2011 Transformation Audit Launch
The 2011 Transformation Audit, entitled From Inequality to Inclusive Growth, was launched in Cape Town on 15 February. Among the Audit’s major findings is that the South African economy requires major structural reform if the country is to achieve its most basic developmental targets. The current model’s inability to adapt to changing domestic and international economic realities has made poor South Africans far more vulnerable to economic fluctuations than at any time since the country’s political transition in 1994. Educated and affluent citizens, on the other hand, have been the major beneficiaries of a skills-biased economy. As a result social inequality has grown, with public opinion data showing that most South Africans today perceive the gap between rich and poor as being the country’s most divisive fault-line.
Download the 2011 Transformation Audit or read the IJR Press Release
Eleventh Round SA Reconciliation Barometer survey launch
The results of the eleventh round of the SA Reconciliation Barometer survey were launched in Cape Town on 7 December 2011. The 2011 report emphasises links between survey findings and the National Development Plan released by the National Planning Commission.
Read the full report here and follow media coverage of the launch here.
Employment Equity: Ticking Boxes or True Transformation
On 4 May 2011, the IJR co-hosted a public Dialogue on Employment Equity: Ticking Boxes or True Transformation, together with the Rethinking ‘Race and Affirmative Action in the United States and South Africa project. After excellent inputs from panelists Dr. Zimitri Erasmus, Ian Ollis, MP, Kashif Wicomb, Ernst Roets, and James Ngculu, guided by Zetu Makamandela-Mguqulwa, it became clear that many at the event wanted to continue an important conversation about our national equity goals, and how best these can be achieved.
View discussion and updates through the online Employment Equity Forum.
2010 Transformation Audit Launch
The 2010 Transformation Audit, entitled Vision or Vacuum?, was launched in Cape Town on 24 February 2011 with an address by Deputy Auditor-General Thembekile Makwetu. This edition of the Audit poses critical questions around the structural weaknesses that render South Africa’s economy highly vulnerable to temporal shocks, as evident in the recent global recession. While acknowledging the constraints imposed by the prevailing global environment, this edition of the Transformation Audit asks what the country can do to sustain its developmental achievement amidst crises.
Read more about the Transformation Audit here.
Tenth Round SA Reconciliation Barometer survey launch
The SA Reconciliation Barometer survey is an annual, nationally-representative public opinion poll that measures South African attitudes towards reconciliation, transformation and national unity. The survey is multi-dimensional in its approach, and tests six key variables that measure aspects of reconciliation: human security, political culture, cross-cutting political relationships, dialogue, historical confrontation and race relations. Results of the 10th were released in Cape Town in December.
Measuring Reconciliation in South Africa
On 12 August 2010, the Reconciliation Barometer project hosted a one-day Expert Dialogue in Cape Town on Measuring Reconciliation in South Africa: Identifying and interpreting indicators of change. The Dialogue provided a forum for researchers, academics, students, and practitioners to reflect on the measurement of reconciliation in South Africa, explore and debate the current state of reconciliation, and identify and interrogate relevant indicators.
Economic Transformation Beyond 2010
On 28 July 2010, the Transformation Audit project and The Sunday Independent co-hosted a one-day conference in Pretoria on Economic Transformation Beyond 2010 in South Africa. The conference provided a forum for leading policy-makers and thinkers to engage each other on South Africa’s developmental targets in an increasingly unpredictable global environment.
Download the Conference Report
Launch of the 2009 Transformation Audit
On February 10th, 2010, the IJR launched the 2009 Transformation Audit at the Nelson Mandela Gateway in Cape Town.
Read more about the publication by visiting the IJR website, or read media coverage and analysis by clicking here.
Launch of the 2009 SA Reconciliation Barometer survey
On December 9th, just ahead of National Reconciliation Day, the results of the 2009 SA Reconciliation Barometer survey were released. To read the survey report, click here. For media coverage and analysis, click here.
Batons or Ballots? Pursuing active citizenship and an interactive state
On November 11th, the SA Reconciliation Barometer project hosted a Public Dialogue in Cape Town, on the topic of ‘Batons or Ballots: Pursuing active citizenship and an interactive state.’
Read the opening remarks made by Dialogue panelists here…