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The global economic crisis is a reality NGOs face today. The crisis has dire consequences for HIV and AIDS funding. These effects are felt particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, which has the highest levels of HIV and AIDS infection in the world, with approximately 25 million (more than 60 percent of global infections). It has forced international donors to direct more funds to lower income countries to help them strengthen their health system programmes and to extend their focus to include other health issues. In South Africa, companies are likely to cut their HIV/AIDS prevention programmes and this has already left many NGOs with no choice but to suspend some of their projects

While one understands the frustrations and responsibilities of government to protect law abiding citizens, emotional and populist utterings may put the lives of the law abiding police and the public at greater risk. Instead of promoting shoot to kill approach towards crime in the country, government must work in partnership with some not so formal crime busting civil society structures, who may prove more experienced in detecting and spotting crimes. Involving such structures will not be a sign of weakness, but a move that will go a long way in making everyone feel relevant and part of the bigger picture

Speaking out against gender-based violence can help to set survivors free. Prior to the annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign, Gender Links, in partnership with other organisations, puts out a call to men and women affected by gender-based violence to share stories of how they suffered from this form of violence. “Gathering together in a workshop setting, survivors first tell each other their stories. They write their stories with the support of a team of editors, before the stories are finally sent to the mainstream media.

The recent Constitutional Court ruling involving Ermerlo High School raises critical questions about the roles and functions of the Department of Education and school governing bodies in determining language policy. The court found that the school governing body refused to adhere to an instruction by the Head of Department of the Mpumalanga Education Department to alter its language policy to provide instruction in Afrikaans as well as English. “Schools cannot randomly decide what the language of instruction should be without duly considering how it will affect the interests of the learners.”