https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTnmlENu_20 From past Israeli interceptions the possibility of a violent military attack as was experienced by the Mavi Marmara flotilla in 2010 is a reality. It is deplorable that despite the loss of lives resulting from Israel’s unlawful piracy in international waters, the Israeli regime has once again repeated its criminal conduct [1]. By the same token, it is inexcusable that the United Nations and its Security Council have failed to warn Israel not to proceed with its threat to attack the WBG. We as signatories are deeply concerned that these peaceful women activists on board the Zaytouna and their non-violent mission to break the illegal Israeli blockade, face such an unprovoked and unwarranted interception. The WBG is a solidarity mission to occupied Gaza and has no intention of entering Israel illegally. We find it unacceptable that despite these public threats by Israel, and notwithstanding the fact that one of the volunteers on board is a South African citizen, Leigh-Ann Naidoo former Olympian and activist, the Department of International Relations (DIRCO) remains silent. We therefore call on the SA Presidency to urgently take steps to ensure the safety of all the women on this mission, including Leigh-Ann Naidoo. It is imperative for the SA government to provide the necessary protection for its citizen. The WBG is an admirable effort by brave women from various countries to set sail across the Mediterranean to Gaza, in a peaceful attempt to break Israel’s illegal blockade. The international community, including the ANC-led government, must step in to prevent Israel from carrying out such crimes against humanity, crimes which it frequently commits with complete impunity. Names of women who were on the 'Women's Boat to Gaza':: Mairead Maguire, Ireland Marama Davidson, New Zealand Jeannette Escanilla, Sweden Samira Douaifia, Algeria Leigh-Ann Naidoo, South Africa Madeleine Habib, Australia Ann Wright, United States Hoda Rakhme, Russia Dr. Fauziah Hasan, Malaysia Mina Harballou, United Kingdom Sandra Barrilaro, Spain Synne Sofie Reksten, Norway Emma Ringqvist, Sweden [1] https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20161005-breaking-reports-israel-stops-womens-boat-to-gaza/#.V_UYIKQSY61.twitter Women’s Boat to Gaza South Africa Palestine Solidarity Alliance Palestine Solidarity Campaign BDS South Africa South African Jews for a Free Palestine – SAJFP National Coalition 4 Palestine #NC4P Media Review Network – South Africa University of Johannesburg Palestine Solidarity Forum – UJ PSF Right2Know Campaign Palestine Solidarity Alliance Youth League MSA Union

This is in accordance with FREE decolonized education.

MEDIA RELEASE: New date agreed by the parties in the recognition of Muslim marriages class action Today, Monday 20 March 2017, the before Human Rights Day, a new date was agreed by the parties concerned for the recognition of Muslim marriages class action to heard by the High Court. The 28th August has been agreed. A directions hearing was convened by the High Court this morning after the Judge President ordered the consolidation of a further matter pending before the High Court which similarly highlights the plight of Muslim women. There are several matters that are pending at a number of courts across the country. This is testament to the fact that Muslim women are struggling to assert their rights because their Muslim marriages and the consequences arising therefrom are not legally recognised. They have no option but to plead their cases with the courts and the judiciary. Given the importance of the matter three judges have now been appointed to hear the matter. Namely; Judges S Desai, G Salie-Hlophe and NP Boqwana. This morning saw women come to the steps of the High Court from all over Cape Town to show solidarity and support for this matter. The lived reality of these women is that legal protection has been denied to them some 16 years after the Constitution came into force. This results in widespread oppression and gender discrimination in areas such as divorce, the duties of support, parental rights and responsibilities and inheritance. Press Release On Other Case Outcomes: http://www.wlce.co.za/images/press%20releases/WLC_Customary%20Marriages%20Act_Limpop%20ruling_020816%20press%20release.pdf Article: Are nikah and sindoor equal to wedding rings and lobola?: http://www.standup.co.za/bambanani-social-justice/resources/63-wlc-customary-marriages-case.html Also Read: http://www.polity.org.za/article/official-customary-law-and-the-disruption-of-patriarchal-power-the-case-of-msinga-2013-09-26

After a concerted struggle by learners, parents, teachers and community members across the country, the Minister of Basic Education released Minimum Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure in late 2013. These provide a blueprint for what makes a school a school, by defining the basic infrastructure every school needs, and setting out deadlines for when this must be provided. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEjsm7K8cRg The first deadline is on 29 November 2016. By this time: - All schools made of mud, asbestos, metal or wood must be replaced by new schools. - Schools with no water, electricity or sanitation must be provided with these. In our work, we continue to encounter schools without these basics. It's clear that the Norms and Standards will not be met: by the Department of Basic Education's (DBE) own statistics, as of June 2016, 171 schools have no water supply, 569 schools have no electricity, and 68 schools have no toilets. The public deserves to know what has, and has not, been done to implement the Norms. The DBE must be held accountable! This is why we need the progress reports. Norms and Standards have the power to change education in South Africa. But they are not perfect - they have loopholes which make it difficult for communities to hold the DBE accountable. Equal Education has asked the Minister to fix these problems for two years, but she has not listened. So, we are taking her to court. But it doesn't need to be like this. The Minister has the power to review and amend Norms and Standards. She must fix the loopholes.

