Fostering identity and belonging: Preserving cultural heritage in Calitzdorp
My name is Jo-Andri Shereldine Antonie, and I come from the small town of Calitzdorp in the Western Cape. As the youngest ambassador for the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, I am deeply involved with the youth in my community, teaching them the Ikhaba râ, also known as the Rieldans. This indigenous dance holds great significance for me as it connects us to our Khoi and San ancestors. Despite the challenges we face as a community, the Rieldans is a unique aspect of our heritage that I am determined to preserve.
Countering violent extremism in Africa – “Shifting narratives on violent extremism in Africa”
Professor Cheryl Hendricks and Senior Project Leader, Amanda Lucey, recently travelled to Nigeria as part of the "Shifting Narratives on Violent Extremism in Africa" project, which aims to enhance evidence-based research on violent extremism in Africa.
Despite growing evidence, climate change is still unknown to many South Africans
In recent years, South Africa has experienced several catastrophic climate-related events, such as floods, droughts, and fires. Climate change is having an impact on South African ecosystems, economies, and livelihoods, despite the country’s status as the most developed economy in the Southern African Development Community. In response, the national government has approved critical actions that prioritise climate mitigation and adaptation strategies, emissions reductions, and waste management.
Call for proposals to conduct 2023 South African Reconciliation Barometer Survey
The IJR intends to conduct a new round of the SARB survey in 2023. Proposals are invited from qualified service providers with demonstrated experience of conducting nationally-representative public opinion surveys in South Africa. The survey methodology is based on face-to-face interviews in multiple languages across all nine provinces in the country. The questionnaire consists of approximately 200 close-ended survey items (including questions and sub-questions), generally based on five-point Likert scales. The majority of these have been used to track reconciliation trends longitudinally over the past 20 years.
Majority of South Africans say Eskom should be privatised, new Afrobarometer study shows
About three-fifths of South Africans say Eskom must be privatised to ensure an effective supply of electricity in the country, a new Afrobarometer survey indicates. An even greater proportion of citizens believe that the government monopoly on electricity provision should be ended to allow other actors to generate and distribute power in South Africa.
Dr Webster Zambara on the Africa Report – 6 April 2023
Weekly focus on African political and impact feature with the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation Peace Building Intervention senior project leader Dr Webster Zambara. In this interview, Dr Zambara starts his analysis with Madagascar before looking at Rwandan President, Paul Kagame's leadership and the news of his retirement. Full link [...]
Human Rights Day & the Sharpeville Massacre: May we be Encouraged to be Unflinching and Unwavering in our Efforts for Justice & Equity
Human Rights Day is a public holiday that holds great historical significance and serves as a reminder of South Africa’s painful history. It’s a day that serves as a national moment of reflection and remembrance of those who lost their lives in the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960. On 21 March in 1960, black people participated in a peaceful protest against the Apartheid pass laws. The protest turned into one of the most catastrophic human massacres when the police force killed 69 people and injured over 180 people. This day marked a key turning point in South African history as it led to a strengthened armed struggle against the brutality and ruthlessness of the Apartheid regime.
Botswana and South Africa – A Tale of Two Neighbouring Democracies
During the first week of February 2023, I had the privilege of conducting a short research trip to Botswana with Prof Cheryl Hendricks. We spent a few days in Gaborone and then made our way Kasane, situated on the borders of Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. This area, where the Chobe river flows into the Zambezi, is the world’s only quadripoint. We returned to South Africa, just prior to the much-awaited State of the Nation Address (SONA) on the 9th of February. In this short piece we share some of our insights on the decline of democracy in these two countries, once heralded as its torchbearers in Southern Africa.
Bergsig
I was recently invited by Danielle Hoffmeester, the project leader for the Youth Identity Project, to attend the premier of the documentary of Bergsig in Bergsig, Calitzdorp. The film was produced by IJR and Abrasive Media, documenting the lives and experiences of the young people in the town, through the lens of an IJR workshop held in August 2022.
Climate change and the Just Energy Transition in South Africa
Climate change is a global crisis that is affecting the entire world, and it is especially impacting developing countries like South Africa. The country has been experiencing the effects of climate change in the form of droughts, floods, and extreme weather conditions. These effects have significant implications for the country’s socio-economic development and its energy system. Therefore, this report aims to investigate climate change and the just energy transition in South Africa.