South Africa is rapidly approaching its fourth democratic poll and there is a tangible and undeniable Obama-esque sense of change in the air. Voters registered in record numbers during the Independent Electoral Commission’s first bout of voter registration in November. One could almost hear the silent chants of ‘Yes we can!’ echo through the very firmament of our democracy as younger generations of voters lined up, free of the demons of the past.

The Helen Suzman Foundation, its Trustees and staff members wish our Patron-in-chief Mrs Helen Suzman a blessed 91st birthday today (Friday November 7, 2008).

The past year has been a challenging one for South Africa’s judiciary. It has been both the object and subject of much political controversy.

Judges have been in the spotlight of controversy, senior political leaders of various affiliations have brazenly and calculatedly
attacked the judiciary under the guise of legitimate criticism and judges themselves have acted in ways that have posed new
challenges for the judiciary as a whole (with a judge of the High Courts and the justices of the Constitutional Court at loggerheads). The situation has furthermore posed challenges for the operation and procedures of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) and the concept of judicial misconduct and for the manner in which the public view the judiciary, the legitimacy of the courts and the justness of rulings from the bench.

The Helen Suzman Foundation and Gordon Institute of Business Science cordially invite you to join us for a thought-provoking Conference where we will probe how we can continue our country’s growth trajectory amidst global turmoil and local challenges.

In 1999, Mr Global Reconciliation Statesman handed the reins of power and policy formulation to Mr Delivery. What we will see in 2009 is a handover from Mr Delivery to Mr Complexity. For if the degree of delivery accomplished in the past ten years is arguable, there can be no doubt about the degree of complexity the new administration will face.

The Helen Suzman Foundation thought it prudent – with an election campaign mere months away – and the Electoral Task Teams’ call for a new mixed electoral system to be in place by 2009 to convene our second QRS this year to discuss Electoral Reform and Responsive Representation. The debate around electoral reform in South Africa has had a distinct journey with constitutional negotiators opting for a system of closed-list proportional representation at national and provincial levels of government with a mixed system at local government level.

The Fourth Estate’s freedom requires eternal vigilance. The previous year – 2007 – has become etched in the South African memory as the year the media confronted various challenges and obstacles. These ranged from the controversial Film and Publications Amendment Bill to the litigation about the Sunday Times’ coverage of the Minister of Health and its aftermath which included some concerning developments with respect to the freedom of the press.

A full PDF of the Helen Suzman - Fighter for Human Rights Exhibition is now available on site. The exhibition was opened on the 21st of March 2005. Please click the Read More to read the foreword and download the full PDF.

The latest edition of Focus (issue 48) is now available on the site for your reading pleasure.