News Archive
Up one levelNews items are stored here with the latest news appearing at the top of the page.
SAIRR Opinion: New party must take steps on new roads - 13 November 2008
John Kane-Berman identifies the three main challenges facing the party formed by politicians who have recently broken away from the ANC. This column appeared in Business Day on 13th November 2008.
SAIRR Opinion: Lewis complaints threaten democratic principles - 31 October 2008
Dr Anthea Jeffery writes that Judge Carole Lewis was not the first judge to raise concerns about the state of the judiciary.
SAIRR Opinion: Too much faith in regulation can be bad - 30th October 2008
John Kane-Berman says the current banking crisis is no reason to go on a crusade to extend public ownership and regulation. This column appeared in Business Day on 30th October 2008.
Advance Survey release: South Africa Survey 2007/08 now online
An advance release of 2007/08 edition of the South Africa Survey is now available online and accessible to corporate and business subscribers holding passwords or IP recognition access to this website. The hard copy will be distributed to all subscribers during November 2008.
SAIRR Opinion: No point if rebels just clone the ANC - 16th October 2008
The new party contemplated by former ANC members will be little different from the ANC if it too remains committed to a ‘national democratic revolution’, writes John Kane-Berman. This column appeared in Business Day on 16th October 2008.
Briefing report: The state of the judiciary - 14th October 2008
This morning Judge Carole Lewis of the Supreme Court of Appeal addressed an Institute breakfast in Johannesburg. The briefing was hosted in conjunction with The Weekender and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty. Judge Lewis spoke candidly about state of the judiciary and highlighted several areas of concern. The full text of her briefing appears below.
SAIRR Today: ANC broedertwis – heralding a new party? - 3rd October 2008
Last week the Institute analysed various opinion polls, and the results of the leadership vote at the national conference of the African National Congress (ANC) at Polokwane in December last year, regarding the likelihood of success for a split in the ANC. The Institute said that such a splinter party would probably receive relatively significant support, and could emerge victorious in the Eastern Cape, the Western Cape, the Free State, and possibly Gauteng.
SAIRR Opinion: Shock therapy for new leadership - 2nd October 2008
The post-Mbeki government will have to be wary lest it undermine the South African economy by antagonising international markets, writes John Kane-Berman. This column appeared in Business Day on 2nd October 2008.
SAIRR Today: A new political scenario for a break-away in the ANC - 26th September 2008
The decision taken by the NEC of the ANC to recall Mr Thabo Mbeki from office has created the possibility of a split within the ANC. This is unlikely to happen soon but if it were to happen the new ANC faction could perhaps garner significant support.
Press Release: Institute tips Motlanthe to lead South Africa to 2014 - 23rd September 2008
The South African Institute of Race Relations has tipped Kgalema Motlanthe to lead South Africa beyond 2009. This morning the Institute’s deputy CEO Frans Cronje said that the ANC would find it difficult to unseat Motlanthe in six months time if he proves himself as a capable leader between now and then. The Institute said that the announcement of Motlanthe’s pending appointment was the most sensible decision that the ANC had taken since its Polokwane conference in December 2007. The Institute did warn that the walkout by senior cabinet members would however damage Motlanthe's influence and credibility if it was not reversed.
SAIRR Opinion: Time for Zuma to repair the damage - 18th September 2008
John Kane-Berman wrote in Business Day this morning: "The high court has now come to Zuma’s rescue, albeit on procedure rather than substance. Though he has not been exonerated, it will be brave prosecutors who pursue fresh charges or take Nicholson on appeal (as they should) in the climate of menace the Zuma camp continues to foster. If Zuma genuinely supports a free judiciary he will now move to stop further attacks on the courts."
Institute backs Sunday Times/Zapiro over Zuma cartoon controversy -10th September 2008
The Institute this morning came out strongly in support of the Sunday Times and Zapiro over a controversial cartoon depicting Jacob Zuma about to rape 'justice' who was held down by senior ANC leaders. The Institute said that the cartoon would serve to show the ANC just how seriously their threats against the judiciary are taken.
SAIRR Today: Better sports policy for South Africa - 25th July 2008
This current spat between the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee and the parliamentary portfolio committee on sport has revealed how necessary it is to keep politicians out of sports policy.
SAIRR Opinion: Rasool should take the ANC to court - 24th July 2008
John Kane-Berman says that South Africa’s electoral system and the ruling party’s deployment policy undermine representative government. This column appeared in Business Day on 24th July 2008.
Media statement: Human Rights Commission failure condemned - 23 July 2008
The Institute this morning released a statement that was highly critical of the manner in which the South African Human Rights Commission handled the recent complaint against the general secretary of COSATU. The Institute accused the commission of compromising its principles.
