Contributions to Mandela Initiative Synthesis Report

The briefings listed on this page was commissioned by the Mandela Initiative to help inform a synthesis report on its work since the 2012 national conference, Strategies to Overcome Poverty and Inequality, organised by the University of Cape Town. The Initiative’s work has relied on collaborations between academics and researchers, government, business leaders, civil society, the church and unions, and the synthesis report serves as a framework for reporting on the work at a national gathering on 12 – 14 February 2018. The MI Think Tank has identified the objectives for the national gathering as being:

  1. to anchor the contributions of the MI within an analysis of the current South African political and economic context;
  2. to share the recommendations emanating from the MI-related work streams at a policy/strategic level to advance the goal of eliminating poverty and reducing inequality;
  3. to critically engage with the potential impact of the recommendations on eliminating structural poverty and inequality; and
  4. to discuss ways of promoting popular conversations and debate about what needs to be done to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality, beyond the Mandela Initiative.

The synthesis report was produced to assist participants to prepare for the national gathering. The report drew on findings from the sectoral research projects of Think Tank members; the MI’s Action Dialogues; a report on an MI Community of Practice workshop with research chairs from different universities to identify cross-cutting themes emerging from the MI’s research programme; and the work programmes of others who have expressed an interest in contributing to the goals of the MI.

A revised synthesis report will be compiled after the workshop to serve as the consolidated report of the Mandela Initiative. Download the draft report.

List of contributors to the synthesis report

Atkinson, D; Development Studies, Nelson Mandela University
Action Dialogue on Social Cohesion held in the Karoo: Policies and lessons

Bank, L; Human Sciences Research Council / University of Fort Hare
Urbanisation and Double Rootedness: Home-Making in a Migrant Social Economy

Behrens, R & Vanderschuren, M; Centre for Transport Studies, University of Cape Town:
Land Passenger Transport

Bhorat, H; Development Policy Research Unit, University of Cape Town:
Strikes

Bhorat, H; Kanbur, R; Stanwix, B; Thornton, A; Development Policy Research Unit, University of Cape Town:
Measuring Multiple Levels of Minimum Wage Violation in the South African Labour Market

Bohler-Muller, N; Human Sciences Research Council:
The Use of Law and Constitutional Rights in Strategies to Tackle Poverty and Inequality

Burns, J; Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town:
Social Cohesion

Cirolia, LR; African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town:
Human Settlements

Clark, M; Socio-economic Rights Institute of South Africa, & Cirolia LR; African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town:
Urban Land Rights

Cousins, B; Institute for Poverty, Land & Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape:
Action Dialogue: Opportunities, Constraints and Innovative Approaches in Small-scale Agriculture in South Africa

Cousins, B; Institute for Poverty, Land & Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape:
Action Dialogue on Rethinking Agriculture in South Africa: Constraints and Opportunities

Cousins, B; Institute for Poverty, Land & Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape:
Job Creation in Rural South Africa

De Lannoy, A; South African Labour Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town:
Youth and the Intergenerational Transmission of poverty

Donaldson, AR; Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town:
Inclusive Growth: A Strategic Perspective

Edries, N; National Treasury:
The Jobs Fund

Francis, D; Jurgensen, K; Valodia, I; Faculty of Commerce, Law & Management, University of the Witwatersrand
Inequality in the South African Labour Market: Navigating the South African Minimum Wage

Godfrey, S & Collier, D; Labour and Enterprise Policy Research Group, Faculty of Law and Sociology Department, University of Cape Town:
Working Inequality and Working Poverty: A Policy-oriented Socio-legal Perspective

Hall, K; Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town:
Early Childhood Development

Harrison, P; Pieterse, E; Rubin, M; & Scheba, S; University of the Witwatersrand & University of Cape Town:
Informalisation, Urban Poverty and Inequality

Helm, R; Institute of Development and Labour Law, University of Cape Town:
Close the Pay Gap

Jamieson, L; Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town:
Action Dialogue on Intersectoral Action to Reduce Violence Against Children

London, L; School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town:
Mobilising Community Voice to Address the Social Determinants of Health – Using Statutory Structures for Meaningful Participation in Health

McIntyre, D & Ataguba, J; Health Economics Unit, University of Cape Town:
Assessing the Redistributive Potential of the South African Health System

Maree, J; Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town:
Job Creation through Skills Development

May, J; DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security, University of the Western Cape:
Food Security and Nutrition

Mqadi, S; DG Murray Trust:
Action Dialogue on Stunting

Ntsebeza, L; Centre for African Studies, University of Cape Town:
Land Reform

Posel, D; School of Economic & Business Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand):
Families and Inequality

