We see everyday the dangers of drugs and the ripple effect they have on our already deteriorating psycho-socio-economic conditions. If we do not do anything about it, it will only get worse. The future of our beloved country lies boldly in our kids, very astonishingly. We must fight this war on drugs. This brings me to the most vital and painful truth, "Lelilizwe lizobuswa yizinyoni..."

An unapologetic racist says “blacks and government workers” are not allowed to stay at his guest house because “it’s God's law” to segregate people by race. André Slate, the owner of Sodwana Bay Guest House in KwaZulu-Natal, made this declaration when responding to a booking enquiry sent by Sizakele Msimango on Wednesday. “We do not accommodate blacks or government employees any longer,” he stated in an email [1] [1] http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/racist-claims-segregation-is-gods-law-2037681

in April 2015, the People's Coalition Against Xenophobia was formed in response to a spate of xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals livinig in the South African provinces of Gauteng, North West and Kawzulu Natal. The Coalition organised a very successful march of 30 000 people through the streets of Johannesburg, calling for an end to xenophobia and all other forms of discrimination. Xenophobia did not only happen in 2008 and 2015, two terrible periods of concentrated attacks on foreign nationals, some of whom were killed, whose spaza shops, other businesses and homes were looted and destroyed. Xenophobic acts against foreign nationals are happening all the time - however, many are not known about because they are not reported. The Coalition therefore believes that there needs to be ongoing work done to rid our country of xenophobic tendencies and to encourage social cohesion and inclusion. We recognise, too, that what is happening in South Africa is happening across the world, in the Mediterranean where refugees from North Africa and Syria are dying in their thousands as they battle to find sanctuary, in other parts of Africa where refugees are expelled or poorly treated, in the USA where Donald Trump is calling for an 'apartheid' wall to be built along the border with Mexico to keep foreign nationals out. We need a more caring, welcoming world. For this reason, the Coalition has drafted a Pledge which is based on the pricinples of caring, ubuntu and human rights for all. We are calling on all those who are committed to an inclusive, integrated society to sign this Pledge and send a strong message to South Africa and the world that discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated. In the words of Nelson Mandela: "Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world." By joining this campaign, you will be endorsing the letter to the Minister of Home Affairs and signing the "Sibantu Banye / We are one people" Pledge. You will be sending a powerful message, confirming that you are joining the milliions of people in South Africa and the world who are committed to a human-rights based world in which discrimination, oppression and exploitation will not be tolerated. "SIBANTU BANYE / WE ARE ONE PEOPLE" PLEDGE WE EMBRACE • The Constitution of South Africa, especially the rights contained therein of all people to respect, human dignity and equality • Respect for the rule of law • Respect for international law • Promotion of human rights for all people • Respect for the rights of women, children and vulnerable populations • Ubuntu and mutual respect between all peoples • Social and spatial Integration of South Africans and people from elsewhere • Safety and freedom of movement for citizens and people from elsewhere • An inclusive and peaceful hosting environment for asylum-seekers, refugees and all other migrants in solidarity with their plight • The ‘right to work’ for asylum-seekers, refugees and all other migrants WE REJECT • Xenophobia, Afrophobia and any other form of discrimination against individuals and groups • Denialism of the existence of xenophobic attitudes and practices • Violence (physical and/or verbal) by anyone towards anyone • Legislation which is inconsistent with the Constitution of South Africa and with international practice in respect of asylum-seekers, refugees and other migrants • Institutionalised xenophobic practices which persist despite court rulings against them and public statements denying that such practices exist • Refugee “camps” and border refugee processing • Unlawful detention of asylum-seekers and undocumented migrants and current inhumane immigration detention practices • Unlawful and unreasonable deportations and return of asylum-seekers and refugees to places of danger WE CALL ON ALL IN SOUTH AFRICA TO • Read out and endorse this pledge • Defend the Constitution, practise ubuntu, and promote international solidarity • Act against xenophobia and all other forms of discrimination • Speak out against the denial of basic human rights of both citizens and people from elsewhere • Support the welcome and integration into our communities of refugees and migrants fleeing persecution, war and economic challenges • Take a stand and join the People’s Coalition Against Xenophobia to campaign against attacks on foreign nationals. The People's Coalition Against Xenophobia - [email protected]

The unemployment narrative doesn't mention that universities, such as DUT, withhold qualifications if students still owe fees, thereby rendering their graduates unemployable. This has far reaching impact in bringing about redress and employment equity when you consider the reality that the majority of students who owe fees are black, and from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is another way in which Black lives are affected by the NSFAS funding model. Inconsistencies with NSFAS payments to institutions impacts negatively those students who rely on NSFAS to settle their debt. DHET does not monitor this payments to institutions appropriately, hence students who are beneficiaries of NSFAS don't get their qualifications. How can we bring change in our communities if we can't work because we can't produce our qualifications?

