Digital Commons Network^™

Implementing Truth And Reconciliation: Comparative Lessons For The Republic Of Korea, Tara J. Melish

Tara Melish

This Article substantively introduces a special symposium issue on "Implementing Truth and Reconciliation: Comparative Lessons for Korea." Inspired by the Dec. 2010 release of the official report and recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Republic of Korea (TRCK), the special issue gathers comparative national and cross-national lessons from four nations -- South Korea, South Africa, Cambodia, and Peru -- on the factors that contribute to or hinder the effective implementation of truth commission recommendations and other efforts aimed at achieving national, community, and individual-level reconciliation. Such lessons are offered in the hope of assisting victim groups and other advocacy …

Immigration And Domestic Politics In South Africa: Contradictions Of The Rainbow Nation, Vernon D. Johnson

Vernon D. Johnson

The region of Southern Africa has been part of the global capitalist system since its inception in the late 15th century, when Portugal incorporated Angola and Mozambique into its empire. In 1652 the Dutch East India Company established a "refreshment station" at the Cape of Good Hope for ships travelling between Europe and the Far East.1 From that time the region has experienced several periods of deepening incorporation into the global system.

The International Tax Environment And Simplification Of South African Tax Legislation: A Double-Edged Sword, Jinyan Li, Teresa Pidduck

Jinyan Li

In this paper, we examine the relationship between the international tax environment and legislative complexity in South Africa’s international tax system. We suggest that the international tax environment is a double-edged sword. It causes complexity in South Africa’s tax legislation as it largely responds to the needs of OECD countries and produces tax rules to deal with ‘sophisticated’ tax problems and taxpayers (such as multinational enterprises). When such rules are transplanted into South Africa, they are typically more complex than local rules dealing with local taxpayers. On the other hand, the international tax environment offers ideas for ‘scientific’ drafting of …

Examining The Use Of Amazon’S Mechanical Turk For Edge Extraction Of The Occlusal Surface Of Fossilized Bovid Teeth, George K. Thiruvathukal, Gregory J. Matthews, Maxwell P. Luetkemeier, Juliet K. Brophy

George K. Thiruvathukal

In order to reconstruct environments associated with Plio-Pleistocene hominins in southern Africa, researchers frequently rely upon the animals associated with the hominins, in particular, animals in the Family Bovidae. Bovids in southern Africa are typically identified by their teeth. However, identifying the taxon of a bovid tooth is challenging due to various biasing factors. Furthermore, inaccurate identification of fossil bovids can have significant consequences on the reconstructed paleoenvironment. Recent research on the classification of bovid fossil teeth has relied on using elliptical Fourier analysis to summarize the shape of the outline of the occlusal surface of the tooth and the …

From Reparations To Dignity Restoration: The Story Of The Popela Community., Bernadette Atuahene, Sanele Sibanda

Bernadette Atuahene

Segmented Labour Markets In South Africa, Gary S. Fields

Gary S Fields

[Excerpt] The textbook labour market model aggregates all workers, all employers and all sectors of the economy into a single labour market. In this single labour market, workers supply labour, employers demand labour and the rate of pay (termed wage for shorthand) is determined by the intersection of supply and demand. Segmented labour market analysis proceeds from a different starting point. Workers, employers and sectors are not aggregated together. Rather, two or more labour market segments are identified, the groupings reflecting fundamental differences in how labour supply, labour demand and wage-determination mechanisms operate in different segments. For example, in the …

Are African Workers Getting Ahead In The New South Africa? Evidence From Kwazulu-Natal, 1993-1998, Paul L. Cichello, Gary S. Fields, Murray Leibbrandt

Gary S Fields

[Excerpt] In this paper, we use the KIDS panel data to answer three questions about the ‘progress’ of African workers in this one province in post-apartheid South Africa. First, how have African workers progressed as a group? Secondly, which African workers have progressed the most, and by how much have they progressed? Thirdly, to what extent is the progress made by workers driven by transitions between employment and unemployment, or between informal and formal sector employment? We reach the following major findings. First, African workers in KwaZulu-Natal had quite diverse experiences, but experienced positive progress on average. Second, those who …

