CALS Quarterly Issue 27
- Lee-Anne Gaertner
Read the latest issue of our quarterly newsletter and catch up on our recent highlights
Late last year, we learned of the passing of a dear friend and comrade, Dr Prishani Naidoo. Dr Naidoo had a profound impact on the labour movement, higher education and social justice sectors from the time she was a student activist to her recent work as leader of the Society, Work and Politics Institute at Wits University. We are grateful for the contribution she made to our organisation as a member of our Board of Advisors and send our deepest condolences to her loved ones.
One of the four key pillars that informs our work at CALS is expanding the agency of marginalised communities. Part of our mission is to support those experiencing human rights violations first hand to exercise their rights and hold powerful entities to account. In trying to achieve a just and equal society, we seek to place our community clients and partners at the centre of our work.
Our commitment to this has been seen again recently in our environmental justice work. CALS is currently partnering with the community organisation Sekhukhune Combined Mining Affected Communities (SCMAC) and others to conduct research on the social ownership of renewable energy. SCMAC intend to use this research to advocate for a community-owned solar farm in the Burgersfort area of Limpopo. CALS also continues to support the Marginalised and Affected Communities Summit hosted by the largest mining-affected community network in the country, Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA).
In litigation news, earlier this month CALS petitioned the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court for leave to appeal the conviction and sentence of a domestic violence victim. After a number of delays, the hearing went ahead and the Court granted our application. In January, we also appeared in the High Court in Johannesburg and successfully defended an eviction order against residents in Rosettenville including women and children. Finally, we represented environmental activists faced with SLAPP suits in the form of interdicts in the Mahikeng High Court. We are now awaiting judgment.
On a different note, we send our warmest congratulations to our former director Prof Bonita Meyersfeld on her promotion to full professor in the Wits School of Law. Prof Meyersfeld is a leader and expert in the fields of international law, business and human rights and gender justice. She has made a huge impact on CALS in her time leading the organisation and we are immensely proud of her appointment and achievement.
Click the image below for more about this appointment and our other recent updates.
