Our journey has taken us to some of the most unequal and violent parts of the world. One of these is Marikana, a suburb in Cape Town South Africa where 16 people were murdered in one night during the month of February 2018, and approximately 20 people are killed every month. All incidents of violence are rooted in economics and exasperated by alcohol. Townships and indigent communities in South Africa are littered with billboards advertising alcohol, paid for by South Africa's lucrative wine industry. About 10,000 people call this area home, yet police do not venture into Marikana unless in numbers.
The evidence on the ground suggests the world is becoming more unequal at an alarming rate, with philanthropy predominantly used to deflect attention from the root cause of the problem.
We experienced the most amount of joy and results since our quest for equality started after we began spending time in places like Marikana - ground zero of South Africa. We discovered that people who have nothing tend to give you everything. Our arduous quest to make the world more equal has given us unique insights into what delivers the best results. It helped us determine where to expend energy to make the greatest impact.
https://www.change.org/p/cyril-ramaphosa-stop-murders-in-marikana-cape-town
SEESworld has evolved into two divisions, the Inequality Impact Unit and the Structural Change Division:
INEQUALITY IMPACT UNIT combines 8 strategies into one campaign to focus on root causes of inequality: On site live event coverage, photography and interviews; investigating and researching; empowering communities with press releases; lobbying stakeholders; petitioning; legal action; restoring dignity.
1. THE SHOPRITE 8
Paying women low wages is a form of gender-based violence. These low income workers and young mothers are paid less than $2 per hour and were thrown in jail for accepting $5 in tips. We gave these indigent women the name 'The Shopright 8' (after the 'The Wynberg 7') and campaigned to restore their dignity. Please see the proposed adoption of the recent Canadian Tipping Bill we have asked Mr Siyabonga Keka from Impact Litigation to introduce into South African labour law.
https://seesworld.org/images/The%20Shoprite%208.pdf
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/the-shoprite-8
Current Status: After months of campaigning and attending numerous court appearances in support of The Shoprite 8, they were found guilty and ordered to do community work. The pro bono attorney representing the women was still in training. Newspapers in South Africa carefully framed this story to limit any negative impact upon Shoprite. The Wynberg Court prosecutor refused to drop the charges against The Shoprite 8. This type of condoned corporate gender-based violence in South Africa sets the standard for other men. Impact Litigation is yet to do anything about the new laws we proposed. This case will never be closed until The Shoprite 8's dignity is restored. They must receive the equivalent compensation of a home each from Shoprite Checkers. South Africa desperately needs new laws to protect the vulnerable.
2. STEENVILLA
Social housing evictions - we uncovered a report on how Nedbank is profiting from social housing.
https://seesworld.org/images/Steenvilla%20Press%20Release.pdf
https://www.change.org/p/colonel-daniels-steenvilla-under-siege-children-asking-if-they-will-be-shot
Current Status: After 6 months of intensive campaigning, we managed to get the President of South Africa to step in and many of these families who were evicted have now been given their own homes thanks to his intervention. The root of the problem has still not been resolved - commercialised profit-driven social housing NGO's are ill-equipped to address historical imbalances and trauma.
3. MARIKANA - Ground Zero
Western Cape South Africa - ground zero - structural change recommendations: Township High Impact Social Upliftment Programmes developed for Marikana including solar shacks / vegetable gardens / patroller payments and planting trees.
https://seesworld.org/images/Cape%20Flats%20Crime%20Patrol.pdf
https://seesworld.org/images/SEESworld_structural_change_community_programmes.pdf
Current Status: We submitted paperwork to parliament on the 15 March 2019 asking for funding for the construction of homes for the people of Marikana. We are currently trying to raise funding in China for the solar initiative.
4. SIYANGENA
Homeless people - affidavit prepared by SEESworld. We were allowed to argue the matter before Judge Holderness in the Western Cape High Court with a positive outcome for the people. What transpired on 30 January 2018 laid the groundwork for over 6000 families to receive relief from rent exploitation. They now have their own temporary homes (shacks) along Govan Mbeki Road in Phillippi, Western Cape, South Africa.
https://seesworld.org/images/Siyangena%20Affadavit.pdf
https://our.seesworld.org/insidesiyangena
Current Status: After the court case, we fought many further battles to stop the community from being evicted. Then we tried to get services to Siyangena, such as water and toilets. We are now happy to report that Siyangena residents have received those services. We then submitted paperwork to parliament on 15 March 2019 asking for funding for the construction of permanent homes for the people of Siyangena.
