South Africa slips in the 2016 Freedom Index
3 February 2016 – South Africa saw its economic freedom score slip from 62.6 to 61.9 in the latest Index of Economic Freedom report released by the Heritage Foundation in Washington this week.
Sara Gon replies to Phillip Dexter's argument that only whites can be racist.
South Africans’ life expectancy improves, youth are an economic asset – IRR report
2 February 2016 – A report released by the IRR has found that the HIV/AIDS policies adopted by the government after 2007 have had a very positive effect on demographic trends in the country.
John Kane-Berman says that if those trying to rekindle race-antagonism succeed, South Africa will pay a terrible price.
Under cover of the race debate, two senior communists (Thulas Nxesi and Jeremy Cronin) are pushing through Parliament the Expropriation Bill that will greatly harm all South Africans — especially the jobless poor.
Neither Du Plessis nor her use of pantypreneurs in its particular context was remotely racist.
In its endeavours to deploy Information and Communications Technology (ICT) services in previously disadvantaged areas, the African National Congress (ANC) government introduced the Under-Serviced Area License (USAL).
Who are the culprits?
John Kane-Berman's column moves to Moneyweb
25 January 2016 – IRR consultant and former CEO Mr John Kane-Berman’s long-running column in Business Day has moved to Moneyweb.
Phumlani M. UMajozi responds to the Star columnist’s nonsensical attack on the DA Mayoral Candidate for Joburg.
Alec Hogg asked: How do we get Cyril, Jeff to grow a pair? The context was that many in London think SA is doomed. They see a Mugabe-like President supported by a system that focuses enormous power on his person.
Head of the Institute of Race Relations takes issue with a claim published by the RDM.
Although I am a devout advocate of free market principles, one who agitates for less government input and less regulation, I believe that entrepreneurs and the private sector can thrive where the government is strong in terms of providing a conducive environment for individuals and enterprises to thrive.
Nelson Mandela was neither the hero nor the icon that the world worshipped, but he did understand that more was to be gained by trying to promote unity than to fuel the fans of mindless racism to score political points. But the party which has been diminished most by these events is the ANC.
Cilliers Brink questions the lack of outrage over the 'cash for jobs' scandal.
Steps can be taken to encourage private investment.
Sara Gon says that freedom of speech does not obviate from exercising care in what one says or writes.
The last generations of South Africans that include a significant proportion of highly skilled personnel, whether employed in the public or private sectors, are reaching retirement. The large numbers of academics, doctors, dentists, welders, engineers, plumbers and electricians of the 1950s and 1960s moving into retirement will bring South Africa to a skills cliff.
There's a hole in the job bucket
23 December 2015 – "The report found that young black people bear most of the brunt of unemployment and that only policy reform could break South Africa’s unemployment challenge."
Ek het twee weke gelede geskryf oor Lizzie van Zyl, die Boeredogtertjie wat in Mei 1901 in ’n Bloemfonteinse konsentrasiekamp aan verhongering gesterf het op die ouderdom van sewe jaar.
Rian Malan writes on the President’s disturbing speech rationalising his sacking of Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene.
Sara Gon says the term has come to refer to a kind of immutable uncorrectable incompetence.
Will tighter gun laws prevent crime in SA?
Sara Gon says the term has become a method of attack and insult in contemporary SA politics.
"’n 21-jarige meisie het sterwend op ’n voubedjie gelê. Die vader, ’n groot, sagsinnige Boer, het langs haar gekniel terwyl sy vrou in die volgende tent waggehou het oor ’n sesjarige kind, ook sterwend, en nog ’n kwynende kind van omtrent vyf. Hierdie paartjie het reeds drie kinders in die hospitaal verloor en kon dus nie moed opgee met hierdie kinders nie, hoewel ek hard gesoebat het om hulle uit die warm tent uit te kry."
Housing delivery under the ANC “an extraordinary success”
4 December 2015 – "...the data we reveal shows that in 1996 there were 3 432 002 black-African families residing in formal housing, but by 2014 that number had increased to 9 432 000 or by 5 990 998 or by 174.6%."
South Africa was one of the 51 founders of the United Nations (UN) in 1945. But by 1946 the treatment of South African Indians was placed on the UN agenda.
Our job is to cut through forced consensus, fear and place policy issues in the public domain. We exist to test the most cherished of opinions where they impact on the decisions of our government, and challenge well-funded lobby groups. Where it prevents the South African government from taking sound energy and economic decisions, the global climate lobby is a hindrance to our development.
Sara Gon writes on the inequality myth in South African politics.
Following a period of portfolio realignment and consolidation.
