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?
Ebrahim-Khalil Hassen -
Public Enterprises Minister, Barbara Hogan's comment that public enterprises requiring massive bailouts will be considered for sale, has elicited a polarised response.
On the one hand, the statement has found support as an expression of the self-evident. Taxpayer's money should not be used to subsidise loss making enterprises, because it is a waste of taxpayer money, the argument goes.
On the other hand, the African National Congress (ANC) has indicated that the statement does not reflect...
Glenn Ashton -
One of the crude features of the inequity in our global economic order is that just eight countries, the G8, make the rules by which an entire planet comprising 192 countries have to live by. The G8 have appropriated this privilege because they are the richest countries in the world.
There's something terribly antiquated about the system. If one were to make an objective call on the global economic order, one would have to acknowledge that archaic remnants of 'empire' still permeate...
US senator, Sam Brownback called the SCO (Shangai Cooperation Organisation), "The most dangerous institution, the American people have never heard of." Founded in 2001, the SCO consists of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Mongolia, India, Pakistan and Iran have observer status. The organisation aims to promote mutual cooperation and maintain regional peace, security and stability. On 16 June 09, the SCO hosted its annual meeting in the...
Democracy Now -
Guardian newspaper reports staff at Goldman Sachs can look forward to the biggest bonus payouts in the firm's 140-year history after a spectacular first half of the year, sparking concern that the big investment banks which survived the credit crunch will derail financial regulation reforms.
Democracy Now's Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez speak to Nomi Prins, a former managing director for Goldman Sachs in New York, about the possible record bonuses, President Obama’s proposed...
Stephen Greenberg -
Mike Malehase has a strange travelling companion when he moves between his home in Soweto and Vleifontein, a small service centre some 25km south-east of Makhado (formerly Louis Trichardt) in northern Limpopo. He carries a molasses block with him on the bus as a feed supplement for his growing herd of pure-bred Simmental cattle. Malehase, a young man in his early 30s, earns a living as a traditional healer in Soweto, but his passion is farming. He uses money from his healing business to...
Ann Bown -
Non-government organizations and community-based organizations are cost efficient implementers and service providers in the fight against poverty and they are the partners of choice for government to raise the living standards of millions of South Africans. It is estimated that there are well over 100 000 nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in the country.
The economic downturn has affected the nonprofit sector severely. International funders have reduced or halted grants. Corporate Social...
