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.
Jane Duncan -
As South Africa enters the festive season, the country is awash with special offers. Yet, beyond the corporate hype that usually accompanies this time of year, many are left with the deep-seated feeling that - in the ordinary course of events - they are being ripped off left, right and centre.
People are becoming angrier and angrier with the cost and quality of many services. From the banks to the bread cartels, from Eskom to the airlines and the pending e-tolling system, indications of...
Na'eem Jeenah and Heidi-Jane Esakov -
On November 29, 2012 the international community overwhelmingly voted the ‘State of Palestine’ as a ‘non-member observer state’ of the United Nations (UN), yet the façade of statehood is already beginning to show. The successful passage of the resolution through the UN General Assembly is not the victory for Palestinians it has been made out to be. Rather, it might actually undermine their rights.
While the president of the Palestinian Authority (PA) –...
Cynthia Burack -
In the past week the Family Research Council has been busy praising Uganda’s commitment to Christian faith and “national repentance” -- even as the Ugandan Parliament once again takes up a bill that would legally mandate the persecution of LGBT people. The bill appears to be part and parcel of dictator Yoweri Museveni’s “repentance” program, and its reappearance before the legislature has drawn no criticism from FRC or the other Christian right groups...
In this animated representation of his talk, philosopher and author Roman Krznaric explains how we can bring about social change by stepping outside ourselves. If the 20th century was the age of introspection, then the 21st century needs to be one of "outrospection".
The ultimate art form of outrospection is empathy. Empathy is about a revolution in human relationships.
We often think of empathy as happening between two people, but it can also be a collective force that...
Whistleblower Bradley Manning’s pre-trial proceedings, which were intended to determine whether his treatment while in custody was too harsh, have been postponed. His defence team argues that his treatment amounts to torture. Al Jazeera's Inside Story examines Manning's case and how the US treats its whistleblowers. Manning is the man accused of the largest ever document leak in US history. He is suspected of leaking more than 250000 diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks. He has been charged...
Dale T. McKinley -
He advanced to the council-table:
and, "Please your honours," said he,
"I'm able, by means of a secret charm,
to draw all creatures living beneath the sun,
that creep, or swim, or fly, or run,
after me so as you never saw!
and I chiefly use my charm
on creatures that do people harm,
~ Robert Browning - ‘The Pied Piper: A Child’s Story’ (1842)
South Africa’s modern-day political pied pipers are, like the fairy tale character’s clothing, a...
