Monday 26 June is International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. This year’s theme is “Leave no one behind: Availability, Affordability and Access to prevention and treatment services”. The main objective highlights the harmful effects of substance abuse in communities. Also referred to as World Drug Day, it was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987.

On Monday, 26 June at 12pm at the Nkanyisa Recovery Centre in Randfontein, Gauteng Province, the Department of Social Development was due to engage residents of Randfontein whose lives are affected by the town’s high prevalence of alcohol and drug abuse. The engagement aimed to serve as a commemoration of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, by highlighting socio-economic problems associated with substance abuse.  

Find out more about the commemoration of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Facebook and Youtube.

On Monday, 26 June, from 2-4pm the Southern Africa — Towards Inclusive Economic Development (SA-Tied) organisation was due to host a discussion on Policy Dialogue, Rethinking traditional approaches to tackling unemployment in South Africa: Exploring feasible, well-designed grant-based approaches for the unemployed to complement active labour.

The policy debate included discussion by leading experts and policymakers on the potential impact of grant-based approaches as a complement to active labour-market policies in denting unemployment in South Africa.

The hybrid event was to be hosted at the University of Pretoria’s Africa Campus. 

On Tuesday, 27 June The Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) will lead a panel interviewing for a new IEC Commissioner. This comes after former Vice-Chairperson Janet Love’s term came to an end in April of this year.

The initial deadline for nominations was 10 March but was extended to 24 April due to the Panel not finding suitable candidates.

The interview panel which consists of the Chief Justice, Public Protector, Chairperson of the Commission for Gender Equality, and the Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission, will interview 12 candidates in Johannesburg:

1. Ms Janet Yetta Love
2. Dr Sithembiso Govuzela
3. Adv Olivier Josie
4. Ms Bongekile Zulu
5. Ms Sinenhlanhla Thuleleni Mthembu
6. Mr Hanif Vally
7. Adv Geraldine Carol Chaplog-Louw
8. Dr Setlhomamaru Isaac Dintwe
9. Mr Lumko Caesario Mtimde
10. Ms Preetha Dabideen
11. Dr Rachel Fhumulani Munyai
12. Ms Thezi Rosemary Mabuza

The public has until the 26th of May to make comment on the above shortlist.

MVC Livestream has confirmed with the OCJ that the interviews will be live-streamed and will be sending a representative to attend the interviews in person. More information on the exact venue will be communicated in due course.

On Tuesday, 27 June 27 at 9am,  Human Rights Watch will be launching its report: “This Government is Failing Me Too: South Africa Compounds Legacy of Apartheid for Older People”. 

“Nearly 30 years after the end of apartheid, the cumulative impact of this racial discrimination continues to affect them. Government policies are compounding this legacy, leaving hundreds of thousands of older people unable to access the care and support services they are entitled to so they can live an independent, dignified life,” states the event description. 

“Human Rights Watch urges South Africa to fully implement the Older Persons Act by allocating sufficient resources to deliver community- and home-based care and support services to older people who are entitled to them. The government should also ensure that social security entitlements are enough for older people to live independently and with dignity in their homes and communities.”

You can attend the event at 54 Bath Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg. For more information and to RSVP, contact Birgit Schwarz (English): [email protected]

On 27 June,  amaBhungane will be appearing at the high court in Johannesburg to set aside the Moti Group’s  gag order against their journalistic work. This case has major implications for investigative journalism in South Africa, as well as for whistle-blowers.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Zunaid Moti’s war on amaBhungane and on journalism

On Tuesday, June 28 from 10-1 pm,  join Section27 and Blind SA’s march to demand that the South African government signs the Marrakesh Treaty. Section27 and Blind SA will be in Pretoria to urge the South African government to ratify the “Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons who are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled Persons”.

“The Treaty seeks to address the global “book famine,” in which only a small percentage of books are published in accessible formats globally. In South Africa, for example, less than 0.5% of books are published in accessible formats like Braille or large print, for persons who are blind or visually impaired,” the brief reads.

Departure point: 54 Van Der Merwe Street, Cnr. Soutpansberg, Rietondale Tennis Club, Pretoria.

On Wednesday, 28 June from 1pm – 6pm the GIZ SAVax (Vaccines for Africa: Roll-out and Production in South Africa) project will hold a panel discussion and partnership launch event: “From research to action —  draw lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic and inform policymakers” which will unpack “lessons learned from the Covid-19 global health emergency for pandemic preparedness,” according to the event description.

At the event, political and scientific experts from South Africa and Germany will discuss the impact of science on pandemic response and policy-making. Several presentations from leading scientists will alsoexplore lessons learned.

Venue: Future Africa Campus, University of Pretoria (Conference room 2)

Please email Nonhlanhla Skhosana ([email protected]) with a confirmation/cancellation by the latest 19th June 2023. 

On Wednesday, 28 June 28 from 1.30pm to 3pm, the Dullah Omar Institute, in collabotration with Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (Wiego) and Africa Criminal Justice Reform is staging a webinar:  The Right to Public Spaces & Informal Work: Key consider law & Policy-Making. It forms the second component of the webinar series on sub-national governance and the criminalisation of poverty and state, according to the event description. 

“Many people are dependent on the informal economy and public spaces for survival. Urban areas often attract large groups of people for street trading, hawking, recycling, begging and other activities because of the availability of greater economic opportunities. Law and policy at national and especially at subnational government level (local level) regulate the livelihood and activities of workers in the informal economy,” the brief read.

Register here.

Equal Education has launched a Winter Supplies Drive for families in need in vulnerable communities. The public is encouraged to donate warm clothing and shoes, blankets, food and money, while winter grips the nation.

Items can be dropped off at the following stations from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm:

Western Cape: Isivivana Centre, 8 Mzala Street, Khayelitsha, Cape Town, 7784

Contact: 073 469 8750

Eastern Cape: 23 Taylor Street, Qonce, King Williams Town, 5601

Contact: 078 110 6428

Gauteng: Eastlands Office Park, Bental Ave, JansenPark, Boksburg, 1459

Contact: 083 358 5471

Limpopo: Stand No 989 Mashashane Mandela, 0743

Contact: 072 241 9147

KwaZulu-Natal: 58 Mdlalose Street, Nqutu, 3135

Contact 064 242 9376

Last week:

Commission for Gender Equality signs memorandum of understanding with House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders

The Commission for Gender Equality signed a memorandum of understanding with the House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders (HTKL), at an event in Mpumalanga on 23 June, 2023. Speaking at the event, chairperson of the HTKL and Chairperson of Contralesa — Kgoshi Lameck Mokoena — said the occasion was a historic development in the province and would serve communities by protecting their rights and interests in rural and urban areas.

Read the full statement here.

DM