By The People

What type of person do you imagine when you think of a volunteer working for the benefit of others in South Africa? Do you imagine a township Mama whose long life has been spent caring for her children, grandchildren and her community? Or do you imagine a privileged young idealist who takes time out between [...]

The South African National Zakah Fund (SANZAF), is a faith based socio welfare and educational organisation established during the Apartheid Era as a means to alleviate the suffering of those destitute, needy and oppressed. Since its inception and formalisation in 1974, the organisation has moved rapidly from a ‘charity’ organisation, to an agency of empowerment, [...]

Crime in South Africa is beginning to show a glimmer of improvement. The number of murders, for example, has decreased by more than a quarter since 1994, and the murder rate by almost a third. Nevertheless, crime rates generally remain high, and South Africans continue to feel unsafe. In this issue, bythepeople contributors look at innovations for dealing with crime, and also suggest some innovations that haven�t yet been explored in South Africa.

Between 10 000 and 20 000 prisoners are released from South African prisons every month. These ex-prisoners have a strong potential for recidivism. There is a role for civil society and the private sector in finding better ways of dealing with offenders, argues Jean Redpath.

While government and GPs often seem to be on a collision course over government policy, in Doctors Step In Jean Redpath looks at the Tshepang Trust, an innovative way through which private GPs in partnership with government will try to help ensure government’s anti-retroviral roll-out is accompanied by the correct patient support needed to make it a success.