5. residents of RAMAPHOSA
Homeless people - affadavit and orders prepared by SEESworld for the Western Cape High Court. We also petitioned the President Judge to stop erroneous orders by corporations against helpless communities. We were at court for 3 days.
https://seesworld.org/images/Judge%20President.pdf
https://seesworld.org/images/SEESworlds%20Ramaphosa%20Affidavit.pdf
Current Status: Not long after our days in court, the people of Ramaphosa successfully occupied the land and built thousands of temporary homes. We submitted paperwork to parliament on the 15 March 2019 asking for the construction of permanent homes for the people of Ramaphosa.
6. WINNIE MADIKIZELA
Homeless people we represented at the same time as the Siyangena case.
https://our.seesworld.org/insideWinnieMadikizelaCommunity
Current Status: Thanks to our Siyangena victory, this community also received permision to occupy land and build temporary homes. We submitted paperwork to parliament on the 15 March 2019 asking for funding for the construction of homes for the people of Winnie Madikizela.
7. VUKUZENZELE
Indigent community, homes overcrowded with up to ten people using one bathroom. A portion of their land was recently sold to BP Oil Company to build a pretrol station, without the community's consent. The amazing women of Vukuzenzele built their own brick homes.
https://our.seesworld.org/insidevukuzenzelecommunity
https://www.change.org/p/namaindia-mfeketo-minister-human-settlements-vukuzenzele-children
Current Status: We have been working with Vukuzenzele for almost two years, creating awareness of the root cause of their suffering. We are currently engaging with BP's CEO and The South African Government to resolve this matter.
8. Pelican Park
Pelican Park is Aunty Eleanor's home and it is plagued with crime and economic suffering. Many of the elderly go hungry as the pension they receive is less than one tenth of what it costs to live in South Africa. The food they can afford from the local Shoprite supermarket lacks nutritional value and/or is filled with harmful chemicals.
https://seesworld.org/images/Cape%20Flats%20Crime%20Patrol.pdf
Current Status: The situation in Pelican Park is getting worse and worse, not "better and better" as Shoprite Checkers wants you to believe.
9. THE Guguletu Seven
Homeless youth - these brave young men come from overcrowded family homes. They decided they had to take a stand for their community so they built their shacks on vacant land. Guguletu is one of the most violent parts of Cape Town, bearing testimony to the country's warped economic system.
Guguletu cemetery is so crowded, that bodies have to be buried on top of each other
Current Status: The boys were arrested. After the prosecutor listened to the family and our plea, they were released. They are trying to establish a livelihood in a community that faces a 30 percent unemployment rate. Trying to start a small business is also a daunting task as the established companies in South Africa have become experts at stifling startups and competition.
10. Paarl Township Chicago
Social housing: Community charged exorbitant rentals for social housing with hardly any money spent on maintanence. The people of Steenvilla donated a large amount of clothing after a devastating electrical fire destroyed many homes at Chicago.
https://seesworld.org/images/SA_Housing_STATUS_ANXIETY_Report.pdf
Current Status: Paarl represents a typical country town in South Africa where your value is determined by how much money you earn.
10. FISH HOEK HOMELESS SHELTER
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We worked for 6 months with some of the local church leaders in Fish Hoek trying to gather enough support to build a homeless shelter. We tried to create awareness of the root cause of homelessness and tried to stop the abuse of those who find themselves homeless. We also used our time to update members of the churches of what was going on in the townships.
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https://seesworld.org/index.php/en/component/k2/item/140-homeless-fish-hoek
- https://seesworld.org/index.php/en/component/k2/item/140-human-value-system-in-south-africa-australia-america
- https://www.change.org/p/nedbank-fish-hoek-homeless-people-south-africa-57151557-fb3f-40a2-8065-bbcbdaa5a936
https://seesworld.org/images/SA_Housing_STATUS_ANXIETY_Report.pdf
- Current Status: We are pushing for an outcome on this matter which is now firmly in the hands of The ANC Department of Human Settlements. We failed to get a result after working for 6 months with the local church leaders in Fish Hoek.
