Creative Consulting and Development Works would like to extend our sympathy to the Asmal family as we join the rest of South Africa in celebrating Kader Asmal and his life as an activist academic and politician. His ANC comrades hail him as a “selfless man of honour” and that “his death must be a reminder for all of us of the non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa we committed to build”. Kader represented the anti-Apartheid movement as a committed ANC member from the United Kingdom during his early professional life after being exiled by the Apartheid government. In exile he was awarded the Prix UNESCO award for his work in human rights, founded the British Anti-Apartheid Movement, and served as Chairperson for the Irish Apartheid movement. When he returned to South Africa he became a professor of human rights at University of the Western Cape before he was tapped by the first democratic government to be the Minister of Water and Forestry and later as Minister of Education (a position for which he was appointed personally by President Nelson Mandela). He was also involved in many other anti-racism and human rights commissions and movements throughout his life.
Professor Asmal’s memoir will be released in August, and the official launch for the book will be in September at the Open Book Festival in Cape Town.
Creative Consulting and Development Works joins the rest of the world in mourning the loss and celebrating the legendary life of Nontsikelelo Albertina Sisulu activist, mother and liberation icon. MaSisulu made her mark on history by standing up for human rights and dignity for all people during the dark years of Apartheid era South Africa as the wife of activist and politician Walter Sisulu as well as in her own right as a member of the ANC Women’s League. One of her most notable stands was when she and other ANC Women’s league members led all women demonstrations of civil disobedience against the pass laws in 1956. Thousands of women took their fight against racial and gender oppression to the world stage by marching to the Union buildings in Pretoria to protest against the unfair classification system that had for so long restricted the everyday lives of the majority of South Africans.
She will be remembered as a graceful pillar of justice, who maintained a strong commitment to her family and country throughout some of the most chaotic times in South African history.
Nelson Mandela's prison cell on Robben Island. Photo: Samantha Marx
On International Nelson Mandela Day, people all over the world are meant to spend 67 minutes doing something to benefit their community. Creative Consulting & Development Works has some ideas of how you can get involved in your community as well.
The man behind this day
Anti-apartheid activist and first democratic president of South Africa, Nelson Rholihlala Mandela, is the inspiration behind this day, because even though he was jailed by the apartheid government for 27 years, he never saw his release from prison as time for revenge. After his release on 11 February 1990 he advocated peace, reconciliation and the rebuilding of the South African nation.
According to www.mandeladay.comNelson Mandela gave 67 years of his life fighting for the rights of humanity. “All we are asking is that everyone gives 67 minutes of their time, whether it’s supporting your chosen charity or serving your local community.”
What can you do?
Creative Consulting & Development Works, as a research, evaluation and communications consultancy working in a development context, often deals with non-profit organisations and we would like to suggest that you volunteer to help some of them on Mandela Day or any other day of the year!
One of the Community Based Organisations in the NACOSA network.
NACOSA is a national civil society network of HIV and AIDS and TB role players, which includes NGOs, CBOs, FBOs and other developmental organisations, who seek to contribute to reducing the impact of HIV and AIDS.
You can contact NACOSA at info@nacosa.org.za or on 021 461 7348 and perhaps get involved in a Community Based Organisation close to you.
Adonis Musati Project
Recently, Development Works presented a Preferred Futuring workshop to the NGO for refugees, Adonis Musati Project. AMP provides clothing, blankets, food packs, medicine and toiletries to refugees and help them to compile and send out their CVs. They help refugees to access transport, accommodation and training. The Adonis Musati Project also has a halfway house for refugee children and single mothers.
You can help Adonis Musati by providing food or toiletries, volenteering to transport goods, assisting on week mornings in the refugee office, or making a cash donation. Contact AMP on 021 448 3348 or email Gayle at gayle@adonismusatiproject.org.
View the video below on the Preferred Futuring workshop that we conducted for the Adonis Musati Project as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility.
