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South African Institute of Race Relations: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 26°10′51″S 28°00′45″E / 26.18083°S 28.01250°E / -26.18083; 28.01250
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SAIRR described as right wing, with no source, taken out. Also said that the SAIRR has close ties to the DA, also not verified. Took out section on Jerm, which was irrelevant, as well as claims that Afriforum and SAIRR are close. Also no verification of those claims
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Established in 1929<ref name=profile>http://www.sairr.org.za/profile/</ref> the '''South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR)''' is a right wing research and policy organisation in [[South Africa]]. The Institute claims to be "one of the oldest liberal institutions in the country,"<ref>{{cite news | first=Julie | last=Hearn | title=Aiding democracy? Donors and civil society in South Africa | work=Third World Quarterly | volume=21 | issue=5 | date=1 October 2000 | page=827 }}</ref>, though it has ties<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mtyala |first1=Quinton |title=New DA MP Gwen Ngwenya is a polemicist of note |url=https://www.iol.co.za/sunday-tribune/news/new-da-mp-gwen-ngwenya-is-a-polemicist-of-note-13585950 |website=IOL |accessdate=7 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/authors/gareth-van-onselen/ |website=Business Live | title=Garet van Onselen profile |accessdate=7 December 2018}}</ref> to South Africa's conservative opposition party, the Democratic Alliance.
Established in 1929<ref name=profile>http://www.sairr.org.za/profile/</ref> the '''South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR)''' is a research and policy organisation in [[South Africa]]. The Institute is "one of the oldest liberal institutions in the country,"<ref>{{cite news | first=Julie | last=Hearn | title=Aiding democracy? Donors and civil society in South Africa | work=Third World Quarterly | volume=21 | issue=5 | date=1 October 2000 | page=827 }}</ref>.


The Institute investigates socio economic conditions in South Africa, and aims to address issues such as poverty and inequality, and to promote economic growth. The SAIRR tracks trends in every area of South Africa's development ranging from business and the economy to crime, living conditions, and politics.
The Institute investigates socio economic conditions in South Africa, and aims to address issues such as poverty and inequality, and to promote economic growth through promoting a system of limited government, a market economy, private enterprise, freedom of speech, individual liberty, property rights, and the rule of law.<ref>https://irr.org.za/about-us/about-us</ref> The SAIRR tracks trends in every area of South Africa's development ranging from business and the economy to crime, living conditions, and politics.


==History==
==History==
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In its early years of the 1930s, SAIRR had an ally in the politician [[Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr (1894–1948)|Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr]]. Hofmeyr was an influential liberal politician who opposed some of the proto-apartheid policies of the time and pursued a pro-British agenda. However, Hofmeyr died in 1948, the same year as the [[South African general election, 1948|decisive elections which put the National Party in power]]. [[Apartheid]] was formalised and the democracy was structured to favour the National Party, which would maintain rule over South Africa until 1994. White liberals were largely marginalised; even in 1948, where the [[United Party (South Africa)|United Party]] beat the National Party by 10% points in the popular vote, the National Party earned more seats, leading to a sense of helplessness about attempting to contest elections. Opposition to apartheid was routinely demonised as being pro-communist. The SAIRR remained an influential voice in South African society, in both apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa.<ref>http://whammedia.co.za/sairr-wins-american-chamber-of-commerce-leadership-award-for-2013/</ref>
In its early years of the 1930s, SAIRR had an ally in the politician [[Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr (1894–1948)|Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr]]. Hofmeyr was an influential liberal politician who opposed some of the proto-apartheid policies of the time and pursued a pro-British agenda. However, Hofmeyr died in 1948, the same year as the [[South African general election, 1948|decisive elections which put the National Party in power]]. [[Apartheid]] was formalised and the democracy was structured to favour the National Party, which would maintain rule over South Africa until 1994. White liberals were largely marginalised; even in 1948, where the [[United Party (South Africa)|United Party]] beat the National Party by 10% points in the popular vote, the National Party earned more seats, leading to a sense of helplessness about attempting to contest elections. Opposition to apartheid was routinely demonised as being pro-communist. The SAIRR remained an influential voice in South African society, in both apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa.<ref>http://whammedia.co.za/sairr-wins-american-chamber-of-commerce-leadership-award-for-2013/</ref>

In recent years the institute has courted controversy by supporting<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politicsweb.co.za/documents/outas-axing-of-jerm-cowardly-and-disgraceful--irr |website=Politics Web |title=IRR press release supporting racist cartoon |accessdate=7 December 2018}}</ref> a racist<ref>{{cite web |url=https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/2044289/update-outa-distances-itself-from-white-supremacist-cartoonist/ |website=The Citizen |title=UPDATE: OUTA distances itself from ‘white supremacist’ cartoonist |accessdate=7 December 2018}}</ref> cartoonist, and has support from the reactionary<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kekana |first1=Mashadi |title=I don't think apartheid was a crime against humanity – Afriforum’s Kriel |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2018-05-14-i-dont-think-apartheid-was-a-crime-against-humanity-afriforums-kallie-kriel |website=Mail&Guardian |accessdate=7 December 2018}}</ref> movement AfriForum, which is part of the greater Solidariteit movement which itself grew out of the whites only Mine Workers' Union.