Researchers who took into account cost of living, have found that South Africa has the second most expensive data costs among BRICS countries [1]. Previously as reported by IOL, many have claimed that Mzansi’s data costs are the highest in the world: 1GB (gigabyte) of data costs R150 in Mzansi, compared to R11 in India, R22 in Nigeria and R23 in Namibia [2]. However, this comparison is not adjusted for cost of living, so in order to compare apples with apples. Indra de Lanerolle, an expert whose research concerns Internet access, use and development and the Internet's social, political and economic effects, in South Africa and the continent, agrees with the call for a 50% cut on data costs when he asserts, "On three major networks (which account for more than 95% of all mobile customers) 500MB – the amount of data they set as a minimum – of data costs between R85 and R105. So for the average South African 500MB per month is unaffordable. In fact mobile data prices would have to fall by about half to be affordable." [3] The digital divide excludes the majority of people in South Africa from accessing information and news, applying for jobs, accessing education resources online and keeping in touch with family and friends. High data costs perpetuate inequality. The internet must be democratised now! The nature of South Africa’s economy forces many to leave their loved ones to find work in urban areas, but lowering the cost of data will allow people to call, share pictures and videos with loved ones back home. Without access to data, most of us as the members of amandla. mobi would not even be able connect and fight for social justice, let alone know what is going on in our country given the SABC censoring news lately. [1] http://www.fin24.com/Tech/Multimedia/data-prices-how-sa-compares-to-the-rest-of-the-world-20160930 [2] http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/datamustfall-cut-costs-or-else-icasa-warns-2072293 [3] https://theconversation.com/internet-freedom-why-access-is-becoming-a-human-right-59125

Mental health patients are one of our vulnerable populations, and needs care and protection. Care for those suffering from mental illnesses should be conducted in a dignified manner. The 2013-2020 South African Mental Health Policy Framework and Strategic highlights the fact that "the human rights of people with mental illness should be promoted and protected". The relocation of the Life Esidimeni patients are in stark contrast to the Mental Health Policy and the South African Disability Act. A number of reports have indicated that the necessary care and human rights treatment of these patients have not been met. "Just because You can't Speak; doesn't Mean You don't have Anything to Say" MENTAL HEALTH CARE ACT 17 OF 2002 ACT To provide for the care, treatment and rehabilitation of persons who are mentally ill; to set out different procedures to be followed in the admission of such persons; to establish Review Boards in respect of every health establishment; to determine their powers and functions; to provide for the care and administration of the property of mentally ill persons; to repeal certain laws; and to provide for matters connected therewith. PREAMBLE RECOGNISING that health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being and that mental health services should be provided as part of primary, secondary and tertiary health services; RECOGNISING that the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996), prohibits against unfair discrimination of people with mental or other disabilities; RECOGNISING that the person and property of a person with mental disorders or mental disabilities, may at times require protection and that members of the public and their properties may similarly require protection from people with mental disorders or mental disabilities; and RECOGNISING further that there is a need to promote the provision of mental health care services in a manner which promotes the maximum mental well-being of users of mental health care services and communities in which they reside [http://www.hpcsa.co.za/Uploads/editor/UserFiles/downloads/legislations/acts/mental_health_care_act_17_of_2002.pdf] WHITE PAPER ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES Approved by Cabinet on 9 December 2015 The White Paper is a call to action for government, civil society and the private sector to work together to ensure the socio-economic inclusion of persons with disabilities. We therefore seek to create a caring and inclusive society that protects and develops the human potential of its children, a society for all where persons with disabilities enjoy the same rights as their fellow citizens, and where all citizens and institutions share equal responsibility for building such a society. “Everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law. Equality includes the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms. To promote the achievement of equality, legislative and other measures designed to protect or advance persons or categories of persons, disadvantaged by unfair discrimination may be taken.” The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 [http://www.gov.za/sites/www.gov.za/files/39792_gon230.pdf]

