News

The prosecution of Jean-Bosco Uwinkindi, a former Pentecostal pastor, who allegedly led multiple attacks on ethnic Tutsis, including a massacre at Kayenzi Church in July 1994, has been referred by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) to the Rwanda court system in terms of a UN resolution aimed at empowering national judicial systems to promote the rule of law.

In commemoration of the Mandela Day on 18 July 2011, several organisations including the National Welfare Forum (NWF), Global Call to Action against Poverty South Africa (GCAP-SA), Black Sash, Amnesty International South Africa, People's Health Movement - South-Africa (PHMSA) and the Community Law Centre (CLC) at the University of the Western Cape, held a seminar to advocate for the ratification for the ICESCR and its Optional Protocol. It is clear from the discussions that South Africa needs to urgently ratify the ICESCR. The ratification would strengthen the domestic protection of economic, social and cultural rights in South Africa through policy, legislation (laws) and jurisprudence (decisions of court). It was acknowledged that poverty remains a huge challenge in South Africa. The ratification of the ICESCR and its Optional Protocol would contribute substantively to the shifting of poverty and inequality in South Africa

Agence France Press (AFP) reports that three illegal immigrants died in detention, possibly of cholera, after being expelled from an illegal gold mine.

Forty-seven villagers were arrested by police in connection with the death of a village chief who had been implicated in child abduction cases.

This current issue has articles on Municipal Manager's Appointment, the Congress of the People (COPE), Water Service Delivery, Gender, HIV and Development & the Municipal Property Rates Act.

This researcher paper, co-authored by Prof Jaap de Visser, focuses on a particular aspect of municipal governance arrangements and practice, namely the office of the speaker and the implications of this office being introduced into municipal governance in South Africa in 2000.

This booklet, written by Terence Smith & Prof Jaap de Visser, focuses on the legislative and policy provisions for ward committees; a review of key issues and challenges and findings of the ward committee case studies, as well as a comparative analysis of the findings. The report ends with some reflections on the implications of the findings and some policy and practical recommendations for improving the functioning of ward committees.

This is the final issue for the year. It focuses on filling vacancies during political turmoil; implementing the Property Rates Act; the abolition of floor crossing & defining municipal health services.