This Week - Professor Steven Friedman on Things Political.

 

That is one thing about Steven Friedman;  you don't really know what he is going to talk about until he opens his mouth.  The one thing you can be sure of is that ii will be interesting and probably controversial.

Steven Friedman is a public commentator and an academic, currently employed as a Research Professor at the University of Johannesburg. He has been writing on South African politics for the entire democratic period both as a scholar and public commentator. He has published books on South Africa’s transition to democracy, the role of the trade union movement, and current South African politics. He has also written columns and articles for several South African newspapers. His writing seeks to use academic research to shed light on current politics but to ensure that this is conveyed in a way easily understood by people who have no academic training.

Against the Tide is an emailed column commenting on current South African politics and, occasionally, on events elsewhere in the world.  It aims to offer a different perspective from mainstream news and commentary by looking beneath the surface and, where necessary,  challenging much of the thinking in South Africa’s public debate.

Last Week

It was a last minute cancellation followed by a no show, by the advertised speaker and a stopgap one.  The shortest meeting we have had this year 

Saturday saw a very pleasant Breakfast/Brunch at The Red Door Cafe. Click on the link to our Facebook Page to see the pictures.  President Luawrence presented Andrea Dawn for her hard work on our Facebook Page and our Website.  Many thanks, Andrea.

Next Week

It's the last Business Meeting of the year preceded by a Board Meeting of the Old Board Members and the New Board Members.  It should be interesting.

International - Australia

Family violence is a major health and social issue in Australia, according to the national Institute of Health and Welfare. Rotary Safe Families focuses on reducing the stigma around recognising the problem. This year the project, which was founded in 2018 and has a presence in 48 countries, is preparing to enlist Rotary clubs to sponsor a local school through a programme called Towards Respectful Relationships. It fosters “safe spaces for kids to talk about family violence and respect,” says programme founder Dorothy Gilmour, a member of the Rotary Club of Hawthorn. “It has been a long, bumpy road to get Australians to discuss the taboo topic of family violence.” More recently, though, “I have noticed that family violence is becoming less taboo.”