A new beginning? The enforcement of social, economic and cultural rights under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights

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Prisoners' rights litigation in South Africa since 1994: A critical evaluation

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So much to do, so little done: The right of access to anti-retroviral drugs post-Grootboom

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Compassion and Corruption

Reflections on the life of Nelson Mandela for a special issue of Transition this article asks whether the example of Nelson Mandela’s extraordinary ability to show understanding, compassion, and forgiveness - even to those who might have done wrong - can teach us anything about being both principled and compassionate. Is it possible to be both? Can one insist on the importance of integrity, but show understanding for others who have strayed

Access of political parties to the media during election campaigns

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Dysregulation of microtubule stability impairs morphofunctional connectivity in primary neuronal networks

Functionally related neurons assemble into connected networks that process and transmit electrochemical information. To do this in a coordinated manner, the number and strength of synaptic connections is tightly regulated. Synapse function relies on the microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton, the dynamics of which are in turn controlled by a plethora of MT-associated proteins, including the MT-stabilizing protein Tau. Although mutations in the Tau-encodingMAPT gene underlie a set of neurodegenerative disorders, termed tauopathies, the exact contribution of MT dynamics and the perturbation thereof to neuronal network connectivity has not yet been scrutinized. Therefore, we investigated the impact of targeted perturbations of MT stability on morphological (e.g., neurite- and synapse density) and functional (e.g., synchronous calcium bursting) correlates of connectivity in networks of primary hippocampal neurons. We found that treatment with MT-stabilizing or -destabilizing compounds impaired morphofunctional connectivity in a reversible manner. We also discovered that overexpression of MAPT induced significant connectivity defects, which were accompanied by alterations in MT dynamics and increased resistance to pharmacological MT depolymerization. Overexpression of a MAPT variant harboring the P301L point mutation in the MT-binding domain did far less, directly linking neuronal connectivity with Tau's MT binding affinity. Our results show that MT stability is a vulnerable node in tauopathies and that its precise pharmacological tuning may positively affect neuronal network connectivity. However, a critical balance in MT turnover causes it to be a difficult therapeutic target with a narrow operating window

Same-sex marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships in South Africa: critical reflections on an ongoing saga

This article reflects critically on the various stages in the legal recognition of same-sex marriage in South Africa. The authors devote particular attention to a connection between the apartheid order's use of the 'separate but equal' slogan and the operationalization of this slogan (and its political history) by activists to counter the legislative attempt to enact a second-class civil partnership regime for same-sex life partnerships in South Africa. The authors argue that the Constitutional Court's decision in the Fourie matter left Parliament with a carefully delineated mandate fully to recognize same-sex life partnerships by way of marriage. They critically evaluate the proceedings of the Home Affairs portfolio committee during the public participation hearings. In conclusion the authors consider the legal consequences (and paradoxes) of the enactment of the Civil Union Act 17 of 2006, which they read as a concession to colonialism in the broadest sense of that word

Same-sex marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships in South Africa: critical reflections on an ongoing saga

This article reflects critically on the various stages in the legal recognition of same-sex marriage in South Africa. The authors devote particular attention to a connection between the apartheid order's use of the 'separate but equal' slogan and the operationalization of this slogan (and its political history) by activists to counter the legislative attempt to enact a second-class civil partnership regime for same-sex life partnerships in South Africa. The authors argue that the Constitutional Court's decision in the Fourie matter left Parliament with a carefully delineated mandate fully to recognize same-sex life partnerships by way of marriage. They critically evaluate the proceedings of the Home Affairs portfolio committee during the public participation hearings. In conclusion the authors consider the legal consequences (and paradoxes) of the enactment of the Civil Union Act 17 of 2006, which they read as a concession to colonialism in the broadest sense of that word

Prisoners' rights litigation in South Africa since 1994: a critical evaluation

It is a sad fact that there is often a huge gap in South Africa between the constitutional promise of a life lived with dignity and respect, on the one hand, and the actual lived reality of people who are supposed to be protected by that Constitution, on the other. The hearings at the Jali Commission of Inquiry into the system of corrections in South Africa have revealed that many prisoners' are incarcerated in circumstances that fall far short of those guaranteed them in the South African Constitution. This article is based, in part, on a number of interviews conducted with human-rights practitioners directly involved in prisoners' rights litigation in South Africa. To gather background information about the problems relating to the administration inside the Department of Correctional Services, I also interviewed other experts who have worked with the Department in the past.i- The article furthermore relies on academic writing and press reports