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The Waste Management Draft Bill
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Date added: 07/28/2008 |
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Our Constitution makes provision for people in South Africa to enjoy the right to ‘anenvironment that is not harmful to their health or wellbeing’1. The NationalEnvironmental Management: Waste Management Draft Bill2, which was recentlypublished for comment, forms part of the legislative framework that gives effect to thisright. It is expected that the Bill will be finalised and passed in the currentparliamentary session.The area of environmental waste management is complex and needs to take intoaccount a variety of issues. This being the case, the draft legislation provides animportant opportunity to assess the environmental situation in South Africa, to identifywhere gaps exist, and to try to remedy the situation. This briefing paper will outlinesome of the objectives of the legislation, as well as the Church’s position as expressedin its social teachings. |
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The Co-Operative Banks Bill
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Hits: 272 |
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Date added: 07/28/2008 |
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One of the less obvious results of apartheid was the way in which, with a fewexceptions, the Black majority was kept out of the formal financial system. The effectof this distortion can still be seen in the two economies that we often hear about, the‘first’ and ‘second’ economies. For instance, data from the annual Finscope surveyiconducted in 2005 showed that 53% (16.4 million) of South Africa’s adult populationwas excluded from formal financial services and did not have a bank account. Of these,99% were black, 49% lived in rural areas and 55% were women. The 2006 Finscopesurveyii showed that the proportion of the total adult population in the country stillexcluded from formal financial banking services had declined to 49%. |
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The Church’s response to Human Trafficking
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Date added: 07/28/2008 |
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Human trafficking (HT), an underground trade, encouraged by rules of demand and supply, is agrowing and worrying problem in our modern age. HT is mainly organized and operated byinternational syndicates using force, deceit, fraud, intimidation, beatings and even murder. Survivorsof trafficking go through torture, psychological abuse, spiritual emptiness, and physical deprivation,just to mention a few of its effects. There is no single organisation, church or government on its ownthat can counteract HT. It is a problem at all levels of society and thus needs a co-ordinated andunified effort if we are to make an impact.As part of a religious response to HT, the Catholic Church’s organisations throughout the world areincreasingly engaged in responding to this scourge. The Catholic Church believes that the society’sstrength is measured not in its strongest, most privileged members but in its most vulnerable members,especially women and children. These are being trafficked within individual countries, mostly fromperipheral areas to the big cities; and across the globe, mainly from developing countries, third-worldcountries, countries ravaged by war and those that are not doing very well economically.This briefing paper outlines the Catholic Church’s response to human trafficking in South Africa,which ranges from public awareness programmes to participation in public policy development andlegislation. |
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The Child Support Grant and Human Development in South Africa
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Date added: 07/28/2008 |
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Since 1994 the government has made tremendous progress in the provision of social welfare forchildren. Among the achievements are the enactment of sound legislation based on human rights;access to public schooling, free of fees if necessary; free primary healthcare for children and pregnantwomen; and various programmes dealing with poverty relief. At the same time, however, it continuesto be faced by many problems and challenges: poor targeting of children needing to receive socialgrants; child poverty increasing; many children remaining outside the school system; a high childmortality rate; and persistent child abuse and sexual exploitation. Beside these challenges, there aregreat successes that South Africa has accomplished and still achieving.At the centre of the government’s commitment to the well-being of children in South Africa is thealleviation of child poverty through the Child Support Grant (CSG). From under 1 million childrenreceiving the CSG in 1998 when it was implemented, the number has now grown to just under 8million children aged 14 and younger.There is currently a great deal of debate over social grants, including the CSG, within bothgovernment and civil society. Some argue that the CSG creates dependency, that beneficiaries misuseit and that some women become pregnant simply in order to access the grant. On the other hand,supporters of the CSG say that it should continue to be provided to poor and vulnerable children, andindeed that it should be extended to all needy children less than 18 years old. They argue that it isoften the only source of income for poor parents; despite possible abuses, it at least enableshouseholds to have food on the table and to meet other basic needs.This briefing paper presents the findings of research into the socio-economic impact of the CSG andhow it contributes to human development. |
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The 2007 State of the Nation Address
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Hits: 241 |
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Date added: 07/28/2008 |
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This briefing paper offers a short outline and a brief analysis of President Thabo Mbeki’s 8th State ofthe Nation address, delivered on Friday, 9 February 2007. President Mbeki outlined the challenges thecountry is facing and announced some proposed mechanisms for dealing with those challenges. Thespeech started with a list of what the government intends to achieve, with special reference to speedingup the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative in South Africa (ASGISA) and social sectorintervention, and ended with his views on the crime issue. This speech also outlined the achievementsmade in the past year and, in general, since 1994. There was very little that was new, apart from theplan to launch a compulsory, contributory social security system and the focus on crime. From thepoint of view of social justice and the option for the poor, the question might well be asked, what doesthis State of the Nation Address offer the marginalised and the jobless? There was little sense that thegovernment’s strength should be measured by how it takes care of its most vulnerable members. |
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South Africa as a Development State (1808)