When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak. Audre Lorde, American writer, feminist, womanist, librarian, and civil rights activist 1934-1992
| Monday, 17 September 2018: |
| SECTION27 Communications Officer Zukiswa Pikoli will attend the inaugural Fezekile Ntsukela Kuzwayo Memorial Lecture to the held at the Human Rights Commission Training Centre from 2pm. The lecture will be delivered by former Member of Parliament, Human Rights Commission commissioner, activist and feminist Pregs Govender. |
| Tuesday, 18 September 2018 |
| SECTION27 staff will workshop our draft sexual harassment policy to ensure that everyone understands what constitutes sexual harassment and that the policy is in line with organisational values. See our statement on sexual harassment in the sector here. |
| Wednesday, 19 September 2018 |
| Senior Researcher Daniel McLaren will attend a roundtable hosted by Oxfam SA to give input into the development of the 2019 Inequality Report, the theme of which is: Women, Work and Land. The report suggests that inequality is underscored by its gendered, economic racial and spatial dimensions.
SECTION27 and the Treatment Action Campaign will meet to discuss the National Health Insurance Bill and the draft Medical Schemes Amendment Bill to finalise the organisations’ submissions on both pieces of proposed legislation. |
| Thursday 20 September 2018 |
| Head of Health, Sasha Stevenson will be speaking about law and health and what we have learned from Life Esidimeni. The talk which takes place at the University of Pretoria at 3.30pm, is part of the Deadly Medicine exhibition – A provocative travelling international exhibition exploring the Nazi regime’s “science of race” and its implications for medical ethics and social responsibility today. It will be co-hosted by the Centre for Sexualities, AIDS and Gender, the Department of Library Services and the Faculty of Humanities from 4 to 26 September at the Merensky 2 Library at the University of Pretoria, Hatfield Campus. |
| Friday 21 September 2018 |
| SECTION27 has been awarded this year’s 2018 South African Society Of Psychiatrists Community Award The SASOP Community Award is awarded biannually at the SASOP National Congress – http://www.sasop2018.co.za/, to an organisation or individuals who has/have worked in the field of psychiatry and/or mental health and have shown to have promoted mental health or psychiatry in the community; acted as advocates for psychiatry/mental health to the benefit of the community as a whole; and/or acted as advocates in the interest of psychiatrists in the psychiatric fraternity. The award will be conferred at the SASOP congress dinner on Sunday 23 September. The 19th SASOP National Congress take place at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria from 21-24 September 2018.
SECTION27 will make submissions on the National Health Insurance Bill and the Medical Schemes Amendment Bill. The closing date for both is Friday 21 September 2018. Read Sasha Stevenson’s opinion piece on the NHI first published in the Daily Maverick in June 2018. |
| The Week that Was |
| SECTION27 and other social justice organisations that are tenants of South Point have been involved in a solidarity campaign for South Point workers. The workers are calling for an end to a poverty wage, an end to outsourcing, in addition to benefits (including provident funds), and insourcing of every worker. The workers are currently engaged in strike action. You can join them by going to the South Point headquarters in Melle Street, Braamfontein. For more information, please contact Mametlwe Sebei on: 081 368 0706. |
| The Cape Town leg of the Komape exhibition kicked off on the 10th of September at the Castle of Good Hope and had its opening night on 13 September. It was a very engaging night as those in attendance not only got to witness the family’s journey since the death of Michael Komape, but also got to listen to Michael’s father James address them. The exhibition is running until 23 September and is open to all.
This exhibition is part of a large sanitation campaign with which SECTION27 hopes to bring about a change in the way National and provincial governments prioritise sanitation in schools. Look out for more on social media on our #UnSAFEtoilets campaign. |
| SECTION27 researchers, Tendai Mafuma and Thoko Mtsolongo hosted 36 community health workers (CHWs) from the Lusikisiki and Port St Johns areas in the Eastern Cape on Thursday 13 September. The CHWs present at the meeting included those from government (from the Extended Public Works Programme) as well as those employed by non-governmental organisations (Young Women’s Group), and members of the Treatment Action Campaign. The workshop was aimed at informing the CHWs about the latest version of the Ward Based Primary Healthcare Outreach Teams policy framework and strategy disseminated by the National Department of Health in April this year. The engagement with the CHWs allowed for sharing of everyday work experiences that the CHWs have against the ideals expressed in the policy.
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| Spotlight carried an article by Health-e News Service which details claims of intimidation by former UNAIDS Country Director to South Africa Erasmus Morah. Morah sent activist (and former SECTION27 Board Chair) a legal letter demanding she retract and apologise for statements she made on Facebook as well as a letter sent to UNAIDS Chief Michel Sidibe by a Group of 23 women. The letter can be read here. Vuyiseka Dubula is opposing his legal threats. |
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