Fly the South African Flag! Photo: Media Club South Africa
The quarter finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup are here and all South Africans are being urged to take part in a national march to make sure that the second half of this great tournament starts with a BANG!
Some notable corporate companies, as well as the Department of Arts and Culture, Gauteng Province and Gauteng Tourism have asked South Africans to take to the streets tomorrow, 3 July, and wave their flags in what they call the Million Flags March.
Artslink said in a press release: “All citizens of the country are urged to wake up with the same spirit that we showed on 9 June when the crowds gathered in Sandton and other parts of the country to raise the flag for Bafana Bafana two days before the kick-off on 11 June. The benefits of the World Cup in most countries go down in their history books long after the first kick-off. How we treat our visitors, engage with them and ensure their safety in our country is crucial to the county’s tourism efforts.”
Photo: Henti Smith via Flickr
A specific route is planned for the march in Soweto. It will begin at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital via Maponya Mall, then to Jabulani Mall, Dobsonville Mall, Meadowlands to Protea Gardens Mall, then end at the FIFA Fan Fest in Elkah stadium in Soweto.
But in all parts of the country people are called on to wave the South African flag in support of their country’s hosting of the World Cup. The flags of other participating countries are also welcome as South Africans should continue to support the remaining teams in the tournament, even though Bafana Bafana have gone out with their heads held high. And of course blowing the phenomenal vuvuzela is encouraged!
More about the South African flag:
South African soccer fans wave their flags. Photo: Steve Evans via Flickr
The South African flag was designed by State Herald Frederick Brownell and was adopted on 27 April 1994, during the first democratic election in the country. According to Media Club South Africa the flag was first flown on 10 May 1994 – the day Nelson Mandela became president.
The “Y” shape of the flag symbolises the coming together of people from different racial, cultural, religious, political and linguistic backgrounds to form one united nation.
When displayed, the black triangle is meant to be on the left and the red band is meant to be on top. The South African flag is the only six coloured flag in the world and one of the youngest.
Wavin’ Flag
One of the official songs of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is “Wavin’ Flag”, sung by Somali-Canadian artist K’naan, who has lived through the Somali Civil War. It was originally written in honor of the victims of the 2009 earthquake in Haiti. K’naan
joined hands with a group of Canadian artists in a fundraiser video called “Young Artists for Haiti.”
You can watch the World Cup Celebration Mix of the song below to get you in the mood for waving your flag tomorrow!
Creative Consulting & Development Works thinks the Million Flags March is an great initiative to sustain the amazing spirit of nationhood that has been felt in South Africa since the start of this tournament. We will be sure to fly our flags tomorrow!
Speaker: Dr Ollie Mahongo – Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation
Can they be asked to forget about their loved ones? Where are they buried?
Yvonne Wabagatore, a researcher from DEVELOPMENT WORKS, attended this Conference and shares below the key points of Dr Mahongo’s presentation.
For the affected families who have lost loved ones, those who never returned home during or after the apartheid era, issues surrounding healing, not having closure and not coming close to some form of reconciliation continue to haunt them in their daily lives.
Ollie painted the image in our minds of how hard it is for those who lost their loved ones to move on. One wants to seek the full truth of the fate of those un-countered for.
Records are not available or were destroyed by apartheid authorities or perpetrators of violence are unwilling to come forward. Some promises made from the TRC were not fulfilled or materialise are some of the issues that Dr Ollie Mahongo spoke about.
Relatives are subjected to ongoing or perpetual suffering…” If we could just have the bones of our loved one are sentiments expressed so often.
Healing and reconciliation is an ongoing process. Issues of disappearances must be made public and perpetrators bought to book.
Creative Consulting & Development Works is a research, evaluation and communications consultancy, servicing nonprofits, government and funders with innovative solutions in a development context.
On our blog, Development Talks, we discuss politics and social development. We are interested in the impact of politics on the ordinary citizen and the political activities of those on the ground.