Ma Grace, a pensioner from Makwassie in the North West province, experienced airtime deductions from her SASSA account despite her not owning a cell phone. In February 2014, Minister Dlamini ordered SASSA to refund Ma Grace for these monthly airtime deductions. Mr Bani, a pensioner from Nyanga near Cape Town, received a partial refund for unauthorised & unlawful loans deductions from INFAJFIN in Uitenhage, Eastern Cape after months of seeking recourse. But there are still scores of beneficiaries who are struggling to register their recourse complaint, let alone enjoy the benefit of a refund! In May 2016, in a decisive move, the Minister of Social Development issued new regulations to stop the tide of unauthorised and unlawful debit and other deductions from the SASSA bank account. But in June 2016, Net1, a few of its subsidiaries and other commercial companies took DSD and SASSA to court in four legal cases. The Black Sash and six co-applicants asked the court to order that the Minister publish regulations to protect social grants from exploitation if: (a) DSD and SASSA’s interpretation is correct; and (b) that the interpretation renders the new regulations unconstitutional. Government should be given the opportunity to fix the new regulations, if defective, to protect vulnerable beneficiaries from predatory and unscrupulous financial and other third party service providers. Finally, we note the Constitutional Court order in April 2012 that SASSA must lodge a report within 14 days, of not awarding a new tender, “on whether and when it will be ready to assume the duty to pay the grants itself” (in-source). In November 2015, SASSA submitted a plan to ConCourt with clear deliverables & timeframes for taking over payment of grants by the end of the CPS/SASSA contract in March 2017. We are closely monitoring SASSA’s progress in this regard.

The case of black political prisoners still in jail sends a message that the life of a black person does not mean anything even to other black people more specifically black government(with a colonised minds).It i more important to this democratic to release a mass murderer like De Kock than to release Kenny Motsamai.

The importance of this petition cannot be understated and is paramount to the future of the educational landscape of South Africa. A prosperous future for our nation requires those at the greatest disadvantage to be provided with access to the best schools and the best opportunities to succeed. Former Model-C schools are, by and large, public institutions and as such should act in the public interest rather than the interests of the economic elite.

Over the last few weeks, we have heard of Black learners at different schools across Mzansi being subjected to having swimming caps put over their heads to determine whether their hair is "neat"; receiving demerits for speaking in their native languages and being told their natural hair is "untidy". This is a result of both the abuse of process in the form of code of conducts to discriminate and exclude, as well as the arbitrary implementation of these codes. This is happening despite the fact that the South African government has guidelines for the consideration of School Governing Bodies (SGBs) when developing code of conducts. You see the South African Schools Act states the "main focus of the Code of Conduct must be positive discipline; it must not be punitive and punishment oriented but facilitate constructive learning" and that it is done in consultation with "parents, learners, educators, and non-educators at that school" [1]. This is to ensure that process includes as many stakeholders as possible, including the learners who will be required to adhere to the code of conduct. Also to ensure that it is not used to discriminate and exclude, both through its content and arbitrary implementation, but rather contribute towards learning and development. Our education system, like many other South African systems, continues to suffer from colonial hangovers perpetuated by those who want to continue to use our schools as a means of maintaining the status quo. As learners from different parts of the country demand an end to this, lets stand in solidarity with them and make sure that our leaders know this is a key issue, and we won't stop until they ensure that the schools in their respective provinces adhere to these guidelines. [1] http://www.gov.za/sites/www.gov.za/files/18900.pdf

From 1960 to 1983, the apartheid government forcibly moved 3.5 million black South Africans in one of the largest mass removals of people in modern history. There were several political and economic reasons for these removals. First, during the 1950s and 1960s, large-scale removals of Africans, Indians, and Coloureds were carried out to implement the Group Areas Act, which mandated residential segregation throughout the country. More than 860,000 people were forced to move in order to divide and control racially-separate communities at a time of growing organized resistance to apartheid in urban areas; the removals also worked to the economic detriment of Indian shop owners. Sophiatown in Johannesburg (1955-63) and District Six in Cape Town (beginning in 1968) were among the vibrant multi-racial communities that were destroyed by government bulldozers when these areas were declared "white." District 6 land earmarked for restitution was 150 hectares, but developments on the land have reduced the land to 42 hectares. More is planned to be taken away. By having D6 declared a National Heritage Site stops further encroachment, meant for restitution. It does not stop an appropriate and comprehensive development that speaks to restitution and restoration. Shahied Ajam, director of the District Six Working Committee, says: “The social evils affecting our people today can be attributed to the apartheid legacy, where gangs and drugs are a direct result of people being dispossessed ... and having to defend their territory.”

Community safety is compromised here and we can't keeping seeing the same result in the Crime Stats report. People are increasingly unsafe and our constitutional rights are surely in jeopardy here with the state failing to provide adequate security. Imagine this: a community where people don't have enough space due to overpopulation and informal settlements, a clear breeding ground for many social ills with this ignored problem of ever-increasing crime stats. All of this happening in a City with an impeccable tourism track record and is considered the go-to place around the world. This irony can no longer be ignored. It's in these small actions, i.e. building a much-needed police station that we can start to turn the tide and provide support to the communities that desperately need it. Clearly those in power in this province aren't interested.