Cape Town / Johannesburg, South Africa
The Founcation’s work in South Africa focuses on strengthening the rule of law, liberal democracy, and a social market economy. We support civil society organisations, think tanks, research institutions, and liberal-minded decision-makers in both the economy and society.
In Cape Town, the seat of the parliament, the foundation cooperates with the DA members of national and provincial parliaments, local government councillors, youth movements, and their support structures to strengthen leadership and improve their policy solutions. Through its work, FNF strengthens the rule of law, fosters an open society, and promotes sustainable development in South Africa.
News
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Review of the first 100 Days of the Government of National Unity
For the first time in 25 years, South Africa is governed by a coalition, with the African National Congress (ANC) holding 159 seats and the Democratic Alliance (DA) with 87 seats. The first 100 days have shown both opportunities and challenges. While the coalition has brought political stability, boosting investor confidence and strengthening the rand by 5.8%, it faces significant hurdles. Key issues like energy, infrastructure, and logistics reform remain unresolved.
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"You must understand your political competitor"
With South Africa being in a Government of National Unity (GNU), or essentially a coalition government, German Member of Parliament Carl-Julius Cronenberg from the Free Democratic Party (FDP) believes that much can be learned from Germany.
Cronenberg visited South Africa for the first time last week, where he engaged with various stakeholders, including the German Embassy and Democratic Alliance (DA) Members of the South African Parliament. He spent a few days in Johannesburg, where coalitions are unstable, and a few days in the best-run metropolitan city in the country, Cape Town. -
“I want education to get back to basics”
Politics is a bumpy and sometimes uncertain road. The story of Ciska Jordaan is a testament to this. Following the May 2024 elections Jordaan was elected as a Member of Parliament and now serves as a member of the Basic Education Portfolio Committee.
However, her journey into politics began much earlier. During her days at the University of Pretoria, she noted how active student politics was, but at the time, she had no interest. -
“I would choose politics again”
Since a young age, Karabo Khakhau has always been a voice for those who cannot speak up for themselves. Today, she is a member of Parliament and the spokesperson of the Democratic Alliance (DA). Being a woman in the political arena is no easy job, but if she could choose again, she would still choose politics. Khakhau’s journey in politics began during her university days at the University of Cape Town under the Democratic Alliance Students Organization (DASO). However, she says her mother always reminds her that she has been an activist since childhood.
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"I want people to be heard"
"I want Parliament to be a place where people can voice their concerns, a place where they can be heard," says Dr Annelie Lotriet, Parliament's newly elected Deputy Speaker. We meet in her office in Africa House, within the Parliamentary buildings in Cape Town. It's clear she's still settling into the space, but her work to make Parliament a voice for the people has already begun. Lotriet’s political journey began while she was a lecturer, balancing her career with being a mother and wife. "It's no easy task. You need to be a multitasker,” she says.
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Getting young people into business
"When young people and young girls look at me, I want them to see what is possible," says Deidre Baartman, the Minister for Finance in South Africa's Western Cape Province. As I enter her office, her welcoming smile and confident demeanour immediately set the tone. Dressed in all black, she emanates a presence that speaks of both authority and approachability.
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Restoring dignity in the Eastern Cape
In South Africa and across the world, women make up the largest population group in society, yet women are not equally represented in structures like Parliament, Caucuses, Legislatures, or leadership in general. Annually, the 9th of August is dedicated to commemorating the struggle of women and celebrating their achievements across all sectors in South Africa. This month, the FNF in South Africa puts the spotlight on nine liberal women in politics, kicking off with Chantel King.
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Why the former archenemies could help the country move forward
South Africa already has experience with governments of national unity: the first democratically elected government in post-apartheid South Africa 30 years ago.
It was led by the African National Congress (ANC) under President Nelson Mandela and formed a coalition with the National Party (NP), which represented the interests of a right-wing conservative white population, and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), which fights for the Zulu ethnic group at a political level.
