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?
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S'bu Zikode of the South African shack dwellers' movement, Abahlali baseMjondolo, is interviewed by Laura Flanders of GRITtv. Zikode, hosted by US-based human rights organisations, is on tour in America building solidarity between the homeless of South Africa and America, and sharing knowledge about strategies to exercise the right to housing. Many Americans who lost their homes due to foreclosures as a result of the sub-prime mortgage crisis appear poorly advised about their housing rights....
Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal -
A militant factory occupation by South African metalworkers is about to enter its second month. On October 20, 2010, workers at the Mine Line/TAP Engineering factory in Krugersdorp, just outside Soweto, began the occupation to prevent the removal of machinery and other assets and to fight to save their jobs. The workers are demanding the state take over the factory, so that it can be reopened as a democratically run workers' cooperativ
The workers are organised by the Metal and...
Acclaimed journalist, author and political activist, Barbara Ehrenreich, explores the darker side of positive thinking.
Ehrenreich finds a pattern in many aspects of life that demands mandatory optimism.
Embedded in this is the idea that a person can change the physical world with their thoughts.
According to Ehrenreich, there are two problem with this.
Firstly, it is delusional and delusion is a mistake. She links delusions of positive psychology to the financial meltdown of...
Leonard Gentle -
The ongoing saga of the United States of America's (US) accusation against China – that it is deliberately pushing down its currency – and thereby defeating US attempts to get balance in the world economy, trundled on into the G20 meeting in Korea. At the same time, middle range countries such as Brazil, South Korea, Russia and South Africa (SA) have been battling with currencies that are hugely inflated.
Accusations flew fast and furious that countries were using currency...
Glenn Ashton -
Our economic system is premised on the notion of endless growth. Its unintentional manifestations include global warming, dwindling resources, proliferating pollution, the accelerating extinction of species, water and food shortages, all set against the backdrop of a burgeoning global population.
We live in an era that has generated more wealth than any previous known civilisation, yet remain surrounded by inequality. The market has failed to deliver on the promises of its supporters....
The failure of capitalism is what some blame for the current global economic crisis. But is it as simple as that?
Europe has been hit especially hard, prompting many to wonder if free markets can exist alongside the welfare state.
Riz Khan of Al Jazeera asks, "If capitalism is indeed failing, what are the alternatives?"
He speaks to Slovenian philosopher and cultural critic, Slavoj Zizek who explains what he thinks is causing the downward slide, and points to the faltering...
