WATCH | Should Electricity Be A Free Basic Right?
Is there a duty on the government to provide free basic electricity to the people of South Africa, especially the poor? Dr. Tracy Ledger, a senior researcher and Lead of…
News @ PARI
The latest news from and about our organisation
Young people are disengaged from the democratic process. Most of them don't participate in elections, they don’t usually stand as candidates and remain unrepresented in electoral managerial functions. The IEC…
by Thina Nzo It's been five years since the last local government elections were held in 2016. For South Africans, that means its time to go back to the voting…
This community announcement aims to inform households about why affordable basic energy allocations have not been delivered as promised, and what they can do about it. It is available in…
This Is OIS is a journey into the research topics and methodologies of the students of OIS - Organisational and Institutional Studies at Wits University.Episode 4: If there's a failure…
2021 2020 2019 2018 Cartoons by Carlos Amato, political cartoonist, and freelance illustrator and writer, based in Johannesburg.
Dr Thina Nzo on Morning Live traces dysfunctionality in municipalities back to a lack of political leadership and oversight: "Accountability needs to be applied; heads need to roll" The state…
After publishing the Covid-19, States and Societies Series online in 2020, with fascinating submissions from 14 countries, PARI now seeks academic papers (7000 words) to be published as a book…
PARI and the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC) are pleased to announce our joint conference which will focus on the outcomes of the State Capture…
PARI, in 2020, joined Participedia, a global community sharing knowledge and stories about public participation and democratic innovations. Participedia is an open-sourced, online research tool and publishing platform for articles…
Mbongiseni Buthelezi has joined the Supervisory Board of Agora Energiewende: a think tank funded by the European Climate Foundation and Stiftung Mercator that focuses on dialogue with energy policymakers. It…
NELGA is the Network of Excellence on Land Governance in Africa. The NUST NELGA node currently has over 30 academic partner institutions in 12 southern African countries, making it the…
Dr Mbongiseni Buthelezi has been appointed to a high-level task team to assist government through the National School of Government (The NSG), to finalise the National Implementation Framework towards the…
PARI welcomes the proposed amendments to the Public Service Act (PSA) which seek to (1) devolve administrative powers to the heads of department while retaining strategic powers with the executive…
In the interview with Newzroom Afrika, Tracy Ledger breaks down the incentives for municipalities to divert funds intended for free basic services. She discusses the imbalance in the conversation around…
Congratulations to OIS students Musa Sithole and Jabu Hlatshwayo who have been awarded fellowships in the "Institutional transformations for sustainable urban mobilities in urban Africa" project, led by Dr Njogu…
As part of the Civil Society Working Group on State Capture, PARI's State Reform programme has put out a call for voices against state capture and corruption: State capture and…
On Thursday, 22 April 2021, Dr Tracy Ledger chatted to YFM about the main findings in her latest research report Broken Promises and what communities need to know about free…
A new report on electricity access for low-income households by Tracy Ledger, Lead Researcher on the Energy and Society programme. Poverty has received scant attention from an energy perspective. This…
Head of the Energy and Society programme, Tracy Ledger, speaks to Thabiso Tema on PowerFM in a revelatory discussion about how the failure to provide free basic electricity for poor…
Download this Community Brief in the following languages:People who get enough electricity to meet their daily needs, at a price that they can afford to pay, have many benefits: They…
In the short video clip below, Melanie Ehren and Jacqueline Baxter interview Noma Pakade and Thokozani Chilenga-Butao, authors of chapter 12 from the book Trust Accountability and Capacity in Education…
Khaya Sithole is in conversation with Busani Ngcaweni, Principal of the National School of Governance and Dr Florencia Belvedere, Lead of the State Reform programme at the Public Affairs Research…
Dr Florencia Belvedere shares PARI's state reform work at the Consulting Engineers Protecting Lives and Livelihoods Webinar, Episode 3. You can watch the full webinar in the YouTube embed below.…
It is a crucial moment in our democracy. PARI has joined over 300 organisations and individuals in putting out a call to action to all South Africans. Watch the video…
We, representatives of civil society, jointly issue this statement condemning former president Jacob Zuma’s insistence on defying the State Capture Commission and the dangerous attacks he and other political actors…
President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a proclamation on 5 March 2021 authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration at Mogalakwena Local Municipality in Limpopo. The…
