Details
Building on the success of its 2025 Constitutional Rights Conference in Johannesburg on "Achieving an Inclusive Economy", the Foundation would like to host a half day conference in Johannesburg in mid-2026. The mid-year Conference will deal with constitutional matters pertinent to South Africa's multiparty democracy. In light of the upcoming Local Government Elections, this year's conference will focus on how to create viable cities and municipalities that fulfil their constitutional obligations in terms of providing basic services, being people-centred, offering economic opportunities for residents and businesses and generating sustainable income streams. Private Public Partnerships, as well as the use of new technologies in solving old problems will be a special focus in this context. The conference aims to provide a platform for best-practice examples and wants to showcase pockets of excellence that do already exist. The objective is to stimulate debate, inspire and develop new approaches for making cities and municipalities work better for the people of South Africa.
The Conference will follow a format of presentations by high-profile speakers, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A session. The presentations and discussions will be live streamed and recorded.
Proposed speakers:
- Jan Hattingh (Chief Director: Local Government Budget Analysis at National Treasury of South Africa)
- Dr Sean Philips (Director General at the Department of Water and Sanitation)
- Dr Michael Sutcliffe (Former municipal manager at eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality)
- Nombulelo Nyathela (Chief Director: External Relations and Communications at Infrastructure South Africa)
- Mayor Christopher John Pappas (Executive Mayor of uMngeni Local Municipality)
About the cooperation partner
The FW de Klerk Foundation promotes and preserves FW de Klerk’s presidential heritage by supporting the causes for which he worked during his presidency. The Foundation’s mission is to
- Support: We must support the Constitution. South Africa’s future freedom, political stability and economic prosperity depend directly on our ability to maintain our carefully negotiated constitution. The Foundation supports and promotes the Constitution.
- Unite: We must nurture relationships between our communities. We must maintain inter-community harmony by promoting mutual respect for our diverse cultures; by combating racism from any quarter; and by working for national unity.
- Communicate: There must be ongoing communication between communities, business, labour and government to reach consensus on solution to national problems. In sharing our knowledge and providing support will we find unity in our diversity.
- Inform: We must work together to address the problems of our society including inequality, education, unemployment, crime and corruption. South Africa belongs to all its people and the future of our country is our collective future. Making it work is our collective effort.
Partners
