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The Unfinished Republic and South Africa’s Journey to an Inclusive State is a timely and compelling exploration of one of South Africa’s most urgent questions: Why does a constitutionally strong democracy continue to struggle with governance, trust and inclusion? Authored by Daryl Swanepoel and drawing on years of research by the Inclusive Society Institute, this book argues that South Africa’s challenge is not the absence of sound laws or institutions, but a crisis of ethics, leadership and civic engagement. The Republic, the book contends, remains unfinished not because the constitutional vision has failed, but because its moral foundations have been neglected. Spanning constitutionalism, ethical leadership, public participation, social cohesion, state capability and global governance, the book offers both diagnosis and direction. It shows how corruption, institutional fatigue and declining public trust have weakened the social contract, while also demonstrating that renewal is possible through professionalisation of the public service, meaningful citizen participation and a recommitment to constitutional values. Accessible yet rigorous, The Unfinished Republic and South Africa’s Journey to an Inclusive State bridges theory and practice. It translates complex governance debates into practical insights for policymakers, public servants, academics, civil society leaders and engaged citizens. Central to the book is the Inclusive Society Institute’s Governance Model, which sets out a clear framework for building a capable, ethical and inclusive state grounded in accountability, participation and social cohesion. More than an academic work, this book is a call to conscience. It reminds us that democracy is not self-sustaining and that the future of South Africa’s constitutional project depends on moral leadership and active citizenship. The Republic remains unfinished — but not irredeemable. 📚 Get Your Copy Today Price: R200 (excluding VAT)Delivery costs are additional 🛒 How to Order To place your order, please send an email to info@inclusivesociety.org.za with the following details: Full Name and Surname Physical Delivery Address Mobile Number Quantity of books you would like to purchase Once we receive your order, you will be issued with an invoice. Upon receipt of proof of payment, your book(s) will be dispatched to you. We look forward to getting your copy to you!

The Kagiso Trust hosted a Strategic Workshop under the theme “From fragmented efforts to coordinated Civic Infrastructure for Democratic Participation”. The strategic workshop event held at the Velmore Conference in Centurion was well attended by various organizations with delegates descending from across the 9 (nine) South African provinces, out of the 50 organizations invited 48 were in attendance. Attended by delegates that were multicultural, diverse age groups and different backgrounds. The event took place from the 26 May 2026 to the 29 of May 2026. Some of the organizations present were Veda Global (Vision for Empowering Democracies Through Action), IEC (Electoral Commission of South Africa), IJR (Institute for Justice and Reconciliation) SAUS (South African Union of Students), Seth Mazibuko Foundation, Activate Change Drivers, Council of Churches, EISA (Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa), (Amari) African Minds for Applied Research Institute just to mention but a few. Ms. Nondumiso Sithole, advisory council member at the Inclusive Society Institute (ISI), represented the Institute. IEC’s representative, Mr. Ezrome Shabane, delivered an important presentation that provided a thorough overview and shared insights from a research study carried out by the Human Sciences Research Council. The study had focused on evaluating and presenting the behavioural preferences of adult South Africans to better understand the electoral context and inform the IEC in its electoral management mandate. What stood out from some of the key findings is the fact that confidence in core political institutions has weakened further, with trust indicators at historic lows, including for the Electoral Commission itself and the fact that South Africa has approximately 18 (eighteen) million unregistered voters. M. Boichoko Ditlhake, Head of Civil Society Support Programme at Kagiso Trust, gave a presentation wherein he implored Civil Society Organizations to collectively try to find solutions to assist in intensifying efforts at remedying a society that lives in hopelessness in the democratic era. Ms. Nonkululeko Mntambo as well as Mr. Derrick Marco both from Kagiso Trust also delivered presentations that reflected on key issues such as communication and safety, civil society, and the current terrain, reflecting on how civil society is currently navigating the democratic space, including its role, constraints, strengths, credibility, and relationship to communities. Key take aways from the strategic workshop was the fact that the intentions of Civil Society Organizations also require a foundational overhaul. In that Civil Society Organizations must not be seen to be active during an election year only, however, there must be consistent coordinated efforts, pre-elections, during elections and post- elections. Organizations must ensure their work follows a complete life cycle to build stronger trust between Civil Society Organizations and citizens. Otherwise, they risk being viewed as untrustworthy, much like political parties in South Africa. One of the value propositions was the development of a peoples Manifestos, a social contract for the people, the question remains whether a peoples’ manifesto could be a viable solution or not?

Mrs Berenice Marks of the Inclusive Society Institute (ISI) attended the urgent virtual Imbizo convened by the South African Human Rights Commission on Monday, 25 May 2026, from 11:30 to 15:30 via MS Teams, together with approximately 480 other participants. The meeting brought together a broad range of stakeholders, including members of the public, civil society organisations, community leaders, humanitarian groups, and other affected parties to engage on the recent marches alleged to be against undocumented migrants in South Africa. The discussion reflected the gravity and volatility of the issues under consideration. At various points, the mood of the meeting was tense and exchanges became angry as participants expressed strongly held views. Despite these moments, the Imbizo served as an important platform for engagement, allowing participants to share concerns, lived experiences and perspectives on the humanitarian and human rights implications of the crisis. The ISI is of the view that government ought to deal with the illegal immigrant issue with more vigour and urgency lest social cohesion starts unravelling.

