Articles for Jack Lewis

How a rural hospital has become a model of good care

If all hospitals were like this we could implement National Health Insurance tomorrow

By

Opinion | 28 January 2016

How to break the backlog in primary education

Jack Lewis explains how we can quickly make radical improvements to primary school education.

Jack Lewis.

Opinion | 18 November 2013

The strike wave and what it means

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said last week that if South Africa wants to achieve higher growth and cut unemployment โ€œa social bargainโ€ is needed that would pull together trade unions, business and the government to implement the NDP (National Development Plan). It also suggests that trade unions moderate wage demands and that the State implement its massive infrastructure spending plans. The IMF flagged "escalating labour tensions" as a "key domestic risk".

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 10 October 2013

Greyson and Loubani on hunger strike: How you can help them

It's now nearly 50 days since Toronto filmmaker John Greyson and London, Ontario Doctor Tarek Loubani were arrested by Egyptian police while on their way to Gaza. They are on the 16th day of a hunger strike against their treatment and detention without charge.

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 2 October 2013

Human rights work is not about the fees

The debacle around Dali Mpofu's fees at the Farlam Commission is an important moment.

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 11 September 2013

Prominent anti-apartheid film director held in Egypt

It is now 20 days since Toronto filmmaker John Greyson and London, Ontario, doctor Tarek Loubani were arrested by Egyptian police while on their way to Gaza.

Jack Lewis

News | 2 September 2013

How to reduce the fuel price and grow the economy

Today the fuel price goes up 32 cents per litre. This means diesel, which drives our big trucks that distribute food and other goods across the country, will be over R13 a litre. Commuter transport will become more expensive as will the price of paraffin used by by the poor for cooking and lighting.

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 7 August 2013

Don’t be fooled: Zimbabwe’s land reform is no success

It is election day in Zimbabwe. This is a good day to reconsider the Zimbabwean land reform experience and what to make of it, especially as we consider what should be done about land reform in South Africa.

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 31 July 2013

What should be done about land in South Africa?

I think about land matters quite a bit, especially now that Iโ€™m living on a small holding in the Karoo. In 1999, I was invited to make a video showing the "challenges" (yes that was still an acceptable word back then) of land reform in the Free State.

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 24 July 2013

Transformation by quota is barking mad

Jack Lewis argues that government's transformation plan is based on identity politics and is misguided. He asks people on the political left to speak out against it.

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 19 June 2013

Why we should support social movements

This week I finally signed up as a donor to Equal Education. I'd been meaning to do it for a long time. Small as my contribution is I'd like to urge all who can afford even R20 per month to start supporting the social movements. Here's what motivated me to finally sign that debit order form.

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 22 May 2013

South Africa should learn from Brazil’s Bolsa Familia

BRICS has come and gone. It has been driven from the headlines by Jacob Zuma using the hopes and aspirations of the millions who vote for the ANC as a means to enrich his narrow circle of crony capitalists through misuse of the SANDF in the Central African Republic. But before the memory of BRICS fades, let's remember the B in BRICS is for Brazil, a country with which South Africa is often compared.

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 3 April 2013

Unions must take campaign for global minimum wage to BRICS

This is the first in a series of articles by Jack Lewis which puts forward ideas to start a discussion on the need for a programme which can unify the work which many great campaigning organisations are doing.

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 27 March 2013

Government’s fuel policy makes us all poorer

Expect another hike in the price of petrol, diesel and paraffin in October. This is because the price is staying above $110 a barrel and the rand is weakening.

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 19 September 2012