Free SA Demands Immediate Withdrawal of ‘procedurally unlawful, irrational, and invalid’ Minimum Wage Hike
“If the Minister fails to act, Free SA will take legal action to challenge the decision and hold the government accountable.” — Reuben Coetzer, Spokesperson for Free SA Free SA has sent a formal letter of demand to the Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth, calling for the immediate withdrawal of the unlawful 4.2% […]
Free SA Welcomes Budget Postponement, Warns Against VAT Hike
Free SA welcomes the decision to postpone the national budget speech amid fierce opposition to a proposed VAT hike. This moment marks a critical shift in South African politics—proof that Parliament is no longer a rubber stamp for bad policies and that reckless tax increases will no longer be pushed through without consequence. The delay […]
Drop in SA Unemployment rate Welcomed, But Sustainable Solutions Must Focus on the Private Sector
South Africa’s latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for Q4 2024 shows a marginal decline in unemployment, with 132,000 more people employed and 20,000 fewer unemployed, bringing the official unemployment rate down from 32.1% to 31.9%. While Free SA welcomes any progress in tackling unemployment, this slight improvement does not change the fundamental crisis that […]
Public outcry over State Enterprises Bill: Free SA urges SAns to resist State Capture 2.0 during public participation process
The Foundation for Rights of Expression and Equality (Free SA) has registered its concerns regarding the proposed National State Enterprises Bill, which it suggests will usher in ‘state capture 2.0’. The organisation has submitted a detailed parliamentary submission (see attached) outlining the risks contained in the Bill as part of the public participation process which […]
US-South Africa Tensions: Economic Reform is the Only Viable Path, says Free SA
As South Africa once again finds itself entangled in the fallout of global political disputes—this time amid tensions involving US President Donald Trump, the ANC-led government, and lobby groups, the Foundation for Rights of Expression and Equality (Free SA) is urging the Government of National Unity (GNU) to abandon its failing economic ideology in favour […]
Free SA Responds to the 2025 State of the Nation Address: More Promises, No Real Reform
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA) has once again reinforced a troubling reality: government is committed to repeating the same failed policies while ignoring the structural reforms necessary to rescue South Africa from economic stagnation, governance failures, and declining public trust. No Real Commitment to Local Government Accountability The announcement of […]
GNU’s Maiden SONA a chance to mend fractures, backtrack on disastrous Expropriation Act
Free SA, the Foundation for the Rights of Expression and Equality, has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa today to urge him to repeal this harmful legislation. This follows their recent condemnation of President Ramaphosa for signing the Expropriation Act into law. In the wake of the assent of this troublesome piece of legislation, the outcry from […]
BELA: Free SA writes to Minister, proposes regulations to mitigate harms posed by the Act
The Foundation for Rights of Expression and Equality (Free SA), a non-profit organisation dedicated to upholding democratic principles and promoting civic engagement in legislative issues, has written a letter to the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, to raise serious concerns about the harms posed by the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act, 2024 (BELA). The […]