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Welcome to the Helen Suzman Foundation
The Helen Suzman Foundation believes that a free society is the best guarantor of good governance, stability, economic growth and human development.
Established to honour the work of its patron-in-chief, The Helen Suzman Foundation has the aim of strengthening South Africa's relatively new democracy by prompting the principles of liberty, equality of opportunity, individual human rights and respect for the needs of the poor, cultural minorities and the powerless. These principles apply not only in the political sphere, but also in the spheres of development and poverty reducation. Protecting liberty and choice is especially important in counteracting the effects of one-party dominance in emerging democracies like South Africa.
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In 1999, Mr Global Reconciliation Statesman handed the reins of power and policy formulation to Mr Delivery. What we will see in 2009 is a handover from Mr Delivery to Mr Complexity. For if the degree of delivery accomplished in the past ten years is arguable, there can be no doubt about the degree of complexity the new administration will face.
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The Helen Suzman Foundation thought it prudent – with an election campaign mere months away – and the Electoral Task Teams’ call for a new mixed electoral system to be in place by 2009 to convene our second QRS this year to discuss Electoral Reform and Responsive Representation. The debate around electoral reform in South Africa has had a distinct journey with constitutional negotiators opting for a system of closed-list proportional representation at national and provincial levels of government with a mixed system at local government level.
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Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday is both a poignant moment in history and a time to reflect on current political trends in South Africa We celebrate Mandela’s crowning achievements, but simultaneously have to ask ourselves as a country what we intend to do with his legacy. Mandela himself in recent months has asked tough questions of the new leadership group and, in the wake of the spate of violent attacks on foreigners and South Africans alike, called for a renewed commitment to unity on Youth Day.
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The Fourth Estate’s freedom requires eternal vigilance. The previous year – 2007 – has become etched in the South African memory as the year the media confronted various challenges and obstacles. These ranged from the controversial Film and Publications Amendment Bill to the litigation about the Sunday Times’ coverage of the Minister of Health and its aftermath which included some concerning developments with respect to the freedom of the press.
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A full PDF of the Helen Suzman - Fighter for Human Rights Exhibition is now available on site. The exhibition was opened on the 21st of March 2005. Please click the Read More to read the foreword and download the full PDF.
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This edition of FOCUS covers events and fora that analysed the build-up to and events at the ANC’s 52nd Conference in December 2007. The Polokwane Conference culminated in a conclusion to the year’s succession battle and the installation of Jacob Zuma as newly elected President of the ANC with Kgalema-Motlanthe as his Deputy.
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The fourth estate in our democracy is a self-regulated institution. Recent policy proposals calling for the creation of a Media Tribunal to actively regulate the media has raised some concerns and uncertainties. Join the Helen Suzman Foundation and a Panel of leading South Africans for a lively debate on these crucial questions.
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The December 2007 issue of the Quarterly Round Table series is avaialble on the website for you to view.
"Succession was the crucible political issue of 2007 as in-fighting and camp formations within the ANC emerged on the road to Polokwane in Limpopo and the ANC 52nd National Conference...". Click the Read More link to continue reading.
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The latest edition of Focus (issue 48) is now available on the site for your reading pleasure.
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We've collected a number of articles on Helen Suzmans 90th birthday from various publications, and have added them onto the website for you to read.
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Tel: +27 11 646 0150
Fax: +27 11 646 0160
Email: info@hsf.org.za
Postal Address:
The Helen Suzman Foundation
Postnet Suite 130
Private Bag X2600
Houghton
2041
South Africa
Physical Address:
Block A
Anerley Office Park
7 Anerley Road
Parktown
2193
Non-profit organisation number:
036-281- NPO
Public benefit organisation:
930020049
As a not-for-profit organisation, The Helen Suzman Foundation depends on donations from private organisations to cover its expenses. We are therefore most grateful for any contributions that we receive. We would like to invite you to assist the Foundation in its mission to strengthen democracy in South Africa through the publication of Focus and special reports on key issues. In return for donations from corporations, we offer special briefings on current political and policy developments.
If you would like to support our work, please call us on
+27 11 646 0150 or email us at info@hsf.org.za for banking details. Donors may remain anonymous if they so wish.
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Submissions to the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development and the Portfolio Committee on Safety and Security