathways available to address social injustice and how best to leverage the opportunities presented by the SDG’s, the NDP and the Constitution. The conference (30 & 31 August) aims to address the question: To what extent can academia advance the global Social Justice Agenda?

We’re in conversation with Tholoana and Emma Tlhobelo – they are the founding directors of the Tokelo Foundation. The foundation was founded last year with the aim of raising awareness on Cerebral Palsy and forming support structures for parents who are raising children with Cerebral Palsy. They talk to us about their son, Tokelo, who was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at a very young age. We engage them on the economics, the emotions, the needs and socialization for parents and children with Cerebral Palsy.

Guest: Tholoana and Emma Tlhobelo – they are the founding directors of the Tokelo Foundation

With just about 60 days before Matric Final exams commence, Grade 12s are starting to feel the pressure, and should now be strategising how to best use their time before these watershed assessments. Independent Institute of Education says pupils should also keep in mind that prelims are often pitched at a slightly more difficult level on purpose, to serve as a wake-up call, and that the most important steps to take right now are firstly to avoid panic, and, secondly, to take back power by putting in place a winning strategy for the weeks to come. But is it all on the learners – how can parents support their children at this crucial time of their school career?

Guest: Mr Peter Kriel, General Manager at the Independent Institute of Education

We’re talking about the state of state owned shelter for abused women and children in South Africa. Are they in a condition to give help and refuge to abused women are these centres safe and secure and in compliance with the laws? Is there enough funding to keep these much needed places opened?

Guest: Ms Sheena Swemmer, attorney and head of the Gender Programme at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (at Wits)

We’re in conversation with our co-host, Leigh-Ann Mathys – the Treasurer General of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). She refers to herself as an accidental politician who came to politics through a passion for social activism. The EFF was the first political party she joined and this happened because of Marikana. Before that, she had come back to South Africa from Australia where her family had moved. She joined a community based organisation in Ingwavuma, a rural area in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Guest: Leigh-Ann Mathys - the EFF’s Treasurer General

Songezo Mabece is in conversation with Tracey Henry, the CEO of Tshikululu Social Investments – talking about the value of CSI in South Africa
Corporate Social Investment includes projects that are external to the normal business activities of a company and not directly for purposes of increasing company profit. These projects have a strong developmental approach and utilize company resources to benefit and uplift communities and are not primarily driven as marketing initiatives. Often times includes filling skills gap and developing and providing opportunities for young entrepreneurs and prospective future tenants.
We unpack the true impacts of CSI interventions now with CEO of Tshikululu Social Investments, Tracey Henry.

Songezo Mabece was in conversation Antoinette Kloppers and Preetya Bhika – both ladies are architects at the Paragon Group
We’re still honoring Women, Izimbokodo this month, and imbalance of power is still one of the hot button issues that women to this day are fighting against. Architecture remains a tough profession for women to crack but is undergoing a dramatic change. It definitely is a new dawn for women in the building industry, whereby they can take on significant leadership roles within a project, and are making their voices heard. Women nowadays hold a legitimate place in planning and collaborating within projects, bringing a unique perspective to their work. We’re about to meet some women who have managed to only penetrate this industry but are striving.

Songezo Mabece is in conversation with Afriforum’s head of Policy and Structures, Mr Ernst Roet
The Black Monday protests, which flared-up in October 2017, forced the Nelson Mandela Foundation and SA Human Rights Commission to take action. What started out as an impassioned plea to take action against a rise in farm murders descended into open displays of the apartheid flag, and in some cases, defences of the regime itself. However, on the other side of the debate was AfriForum. The organisation has previously argued that keeping the icon is an expression of free speech, which must not be conflated with hatred. Today the Equality Court ruled the gratuitous display of the old apartheid South African flag as hate speech. When making the judgment, Judge Phineas Mojapelo said the display of the apartheid flag does harm and should be considered as hate speech, unfair discrimination and harassment. He also said that no good could come from gratuitously displaying the old flag and those who do so and not display the new democratic flag, choose oppression over liberating symbols.

Out co-host Minister Aunty Pat interviewed the Dr. Vuyo Mahlati, the Chairperson of the Expert Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture
The expert Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in September last year, to provide independent advice to the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Land Reform – a committee chaired by Deputy President David Mabuza and consisting of eleven Cabinet ministers.
The panel’s mandate was to provide a unified policy perspective on land reform in respect of restitution, redistribution and tenure reform. The work of the panel was partly informed by the resolution of Parliament to consider expropriation of land without compensation; the focus being on the circumstances under which the policy will be applied; the procedures to be followed and the institutions that are to implement and enforce the policy.

Songezo Mabece and Minister Aunty Pat spoke about procurement challenges in South Africa and some of the way in which the problem can be tackled. They interviewed Prof Sope Williams-Elegbe Head of Department of Mercantile Law AND Deputy Director of the African Procurement Law Unit at Stellenbosch University AND Dr. Allison Anthony, Senior Lecturer and Specialist in construction procurement law at UNISA and Deputy Director of the African Procurement Law Unit at Stellenbosch University

The Government's aim is to transform the public procurement process in order to achieve its socio-economic objectives within the ambit of good governance. The procurement system in South Africa needs to be changed in order to face the challenges presented by changes in both the local and international environments. In 2015, government announced a three year plan to improve spending on goods and services by rolling out public procurement reforms. How far have we come since the adoption of the Green Paper?