Our Week Ahead 04-08 December
“One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world”
– Malala Yousafzai
Monday 04 December
The Life Esidimeni arbitration continues this week at the Emoyeni Conference Centre in Johannesburg. Family members of surviving mental health care users as well as Professor Ames Dhai, an expert witness are expected to testify. Dr Barney Selebano (the suspended head of department of the Gauteng Department of Health) is also tentatively slated to testify depending the outcome of his appeal. SECTION27 represents more than 66 families who lost their loved ones as a result of the Life Esidimeni Marathon Project.
SECTION27 researcher Thuthukile Mbatha, Attorney Sheniece Linderboom and Advocacy officer, Vuyokazi Gonyela are attending the 19th International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) Conference 2017 in Cote d’Ivoire from 4 to 9 December 2017. The conference theme “Africa: Ending AIDS-delivering differently” aims to put human rights at the centre of the response to the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets. This year’s ICASA is an opportunity for the international community, and all Africans, to join efforts in committing to achieving an AIDS-free Africa.
Tuesday 05 December
Limpopo Field Researcher Solanga Milambo will attend a meeting with a member of the National Association of School Governing Bodies (NASGB) to discuss the dispute between the Department of Education in Limpopo and the School Governing Body (SGB) Chairperson of Matsimela Secondary School. The dispute is about the interview for the post of principal which was conducted in 2016 for 2017 – the meeting will provide more details on this dispute and where the issue lies. This matter is in the High Court and the NSGB has requested SECTION27 to represent them.
The Week That Was
The Michael Komape case was concluded on Tuesday 28 November after a partial settlement was reached. Closing arguments are scheduled for 1 and 2 February 2018.
Mark Heywood was on BBC discussing what happened to Michael, and what has been done since. Listen to the interview here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05prn4h
Spotlight Edition #4 was released last week. This edition covers such topics as how state capture threatens the right to health, articles on Free State healthcare, a look into the Life Esidimeni tragedy, among many other articles that expose the realities of healthcare for so many people who live in South Africa. Read it here.
Links to articles written by SECTION27 members recently:
Op-Ed: State Capture threatens the right to health by Mark Heywood
Op-Ed: Death of a dream – The short life and death of Michael Komape by Mark Heywood
Spotlight: Orthopaedic nightmare in the Free State by Anso Thom
Op-Ed: Zimbabwe and South Africa, two countries with tangled destinies by Ntsiki Mpulo
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