Policy on Councillors - November 2000

Councillors must resign their seat should they leave their party.
Councillor finances must be transparent; they must disclose their income and assets.
Councillors must not receive any council payment that would increase their total income above the living wage standard as defined by trade union federations. Until such time as this is the case, councillors must donate any council payment over and above that standard wage to their party, or to their community.
Councillors must meet regularly with a support and reference group of (other members of their party and) members of their community, to prevent a gap growing between the people and their "representative" i.e. councillors must fulfil the performance requirements of their community.

Crime Prevention Policy - May 2003

Eradicate poverty & unemployment - Close the gap between the haves and have-nots.
Nurture a culture of pro-active anti-violence - Respect & treasure Life - Promote positive role models - Create an Ethical Culture
Strengthen Community Policing - Budget for adequate Policing - Increase police presence and visibility - Deny access to illegal weapons
Increase Arrests + Increase Convictions
Initiate Justice Reforms - See crime as a violation of one person by another, not against the state – (restorative justice)
Reform Prisons - Restitution for economic crimes, not retribution
Deter Criminals - Stricter sentencing, for violent crimes and abuse of human rights (including rape and child abuse) - A life sentence with no release, for premeditated murder - Mandatory life sentences for all armed and violent crimes, until complete rehabilitation is proved.

Problems with the Death Sentence

1. The constitutional court would probably reject it
2. A parliamentary 2/3rds majority is needed
3. The President could commute sentences
4. An innocent person can be convicted
5. Lengthy and costly appeals process
6. It does not respect life
7. It may not act as a deterrent - criminals already risk their lives.

There are also:

8. Low conviction rates and
9. Low arrest rates.

However people might support the Death Penalty as a protest against crime.

Economic Policy - June 2003

Oppose global apartheid - market dictatorship. The invasion and occupation of Iraq highlights the lack of constraints on, illegal or immoral, actions for the benefit of mainly USA based multinational corporations. A so-called ‘free market’ economy cannot be taken as freedom to exploit or freedom from responsibilities and obligations. Competitive, greed-motivated ‘free markets’ are synonymous with environmental destruction, inequalities in consumption, rank, status and power - a hierarchy based on money and possessions, accumulation of personal property, minority economic control, and polarity between rich and poor. One quarter of the world's population consumes three quarters of the world's wealth. Ever increasing consumption is damaging and cannot be sustained.

Reject abusive relationships. Commercial activity that considers only the profit bottom line cannot be considered as ethical. It is necessary to use a triple bottom line of social, environmental and monetary gains. Fair trade means considering both the up and downstream ramifications of business activities, and internalised costing of external impacts. All commercial, industrial, military, agricultural, private and state entities must be entirely transparent and accountable, ecologically viable, sustainable and open to audit. Technologies must be safe. Any change over to sustainable methods must occur within a just transition.

Reform inaccessible insensitive official structures and personnel. State control requires service - not cumbersome bureaucracy, low quality products, production failures, shortages of food and other commodities - which indicates little concern for people or the environment. Decrease local authority management costs for increased coexistence with nature. Essentials to well being are; water, food, housing, clothing, fuel, electricity, health care, sewers and refuse removal, communication, education, a clean safe beautiful environment, and a spiritual cultural life. Support and encourage zero waste - reduce, reuse, recycle. Provide safe affordable accessible public transport and safe cycle paths.

Nurture a people friendly sustainable economy for the benefit of this and future generations. Real Wealth includes all goods and services that contribute to the satisfaction of human (and environmental) needs and the promotion of human (and environmental) well-being. The measure of the real wealth of a community is its ability to deliver goods and services, where and when required. It therefore includes: - goods and services ready for consumption; unfinished goods in process of manufacture; stocks, raw materials and natural resources; surplus of imports over exports; productive capacity - both actual and potential; transport - and similar services; person-power; skills; knowledge; educational and cultural facilities - and so on. If an individual owns a house, free of a mortgage etc. they may be said to be "in credit" to the value of that property. Similarly, the community is always "in credit" to the extent of its accumulated real wealth: The only parallel "debt" is the simultaneous consumption of some of that real wealth, which is obviously less than the total real wealth. The financial situation of a community should always reflect this "credit" position. Instead we find that almost all communities are in a position of permanent and un-repayable debt.