Feminist Approaches And The South African News Media, Denise Buiten

Denise Buiten

Despite apparent feminist advancements within contemporary South Africa, gender transformation in the South African media industry has been both limited and irregular in terms of the ways in which newsroom cultures are being transformed, and the ways in which this impacts on the production of gendered media texts. Based on interviews with journalists and editors from three weekly South African newspapers, the Sunday Times, the Sunday Sun and the Mail & Guardian, this article explores the ways in which journalists articulate their understandings of gender and gender transformation within the media, and reflects on the ways in which these articulations …

Abalone.Pdf, Greg Warchol

Greg Warchol

Designing Emotional And Psychological Support Into Truth And Reconciliation Commissions, Verlyn F. Francis Ms.

Verlyn F. Francis Ms.

Truth and Reconciliation Commissions are a dispute resolution mechanism used to attempt to reunite countries and states after internal conflicts and civil wars. A large component of this transitional justice process involves truth-telling by perpetrators and victims. The ultimate goal is reconciliation of the parties within the unified state.

Using the example of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, this paper argues that successful reconciliation depends on the design of the process. It is important for the designer to balance individual and institutional interests and to ensure that all stakeholders are at the design table. Since the truth-telling in …

Ramaphosa And Meyer In Belfast – The South African Experience: How The New South Africa Was Negotiated, Padraig O'Malley

Padraig O'Malley

The public lecture given by Cyril Ramaphosa and RoelfMeyer at the Europa Hotel in Belfast on 28 June 1996 was held under the auspices of The Irish Association. The sponsors are grateful to the Association for their unstinting support and the organization it provided to ensure the success of the event. The sponsors would especially like to acknowledge the contributions of Professor Bernard Cullen, President of the Association and Ms. Barbara FitzGerald. As one ofthe co-sponsors ofthe event, the John W. McCormack Institute ofPublic Affairs at the University ofMassachusetts Boston would also like to single out the contribution of the …

Northern Ireland And South Africa: "Hope And History At A Crossroads", Padraig O'Malley

Padraig O'Malley

South African President Mandela addressed his words to the leaders of political parties in Northern Ireland, including David Trimble and Martin McGuinness, at De Hoop, a secured conference facility in Arniston, a small town in the Western Cape. The conference was dubbed the De Hoop lndaba - lndaba is the Zulu word for a "meeting of the minds." The event, which was hosted by the South African government, brought together the chief negotiators from all parties .in Northern Ireland -the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI), the Social Democratic and …

The Power Of The Brics In World Trade And Growth, Analysing The Macroeconomic Impacts Within And Across The Bloc, Ahmed Khalid

Ahmed Khalid

Extract: The BRICS is a composition of five emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The five countries together represent about 42 per cent of the world's population, over 24 per cent of all land, and about 20 per cent of the world's total GDP, contributing a combined nominal GDP of more than US$14.9 trillion. Over the past decade trade between the BRICS and other regions such as North America, the EU and Japan has surpassed the US$2 trillion mark. Trade within the BRICS countries is growing at an average of 28 per cent per annum, reaching more …

A Functionalist Theory Of Oversight, Riccardo Pelizzo, Abel Kinyondo, Aminu Umar

riccardo pelizzo

The literature on oversight provides various approaches that have been used to measure oversight effectiveness. They include inferring oversight from the quality of governance, equating it with the presence of oversight activities as well as equating it with oversight capacity. However all these approaches are problematic as they wrongly consider oversight to be unidimensional. As a result they tend to produce measures that are too general and vague to provide a meaningful assessment of oversight effectiveness. It is in this context that this paper identifies the structural elements of oversight and goes on to contend that since oversight is a …

An Incentive Motivational Approach To Enhance Successful Delivery Of Construction Projects, Ruben Ndihokubwayo Dr.