This is important because it exposes the myth of the rainbow nation. This is what real estate agent Penny Sparrow said on Facebook in January this year: "These monkeys that are allowed to be released on New years Eve And new years day on to public beaches towns etc obviously have no education what so ever so to allow them loose is inviting huge dirt and troubles and discomfort to others. I'm sorry to say I was amongst the revellers and all I saw were black on black skins what a shame. I do know some wonderful thoughtful black people. This lot of monkeys just don't want to even try. But think they can voice opinions about statute and get their way dear oh dear. from now I. Shall address the blacks of south Africa as monkeys as I see the cute little wild monkeys do the same pick drop and liter [sic]."

Project Spear tracks the theft through corruption of some R30 billion from South Africa in the run-up to the 1994 national elections. Despite having commissioned the film, the Public Broadcaster has gone to extraordinary lengths to try to prevent the South African public from seeing the film and learning about the loss to the country of state resources which could have financed a comprehensive reparations programme for victims of apartheid gross human rights violations. Survivors of apartheid gross human rights violations struggle today still to advocate for the TRC-recommended reparations that represent a key component of justice for victims of apartheid crimes. The SABC has also refused to sell the rights to the material gathered by Ms van Vollenhoven in her work of preparing Project Spear for the series entitled TRUTH BE TOLD. Project Spear uses creative choreography with “Bugsy Malone” style young performers to highlight corruption.

The SABC is our public broadcaster and has to serve our interests. This kind of self-censorship is anti-democratic and not what our people struggled for in the national democratic revolution.By self-censoring reporting on these protests, the SABC is denying us our right to know which municipalities are failing to deliver services to their people, and the extent to which our people are unhappy with our local government authorities. This information is especially vital as we draw closer to local government elections where we will be choosing councillors and mayors. Journalists and Staff members at SABC are being suspended unceremoniously because they question the legitimacy of the self-censorship. Those with consciences are being forced to resign. Recently, under Hlaudi Motsoeneng, the SABC opted out of a public consultation process in which the public could comment on the Broadcaster's draft policies.This resulted in Mr Motsoeneng giving himself the role of Editor-in-Chief and by that giving himself power to rule on any controversial editorial line and/or one which might have significant financial and/or legal implications, issues that should ideally be taken over by the Editor-in-Chief and not the COO. We are also aware that all of this is happening at the backdrop of a cloud around Mr Motsoeneng's qualifications and other irregularities at the SABC that the Public Protector has been looking into.

Reform of Library and Petition By-Laws Consequences of the reforms being advocated: • Creating a process for citizen inititatives to be heard • Improving direct democracy in the city For the full proposed Petitions By-Law, please see Annexure A For the full proposed Library By-Law, please see Annexure B http://asri.org.za/sign-the-petition-for-public-library-and-by-law-reform-in-johannesburg/

This is important because Rea Vaya came with something amazing and we prefer it more than other public transport, some of us left our cars at home because BRT is efficient and reasonable.

Naspers, when given the chance to come clean during South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in 1996, refused to give a public account of just how deep its collaboration ran with the Apartheid government. The truth was never told. While Naspers insisted that it had nothing to account for, a group of conscientious 127 journalists who had worked for the company, defied the company’s management and delivered individual submissions, expressing their disappointment with Naspers and acknowledging their role in upholding the system of Apartheid through their work. The company's defense of the apartheid regime, and the hurtful way in which this complicity played out in the newsroom and boardrooms of the company makes the company party to gross human rights violations.

This issue is important because the health of poor communities, who have no options like private health care, depends on Community Health Workers. In a context of deteriorating health and other social outcomes, the outsourcing of these workers threatens to lead to a further deterioration in the health of township residents. The issue is also important because the Minister is avoiding her constitutional responsibility of providing decent, affordable health care, as well as her constitutional responsibility of fair labour practice.

In previous interviews Van Schoor admitted to shooting at least 100 black people he claimed were burglars around Cambridge, a white suburb in East London. In an interview with the Guardian in 2006, Van Schoor refused to apologise for the killings, saying he was merely doing his job. He is quoted saying, "I never apologised for what I did. I apologised for any hurt or pain that I caused through my actions during the course of my work." Government funds cannot be spent on benefiting unapologetic racist mass killers. That Louis van Schoor is a mentor and director for the beneficiaries of Kingsdale Dairy Farm is a slap in the face for the fight against racism and the quest for justice in Mzansi.