GAPP IS FLOURISHING

1. In wanting to strengthen the policy debate in South Africa by drawing on relevant, international comparisons, GAPP has internationalised, drawing especially on leading thinkers in the global South. In this regard, the following people have joined GAPP: the great Nigerian scholar, Toyin Falola, Maxim Khomyakov, until recently head of one of Russia’s biggest universities, Natalija Perisic, head of politics at the University of Belgrade, Sasa Milosevic and Rommy Morales from Chile. http://www.gapp-tt.org/about-us/ 2. GAPP has also been joined by a team of South Africa’s most talented and experienced former, senior officials, including Pascal Moloi, former City Manager of Johannesburg, Pali Lehohla, the former Statistician General, Pam Yako, the former DG of Tourism (when things were going well!), Bogani Khumalo, from FFC and Tania Ajam, one of South Africa’s leading economists, now also at the University of Stellenbosch. 3. We have also launched the Ctrl-Alt-Del initiative to generate practically-minded thinking about how to improve governance processes in relation, in particular, to the Covid-19 epidemic. We have published several articles that are available here: http://www.gapp-tt.org/ctrl-alt-del/ Versions of these articles were also published in Daily Maverick. They are also on the website.  3. GAPP has partnered with the South Africa Local Government Association to soon host a major conference on 25 Years of Local Government in South Africa, with a view to reflect on what went wrong and what practical measures can be taken to improve local governance. Here is the poster and a link to the concept note: http://www.gapp-tt.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GovernanceAgeCoronavirus_CallForPapers_ver0.2.pdf

4. For October GAPP is organising an international conference on what the epidemic reveals about the state of government in South Africa and in the global south. The response has already been amazing. Daniel Kaufmann (who with Joel Hellman) gave us the concept ’state capture’ and S. Subramanian, the great Indian economist, will bey the keynote speakers. Here Call for Papers and the poster: http://www.gapp-tt.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200714_GovernanceAgeCoronavirus_CallForPapers.pdf  5. GAPP is working on a report, intended to inform economic planning in South Africa, on the governance implications of various models. A first draft is currently in review amongst GAPP researchers and fellows. 

6. The report on the Zondo commission is moving ahead.  7. GAPP is also working on a new paper looking at the welfare landscape in South Africa. 8. Last, but not least, GAPP has launched a new show on Politics and Government, called Filling the GAPP. Ivor Chipkin has partnered with Toby Shapshak from Stuff magazine. The idea is to explore the governance dynamics and policy implications of current, topical stories in South Africa and further afield.  The first one is a discussion between Ivor Chipkin and Justice Malala about what Covid-19 has revealed about government in South Africa. Here is the link: https://pca.st/4hlw4l5r The second is a discussion on local government with Ivor Chipkin, Mcebisi Ndletyana and Crispian Olver. In the third, Ivor Chipkin is in discussion with Toyin Falola on what Covid-19 has revealed about government in Africa.