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Advocating for Sex Workers’ Rights

Published: 17 March, 2010

With the 2010 FIFA World Cup less than 100 days away, sex workers across South Africa fear being arrested during the event, as well as an increase in violence, not only from gangsters, but police as well. Commemorating International Sex Workers’ Rights Day on 3 March in Cape Town, efforts aimed at advocating for the decriminalisation of sex workers received much attention, with the main focus on empowering sex workers in knowing their rights and what they should do when their rights are violated, especially at the time of arrest

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South Africa’s King III: A Commercial Governance Code Determining Standards of Conduct for CSOs

The King Report on Governance for South Africa, or the King III as it is called, applies to the public, private and the nonprofit sectors. The principles in the King III have been drafted for every entity concerned with achieving good governance, and could inspire legislation aimed at governing civil society organisations in the country (CSOs). The problem with King III is that it is associated with the Companies Act and speaks to the governance of companies registered in terms of companies’ legislation. The other problem is that it speaks to business and commercial enterprises, ignoring the fact that the nonprofit sector does not rely on trading as the only means to sustain themselves. The claim that every entity can apply the King III principles to achieve good governance is not evident in the report

NPOs and King III: How to Apply?

The King III report on Governance Principles for South Africa unintentionally overlooks the distinctive values on which the South African non-profit sector is based. It is not true that the King III report covers for profit and non-profit entities regardless of their founding constitutions. The non-profit sector should explore the development of a Good Governance Code or Charter that speaks to the specific governance and risk management needs of NPOs. Integrated reports, audit committees, corporate citizenship policies and business rescue proceedings will be meaningless to community-based organisations (CBOs) since they do not have the resources or the technical-know-how to distinguish which of the King III principles apply to them

Newsflashes

Government Conducts Research on Land Reform

Malema Loses the ‘Hate Speech’ Case

IFA Blames Crisis on Neglect of the Rule of Law

SANEF Calls for Media Freedom

Lesbian Photos Immoral – Xingwana

Shiceka Calls for Single Election

ICG Criticises Mugabe Loyalists Over Reforms

NGO Urged to Stay Out of Politics

Department Focuses on Pupils’ Performances

SA Welfare Grants Not Permanent – Molewa

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Group opportunities

Vacancy: Panos Institute Southern Africa: Researcher

Deadline: 03/19/2010
Vacancy: South African San Institute: Marketing Manager

Deadline: 03/22/2010
Vacancy: Panos Institute Southern Africa: Office Assistant Internship

Deadline: 03/26/2010
Vacancy: Women's Legal Centre: Legal Internships

Deadline: 12/31/2010
Vacancy: Women's Legal Centre: Non-Legal Internships

Deadline: 12/31/2010

The Matric Results Debate: Transforming Our Education System The majority of poor pupils attend school in the rural areas and townships in South Africa. These schools lack resources and are unable to produce learners who can compete with those who come from former Model C schools. These schools struggle to produce matriculants who meet the university admission requirements. Transformation of the education system cannot happen without ‘dedicated, hard-working, motivated and well-educated teachers’. Township and rural schools need to be capacitated to be able to provide education to a satisfactory standard	Poverty Can Be Eradicated The country requires ‘holistic and multi-facetted’ anti-poverty strategies that will ensure the poor are liberated from hunger and other forms of sufferings related to poverty. Government should go ahead with its plan to establish a National Council on Poverty	PACSA Comments on the 2010/11 Budget Government putting unemployment and poverty alleviation so central in the 2010 budget is to be welcomed. However, more must be done to address the structural nature of poverty and inequality.	NGOs Comment on 2010/11 National Budget The newly-appointed Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan presented the 2010/11 National Budget to Parliament on 17 February 2010 in Cape Town. As in the past few years, SANGONeT is pleased to present you with the comments and perspectives of various NGOs in response to the budget.Issues covered by the NGO comments range from general observations about the budget to key development priorities such as education, social services, gender, urbanisation, children and health
Helen Suzman Foundation Comments on the 2010/11 Budget Continuity is important for ongoing policy development and implementation, and does not result in shocks to either society or the markets. Thus the single most important determinant of this year’s Budget was last year’s insofar as the changes are ones of emphasis and not of direction. Obviously this Budget must also be read within the context of the three year expenditure cycle. The Budget comes within a context of what some commentators believe is the tail end of a world recession. Thus the Budget is mindful of global pressures and uncertainties on domestic economies.	Centre for Early Childhood Development Comments on the 2010/11 Budget While Minister Pravin Gordham has presented a budget that is probably “right for the time” it is however a very disappointing budget for poor children and their families. Most shocking is the miniscule increase in the Child Support Grant by R 10 per month to R 250 per child per month. This is an increase of 4.1 percent and will give each child one extra slice of bread per day. Phasing in the child support grant up to a child’s 18th birthday does not compensate for insignificant increase. It is clear that to do this the Minister deliberately kept the increase so low. Interestingly he did not say when this would happen.	Khumbulani Craft / The Siyazisiza Trust Comments on the 2010/11 Budget From an NGO point of view the budget is extremely disappointing. Whilst transport costs (highly influenced by the cost of fuel) affect black people disproportionately higher than whites, the minister has increased fuel levies by 25.5 cents per litre. In my opinion to tax the poor and unemployed is unacceptable.	Gauteng Welfare Forum Comments on the 2010/11 Budget Non-profit organisations (NPOs) delivering social welfare services in Gauteng are extremely disappointed at the lack of any mention in the Budget speech of a desperately-needed new financial deal for their sector. On 28 August last year, mass action took place countrywide to bring to government's attention the plight of organisations battling to serve the country's most vulnerable people - including orphaned and vulnerable children and those who are abused, exploited or abandoned; people with disabilities; frail and destitute older people; those affected by crime and violence; homeless children and adults; refugees; poverty-stricken communities - and many more.