The South African Civil Society Information Service
A nonprofit news agency promoting social justice. Seeking answers to the question:
How do we make democracy work for the poor?
A nonprofit news agency promoting social justice. Seeking answers to the question:
How do we make democracy work for the poor?
Visit the archives.
Richard Pithouse -
Bheki Cele recently justified his new R4 million house in Pretoria on the grounds that “If the head of Interpol visits me I don't want him to find me living in a shack.” He’s not the only one of us who would prefer not to be living in a shack irrespective of who's likely to be popping around for a cup of coffee. But the money spent on his house could have paid for houses for hundreds of shack dwellers and neither the incredible inequalities in our society, nor...
David Bollier -
It is a sign of the predatory nature of markets today that a tradition that goes back 4,500 years now needs to affirmatively defend itself as a common legacy of humankind. Yes, the latest endangered resource is…. yoga.
Yoga was developed in India as a physical and spiritual practice for everyone. The breathing known as pranayama is perhaps the most elemental aspect of human existence. But wouldn’t you know it…. all sorts of scheming entrepreneurs now want to convert yoga...
Nine years ago the 9/11 events took place leading to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Millions of people around the world don't believe they know the real story behind 9/11. Helping The Real News Network (TRNN) to analyze it is Lawrence Wilkerson, formerly Colin Powell's chief of staff.
In this discussion which debates whether there was real intent to allow 9/11 to happen or if it simply took place due to gross negligence on the part of the US administration (given that there was so much...
Glenn Ashton -
National and provincial authorities have for years attempted to get to grips with scholar transport, yet real solutions remain elusive. Controls have supposedly been imposed on buses and taxis that move this most precious cargo of all, yet our children continue to be exposed to unnecessary daily risks.
Our society is unequal in so many ways, but perhaps one of the most obvious is the huge gap that exists in how the children of the wealthy and the poor commute to school.
Anyone...
There is a strong link between biodiversity and poverty argues, economist, Pavan Sukhdev, head of the United Nations (UN) Green Economy Initiative.
The typical view taken is that it's a choice. You can have biodiversity or you can have poverty. You can have development or you can have nature, but not both.
This is false thinking, contends Sukhdev, as it is not the case that biodiversity is just the preserve of the rich.
Biodiversty is valuable to everyone, but is an absolute...
Saliem Fakir -
The recent Mozambican food and fuel riots raise the spectre, in general, about food insecurity and social unrest in the future.
We certainly have the capability to feed all of the world’s population, but the political economy of agriculture, food production and distribution somewhat has a greater influence as to whether people can feed themselves or not.
Food security though is not limited to good rainfall, soils, or the ingenuity of breeding the right strains of crops. Food security...