Dr Ruben Ndihokubwayo

The South African construction industry is faced with challenges which impede on successful project delivery. While incentives have been recognised as motivational tools for individual employees to achieve certain goals, the South African construction industry has not fully exploited the various avenues to initiate motivational approaches aligned with project objectives to enhance successful delivery of construction projects. This study is therefore aimed at exploring which monetary and non-monetary incentives would compel construction and consultant team members to improve successful project delivery. The study adopted a deductive approach whereby hypotheses were formulated based on motivation theories and applied them in construction …

Farm Residence And Reproductive Health Among Boys In Rural South Africa, Rene English, Melissa Perry, Mary Lee, Elaine Hoffman, Steven Delport, Mohamed Dalvie

Mary M. Lee

BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated reproductive health effects of contemporary agricultural pesticides in boys. OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between pesticide exposure and reproductive health of boys. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study in rural South Africa of boys living on and off farms. The study included a questionnaire (demographics, general and reproductive health, phyto-estrogen intake, residential history, pesticide exposures, exposures during pregnancy); and a physical examination that included sexual maturity development ratings; testicular volume; height, weight, body mass index; and sex hormone concentrations. RESULTS: Among the 269 boys recruited into the study, 177 (65.8%) were categorized as farm (high …

"That Gear Stick Is Not Your Husband's P----." Why The Dissent In Vance V. Ball State University Got It Right, And A Comparison Of The Law Of Employer Vicarious Liability For Sexual Harassment In The United States And South Africa, Justin A. Behravesh

Justin A. Behravesh

This article provides unique critical analysis of the United States Supreme Court's June 2013 decision of Vance v. Ball State University, by comparing that decision to recent South African common law and statutory developments. I argue that Vance's redefinition of what constitutes a "supervisor" for purposes of vicarious liability will have devastating effect on working women in the United States. Ultimately using South African law as a model framework, I conclude that the factors that should trigger vicarious liability should be based on policy concerns, not arbitrary definitions of what constitutes a "supervisor."

Monitoring Elections: Philippines, South Africa, And Mozambique, Padraig O'Malley

Padraig O'Malley

Padraig O'Malley was a member of international delegations monitoring elections in the Philippines, South Africa, and Mozambique. These delegations were organized by the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), Washington, D.C. O'Malley's opinions, observations, and reflections on these elections are entirely his own and in no way reflect the opinions of NDI.

Why Was The Democratic Transition In South Africa Viable, Daniel L. Rubinfeld, Robert P. Inman

Daniel L. Rubinfeld

No abstract provided.

The Case Of South African And Chilean Health Systems: Comparison Of Financial, Economic And Health Indicators, Alberto Coustasse, Peter Hilsenrath, Patricio Silva Rojas

Alberto Coustasse, DrPH, MD, MBA, MPH

The purpose of this study is to identify similarities and differences between healthcare systems of South Africa and Chile. The World Health Report 2000, the Human Development Index, and financial indicators were used for comparison. Chile showed better performance than South Africa in most of the measures used. Significant progress has been made in South Africa, bringing better education, healthcare and housing to the deprived black majority. However, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, weighs heavily on health indicators. Chile decentralized its health services and implemented economic reforms during the 1980's and has had steady improvement in its healthcare indicators. Finally, these counties …

When Opportunity Beckons: The Impact Of The Public Service Accountability Monitor’S Work On Improving Health Budgets In South Africa, Alta Fölscher, John Kruger, International Budget Partnership

International Budget Partnership

The Eastern Cape Province of South Africa struggles with high poverty, poor public infrastructure, and dysfunctional administrative systems. One result is that the Eastern Cape has the worst health outcomes in the country. This case study illustrates how a South African civil society organization has used its budgetary analysis to advocate for improvements in health service delivery.

The full version and short summary of this case study are available in English.

LINK: http://internationalbudget.org/publications/when-opportunity-beckons-the-impact-of-the-public-service-accountability-monitors-work-on-improving-health-budgets-in-south-africa/

To Compete Globally, Brics Nations Need Reputation, Not Imitation, Ahmed E. Souaiaia

Ahmed E SOUAIAIA

The economic, political, and social rise of the Western block of nations was founded on the single most enduring currency: reputation. Reputation, the source of credibility and trust, is the real asset that allows the U.S. to project its stature around the world. BRICS nations cannot rise to prominence by mimicking developed countries. They must build their reputation first. Wealth is only a byproduct of this more precious commodity, and countries who have it can squander it just as emerging economies can acquire it. For either of those results to happen in any country, circumstantial conditions and principled actions must …