Review orthodox accountancy - requiring that, wherever there is a credit, there must also be an equivalent debit. When applied to real wealth, this system does not reflect the physical facts. When a bank creates a loan, it creates money out of nothing! It balances its books by entering a credit and a debit, cancelled out against each other - yet the result is that now almost the whole of our present money stock consists of debt that grows continuously in order to pay for the ever-increasing interest. Debts of all kinds are growing at increasing speed - government (national, provincial and local), commercial, and individual. It cannot continue much longer. We have already seen the "Asian meltdown" and the collapse of the Russian, Mexican and Argentine economies. Africa has been "bankrupt", unable to pay massive increasing IMF debts and World Bank loans for many decades. USA still has debts of trillions of dollars 'borrowed' from future income.

Initiate banking reforms. The essential function of a sustainable monetary system is to record the movement of real wealth. We can cooperate to use real wealth sustainably to meet everyone's needs adequately and fairly - instead of competing to pay off bank created virtual debts, wasting resources, harming environments and communities. Government should print money rather than banks create it artificially through debt. If the government issued all of our money (through grants, subsidies and interest-free loans, etc.) - ensuring that the supply matched society's needs - then the unnecessary debts due to the existing banking-debt system could be paid of rapidly.

Free human potential. Enrich the nature of work and shorten work times. Develop appropriate labour intensive technologies and self managed cooperatives. No taxation on labour or production. Interest and usury can be banned, as is the case in Islamic banking. It is necessary to promote community-based banking and LET Schemes. What is the true state of client and investment data and computer systems in investment companies such as Sanlam, Old Mutual and Fedsure etc. and how efficient (and ecologically sound) are these economic entities? Extensive investment is required to repair the damaged natural environment, to develop re-skilling and retraining in socially- and environmentally-friendly production and services, and to maintain existing infrastructures (those parts of the economy that support all other activity, e.g. energy, transport, water, waste disposal).

Comprehensive environmental accounting procedures must play a significant role in this development. Particular emphasis must be laid on local community involvement in the decision-making process regarding development funding. Government initiated public orientated sustainable work programmes - depending on wage levels and how funding is applied, between purchase of materials, equipment and employment - could employ at least three to four million people.

Promote economic freedoms and independence. Universal land rights should be granted - according to sustainable ecological and social principles. Stop ‘privatisation’ (selling off public assets to a wealthy few). Restructure with genuine community and worker ownership. Minimise government's bureaucratic inefficiency with up to date management practices. Decentralise control, decentralise political power. Change GEAR - reinstate the RDP - empower communities through local participatory forums. Give communities the information and resources to achieve their developmental goals through employment, interest-free loans or funding of sustainable projects. Redefine government employment and tendering practises, and taxation, to encourage labour-based work creation.

Oppose monopolies and exploitation. Deal with conglomerates and monopolies. Only a handful of individuals direct all the larger companies. Anti-monopoly laws could force a firm to offer to buy all the other shares once it acquires 30% of the shares in another company. That would discourage companies from acquiring a controlling interest in other companies. The Competitions Board was set up to control the concentration of economic power - the government is simply not using these mechanisms. Require workers, unions, consumers, and public representatives etc. to be members of boards of directors. Tax the dividends (profits paid to shareholders) that companies receive from their subsidiary companies. Use the state's consumer power selectively. Protect the conglomerates (for example against imports) in return for implementing development plans. Consider nationalisation of certain strategic areas of the economy.

This document is open to constructive input - your views are important.

Ecotourism Policy - April 1996

Everyone should experience our indigenous heritage, for personal and social growth, and to develop spiritually. Ecological education provides knowledge that is integrative, a holistic experience.

Ecotourism requires rehabilitation, respect, integrity and diversity of biotic systems. This is also fundamental for elimination of poverty. Halting environmental degradation and loss of land, biomass and water resources is basic for sustainable development.

Management systems in harmony with nature require investment in long-term research and development, decreased management costs for increased coexistence with nature, and an economy within ecological limits. Management must be freed from selfish motives and not be carried out through slow and ineffectual cumbersome bureaucracies.

