Whilst we welcome what appears to be a greater commitment by Government to the provision of relief to households, workers, and small businesses, it still feels to us that we are trying to pull blood out of a stone.
The May 2021 Household Affordability Index, which tracks food price data from 44 supermarkets and 30 butcheries, shows that the average cost of the Household Food Basket is R4137,11.
Women cannot absorb the food price increases. Women tell us they now only buy the critical foods. Women tell us they respond to hikes in food prices by shopping around a lot more to seek out the cheapest prices before they commit to a purchase.
The Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill is out for public comment with submissions due by 1 October 2021. This document produced by our partner the Scalabrini Centre, on behalf of the Hate Crimes Working Group, is a brief, plain-language summary of what the Bill says, and how this Bill will change the law if it becomes an Act of Parliament.
This brief is one of a series produced by the Heinrich Böll Foundation in relation to its ‘Care and Support in a Time of Epidemic’ research project. The project focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on shelter services to victims of domestic violence in South Africa, and seeks to strengthen policy and practice in the provision of domestic violence services.
The long, hard road towards the recognition of rural land rights in South Africa has been burdened by our country’s history, now exacerbated by new laws that threaten rural democracy and threaten to dissolve spaces in which rural women can assert their rights and address challenges they face. This publication features the stories of four such women and their experiences of fighting against inequality and for citizen's land rights in South Africa.
This brief is based on the findings of a study undertaken to understand women's experiences of shelter services and the factors that aided or hindered their long-term recovery from abuse; an aspect crucial to improving government and non-profit sector policy and practice.
While South Africa is in lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus, for those in abusive relationships, isolating at home presents additional risks. Our partner, the National Shelter Movement, has put together some suggestions for those needing to stay safe and seek help during this time.
During the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020, a group of community researchers, together with students, undertook a study on hunger and agency in the food systems of five locations.
Hunger and malnutrition are not accidental by-products of our food systems. This publication aims to present the causes of hunger and malnutrition, and show that clear political rules and strategies are needed to counter these realities.
This briefing draws on a combination of interviews and participatory mapping events in Walkerville, Orange Farm and the West Rand regions of Gauteng and uMgungungdlovu District in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) between August and November 2020. It highlights findings and recommendations from a short-term project to source fresh produce from smallholder farmers for food relief efforts in these areas as part of the emergency response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown.
This policy brief summarises key lessons from a project to connect small-scale farmers with food relief efforts as an immediate response to the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on food security in resource-poor communities.
Illicit political party funding poses significant threats to democracies worldwide. But to what extent do the fundraising practices of Zimbabwe’s political parties also threaten ecological and environmental justice? This research by the Centre of Natural Resource Governance assesses parties’ practice of selling mineral rights in the context of Zimbabwe’s 2018, 2013 and 2008 elections.
With the assistance of our project partner, the Centre for Natural Resource Governance, communities affected by gold mining in eastern Zimbabwe came together to formulate a Community Protocol taking a stand against destructive mining impacts.
Community Protocols are living documents and the revised version incorporates references to legislation that substantiates the Kukula’s position, their evolving priorities and a renewed call for dialogue.
Civil society is under pressure worldwide. This e-paper focuses on dynamics and patterns of shrinking spaces and repressions on civil society with regard to natural resource struggles and takes a closer look into consultation processes and the role of the economy.
This paper discusses the ways in which community protocols can be an effective tool for communities to respond to extractive industry projects in their area. It provides an overview of what has taken place over the last three years in four pilot community protocol processes and captures lessons that can be applied to future processes.
Since the war in Yemen broke out in 2014, South African and global arms companies have cashed in on the sale of weapons to central parties to this conflict and humanitarian disaster. These firms have profited from the devastation of war and the resulting misery of Yemenis.
This Joint Submission encourages governments to voice their concerns in order to reorient the Guidance toward a more internally consistent and balanced document that clearly sets its objective as sustainable development of the host country with fair and equitable allocations of risks and rewards, rights and responsibilities between the contract parties.
This edition of Perspectives contributes to the ongoing debate on infrastructure development in Africa by sharing snapshots of experience from around the continent, exploring questions about democratic participation, the role of human and environmental rights, and economic transformation.
Informed by the discussions at an international conference jointly organised by the German Development Institute, the Heinrich Böll Foundation and Stanford University on “Emerging Power or Fading Star? South Africa’s Role on the Continent and Beyond”, held 12–14 July 2016 in Cape Town, the articles gathered in this edition of Perspectives shed light on some of the nuances and challenges that define South Africa’s place in the world today.
