The conference kicks off on the Friday night with a public meeting with Tariq Ali, Jeremy Cronin and Mahau Pheko.

Other meetings that are sure to be fascinating debates feature Thobekile Radebe, chair of the LPM, Glen Thomas, Director General of Land Affairs and Lungisile Ntsebeza of UCT. Mike Muller has agreed to debate Greg Ruiters and Virginia Setshedi and Ferial Haffajee and Jane Duncan will be talking about the media. Plus stalls, films screenings, an open mic debating space, a photography exhibition on land struggles and poetry, dance and music on the Saturday evening.

Nature of the conference The conference, in the spirit of the World Social Forum and its methodology of openness, plurality and respect for a diversity of views within popular movements of civil society, will create a space where activists, progressive social theorists and academics can discuss the successes, failures, strengths and weaknesses of the transition from apartheid. The conference will represent one of the voices of civil society that is celebrating and critically evaluating the new period our country has entered since the end of apartheid.

The conference will examine the following themes:
State and Politics: Here, focus will be on the transformation of the body politic, including the economy, the nature and role of the post-apartheid state and South Africa's integration into the global economy.

Delivery of Services: Simultaneous and parallel discussion commissions will focus on the state of service delivery in areas of education, health, housing, land, water, electricity and welfare.

State of civil society: Focus will lay on the role of the labor movement, popular organisations, social movements and other social forces that sought to influence the transition.

Objectives of the conference To use the occasion of the celebration of 10 years of democracy in post-apartheid South Africa to facilitate a discussion amongst activists of the popular movement around the progress made in building democracy, redistributing wealth, overcoming racial inequalities and divisions, and eradicating poverty. Such a discussion will not only highlight the achievements of the past ten years, but will also analyse the blockages and challenges that lie ahead. It is hoped that these discussions and debates will provide a platform upon which activists will be able to determine strategies for achieving social transformation and justice.

Critically examine the challenges confronting civil society, 10 years into building the new South Africa. These challenges are defined by both the unfinished business of dealing with the legacy of apartheid, engagement with the policies of the current government as well as the state of civil society.
Discussing strategies for the struggle ahead over the next 10 years that can deepen democracy, ensure development, social transformation and economic justice.

Audience The conference is aimed at 120 participants who will be drawn from the broad progressive movement in South Africa. Leaders of trade unions, social movements, popular organisations and NGO's will be invited. While the majority will be drawn from the Western Cape where the conference will be held, travel subsidies will be offered to activists coming from other parts of the country. A special emphasis will be placed on ensuring the participants of women activists and conference subsidies will be weighted in favor of women.

For more information, please contact Simphiwe Dada at Phone: (021) 447 57 70 Fax: (021) 447 58 84 E-mail: [email protected] [2]