Improvements in quality of life, vitality and well-being, and diversity of the natural environment are the foundations of future wealth. Trust and caring are needed for self reliance, cooperation, autonomy and responsibility. Nurture pro African positive cultural values of solidarity, self help, equity and organic relation to nature.

Our city should be greened by the intensive growing of trees and adequate provision of natural areas to improve the living conditions and health of its inhabitants. Affordable public transport and safe cycle paths are needed.
Eco-Social Awareness will help all communities grow prosperous safe and healthy.

Education Policy - June 2003

Free education means state schools must enrol pupils with no charges for the full-range of academic activities. School uniforms cannot be made compulsory if this entails increased economic burden on impoverished parents.

Prioritise early education and the provision of pre- and primary schools - providing an equitable material standard (classrooms and amenities including food, e.g. from Permaculture projects) and well-qualified teacher to pupil ratio that is acceptable nation-wide. Compulsory state, private or home educare should begin at an early an age as is reasonably possible.

Education-with-production and commercial schools should be prioritised at secondary education level. Set age and qualification limits for entering and leaving secondary education - e.g. any pupil who qualifies may, and all pupils over 12 must enter secondary school - any pupil who matriculates may, and all pupils over 16 must leave secondary school.

Initiate a universal counselling programme for all school leavers to choose their career options. Tertiary education should aim to become essentially self-funding through the extension of existing loan finance to incorporate all students who wish to study. Greater opportunities should be provided through loans for tertiary study in non-university institutions such as industrial colleges and technikons. Students should be afforded the opportunity to repay study loans through working in decentralised public-works programmes countrywide or other rural provincial and local authority initiatives.

There must be no discrimination in education. No institute of learning may limit academic freedom. No one should be denied access to primary level instruction in his or her mother tongue. Everyone must have the right to instruction in an appropriate official language. Promote signing as a universal second language.

Energy Policy - June 2003

UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
Free renewable energy sources like solar, wind, waves, tidal, hydro etc., can serve large numbers of low-output installations as well as high-output installations. Concentrated power requirements even for heavy industrial use and large cities are economically sustainable from renewable sources. Concentrated electrical outputs do not necessarily require concentrated power production sources. Sustainable energy sources are not only ideal in a household situation; they can also be used for a heavy industrial area. It is possible that government may not have to even partly finance such installations. Well-developed, abundant, sustainable, clean, zero waste, absolutely safe, labour intensive technologies are readily available. Households can invest in energy devices such as solar power and if given encouragement such as rates rebates, can become net energy suppliers. Those households carry the capital costs until their investments repay themselves, with no disadvantage to consumers and an overall savings in energy consumption.

Before considering nuclear energy, any gaps between electricity supply and demand must first be mitigated by; demand management, supply efficiency management, commissioning of mothballed ‘white elephant’ power stations, developing fluidised bed power stations, developing gas fired power stations and investments in renewable energy power generation. It is possible that with all of these factors South Africa will continue to be oversupplied with electricity, and continue to export electricity, without the need for any nuclear technology. With deregulation, this would not require billions of publicly funded backing. Monopolized ratepayers must not subsidize nuclear energy when off-the-shelf renewable energy technologies are available that can be privately funded.

The concepts of safety in the nuclear industry were manufactured to legitimise a process that is dirty and expensive, the exact opposite of what was promised. Once governments had made a decision to go for nuclear energy and weapons, they had to licence the industry, no matter what, or they would not have access to what they desired. We should not import these licence protocols from discredited backgrounds.

Government must declare a moratorium on nuclear expenditure pending a democratic process to openly review decisions made to date. NECSA (formerly AEC) and NNR (formerly CNS) must fully disclose and accurately account for all of their radioactive waste and weapons grade materials. There has to be agreement on the mechanism for the disposal of high level radioactive waste (HLRW) in South Africa. Irradiated fuels have to be managed for many hundreds of thousands of years at least. Government must establish a strategy for HLRW disposal with adequate competence and capacity. National government has to accept responsibility - companies and utilities will come and go. In the geological time scale even nation states will appear and decline. Government must solve radioactive waste disposal problems today. Eskom can restructure or even ceases to exist before their nuclear installations have been shut down and decommissioned. Eskom is producing HLRW at Koeberg with no final disposal or long-term safe containment mechanism, that is an unconstitutional infringement of environmental rights. To assume that our descendants will be more capable of dealing with our current problems than we are, is evading inter-generational responsibility.

