Our Work
Our core focus areas are:
1) Public Interest Litigation
When all other means of exacting accountability have failed, “lawfare” is often the only sustainable and viable option.
To date IFAISA has participated in:
- Challenging the constitutionality of legislation which replaced the Scorpions with the Hawks when Bob Glenister’s legal team, led by IFAISA’s Paul Hoffman SC, saw to the reinstatement of an independent crime busting unit by South Africa’s Constitutional Court in a landmark judgment.
- Litigation to compel the appointment of a commission of inquiry to investigate and expose wrongdoing and corruption related to the arms deals, which has been successful.
- Complaints to the Public Protector concerning the SAPS leases in Pretoria and Durban and other aspects of the public administration in South Africa, both before and after 1994.
- The challenge to the efficacy of the Dräger breathalyser focusing on road safety by using reliable and objective testing in order to have cogent evidence against those who break the law by drinking and driving.
- The bread price-fixing class action.
- Intervening in court cases as ‘a friend of the court’ (amicus curiae)
These aspects help to correct deficiencies in governance.
2) Public Awareness and Education
Inculcating a value system of accountability and transparency requires that ordinary citizens stand up with courage, conviction and commitment to call on those in power to be responsible for their actions and decisions.
IFAISA recognises the need to inform, educate and empower the public through:
- Seminars and workshops
- Media exposure by way of open letters, editorial and updates via the website, in addition to television and radio interviews.
- Creating the handbook, “Know your rights, Claim your rights”, which promotes awareness of our constitutional rights, the means for claiming those rights and the avenues for complaining when rights are not respected, protected and promoted.
- Involvement in national and international forums focused on the Constitutionalism and the rule of law.
These activities help to strengthen governance through creating informed stakeholders.
3) Selected projects
Selected projects undertaken by the Institute vary, but are always focused on matters to do with public interest, human rights and the rule of law.
In addition to the above core focus areas, IFAISA is available on a fee for service basis to review and comment on organisational sustainability and accountability via auditing state and/or private company payroll levels and systems; skills and skills development; job needs and roles; legislative compliance and bargaining council requirements.
