The Gathering 2022 Roundup

Pandemic Preparedness – how governments must gear up for global disease threats
Health emergencies are disruptive. They compromise other services and undermine access, especially if preparedness plans are absent.

South Africa must tackle organised crime before it’s too late
State Capture was devastating, and organised crime is rampant. But South Africa is the Comeback Kid. The National Prosecuting Authority is working with its partners to restore the rule of law and regain public confidence that justice can become the norm rather than the exception in our country.

Fixing a broken political system — citizens must reclaim their power and ditch the idea of a ‘national democratic messiah’
Cutting bureaucratic centralisation and fixing education are key to better public elected representatives, better public services and better political parties — as electoral reform, regardless of how crucial, is not a silver bullet, Daily Maverick’s The Gathering 2022 has heard.

Organised crime — we won’t be able to prosecute ourselves out of the mess, says NPA
Daily Maverick’s The Gathering has been told that, ‘organised crime [in South Africa] is so multifaceted that it is also driving the murder rate, the high rate of kidnappings and decimating our economic prospects’.

The Gathering 2022: Takeaways from the economy panel
Daily Maverick’s signature conference, The Gathering, took place on Thursday, 24 November, covering much important ground. I participated in the economy panel, chaired by my colleague Ray Mahlaka. We were joined by the chair of Bank Zero, Michael Jordaan; Chief Executive of the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator Kasthuri Soni; and the founder of the Purple Group and former head of the SA Post Office, Mark Barnes.

A just transition is the only solution to South Africa’s energy crisis, says Andre de Ruyter
A panel addressing the country’s energy security crisis kicked off Daily Maverick’s flagship event, The Gathering, where the Eskom CEO clearly stated that the just transition was the only solution to South Africa’s crisis, adding that it also offers a boost to the economy and addresses environmental concerns.
The Gathering 2022 recordings
The Gathering 2022 Panel Discussions
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The leader in future-shaping conversations, The Gathering brings together panels of experts across politics, business and civil society who are all looking at what each of us need to and can do to build the South Africa we all want and deserve.
It’s time for hope. It’s time for action. It’s time for solutions.
Time: 9am – 6pm
Venue: Cape Town Convention Centre
Speakers
Meet our panel of experts confirmed to be offering their insights on the day.
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Following 15 years of loadshedding. with 2022 one of the worst, it’s clear Eskom doesn’t have the ability to fix this issue. Or do they? How are we going to generate enough energy for the nation? What will it take to make the President’s energy plan happen? Join us for this panel where we will discuss renewable energy solutions and how Eskom can achieve its mandate to power the country.
Innovation is simply a solution to a problem. Lucky for South Africa, we have plenty of problems. It’s fertile ground for businesses to leverage. What new approaches are needed for our emerging economy? It’s time that Big Business takes responsibility for finding the solutions to our economic woes. It’s time to think beyond the blinkered scope of profit and loss.
The COVID pandemic has demonstrated how under prepared SA [and the world] is for such events. Another pandemic will occur in the future, and it is just a matter of when, and how severe it will be. SA needs to reflect on its COVID response and learn from it, so as to make specific recommendations to all sectors on how to be more resilient and able to respond to the next pandemic
The wolves in sheep’s clothing: when the perpetrators are the bad guys masquerading as the good, how does society fight back? From police to politicians, complex crime is leading South Africa into lawlessness. Are we there already? And, if not, how do we stop it?
We pay our taxes to fund public services. We pay for hospitals and medical equipment, we pay for schools to be filled with teachers and textbooks, we pay for our roads to be worthy of traffic and for water to run from taps. How, then, is it the public who are personally filling potholes, directing traffic when loadshedding brings it to a standstill? It is civil society who is stepping in to help build and equip hospitals, schools and break ground for running water. When the system is broken, new action is required. Hear from some of the most inspirational South African citizens who are on the frontline of public interest.
Trains, Eskom, Water shortages where can we find hope in the face of failing infrastructure. Government is not making the change. What can WE do as society? What’s already been done? Join this session and we challenge you to walk away not feeling inspired.
Our democracy is broken. Is a coalition government the answer to our political woes or will it lead to a dilution of responsibilities? Is Chief Justice Zondo’s recommendation to vote for a person not a party sufficient? What does it entail and do we have the political will to implement this system?
Panel Sessions
Browse our solutions-driven discussions here.