Opinion and Analysis

Behind the scenes of school infrastructure victory

Doron Isaacs of Equal Education describes the organisation's campaign that got the Minister of Basic Education to settle their court case last week.

Doron Isaacs

Opinion | 21 November 2012

De Doorns: an explosion waiting to happen…

There should have been no surprise or outrage expressed by mining companies,
agribusiness, and government officials about the recent explosion of strikes and
protests on mines and farms. And trade unionists across the board should not have
been caught flat-footed by the outbursts of anger that erupted in the North West,
Limpopo and now in the Western Cape.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 21 November 2012

Understanding the two Commissions of Inquiry into the police

There are two Commissions of Inquiry underway in South Africa (SA) that involve the SA Police Service (SAPS), the Police Minister and Police Commissioner, that we should be interrogating, examining, monitoring, overseeing and following with equal vigour.

Fatima Hassan

Opinion | 14 November 2012

Turning our backs on girl learners

Last week, it was reported with a sense of accomplishment that 38 teachers have been struck off the roll since 2010 for sexual abuse of their learners. I am a lawyer currently working on six cases of sexual violence in schools in three provinces.

Nikki Stein

Opinion | 14 November 2012

The unseemly hat of opposition: A time for self-reflection?

When I saw the TimesLIVE photograph of Premier Zille leading the Democratic Alliance in a march to President Zuma’s Nkandla homestead, I had a visceral reaction. To some, outrage might have been caused by Zille’s finger-pointing, or the gross abuse of state resources symbolised by the police line blocking her delegation’s access to a public road.

Dustin Kramer

Opinion | 7 November 2012

Still dealing with symptoms rather than causes

By tomorrow afternoon (Saturday, October 20) it should become clear whether
Britain is about to join the growing tide of European rebellion against economic
austerity that has become particularly vociferous and violent in Greece and Spain.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 24 October 2012

Why is the Public Investment Corporation bankrolling private education for the rich?

Next month young activists will attempt to make Bhisho the centre of the world. Members of Equal Education (EE) will be present throughout the duration of a court case aimed at securing infrastructure standards for every school in South Africa.

Doron Isaacs

Opinion | 17 October 2012

Understanding the Simelane judgment

The Constitutional Court is proving that there is life after Chaskalson, Langa, O’Regan and Ngcobo. Many feared that new Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng would usher in an era of slavish Executive-mindedness – and that may still come true – but recent judgments of the Court are quite the opposite.

Doron Isaacs

Opinion | 10 October 2012

The immense danger and opportunity of climate change

There’s an astonishing blind spot that afflicts most of South Africa’s elites and intelligentsia, and indeed, our civilisation. It’s particularly tragic that South Africa, which suffered nearly 10 years of HIV denialism, should now also be afflicted by climate change denial.

David Le Page

Opinion | 10 October 2012

The mining industry strike wave: what are the causes and what are the solutions?

In this important paper, Gavin Hartford analyses the root causes of the mining industry strikes and proposes solutions.

Gavin Hartford

Opinion | 10 October 2012

Tougher times ahead as tensions ratchet up in Europe

In a world wracked by ongoing economic crises, what is the role of trade unions? And if they focus
solely on “bread and butter issues”, are they, as National Union of Mineworkers spokesman Lesiba
Seshoka says, doomed to fail because “broader policies are shaped at a political level”.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 10 October 2012

Better politics is essential to fix education

The Limpopo textbooks debacle has exposed the staggering incompetence of Angie Motshekga, the Minister of Basic Education, and Bobby Soobrayan, her Director-General. But a recent incident indicates that they or their colleagues in the Department of Basic Education are also very nasty.

Nathan Geffen

Opinion | 3 October 2012

Cold war echoes and trade union reform

Both the Cold War and the bitter battles between communists and social democrats in
Germany of the Thirties found an echo at the 11th Cosatu national congress in
Midrand last week; an echo that is now being assessed by labour organisations and
activists around the world.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 3 October 2012

Zuma, the bible and the COSATU Congress

Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven was amazed at the media interest shown in the
eleventh national congress of the federation. Shortly before the congress opened its
doors, 347 media accreditations had been processed, with additional enquiries still
being dealt with.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 26 September 2012

Cosatu Congress will paper over the cracks

Amid unprecedented media interest, Cosatu’s eleventh national congress gets underway in Midrand on Monday. Many of the nearly 300 journalists, photographers and members of camera crews accredited to attend the event are clearly expecting drama.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 19 September 2012

Why the school closures are wrong

This is an edited version of a speech that was delivered on 15 September at a march in Cape Town against the proposed closure of 27 schools.

Ntshadi Mofokeng

Opinion | 19 September 2012