The waste generator, taking into account interdependences among all steps in radioactive waste generation and management, must carry the full financial burdens. Proper consideration must be given to impacts arising from the extraction and processing of raw materials. It is necessary to include mining repercussions, external costs in terms of human health and life as well as economic costs.

There must be caution where there is uncertainty. To keep radioactive waste to a minimum, one must ask if it is practical to avoid generating it. The answer is undoubtedly yes; by decommissioning Koeberg and investing in renewable resources rather than further developing nuclear power.

If nuclear technology is to be considered at all then any plans for it need to include:

- Safer uranium mining;
- Safe local enriching of uranium;
- Minimum amounts of transport of nuclear and radioactive materials, fuels and wastes;
- Safer design of nuclear facilities;
- Safe operation of nuclear facilities;
- Safe decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

There must be proof of viable methods for dealing with waste. The political, technical and economic feasibility of disposal of all types of waste and of decommissioning has to be proven. There must be confidence that when those processes are required, they are technically proven and the resources to carry them out are available.

Design safety is the least critical area, most nuclear facilities are designed to be fairly safe, but unfortunately they have not always been operated safely. The other areas of mining, enrichment, transport, operation and waste disposal are of primary importance.

Nuclear fission technology is not sustainable, is not renewable, can never become a zero waste technology, is not clean, is capital not labour intensive, is not economically viable, and is of dubious political heritage. Control of strategic materials, routes, personnel and technologies dictates the outcomes of scenarios far removed from a sincere global consensus-seeking on issues of planetary survival. The PBMR project is a game-piece in the dream of an African Renaissance, where South Africa is imagined in a spearhead role.

The new regime has given every sign of obedience to the rules of international finance. GEAR is premised on honouring debts and boosting investor confidence. This is justified in terms of the trickle-down theory in which economic growth (defined as more of the same urbanisation and industrialisation that has failed us up to now) - is the only hope of helping the poor. In ANC ranks, the R65 bn arms deal is justified in terms of being an investment in building investor confidence. The PBMR is likely to be defended on similar grounds.

There is no evidence of sufficient benefit to justify inevitable exposure of any individuals to radiation. Exposure can be as low as reasonably achievable (zero levels) by avoiding nuclear technologies all together, with no economic or social detriment.

ECOPEACE calls for the government to order the appropriate institutions to do the following:

1. Decommission the Koeberg reactors.
2. Halt the licensing and EIA of the PBMR, until a full detailed design is available, and the following points have been achieved.
3. Conduct a public review into nuclear licensing standards.
4. Promulgate and put into operation a National Policy for Radioactive Waste.
5. Finalise a national consensus on the future of Eskom.
6. Allow Independent Power Producers input to the national electricity grid, bring transparency to tariff structures and disclose cost and pricing information. Publish National Electricity Regulator approved tariffs for the purchase of co-generated and independently generated electricity on the basis of full avoided costs
7. Require any public funding (like Eskom and IDC backing of PBMRs) to include parallel funding of all appropriate technologies i.e. rand-for-rand expenditure with a public tender process for each of; wind, solar Photo-Voltaic, solar thermal, solar chimney, solar Stirling/Parabolic, wave, tidal, biomass etc., etc.
8. Complete an Integrated Energy Planning Process.
9. Establish firm targets and implementation plans for renewable energy generation.
10. Remove the inherent subsidies for non-renewable unsustainable fuel sources and barriers that currently penalise renewable sources.

11. Use Kyoto Protocol agreements to:
- Promote and finance the transfer of, or access to, environmentally sound climate-friendly technologies and scientific research.
- Implement the CDM (Clean Development Mechanism).
- Build capacity and promote public awareness, education and training with necessary funding from developed countries.
- Access new and additional financial resources to meet the agreed full costs incurred in carrying out these commitments.