Powell, L; Nelson Mandela University:
The Poverty and Inequality Inquiry Colloquium. A Call to Action: Engaging Poverty, Inequality and Unemployment & Rethinking Social Policy and Post-school Education in the Eastern Cape

Reddy, V; Human Sciences Research Council:
Inclusive Education and Skills Planning for South Africa: Reflections from the Labour Market Intelligence Partnership

Rennkamp, B; Energy Research Centre, University of Cape Town:
Poverty and Inequality in South Africa’s Energy and Climate Policy Issues

Silbert, P; Galvan, R; & Clark, J; Schools Improvement Initiative, University of Cape Town:
Education

Sinwell, L; Centre for Social Change, University of Johannesburg:
Responses of Social Movements

Snyman, D; Restitution Foundation:
Action Dialogue on Worcester Hope and Reconciliation Process

Swartz, S; Human Sciences Research Council:
Multidimensional Wellbeing: What it is, and How it Relates to Reducing Poverty and Inequality – a Conceptual, Historical, Methodological and Practical Approach

Turok, I & Visagie, J; Human Sciences Research Council:
Urbanisation and Socio-Economic Transformation

Vally, S; Centre for Education Rights and Transformation, University of Johannesburg:
Education

Van der Berg, S; Research on Socio-Economic Policy, University of Stellenbosch:
The Manifestation of Poverty and Inequality in Education

Visser, M; School of Economics, University of Cape Town:
Are Green Nudges and Technology Uptake a Solution to Water Conservation that does not Harm the Poor?

Other sources for the report

ATKINSON, A. B. and BOURGUIGNON, F. (2015) ‘Introduction’ in ATKINSON, A. B. and BOURGUIGNON, F. (eds)
Handbook of Income Distribution – Volume 2B. 1st edn. Oxford: Elsevier.

Crush, J, Skinner, C; & Stulgaiti, M:
Benign Neglect or Active Destruction? A Critical Analysis of Refugee and Informal Sector Policy and Practice in South Africa
African Human Mobility Review, 3(2), May – August 2017

Du Plooy, E; Ashley Kriel Youth Desk and Gender, Institute for Justice and Reconciliation:
What does a South Africa that is Healed and Reconciled Look Like and What do We Need to Do to Get There?
Keynote address on Healing and Reconciliation at the South African Council of Churches’ National Convention of South Africa, 22 November 2017, Johannesburg.

Green, P; South African Labour Research Development Unit:
The Research Project on Employment, Income Distribution and Inclusive Growth: An Overview

Harris, V; Archives and Dialogues, Nelson Mandela Foundation:
What Happened to The Reconciliation Project?
The Huffington Post, 27 September 2017

Human Sciences Research Council:
Furthering the Developmental Imperative? An Assessment of the last 20 Years of Eucation Legislation and Policy in South Africa
Macro report prepared for the National Education Collaboration Trust, June 2017

Mandela Initiative:
Action Dialogue Reports

Mandela Initiative:
Department of Science and Technology–National Research Foundation Workshop on Mandela Initiative Community of Practice: Strategies to Overcome Poverty and Inequality in South Africa, May 2017

Mandela Initiative:
Proportionate Income Differentials: A Long Walk to Social Justice. A report of the 4th Build Ubuntu – Close the pay Gap workshop, April 2017

Mandela Initiative:
Mandela Initiative Newsletter, December 2017

McDaid, L; 2016; Alternative Information Development Centre, supported by the Rosa Luxembourg Foundation:
Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme Review 2016: a critique of process of implementation of socio-economic benefits including job creation.

National Planning Commission, The Presidency, Republic of South Africa:
National Development Plan 2030. Our Future – Make it Work. Executive Summary

Parliament of South Africa, November 2017:
Report of the High Level Panel on the Assessment of Key Legislation and the Acceleration of Fundamental Change

Presidency of South Africa:
Twenty Year Review 1994 – 2014

Rogan, M & Skinner, C:
The Nature of the South African Informal Sector as Reflected in the Quarterly Labour-force Survey, 2008-2014
REDI3x3 Working paper, 28 February 2017

Sitas, R & Pieterse, E:
Democratic Renovations and Affective Political Imaginaries
Democratic Renovations and Affective Political Imaginaries, 2013, Third Text, 27:3, 327-342, DOI: 10.1080/09528822.2013.798183, 2013

Smith, C:
Seeking the ‘glue’ that can help us grow together
City Press, 16 December 2017