Dear President Cyril Ramaphosa, On Monday, 1 March 2021, in your presidential letter to the nation, you reiterated your administration’s commitment to build an efficient, capable and ethical state free…
The Organisational and Institutional Studies programme at Wits University started with first block lectures last week, with a whole new team for 2021. Dr Federica Duca, who leads the OIS…
Dr Florencia Belvedere was on Radio 702's early breakfast show this morning, chatting with Africa Melane about how the government could root out corruption among public service officials. Listen to…
On 5 Feb 2021, Dr Florencia Belvedere chatted to Ntokozo Mazibuko on PowerFM about the state of public procurement, responding to the SIU's media briefing that same day on the…
Local government vs communities: Reclaiming the people's power through the courts State authority can be challenged, giving civil movements the power to circumvent limitations and failures of state institutions, moving…
by Zukiswa Pikoli A Public Affairs Research Institute webinar on institutional coordination of the return to schools agreed that parents’ participation in their children’s education would improve with better access…
The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) held a discussion on 27 January 2021 with Themba Fosi (COGTA), Tracy Ledger (PARI) and Louis Scheepers (UWC). The conversation dealt with the…
Smart Energy International, 23 January 2021 A new working paper by Dr Tracy Ledger, A Just Distribution, argues that: ‘A better understanding of the linkages between distribution and socioeconomic development…
by Tracy Ledger A better understanding of the linkages between electricity distribution and poverty is critical to a just transition. Otherwise, we run the very real risk of restructuring our…
Covid-19, States and Societies is a new series which presents texts from around the globe, detailing relationships between states and societies: how they have unfolded since the beginning of the…
The Future Of The Ingonyama Trust: Substantive Accountability in a post-Covid era dialogue held by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Land and Accountability Research Centre and the Public Affairs Research…
Press statement 15 November 2020 Zuma must account before Zondo We, the undersigned organisations, express our ongoing support for the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture. We…
On 3 November, Dr Tracy Ledger was a panel member at the Water Rights Webinar Series 3rd session, on Makana Municipality. The series is organised by SERI and the Mail…
A professional and well-capacitated local government bureaucracy is essential for the delivery of efficient and effective public goods and services to local communities. The recruitment and appointment of municipal administration…
The ANC’s treasurer-general Paul Mashatile is reportedly calling for an increase in state funding for political parties. The ANC has been in the news for some time with reports of…
Dr Mbongiseni Buthelezi was interviewed on Newzroom Afrika on 11 October about the issue of a lack of professionalism in the public sector, which results in bad service and often,…
Dr Thokozani Chilenga-Butao, Research Associate at PARI and Sandile Swana, political analyst, spoke to SABC Morning Live on 22 September 2020 about the upcoming Public Procurement Bill. For more information…
On 16 September, Dr Tracy Ledger had a gripping conversation with Mark Heywood from Maverick Citizen, in a Jacana 'Don't Shut Up' session, about the state of the food system…
From Tuesday, 8 to Friday, 11 September, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) hosted a virtual Local Government Week. The programme was aimed at providing an opportunity for national reflection…
Achieving coherence in land governance remains a challenge in South Africa. Attempts to reconcile diverse claims involve trade-offs and compromises. South Africa finds itself locked in these policy processes to…
1 September 2020 Corruption Watch and the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) have submitted the following open letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni, both of…
OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT: WE ARE NOT 'IN THIS TOGETHER’, POOR WOMEN NEED LAND JUSTICE! Dear President Ramaphosa, We appreciate your efforts in trying to curb the rampant spread…
The End of the Road: A critical review of the local government fiscal framework A new study on municipal failure in South Africa Press Release a financial cul-de-sac that…
Dr Mbongiseni Buthelezi will be participating in this webinar, organised by PLAAS at the University of the Western Cape, on government roles and capacities in land reform. Watch the public…
Dr Tracy Ledger is quoted in the Daily Maverick article, Many Mothers Going Hungry For the Sake Of Their Children, New Data Shows, on her work on food security and…
Dr Mbongiseni Buthelezi and Professor Alex Van den Heever joined SABC Morning Live via Zoom this morning. Watch the full video below. South Africa's Public Health System has been allocated…