The Social Justice Coalition And Access To Basic Sanitation In Informal Settlements In Cape Town, South Africa, Neil Overy, International Budget Partnership

International Budget Partnership

Formed in 2008, the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) is a coalition of civil society organisations in the informal settlement of Khayelitsha in Cape Town, South Africa. In response to reports from residents about the inadequate and unsafe conditions of sanitation facilities in the settlement, the SJC therefore launched the Clean and Safe Sanitation Campaign in 2010. The campaign aimed to ensure that the City Council properly maintained existing toilets and also provided additional clean and safe sanitation facilities in informal settlements. SJC’s campaign had several concrete achievements, such as the City’s introduction of a janitorial service for regular maintenance of …

South African Legal Resources Centre Successfully Advocates For Adequate Education Facilities, Alison Hickey Tshangana, International Budget Partnership

International Budget Partnership

The Legal Resources Centre (LRC) is a South African nonprofit human rights organisation that conducts public interest litigation. In response to the South African government’s delays to remove mud schools in the Eastern Cape Province, LRC took the government to court in August 2010. As a result of the mounting legal pressures, in January 2011 the Eastern Cape Department of Education signed an agreement with LRC. According to the agreement, the national government would introduce a new three-year grant to address infrastructure backlogs, of which Eastern Cape would receive 78 percent of the total. In the interim, the provincial education …

South African Parliament Enacts Comprehensive Data Protection Law: An Overview Of The Protection Of Personal Information Bill, Mark J. Calaguas

Mark J Calaguas

No abstract provided.

Cointegration Analysis Of Oil Prices And Consumer Price Index In South Africa Using Stata Software, Mphumuzi A. Sukati Mr

Mphumuzi A Sukati Mr

This paper investigates the concept of vector autoregression (VAR) and cointegration using a bivariate model of global oil prices and headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) in South Africa. The study aims to determine how much of inflation is driven by oil prices. Particular attention is paid to the theoretical underpinnings of cointergration analysis and the application of STATA software to undertake such analysis and perform test statistics. Contrary to the popular myth that a rise in global oil prices fuels inflation, this study has observed that global oil prices are not the drivers of inflation in South Africa. In this …

Determinants Of Rework Cost: A Comparative Analysis Of New Build Project And Renovation/Refurbishments Project In The South African Context, Ruben Ndihokubwayo

Ruben Ndihokubwayo

The research presented in this paper quantifies the magnitude and costs of rework experienced in new build and renovation/refurbishments projects. Pertinent literature related to rework occurrence and its associate impact has been reviewed. A total of 78 participants from both construction companies and consulting firms participated in this study. Quantitative approach was adopted and data was collected via questionnaire survey targeting purposively selected construction professionals in the Cape Peninsula metropolis. The data was analysed using descriptive (mean) and inferential (One way analysis) statistics. The findings reveal that refurbishment/renovation projects experienced higher rework cost comparatively to new build projects because of …

"We've Been Structured To Be Looted" - Some Reflections On The Systemic Underpinnings Of Corruption In Contemporary South Africa, Jeremy P. Cronin

jeremy p cronin

No abstract provided.

Escaping From Poverty: Household Income Dynamics In Indonesia, South Africa, Spain, And Venezuela, Gary S. Fields, Paul L. Cichello, Samuel Freije, Marta Menéndez, David Newhouse

Gary S Fields

[Excerpt] This study presents the main results of a larger, more technical report (Fields and others 2001) and subsequent work (Fields and others 2002) that analyzes income mobility in Indonesia, South Africa, Spain, and Venezuela. These economies were selected on the basis of the availability of panel data with which to analyze household income dynamics in the 1990s. By following households over time, we are able to investigate how households that were poor initially fared economically, relative to their richer counterparts. We can learn more about how and why households exit—and enter—poverty. To gauge income mobility, this study centers on …

The Employment Problem In South Africa, Gary S. Fields

Gary S Fields

South Africa is experiencing a major employment problem that includes not only unemployment, but also low labour market earnings. In this article, Gary Fields discusses what can be done to alleviate South Africa's employment problem.