Another key institution of the global financial constellation -- the private and supposedly independent credit ratings agencies -- has come under renewed pressure as the symptoms of a deepening international, debt overloaded system keep piling up. Tensions between the mostly American-based agencies and European leaders and institutions, which have been building up for some time over the handling of the sovereign debt of some the continent’s economies, burst out into a public spat last week after the down-grading of Portugal’s credit rating to junk status.

The Centre for Constitutional Rights (CCR)  has welcomed the findings of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) that the president's special protection unit  violated the human rights of a jogger who allegedly pointing his middle finger at the president's convoy in February last year. The CCR  particularly welcomes the SAHRC’s recommendations in the matter, writes Nichola de Havilland.

 A tale of two countries – and two presidents, mind you - has been unfolding in the far north of the African continent this week. In both cases the continent’s southernmost country, South Africa, has played and continues to play, a leading role.

During the past two months there have been definite setbacks in the global fight against climate change that hangs like a dark cloud over the 17th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 17) in Durban in November and December 2011. Several key issues will need to be addressed , especially those surrounding the Kyoto Protocol, reports Fanie Heyns.

The latest results from the South African Investor Confidence Index – a monthly survey conducted by the Institute of Behavioural Finance among institutional investors and financial advisors – indicate that confidence has risen to levels last measured in 2009 as they believe value is returning to the South African equity market.

The Reds are Super Rugby Champions thanks to a moment of brilliance by Will Genia that proved to be the difference between them and the Crusaders  on Saturday in Brisbane. Yet, the Super Rugby final was overshadowed by the decision by the Springbok-management to rest 23 injured players for the away-leg of the upcoming Tri-Nations campaign.

It’s my loss that I have only now got round to reading Muzi Kuzwayo’s delightful 2006-book There’s a Tsotsi in the Boardroom. It made me hopeful for South Africa’s future again for I discovered that, despite our rich diversity, we South Africans are dancing to the same tune a lot more than we realise.

The 1981 Springbok rugby-tour of New Zealand was characterised there by much controversy about the legitimacy of the tour, and a lengthy debate raged about it in both countries. Thirty years on it offers an opportunity to build bridges.

If there ever was a South African story worth telling, it is the story of Susan Nell, the teenage rape victim in one of the British concentration camps in the final days of the Anglo-Boer War at the turn of the previous century who became one of the world’s  first female psychiatrists and champion of the women victims of the Second World War’s Japanese comfort stations in their Asian campaigns.

With the co-operation of the The LR Management Group, we can now bring you the leadership training tool 50 Lessons, which is a powerful force in the world of corporate learning. 50 Lessons is the worlds premier multimedia business resource, offering more than 1 000 personal and authentic video lessons from internationally respected business leaders. It can assist you to increase the utilisation and return on investment of your learning programmes immediately!

The relative calm that had thus far accompanied this year’s wage negotiations season came to an abrupt end last week as strikes, protests, violence and threats of action by unions seemed to erupt all over the country, triggering concerns about everything from law and order to inflationary pressures, long-term economic prospects, the effect on investment, job creation, the outlook for entire industries, government policies, and more.

With the government’s long-awaited Green Paper on Land Reform expected to be presented to the Cabinet this week, the highly emotive and potentially explosive issue of land reform in South Africa still seems to be in a tailspin to nowhere at this late hour. Clarity is urgently needed.

Democracy is not a one-time happening but an on-going process involving a total community in all its formations. The development in South Africa of a robust debate of late about the relationship between the three arms of government and legal challenges thrown up by civil society organisations to government actions is a healthy sign that the process is alive and well in the country.