Now the time has come again. -
A new political era dawns
The election on May 29, 2024 marked a historic turning point in South Africa's young democracy: the African National Congress (ANC), the former party of freedom fighter Nelson Mandela, lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years. In future, South Africa will be led by a government of national unity. The agreement signed in the early hours of June 14 by the ANC, the liberal Democratic Alliance (DA) and the socially conservative Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) laid the foundations for a coalition government committed to constitutional fidelity, the rule of law, social justice and the fight against poverty.
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ANC loses majority after 30 years
On May 29, 2024, South Africa held elections 30 years after the abolition of apartheid. For many older South Africans, 1994 marked the beginning of a new era: the path to political enfranchisement, the first participation in democratic elections, and the liberation of the black population from decades of oppression, made possible by the leadership of Nelson Mandela and his party, the African National Congress (ANC).
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New dawn for South Africa
Last week South Africans went out in their numbers to cast their votes. Out of the more than 27 million registered voters, over 16 million participated, seeking change. This led to the African National Congress (ANC), Africa's oldest liberation movement and the party of Nelson Mandela, losing its majority for the first time in 30 years. This historic shift means the ANC is no longer the dominant force in terms of parliamentary seats, compelling all parties to engage in coalition talks—a first for South Africa at national level.
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Fateful elections in South Africa
On May 29, 2024, South Africa will head to the polls to decide the future composition of both the national parliament and provincial governments. This election is historically significant as it marks the 30th anniversary of the first democratic elections and occurs amidst substantial political and social upheavals. For the first time in three decades of democracy, polls suggest that the ruling ANC, once famously led by Nelson Mandela, could lose its majority after 30 years of uninterrupted power.
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Giving a voice to the Cape Flats
On Wednesday, the 15th of May, the Liberal Workshop, in collaboration with the organization Cape Flats Stories, hosted a political debate in Mitchells Plain on the Cape Flats, Cape Town, in the run-up to the May 29th elections. The Cape Flats, located on the outskirts of the CBD of Cape Town, is commonly known as the dumping ground of Apartheid, a space where people of color were "dumped" during the oppressive regime.
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'Gauteng Can Work'
Last week the Daily Maverick kicked off its inaugural election debate at The Forum, in Johannesburg. The event sparked new hope among participants after an informative debate between candidates running for Premier in the province. The Gauteng premier candidates from the Democratic Alliance, ActionSA, Rise Mzansi and Build One South Africa all agree that the province’s infrastructure has been neglected over the years, crime and corruption have festered, and ethically compromised people have been appointed to key positions.
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In search of a political match
South Africa goes to the polls on May 29, 2024, as part of the upcoming parliamentary/National and provincial elections. After 30 years of government by Nelson Mandela's party, the African National Congress (ANC), and at the same time, 30 years after the first democratic elections, the party landscape appears more diverse and dynamic. The result of the polls is more uncertain than ever before.
Social Media
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Cleola Kunene is an award-winning Start-up to Scale-up growth Expert and is the Head of SME Development at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). In her current role for JSE Group, Cleola drives Economic development solutions, with a specific focus on SME growth, funding access, international market access, red tape reductions and strategic relationships, with a particular focus on public and private partnerships. Cleola is on our panel on Thursday, 17th October 2024, from 18:00 – 20:00 CAT to speak about what African startups should prioritise in order to increase their prospects of securing funding! Don’t miss this evening of insight, learning and connecting with other ambitious startup founders in Africa, powered by The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. Let's come together to shape the future of African entrepreneurship! #Entrepreneurship #PitchCompetition #NewImageOfAfrica
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🎙️ Join the conversation on #SierraLeone’s journey from civil war to democracy! 🇸🇱 The Sierra Leone Civil War left over 50,000 dead and half a million displaced, fueled by blood diamonds and exploitation. But 22 years later, how has the nation healed, and how has generational learning shaped its #democracy? Tune in to Let’s Talk Human Rights with Masechaba Masemola waMdaka, featuring guests Marcella Samba Sesay and Bernadette Abioseh French, as they explore transitional justice in post-conflict Sierra Leone. 🗓️ Don’t miss Episode 2 of the season! Here: https://iono.fm/e/1486728 🎧 Don't miss out! Also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. #SierraLeone #TransitionalJustice #HumanRights #LetstalkHumanRights
