On 3 February, Jaap de Visser presented a lunch seminar at the Development Action Group (DAG) on how to use the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA) for advocacy around urban housing challenges. The seminar was attended by housing rights activists based in Cape Town.
On 07 February 2017, in the days ahead of the opening of Parliament, Parliament Watch will be hosting an event, which aims to increase public scrutiny on legislatures through reflecting on their performance in 2016 and considering the prospects for stronger legislatures in 2017.
The drought is forcing cities to consider new ways of regulating water use. This is critical because rapid urbanisation and increasing water scarcity will continue to put pressure on the availability of water.
In 2016, the Dullah Omar Institute, together with Stephen Berrisford, made a submission to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Scholars and practitioners from all over the Horn of Africa, South Africa and Europe came together in Addis Ababa on 2 December to discuss the role of federalism and decentralisation in the Horn of Africa.
On 3 and 5 December, nine doctoral students from the Centre for Federal Studies (Addis Ababa University) presented parts of their dissertations at a doctoral colloquium. Each student presented a chapter, received feedback and engaged in debate with peers.
The Dullah Omar Institute’s Applied Constitutional Studies Laboratory (ACSL) is pleased to announce the publication of the Civic Protests Barometer (CPB).
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has come under increasing criticism in recent years. Among the reasons for criticism are the declining rate and number of cases being prosecuted, and the perceived politicisation of the institution. Institutionally the NPA is in a deeply troubled state. Is the NPA in need of an oversight mechanism to oversee its decisions? Please join the Civil Society Prison Reform Initiative (CSPRI), a project of the Dullah Omar Institute (University of the Western Cape) for an armchair discussion on the future of the NPA.
The Dullah Omar Institute, together with Stephen Berrisford, made a submission to the Preservation and Development of Agricultural Land Bill, 2016. The Bill seeks to regulate development activities on agricultural land in order to protect agricultural production. In essence, it forces municipalities to seek the consent of the Minister of Agriculture before approving the development of agricultural land.
To what extent do countries make constitutional rights real in law? CSPRI has published reports on 5 African countries as well as a comparative report on the question of the extent to which countries ensure their laws are in accordance with their recently adopted constitutions.
From May till September 2016, the Socio-Economic Rights Project at the Dullah Omar Institute hosted a series of Community Leaders Workshops to empower and raise awareness on human rights and social justice.
Lieutenant-General Khombinkosi Jula, the Western Cape Commissioner of Police, has announced that an additional 1140 police officials will be deployed in the Western Cape, with 790 being deployed in seven priority areas, including Khayelitsha, Bishop Lavis, Delft, Harare, Manenberg, Nyanga and Mfuleni. The relatively low allocation of resources to these and other township areas is the subject of a case currently before the Equality Court, for which CSPRI researcher Jean Redpath is an expert witness.