PARI’s state reform programme is centrally focused on the relationship between politics and the state administration, it seeks to reduce the influence of corruption and patronage on South African politics,…
The Zondo Commission responded on 15 June to the CSWG's open letter. Read both letters here. On the Civil Society Working Group's letter to the Zondo Commission, calling for…
Watch the full webinar video from Thursday, 18 June for the event Unpacking Infrastructure Delivery In Relation To The Draft Procurement Bill. The PARI resources link, including NPC links, referred…
Dr Mbongiseni Buthelezi spoke to SABC on Morning Live on 29 May 2020. "The decision by the High Court in Pretoria to declare former South African Airways Board Chair Dudu…
Dear President Cyril Ramaphosa We, the undersigned organisations, commend you for the decisive action taken over the last few weeks in dealing with the Covid-19 crisis. We note the efforts…
By Mbongiseni Buthelezi Nothing demonstrates how much we need a capable state like a crisis. Despite the wealthy and the middle class having checked out of using public services in…
By Dr Julie Smith and Dr Tracy Ledger If there is just one outcome from the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa that could be considered positive, it is this: for…
By Dr Tracy Ledger There are growing global calls for a debt write-off for developing countries because of Covid-19. Eskom received a $3.75-billion loan from the World Bank in 2010,…
Dr Tracy Ledger's work on food security provided insights towards this revelatory article by PLAAS on the state of access to food in the time of the Corona virus. "Around…
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) hosted a conference entitled: Civil Society – Defeating State Capture and Rebuilding the State on 23 October 2019. The…
Eusebius Mckaiser on Radio 702 hosted a one-hour panel and call-in show on rights to food security during the Covid-19 pandemic, with panellists Dr Tracy Ledger, Mervyn Abrahams, Mazibuko Jara…
78 economists - and at least 29 others in supporting fields, including PARI - say that government can do more to mitigate the economic harm of Covid-19. They have addressed…
DUE TO GLOBAL CONCERNS AROUND COVID-19, THE LAUNCH EVENT FOR THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT POSITION PAPER IS BEING POSTPONED UNTIL LATER IN 2020. The Position Paper will be made available online…
PARI has endorsed the following statement by Zwelenzima Vavi, General Secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU). The state isn’t pulling its weight! 24 March 2020 The…
The Public Affairs Research Institute presented some ideas on state capture and civil society at the RAITH Foundation's Brown Bag Sessions on 13 March 2020. Dr Mbongiseni Buthelezi asks what…
The Strategic Dialogue Group (SDG) and Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) say it's practical solutions and actions that can rescue state-owned entities. SDG and PARI held a joint interactive dialogue…
MEDIA STATEMENT For immediate release; 16 March 2020 Johannesburg IT’S TIME FOR PRACTICAL SOE SOLUTIONS Strategic Dialogue Group (SDG) and Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) held a successful interactive dialogue…
Following the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa declaring Covid-19 a national disaster, please be advised that this event has been postponed. We will be in communication during this week about…
We, the undersigned organisations and individuals committed to justice for historical crimes and social justice in South Africa write in support of the South African History Archive. On Tuesday 03…
PARI is delighted to welcome some new faces to the Institute, and some old faces to new appointments. As 2020 takes off, we are looking forward to working together to…
The Nelson Mandela Foundation has just opened applications for #AFRE2020. If you are changemaker with a track record of impact, apply for this amazing opportunity!! https://racialequity.atlanticfellows.org/ PARI is a…
Dr Federica Duca presented at a conference at the Bartlett School of Architecture in London, titled Breaking down the nation-state: retreat and belonging in upper class gated communities in Johannesburg.…
This People's Guide to Archives in South Africa seeks to provide information and links to ways in which civil society, researchers and organisations can be empowered in order to gain…
From October 30 to November 1 2019, Tracy Ledger and Thokozani Chilenga-Butao attended a workshop co-organised by UNDESA and AU/APRM in collaboration with UNDP, titled African regional workshop on effective…
By Adriaan Kruger, Moneyweb, 22 October 2019 A research report by the Public Affairs Research Institute (Pari) on the financial state of South Africa’s municipalities has received very little attention…
On 4 October, journalist Theto Mahlakoana spoke to Joanne Joseph on Radio 702's Afternoon Drive, discussing PARI's latest report, Mind The Gap: Section 139 interventions in theory and in practise.…