Any nuclear energy EIA must include full life-cycle environmental costing, including mining impacts, complete transport risks, and final HLRW disposal and management. Without a program for final HLRW disposal and management the production of that Waste amounts to an unconstitutional infringement of environmental rights. Without full life-cycle environmental costing economic viability cannot be evaluated.

That EIA process must include equitable comparison with renewable energy options. Without those comparisons there can be no suitable appraisal of the EIA.

The terms of the Energy White Paper must be fulfilled - The Energy White Paper states: "Energy production and distribution should be sustainable." "Energy is only useful when it is affordable and sustainable." and ". . . the electricity supply industry objectives must achieve environmental sustainability in both the short and long-term usage of our natural resources."

"The electricity industry is an effective state monopoly, as is the nuclear industry."

" . . . the state should ensure that energy production and utilization are done with maximum efficiency at all times." However, "Massive, skewed and uneconomical investments were made in the nuclear fuels chain. This legacy presents the sector with large and complex challenges, including a nuclear related industry which consumes two-thirds of the Department of Minerals and Energy's state budget."

"On a pro rata basis South African public sector expenditure on non-nuclear energy research is much lower than that of countries at the same level of development, or in relation to the contribution or potential contribution of these technologies to the country's energy economy."

"In developing policy on research, development and demonstration, government needs to address the following policy challenges;
- correcting the skewed allocation of funds towards nuclear energy
- providing clarity on national energy research strategies, including a focus on priority issues and the involvement of stakeholders
- clarifying the roles of government, energy suppliers and the private sector in funding research and development."

" . . . energy sources will not become scarce in the short or medium term."

"Decisions on the role of nuclear power need to be taken within the context of an integrated resource planning process." "The integrated resource planning approach includes the evaluation of all candidate energy supply and demand resources in an unbiased manner." "The compulsory use of integrated resource planning methodologies will ensure that utilities avoid or delay electricity supply investments when it is economical to do so, by optimising the utilisation of existing capacity and increasing the efficiency of energy supply and consumption"

" . . . more energy is used per unit of economic output than in many other countries."

";Energy policy has not adequately addressed energy conservation." "There is great potential to stimulate energy demand management . . . Energy savings would free resources and delay the need for further investment." "It is estimated that greater energy efficiency could save between 10% and 20% of current consumption."

"Although more than 484 000 m2 of solar water heater panels have been installed, this constitutes less than 1% of the potential market."

"Follow a no-regrets approach on energy-environment decisions."

"The integrated resource planning approach includes the systematic consideration of a full range of economic, environmental, social and technological factors and the consideration of risks and uncertainties posed by different resource portfolios and external factors.” “Government policy is to remove distortions and encourage energy prices to be as cost-reflective as possible. To this end prices will increasingly include quantifiable externalities."

"The complete nuclear fuel, nuclear fuel procurement and radioactive waste management will be investigated by the Department." ". . . develop a nuclear waste management policy and programme", "The Department of Minerals and Energy will investigate all aspects of the management of radioactive waste in South Africa and will make recommendations in regard to the safe management and disposal of such waste."

"Improve the governance of the nuclear sector and ensure its integration into broader energy planning."

"Whether new nuclear capacity will be an option will depend on the environmental and economic merits of various alternative energy sources relative to nuclear and its political and public acceptability."

"In the light of the decisions that have to be taken with respect to future electricity demand, the debate about moth-balled power stations, existing power stations, Koeberg, non-utility generation and import of electricity will have to be formulised and completed."

"Research has indicated that a technical potential of as much as 6 000 MW of non-utility generation could be exploited."

"There is currently a national lack of renewable energy data, and information on renewable energy system applications, system specifications, system standards, installation and performance guides, technical and economic characteristics and many other related issues."

"Government will provide support for the development, demonstration and implementation of renewable energy sources for both small and large-scale applications."

"Government policy on renewable energy is concerned with meeting the following challenges;
- ensuring that economically feasible technologies and applications are implemented,
- ensuring that an equitable level of national resources is invested in renewable technologies given their potential and compared to investments in other energy supply options, and
- addressing constraints on the development of renewable industry."

