The Constitutional Court recently handed down an important judgment on sexual offences, and we have an op-ed that explains what court orders can do for rape survivors.
The general "Ramaphoria" that followed President Ramphosa's election seems to have waned, and Ferial Haffajee asks whether the new dawn has come and gone?
The land debate is still a hot topic and will be for some time still: this week, we had a contribution regarding the role that chiefs play in the land debate, and another explaining why spatial planning is crucial when talking of land reform.
And on the lifestyle side, we have Dr Eve giving some insight on how to deal with the revelation that your partner is bisexual, and what this means. We also had a few posts about kids — the threat that the online domain poses to their safety, and what to do when kids are in conflict.
Grab a coffee and get reading...
1. What Does A Court Order Do For Survivors Of Sexual Abuse?
The Constitutional Court recently handed down an important judgment on sexual offences. The judgment confirms that these are serious crimes and that the state should be able to prosecute them at any time. Lee-Anne Bruce and Sheena Swemmer unpack what this means for survivors of sexual abuse. Read more.
2. Is Ramaphosa's New Dawn Really Dead? Already?
Almost every major columnist is writing off President Cyril Ramaphosa's "new dawn" as if it is dead in the water; an idea politically stillborn. Analysts say the "Ramaphoria", the initial burst of goodwill that greeted Ramaphosa's inauguration four months ago, is gone. The euphoria has abated — but is the presidency already blighted? I'd argue not, but that it can feel that way, writes Ferial Haffajee.
3. The Chief Problem With Land Rights...
The idea that chiefs were the owners of the land was a colonial invention. Colonial administrators saw themselves as taking over the role and powers of chiefs. It suited them to argue that the new colonial system had inherited control of the land from the pre-existing political leaders, writes Peter Deluis.
4. Straight In A Relationship With A Bisexual Person – What Should You Do?
Claiming oneself as bisexual is a very personal experience. It does not have to mean that one has an equal attraction for different genders, or that a person has actually had sex or been in a relationship with more than one gender. It may be that he only ejaculates whilst watching male porn, fantasies about sex with a man but does not want to act on this — yet, or ever, writes Dr Eve.
5. When It Comes To Kids And Online Privacy – Sharing Is Not Caring
Our online privacy as individuals is important. It ensures that no one else is using our identity for their own purposes. Just as we as parents want to know who our kids hang out with and which friend's house they are going to, we need to ensure they are protected in the digital world the same way they are in the physical one, writes Ale Brown.
6. Friendships And The City: Are We Too Busy For Coffee Or Just Lazy?
What was it about turning 30 that made us assume that friendships didn't need any more work? How do we navigate a grown-up friendship without being codependent or worse, lazy? Have we allowed ourselves to live in a world of WhatsApp friendships? Replacing physical interactions with texts and voice notes, asks Mich Atagana?
7. Children And Screen Time: 3 Myths Exposed
Not all digital media is great, and as parents, it is our duty to constantly monitor the quality of screen time our children are exposed to. Having a balance is also important, but we must acknowledge that we share the same world with our children, and information technology is a part of our lives, writes Patricia Furstenberg.