It has also run a bursary scheme since 1935<ref>https://irr.org.za/bursaries</ref>. [[Nelson Mandela]] was awarded a bursary from the SAIRR in 1947 to complete his legal studies.<ref>http://whammedia.co.za/sairr-wins-american-chamber-of-commerce-leadership-award-for-2013/</ref>
It has also run a bursary scheme since 1935<ref>https://irr.org.za/bursaries</ref>. [[Nelson Mandela]] was awarded a bursary from the SAIRR in 1947 to complete his legal studies.<ref>http://whammedia.co.za/sairr-wins-american-chamber-of-commerce-leadership-award-for-2013/</ref>

Revision as of 07:40, 18 December 2018

South African Institute of Race Relations
Formation1929
Headquarters2 Clamart Road, Richmond, Johannesburg
Coordinates26°10′51″S 28°00′45″E / 26.18083°S 28.01250°E / -26.18083; 28.01250
Websiteirr.org.za

Established in 1929[1] the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) is a research and policy organisation in South Africa. The Institute is "one of the oldest liberal institutions in the country,"[2].

The Institute investigates socio economic conditions in South Africa, and aims to address issues such as poverty and inequality, and to promote economic growth through promoting a system of limited government, a market economy, private enterprise, freedom of speech, individual liberty, property rights, and the rule of law.[3] The SAIRR tracks trends in every area of South Africa's development ranging from business and the economy to crime, living conditions, and politics.

History

Jan Hofmeyr, an important member of SAIRR in the 1930s

The Institute was founded in 1929 to support cooperation between the racial communities of South Africa and to perform research on these relationships. The inaugural meeting was held on 9 May 1929 in the Johannesburg home of the missionary Reverend Ray E. Phillips. In attendance were Davidson Don Tengo Jabavu, one of the first professors at the University of Fort Hare; Johannes du Plessis, a missionary and theologian; Charles Templeman Loram, chief inspector of Native education in Natal Province; Edgar Brookes, J. Howard Pim, a government official; Thomas W. Mackenzie, editor of The Friend, a newspaper and J. H. Nicholson, Mayor of Durban.

In its early years of the 1930s, SAIRR had an ally in the politician Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr. Hofmeyr was an influential liberal politician who opposed some of the proto-apartheid policies of the time and pursued a pro-British agenda. However, Hofmeyr died in 1948, the same year as the decisive elections which put the National Party in power. Apartheid was formalised and the democracy was structured to favour the National Party, which would maintain rule over South Africa until 1994. White liberals were largely marginalised; even in 1948, where the United Party beat the National Party by 10% points in the popular vote, the National Party earned more seats, leading to a sense of helplessness about attempting to contest elections. Opposition to apartheid was routinely demonised as being pro-communist. The SAIRR remained an influential voice in South African society, in both apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa.[4]

It has also run a bursary scheme since 1935[5]. Nelson Mandela was awarded a bursary from the SAIRR in 1947 to complete his legal studies.[6]

Sponsors and Donors

The institute receives donations and funds from:[7]

  • Anglo American Chairman's Fund
  • Elisabeth Bradley Trust
  • FirstRand Foundation
  • Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom
  • George Laurence
  • Haggie Charitable Trust
  • National Endowment for Democracy
  • Johannes van der Horst
  • Julian Ogilvie Thompson
  • Oppenheimer Memorial Trust
  • Peter Joubert
  • Royal Belgian Embassy
  • Trencor Services

References

  1. ^ http://www.sairr.org.za/profile/
  2. ^ Hearn, Julie (1 October 2000). "Aiding democracy? Donors and civil society in South Africa". Third World Quarterly. Vol. 21, no. 5. p. 827.
  3. ^ https://irr.org.za/about-us/about-us
  4. ^ http://whammedia.co.za/sairr-wins-american-chamber-of-commerce-leadership-award-for-2013/
  5. ^ https://irr.org.za/bursaries
  6. ^ http://whammedia.co.za/sairr-wins-american-chamber-of-commerce-leadership-award-for-2013/
  7. ^ http://irr.org.za/about-us/sponsors-and-donors