The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) mourns the passing of its patron, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu. Archbishop Tutu has been associated with the IJR since its inception in 2000. The Archbishop was to be part of the founding of the IJR in the wake of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and has remained an inspiration to the organisation over the years.
Close to 50% of all respondents in the 2021 South African Reconciliation Barometer (SARB) survey report that they have been unable to pay debts or have lost most of their income over the last six months, due to the effects of COVID-19.
The findings of the 2021 South African Reconciliation Barometer (SARB) suggest that a majority of South Africans agree that South Africans still need reconciliation, ahead of Reconciliation Day on 16 December.
South Africans’ confidence in public institutions and elected representatives has declined in 2021, according to the upcoming South African Reconciliation Barometer (SARB) report.
Now that the votes have been tallied, it is clear that South Africa’s local government elections have produced a distinct voting anomaly: less than a third of adults participated in the vote. Instead of focusing on which party governs in particular areas, the low levels of voter registration and turnout suggest that there is a more fundamental question to ask after these elections: How representative is our democracy? The core principle of democracy – translated literally as ‘people power’ – relies on public participation. South Africans understand the importance of majority rule better than most. So how did an election occur with only a minority being represented?
In Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado, the youth are disproportionately affected by the conflict waged by the insurgent group, Ahlu-Sunna Wa-Jama’a (ASWJ). Factors such as unemployment, disruptions to education and an economy that offers little in terms of job prospects make the youth particularly at risk of being recruited by extremists. Limited channels for engagement with the government and the absence of formalised structures for youth also mean that they continue to be seen as “part of the problem” rather than the positive force that they can be, driving innovation and change, and acting as peacebuilders within their communities.
Over the last six years, IJR has been leading a research project aimed at narrowing the gap between mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and peacebuilding (PB). This project is based on the premise that war, violent conflict, and its legacies weaken the social fabric that governs relationships and the capacity for recovery.
The ARP and GJR teams were in the small Western Cape town of Calitzdorp from the 25 October 2021 to the 3 November 2021, where workshops and discussions were conducted with long-standing IJR ambassadors and community members around the themes of gender justice and reconciliation, as well as anti-racism. As an organization formed in the wake of a democratic South Africa, the projects are underpinned by the tenets of transitional justice and building fair, democratic, and inclusive societies.
The main goal of Afrobarometer is to give the public a voice in policymaking by providing high-quality public opinion data to policymakers and policy advocates on democracy, governance, and the economy. During my training and fieldwork observation trips in eSwatini, Mozambique, South Africa, and Namibia in 2021, the importance of this work was thrust into the limelight for me once again. I’d like to offer a few reflections from the field as 2021 draws to a close.
Recent protests in various communities across South Africa have once again given prominence to the country’s housing crisis. More than 25 years since the dawn of democracy, South Africa continues to be plagued by a desperate housing shortage.