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11. Australian Human Rights
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We lodged documents on 8 November 2019 with Professor Croucher who is chairing the conversation on Australian Human Rights. We are asking for the criminal prosecution of those who mentally abuse Australian women and children.
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STRUCTURAL CHANGE - Strategy, mass heightened consciousness and innovative litigation.
1. COMMUNICATION
Mainstream news and social media corporations allow mental abuse, with women and children often targeted. The International Criminal Court considers mass mental abuse a crime against humanity: https://www.icc-cpi.int/iccdocs/PIDS/publications/UICCEng.pdf We are relaunching the SEESworld platform after 10 years and seek the support of all peoples to open a case at the ICC. We have learned valuable lessons from our 10 years of fighting corporate abuse.
International organisation: Facebook and Google owners. Local examples: owners of South Africa's Naspers and Australia's Newscorp.
https://seesworld.org/images/SEESworldUNfakenewscase.pdf
a. Facebook and Google - they profit from advertising that dilute the meaning of words.
b. Corporate South Africa - no action taken to uphold the Bill of Rights written into corporate law since 2008
c. Corporate Australia are in contempt of Article 1 and 12 of International Human Rights Law
Corporate advertising is trusted as nutritional advice by low income and indigent communities. Advertising that alters the meaning of words creates destructive role models for children under 12 years old. News media that distorts reality by framing and omitting information to serve self interests leaves the public unable to make informed decisions. These illegal models of communication must be stopped once and for all.
If we exert energy in the right place and act together, we can get this job done
https://seesworld.org/images/High%20Court%20Advertising%20Children.pdf
https://seesworld.org/images/SA_Housing_STATUS_ANXIETY_Report.pdf
https://seesworld.org/images/Kitchen_War.pdf
2. WATER & WAR
South African, Europe & Australia - BP / CALTEX / ENGEN / MINING / WINE FARMING - false information supplied to Governments & Communities since the 1950's about climate change.
3. FOOD
Non-communicable disease, food transparency and supermarkets
https://seesworld.org/images/Kitchen_War.pdf
a. Commercial animal feed suppliers and antibiotics – pharmaceutical industry
b. Soil recovery and pesticide.
c. Nutritious food first, profit second
SEESworld KITCHEN WAR on fake food:
https://www.seesworld.org/images/SEESworld_Smart_Food_Consumption.pdf
https://seesworld.org/images/Bread.pdf
4. JOBS - SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH
The only sector that currently creates socio-economic opportunities and more equal societies is small business growth.
https://seesworld.org/images/seesworld%20SA.pdf
5. HOMES
Rental costs have exceeded 50% of the average household income in South Africa and Australia.
Tenancy laws mainly protect landlords' income in South Africa and Australia. Rental Tribunal Board Western Cape and NSW provide almost no protection to tenants from influential landlords with experienced attorneys.
https://seesworld.org/images/SA_Housing_STATUS_ANXIETY_Report.pdf
6. WAGES and PENSIONS
a. Benchmark the retirement pension and minimum wage to the cost of living in South Africa, Australia and America.
b. Pensions and minimum wages below the cost of living is a form of servitude - slavery.
c. Apply the International Declaration of Human Rights to labour law.
7. MENTAL HEALTH
Mental illness - news media and social media - the pharmaceutical industry
Depression, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, autism, ADHD - root cause - what influences how we value each other the most: according to the age-old protestant work ethic promoted by Western news media, corporate advertising, Facebook and Google, money determines what people are worth.
https://seesworld.org/images/SEESworldMentalHealthBlueprint.pdf
https://seesworld.org/images/SEESworld%20Research%20Framework.pdf
https://seesworld.org/images/Why%20is%20Autism%20increasing.pdf
8. BILLS
https://seesworld.org/images/SEESworld%20New%20Bills%20Proposal.pdf
9. Judiciary, Tribunals & Ombudsman Services, South Africa & Australia
view each case received through the lens of international law, article 25 as an example?
Article 25 1. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. 2. Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
10. Community Programmes
https://seesworld.org/images/SEESworld_structural_change_community_programmes.pdf
