Civil society in SA should have a stronger voice in national affairs

Civil society organisations have a pivotal role to play in strengthening democracy and ensuring inclusive and more extensive socio-economic development.

However, the sector is weakened by fragmentation and lack of a united voice; it is also plagued by a range of problems that erode capacity and sustainability.

Civil society organisations need to work together to ensure they speak in a much stronger voice on key national issues.

And those with power and authority should be more amenable to hearing what they have to say. Read my views on this subject in my article published at: http://www.sacsis.org.za/site/article/1819.

Minimum wage can advance social inclusion

The call for a national minimum wage is relevant to South Africa precisely because millions of workers are vulnerable and lack basic employment rights.

Vulnerable workers are also mostly unorganised. In general, they are unable to protect themselves from abuse.

I argue that the a national statutory minimum wage has the potential to help stitch together the frayed edges of our newly formed democracy; it can stop slow the descent of larger numbers of workers into the category of ‘the working poor’. 

Read my views on this, published on the Sacsis website, at:

http://tinyurl.com/p3v6x6h

 

Frank Meintjies


 

Contestation over Nelson Mandela's legacy

In the coming years, South African political parties are likely to become embroiled in a bunfight over Nelson Mandela’s legacy. All will want to claim that they, more than most others, are taking forward his legacy.

However, those who want to lay claim to this legacy, I argue, will be caught out if they do so without intensifying their efforts to bring about positive social change.

The poor have an interest in this issue; they want to know whether those who claim to support Mandela’s values are working to end poverty or are merely using his name to bolster their power and appeal.

See my views, expressed in a piece a wrote in July 2013, at: http://tinyurl.com/q7zxdpv.