Legal news and commentary from the offices of Simon Dippenaar
We don’t want to give him publicity, but it’s important to learn from him Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or unable to go online due to load shedding!), you will have heard of Andrew Tate. If you hadn’t heard of him before his arrest – and, despite his celebrity status on TikTok, many […]
Men need to be allowed to be vulnerable to end gender-based violence The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children has ended. But the intentions of the campaign must continue. We cannot tolerate the abuse or death of more women and girls. We’ve written recently about the root causes of gender […]
We take a closer look Land reform is a much-debated issue in South Africa. No one (well, almost no one) disputes the urgent need to right some of the wrongs of the past regarding land ownership, to advance transformation. However, the ways and means of achieving this reform are not always full agreed upon. We’ve […]
Various organisations will make sure your food donation reaches the people in need As we contend with rising incidence of COVID-19 in South Africa (though still thankfully much lower than our European and North and South American counterparts) and the restrictions of lockdown, World Hunger Day, which took place on 28 May, has passed us […]
Two new books and a film suggest young men need compassion and support to tackle their adolescent alienation We’ve written previously about toxic masculinity, #metoo, and gender-based violence and discrimination. This article from the Guardian, by Vanessa Thorpe, 2020-03-14, reviews several new attempts to redefine modern masculinity. The views expressed are not necessarily those of […]
South Africans pay far too much for data, and challenger networks Cell C and Telkom are unable to make a dent in the duopoly held by Vodacom and MTN. Given that many South Africans do not own laptops or tablets and rely on cell phones for internet access, a feature of modern life that is […]
Women are still not paid equally for equal work Last year during Women’s Month the world was focused on the Harvey Weinstein case and the #metoo campaign, which emerged in the wake of a parade of women coming forward with harrowing tales of sexual abuse and sexual harassment at the hands of Weinstein and many […]
300 people made homeless in “legal” eviction Activists and concerned citizens are outraged at the treatment of residents on Klein Akker farm in Kraaifontein. In an act of eviction that is legal but nonetheless inhumane, 300 poor and vulnerable occupants have seen their homes demolished before their very eyes and left by the side of […]
by Simon David Dippenaar As children, we were raised hearing the old adage that ‘sticks and stones may break one’s bones, but words can never harm one.’ However, one soon comes to the stark realisation that this is not actually true. This is particularly so, for example, when one considers all those that have committed […]