SENIOR RESEARCHER: LOCAL GOVERNMENT Closing date: 31 October 2019 The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) is a Johannesburg-based organisation that studies the effectiveness of state institutions in the…
SENIOR RESEARCHER: LAND SECTOR Closing date: 31 October 2019 The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) is a Johannesburg-based organisation that studies the effectiveness of state institutions in the discharge…
On 3 October, Dr Federica Duca appeared on a panel at the international doctoral workshop, The Question of Agency in Africa Studies. The workshop was held by the University of…
On 2 October, Thatshisiwe Ndlovu held a workshop at PARI offices to review an Ethical Global Research Toolkit produced by the University of Edinburgh. The Toolkit comes out of a…
On 25 September, the Centre for Governance Innovation held a workshop on ‘The State of Food Governance in South Africa’ at the Future Africa Campus of the University of Pretoria.…
On 19 September, the Organisational and Institutional Studies Department at Wits University held an Open Day to inform potential Honours, Masters and PhD students about the courses on offer in…
What is the state for? Contestations around the definition of ‘good governance’ in post-apartheid South Africa – Tracy Ledger This paper will present findings from ethnographic work undertaken in various…
The August issue of Heinrich Böll Stiftung's Perspectives includes contributions from Dr Tracy Ledger and Crispian Olver. In the opening article, Tracy Ledger provocatively asks whether a different version of…
The Helen Suzman Foundation's recent report on independence and accountability in the criminal justice system included a contribution from Florencia Belvedere, who leads PARI's #AfterCapture state reform campaign. FLORENCIA…
It is with great sadness that PARI announces the passing of Head of Administration Mpho Mohapi on Thursday, 8 August. Mpho was one of PARI's very first employees, sporting a…
Executive Director, Johannesburg The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) is a Johannesburg-based organisation that studies the effectiveness of state institutions in the discharge of…
Joburg’s most cash-strapped residents can look forward to some relief soon, when a plan aimed at helping them and reducing the size of the city’s debtors book is introduced, says…
Organisational and Institutional Studies' first cohort of students proudly graduated at Wits University on 7 July 2019. Honours graduates are: Violet Molefe, Obert Nangara, Anivuyina Ketsiwe, Mabothlale Mbatane, Nosipho Manana.…
On 25 July, Dr Federica Duca gave a lecture to University of Johannesburg's third-year Architecture students (UJ FADA). The title of the lecture was The Politics of Leisure and Exclusion:…
Organisational and Institutional Studies (OIS) is a multidisciplinary degree programme in the School of Social Sciences at Wits University. The department offers Honours and Masters levels, and introduces a new…
On 30 May to 1 June 2019, Dr Marcus Walton attended a conference held by the Watson Institute at Brown University, titled Cities, Citizens and Governance in the 21st Century.…
PARI PhD Fellow and Wits Political Science Lecturer Thokozani Chilenga-Butao spoke to Cape Talk Radio about President Cyril Ramaphosa's new Cabinet, that was sworn in on Thursday, 30 May. While…
PARI has joined a collective call to the EFF political party to stop threats and intimidation, violent language, undemocratic assault in the media and racist pronouncements. The statement urges the…
The evolution of traditional leadership and its impact post-democracy THIS ARTICLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED HERE We have seen a number of stories around developments in various royal households in…
You are invited to a panel discussion and launch of a digital guide on ‘Archives and Democracy’ Speakers: Yasmin Sooka (Foundation for Human Rights), Mbongiseni Buthelezi (Public Affairs Research Institute),…
Research Associate Thomas Lesaffre spoke to Radio Television Suisse (RTS) about former president Zuma and French arms company Thales going on trial for corruption. L'ancien président sud-africain comparaît aujourd'hui devant…
PARI is looking for an experienced Project Coordinator to provide coordination and support to the research teams so that projects are implemented efficiently and effectively. He/she should provide all the…
In the midst of national and provincial elections, research fellow Thomas Lesaffre talks to Radio Television Suisse (RTS) about the state of South Africa 25 years after the end of…
Wits University is experiencing a significant pushback against its victim-centered policies and procedures for dealing with gender-based harm (GBH). Against this backdrop, the members of the Wits Sexual Harassment Advisory…
Senior Researcher Dr Federica Duca participates in the Wiser/UMichigan Mellon collaborative seminar titled Spatial Typologies and the Built Environment: Navigating African Urban Landscapes. Dr Duca will talk on Monday, 6…
Research fellow Thomas Lesaffre speaks to 'Forum' on Schweitzer Radio und Fernsehen on Freedom Day, 25 years after the first democratic elections in South Africa: C’était il y a tout…
