This is the first issue of the ESR Review in 2016. It includes three feature articles. The first, by Yuri Ramkissoon, reflects on the lessons from the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on the importance of realising economic and social rights in alleviating poverty and ensuring transformation. The article highlights some of the positive and negative obligations placed on the state by the Bill of Rights and then turns to the lessons learned by the SAHRC over 20 years of data collection on economic and social cultural rights.
The national Department of Human Settlements is preparing a new White Paper on Human Settlements. The new White Paper will lead to new legislation and the repeal of the Housing Act of 1997. Together with the South African Local Government Association, the Department is hosting a series of roundtables to debate the new policy. On 31 May, Jaap de Visser delivered a presentation to the Roundtable on Planning, Design and Development of Integrated Human Settlements.
The director of the Dullah Omar Institute Prof Jaap de Visser, published an article on the Conversation titled: South Africa’s politicians will have to adjust to many more coalitions, looking at the upcoming local government elections. In this article he argues that it is likely that there will be more 'hung councils', i.e. councils without an outright majority. In these municipalities, coalitions will have to be formed.
Yesterday, Prof Nico Steytler, the SARChI Chair in Multilevel Government Law and Policy at Dullah Omar Institute hosted colloquium focusing on the South African constitution as an export model. This was followed by a book launch of the Kenya-South Africa Dialogue on Devolution edited by Nico Steytler and Yash Pal Ghai published by Juta.
On 5 May 2016, Prof Jaap de Visser conducted a guest seminar at the Federal University of ABC in Sao Paolo, Brazil. He was hosted by Prof Gilberto Rodriguez, an expert in international relations, federalism and governance.
Yesterday, the Dullah Omar Institute and the Consul General of India in Cape Town hosted an event in remembrance Dr Ambedkar, the founding father of the Indian Constitution, and recognising the latter's impact on the South African constitution. The theme of this event was: Celebrating Constitutionalism in India and South Africa. The event was opened by the Prof Tyrone Pretorious, the Rector and Vice Chancellor of UWC.
The Dullah Omar Institute’s Dr Aquinaldo Mandlate’s and other experts from Angola and Norway jointly edited a book titled Direitos Humanos num Relance (Human Rights In A Nutshell), which was launched in Luanda (Angola) in April 2016. The book was published by SILABO and it is Portuguese version of the Human Rights in a Nutshell publication by Associate Prof Njal Høstmælingen, Director of the International Law and Policy Institute in Norway.
The Dullah Omar Institute invites you to a colloquium and book launch on Monday, 16 May 2016 (15h00-18h00) at the Kader Asmal Moot Court, Faculty of Law, University of the Western Cape.
The Dullah Omar Institute’s Doctoral Candidate, Shehaam Johnstone presented at the 15th International Winelands Conference (during 31 March and 1 April 2016), hosted by the University of Stellenbosch.
The UN Human Rights Committee published its concluding observations following South Africa's review in March 2016. Key points raised in the Alternate Report coordinated by CSPRI were among the concluding observations.
The book Kenya-South Africa Dialogue on Devolution, edited by Professors Nico Steytler and Yash Pal Ghai, was launched on 23 March 2016 at the Katiba Institute, Nairobi, Kenya. The 500 page volume brought together nine South African authors with nine Kenyan counterparts to examine the various aspect of devolution in both countries. The value of the publication lies in how the experience of 20 years of devolution in South Africa can assist in the development of devolution in Kenya, seen in the light that the Kenyan Constitution liberally borrowed from the South African Constitution.
Professor Nico Steytler, the SARChI Chair in Multi-level Government, Law and Policy, was one of the key experts, presenting a 4 day training workshop, organised by the Ministry of Interior and Federal Affairs of the Federal Government of Somalia and the Forum of Federations, in Nairobi, Kenya, 21 to 24 March 2016.
