Tuesday, 5 September is International Day of Charity. In light of recent events in South Africa, heroes and heroines have gathered to offer basics such as food, water, clothes and more complicated help such as assistance with accessing documentation and medication amongst other needs. The devastating fire that lead to 77 deaths in Johannesburg CBD recently has affected vulnerable groups of society, women, children, migrants and the impoverished.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Deadly fire prompts City of Joburg to seek legal clarity on evictions from hijacked buildings

International Day of Charity was established with the objective of sensitising and mobilising people, NGOs, and stakeholders around the world to help others through volunteer and philanthropic activities. 

According to the UN, the date of 5 September was chosen in order to commemorate the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 “for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace”.

On Tuesday, 5 Sep from 6-8 pm SAIIA and Rivonia Circle will host a public lecture delivered by Dr Khulu Mbatha: South Africa’s Foreign Policy: Lessons from the ‘Lady R’ and the ICC Sagas. Mbatha is an experienced diplomat and practitioner in the field of foreign policy, having advised a number of presidents in South Africa.

“The trigger for both the ‘Lady R’ and the International Criminal Court (ICC) controversies was the Russian-Ukraine War which has caused so much outrage and divisions among South Africans. Among the common causes of war is the desire to have control over territories and natural resources. Modern wars, once they start, have multiple devastating results: loss of life, destroyed economies and industries, changed borders, diseases, and mental and physical impairments. South Africans know the consequences of wars from their history.

“South Africa recently hosted the fifteenth BRICS Summit. There were a number of decisions taken, including to expand the BRICS bloc from five to 11 member states. The Summit happened against the backdrop of multiple discussions around the globe about South Africa’s position regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” the event brief reads

The lecture will be held at Wits University East Campus. RSVP here: [email protected] 

On Wednesday, 6 Sep, from 2-3 pm, the International Forum for Democratic Studies cordially invites you to “Kleptocratic Cooperation in Africa: How Russia and China Undermine Democracy”. This event will be held virtually via the National Endowment for Democracy’s YouTube channel. 

Join the International Forum for Democratic Studies, JR Mailey (Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime), Andrea Ngombet (Sassoufit Collective), and Jodi Vittori (Georgetown University) for a discussion on how two global authoritarian powers, Russia and China, provide surge capacity to kleptocratic networks in Africa, drawing on findings from a new report from the International Forum. Melissa Aten (International Forum for Democratic Studies) will moderate the discussion. The event will be streamed on NED’s YouTube channel.

On Wednesday 6 September from 10am – 12pm Fastenaktion and the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office is hosting a hybrid roundtable discussion on “A United Nations Binding Treaty on Transnational Corporations: Its relevance and potential impact for South Africa and the African Continent”.

“Historically, international human rights law has governed only states but the increasingly powerful nature of corporations, especially transnational corporations, which wield more resources and power than many sovereign states, gave rise to calls to incorporate their operations within international human rights law. 

The roundtable will explore questions relating to:

• Why is a legally binding treaty needed to hold corporations accountable for human rights abuses? What should be included in such a treaty?
• What is the possible impact of such a treaty on the South African and African states, businesses, civil society, and local communities?
• How can we encourage participation of African States in the treaty negotiations process?

The roundtable will be held at Garden Court Holiday Inn, Nelson Mandela Boulevard, Cape Town. 

To attend the event in Cape Town please RSVP to [email protected]  or you are welcome to join Zoom. Please register here.

On Wednesday, 6 September from 10:30 am, Healing Living Alliance will host its quarterly media brunch. The brunch will be at Clico Boutique Hotel, 27 Sturdee Ave, Rosebank.

RSVP: [email protected] See poster for panelist details.

On Thursday, 7 Sep from 6-7 pm, Maverick Citizen editor, Mark Heywood will host a Daily Maverick webinar on “Why voter registration and education needs to start now”.

Panelists will include CEO and founder of Ground Work Collective, Mbali Ntuli and co-founder and CEO of Futurelect, Lindiwe Mazibuko.

Register and get more information here.

Friday, 8 September is International Literacy Day. 

“Since 1967, International Literacy Day (ILD) celebrations have taken place annually around the world to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights, and to advance the literacy agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society,” the Unesco brief reads.

Despite steady progress made across the world, literacy challenges persist with at least 763 million young people and adults lacking basic literacy skills in 2020. The recent Covid-19 crisis and other crises, such as climate change and conflicts, have been exacerbating the challenges. South African Reading Campaign is one of many efforts to curb the crisis in the Country.

On Friday, 8 September from 08:30 am to 1 pm, the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) will be hosting its 28th Annual National Summit.

The keynote address will be delivered by Deputy President, Paul Mashatile, and the opening address from Minister of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi. The focus of this year’s Summit will be on how social partners and government can work together in the event of crisis-type situations such as the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change impacts. The Summit will be a physical event in Gauteng, but it will also be broadcast on social media platforms. You can join on YouTube. This year’s theme is Resilience in the face of adversity: Social partners’ preparedness to manage crises.

Venue: Gallagher Convention Centre Johannesburg

For those who wish to attend please send your RSVP together with your ID details to [email protected]. For speaker profiles and the summit programme, click here.

On Friday, 8 September from 10:30 am to 12pm, the Democratic Governance and Rights Unit, the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office, the Hanns Seidel Foundation and News24 will have a roundtable discussion on “The 2023 Zimbabwean Elections: Local & Regional Implications”. 

Venue: the Protea Fire & Ice Hotel, New Church Street, Cape Town. 

RSVP here: [email protected] 

To attend via Zoom, please register here.   

“The harmonised elections held on 23rd and 24th August delivered a contested outcome, with none of the independent monitoring bodies prepared to endorse them as free and fair. The effects of the ongoing subversion of democracy in Zimbabwe are felt not only by its own people, but well beyond its borders. The discussion will focus on the environment under which the election was held; the implications of the outcome for the SADC region and for South Africa in particular; and possible scenarios for democracy and governance in Zimbabwe in the immediate future,” the invite reads.

September is Heritage Month in South Africa and Constitution Hill calls on you to “Tell us what you love most about your heritage and share for others to learn and understand better. We call on you to work towards creating a positive environment for all people to embrace and celebrate our diverse culture and heritage. It is our role to foster greater social cohesion, nation-building, and shared national identity”. #HeritageMonth