"Facilitate the monitoring, evaluation and demonstration of clean energy technologies."

"Establish suitable renewable energy information, statistic and data base systems."

Genetic Engineering Policy - August 2002

Stop all exploitative economic uses of Genetic Engineering, including:

1. Patenting of life or life giving forms;
2. Distributing terminator seeds;
3. Evading the precautionary principle;
4. Evading the polluter pays principle;
5. Evading other legal responsibilities;
6. Prosecuting natural dispersion of genetic materials;
7. Lack of risk notification;
8. Lack of labelling;
9. Using and promoting unscientific methods.

There must only be scientifically verified safe use of Genetic Engineering, including:

- Full determination of health risks;
- Full determination of genetic pollution risks to biodiversity.
- Proper legal and legislative procedures must be applied to Genetic Engineering. Until this is the case, sustained court actions must be pursued.
- We call on all religious organisations, NGOs, CBOs etc. to take a stand against the indiscriminate use of Genetic Engineering.

Distribute appropriate public information, including:

- How to avoid Genetically Engineered foods,
- What Genetic Engineering is, stated as simply as possible,
- Draw a clear distinction between unnatural Genetic Engineering and natural Biotechnology.

• Treat lacerations or abrasions through electro-therapy;
• State, indicate, advertise or imply to a client or prospective client that he or she is a physician, a surgeon, or a physician and surgeon;
• A person who advertises any lawful health service must disclose in the advertisement whether or not she or he is licensed by the state as a healing arts practitioner.

• Whether or not she or he is a licensed physician;
• Whether the treatment is alternative or complimentary to healing arts services licensed by the state;
• Whether or not the services to be provided are licensed by the state;
• The nature of the services to be provided;
• The theory of treatment upon which the services are based;Her or his educational, training, experience and other qualifications regarding the services to be provided.

• Affect the scope of practice of licensed physicians and surgeons;
• Limit the right of any person to seek redress of negligence or any other civil remedy against a person providing health services.

3.1 This should be fixed on per capita usage of resources such as electricity, water, land, paved area (i.e. increased runoff). Higher use of these resources indicates higher use of other services, a better indication than just using property values.
3.2 This should also be calculated exponentially (i.e. sliding scale) so that higher users have an immediate rates reduction incentive to use less and invest in appropriate technologies such as solar energy.
3.3 Wherever possible there should be direct payment for services.
3.4 Rebates for recycling. Actively encourage waste reduction, recycling and job creation. Also, rebates if water-borne sewerage is not used.

1. Greed tax - exponential rates based on annual average property values (land, buildings and vehicles) of individuals and others - with a zero rating for an acceptable basic amount. To replace personal income tax.
2. Inequality tax - proportional to the overall wage profile of a business - i.e. an equally paid worker collective would be zero-rated. Include a rebate/subsidy proportional to the number of directly employed permanent staff.
3. Monopoly tax - on shareholder dividend profits that companies receive from their subsidiaries - increasing with the percentage of shares, to discourage conglomerate concentration of wealth.
4. Pollution tax - exponential rates for all toxins and pollutants (solid, water, air, heat, noise, electromagnetic, etc.)
5. Entropy tax - energy waste tariffs on thermodynamically expensive industries (e.g. overseas companies that use SA as a cheap energy provider or consumer of uneconomical substances). Chemical industries can be characterised by the overall change in the Gibbs Free Energy Function (ðDG) of their processes, this is a scientific evaluation of their efficiency.
6. Unsustainability tax - to discourage the use of non-renewable resources. To replace VAT (value-added tax).
7. Disinvestment tax - excise duty on exports that are subsequently used in imported products - and on those imports that use South African materials and hence bypass investment within the country.
8. Speculation tax - on large transactions and large numbers of transactions to discourage currency speculation.

• How many people have been arrested in the "new" South Africa for possession?
• How much time have people convicted of possession served in prison?
• What has been the financial cost of such imprisonment, court time and police action?
• How many people so convicted as a first offence has later progressed to serious crime due to brutalisation in prison?
• What happened to the pre-1994-election promises by the DP, ANC, NP and IFP to decriminalize dagga? What is the present position of these parties on this issue?