Media statement: Expropriation threatens investor confidence - 17th July 2008
The Institute said this morning that assurances by the ANC to investors that economic policy would not change meant little when the party was supporting legislation that would allow the government to expropriate those same investors' assets.
Media statement: Institute references provincial report in light of ANC provincial axings - 15th July 2008
The Institute notes reports that the ANC intends to axe the premiers of 'underperforming' provinces. The Institute published a report on the relative performance of provinces in May 2008. That report found that the Western Cape was one of South Africa's top performing provinces while the Eastern Cape was the worst performing.
Institute submits complaint to the Human Rights Commission - 14th July 2008
The Institute this morning sent a letter of complaint to the CEO of the South African Human Rights Commission. The complaint referred to reports in this morning's newspapers that the head of the youth league of the African National Congress, Mr Julius Malema, had called for the 'elimination' of groups including the Democratic Alliance. In the context of other recent threats by Mr Malema the Institute regards this latest threat as extremely serious and a threat to peace and stability in South Africa.
Media statement: Institute denies role in campaign to boost Zuma - 11th July 2008
The Institute this afternoon issued a statement in response to newspaper reports that its president, Sipho Seepe, was party to a campaign to benefit the political career of Jacob Zuma. The Institute has pointed out that neither the Institute nor its president was party to any such political campaign.
Media statement: Fourteen year crime trends - 11th July 2008
The Institute this afternoon released a statement accompanying its annual review of crime trends for South Africa. The fourteen year review identified a number of positive trends.
Threats to the Constitutional Court are both menacing and ludicrous - 10th July 2008
Some of Jacob Zuma’s supporters would feel at home in Robert Mugabe’s cabinet, given their threats of violence and attacks on the highest court in the land, says John Kane-Berman. This column appeared in Business Day on 10th July 2008.
In the news #2 2008 - 27th June 2008
The Institute is cited in the local and international media literally hundreds of times every year. A limited selection of those references are posted on this website as they become available.
Need for Jacob Zuma to denounce killing talk - 26th June 2008
Mr Jacob Zuma’s response to recent threats of violence by some of his key supporters has been inadequate, suggesting that he is afraid of them or condones what they say. This column by John Kane-Berman appeared in Business Day on 26th June 2008.
No quick-fix remedy for informal settlements - 12th June 2008
John Kane-Berman lists various objections to the housing minister’s proposals to eradicate informal settlements. This article first appeared in Business Day on 12th June 2008.
Institute calls for a moratorium on the arrest of ‘illegal’ immigrants - 6th June 2008
The South African Institute of Race Relations this morning called on the Minister of Safety and Security to implement a moratorium on the arrest of so called ‘illegal immigrants’.
In the news #1 2008 - 6th June 2008
The Institute is cited in the local and international media literally hundreds of times every year. We will from this week post regular PDF updates of selected Institute references or opinion making headlines in South Africa and around the world.
ANC setting South Africa on path towards failed statehood - 29th May 2008
John Kane-Berman asks whether Jacob Zuma has the courage and ability to change the African National Congress into a different kind of animal. This article appeared in Business Day on 29th May 2008.
Statement by the South African Institute of Race Relations on causal factors behind the violent unrest in and around Johannesburg - 20th May 2008
The South African Institute of Race Relations this morning described the wave of violence that has gripped Johannesburg and surrounding areas for the past week as a direct response to policy failures on the part of Thabo Mbeki’s government. According to the Institute, poor and ineffective governance had created a tinder box of unmet expectations which exploded in Alexandra and has now spread to several other areas – similar to many of the causal factors that contributed to apartheid era unrest. Essentially these failures contributed to create a perfect storm of lawlessness, poverty, and unfulfilled expectations which has now erupted into violence.
Institute calls for Expropriation Bill to be withdrawn - 15th May 2008
The South African Institute of Race Relations today called on the government to withdraw the current Expropriation Bill (the bill) from Parliament and instead to bring the Expropriation Act of 1975 into line with the Constitution through two simple amendments to the existing statute.
Humanitarian aid appeal for Alexandra victims - 15th May 2008
The South African Institute of Race Relations this afternoon urged South Africans to support the Department of Social Welfare and various aid organizations caring for victims of the Alexandra violence. The Institute made the call after visiting the violence ravaged township this morning and speaking to refugees as well as government and aid officials. The Institute said that it was shocked by the scale of the violence and the many families who had lost their homes and possessions. According to the Institute’s spokesperson on the Alexandra violence, Mapeete Mohale, aid workers were doing excellent work but needed support from South Africans.
Good time to reconsider ANC-Zanu (PF) kinship - 15th May 2008
John Kane-Berman says that the similarities between the ANC and Zanu (PF) should not be overlooked in explaining why the ANC has backed President Robert Mugabe for so long. This column appeared in Busine