Embracing a society that is built on social and national democratic values Public Policy Research & Analysis Democratic Education, Briefings, Seminars & Conferences Publications & Liberation Archive Portal Featured Activity The Unfinished Republic & South Africa's Journey to an Inclusive State Release of Book Our Latest Activities The Unfinished Republic & South Africa's Journey to an Inclusive State Release of Book Inclusive Society Institute 5 days ago SAHRC Virtual Imbizo on the recent marches alleged to be against undocumented migrants Conference Inclusive Society Institute May 25 #5/26 China's Global Governance Initiative: Reforming Multilateralism in changing International Order Open Consultation Mondays Inclusive Society Institute May 20 Up

Home Who We Are What We Do Participants Contact Us Picture2 Picture2 1/1 Welcome to the Who We Are The Africa Think-Tank Dialogue (ATD) is an informal collaboration of African think-tanks that have African socio-economic development, governance and a fairer, more inclusive, multilateral order at the heart of their work. As such, the ATD discusses, amongst others: Africa’s governance within the framework of the African Union Arica’s relationship with other regional structures such as the European Union, BRICS, the Forum for China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the G20 Af rica’s relationship with world powers such as the United States of America, Europe and China Reform of the United Nations and other multilateral organisations in order to reposition Africa's role in the global order How to improve sustainable development in Africa, including required adaptation resulting from Climate Change Who We Are What We Do The African Consultative Meeting is held annually in Cape Town, South Africa Participation in the conferences, seminars, workshops and webinars – both ATD organised and those organised by the participating organisations Participation in the programmes of the Global South Perspectives Network Research Advocacy Early warning mechanism on emerging issues for the continent Promote African reform for more inclusive governance and economic development Act as a catalyst for African reformation and unity What We Do Participants Participants Southern Africa Centre for Mediation and Extremism Prevention (SACMEP) (South Africa) Kamanda Rajabu Diwani Centre (Tanzania) Institute for Global Dialogue (South Africa) University of Johannesburg (South Africa) Inclusive Society Institute (South Africa) Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (Nigeria) Cellule d’Analyse de Politiques Economiques du CIRES (Côte d’Ivoire) ALESCO (Algeria) Development Aid (Tunisia) Centre for International Policy Africa (CIP-Africa - Tanzania) Mashariki Research & Policy Centre (MRPC - Kenya) Institute for Strategic & Policy Studies (ISPS - South Sudan) Transatlantic Institute for South-South Cooperation (TISSC - Senegal) Applicants University of Algiers (Algeria) Africa Policy Institute (API - Kenya) Contact Us Africa Think-tank Dialogue Secretariat administered by the Inclusive Society Institute: Physical Address: 5 High Cape House, 21 Ben Avenue, Vredehoek, Cape Town, South Africa, 8001 Postal Address: PO Box 12609, Mill Street, Cape Town, South Africa, 8010 Phone: +27 (0) 21 201 1589 Email: atd@inclusivesociety.org.za Website: www.inclusivesociety.org.za/africa-think-tank-dialogue Contact Us Up

Activities #5/26 China's Global Governance Initiative: Reforming Multilateralism in changing International Order Open Consultation Mondays Inclusive Society Institute 1 day ago 4/2026: Investing in Green Industrialisation, Aligning EU Financial and Technical Instruments, including Global Gateway with African Priorities Release of Occasional Paper Lerato Tsebe May 6 #4/26 Open Consultation Mondays: The US/Israeli attack on Iran: What has happened to Global Principles and International Rule of Law? Open Consultation Mondays Inclusive Society Institute Apr 22 The Inclusive Society Institute attended and event marking the 25th anniversary and the 100th edition of New Agenda: South African Journal of Social and Economic Policy Public Engagement Inclusive Society Institute Apr 21 ISI engages Global Dialogue on Sustainability Framework Beyond 2030 Dialogue Event Inclusive Society Institute Apr 10 3/2026: SECURING THE FUTURE: Blueprint for solving South Africa's cybersecurity crisis in the age of AI Release of Occasional Paper Lars Gumede Apr 1 EU-Africa Consultative Meeting: Rethinking the partnership in a changing world Conference Inclusive Society Institute Mar 29 #3/26 Open Consultation Mondays: Middle powers in a fragmenting international system Open Consultation Mondays Daryl Swanepoel & Georgios Kostakos Mar 16 2/2026: Managed Fragmentation: Global power shifts, parallel governance and the cost of non-alignment Release of Occasional Paper Daryl Swanepoel Mar 11 The South Africa Social Cohesion Index: Measuring the well-being of a society - 2025 UPDATE Release of Report Inclusive Society Institute Mar 4 Inclusive Society Institute presents South Africa Social Cohesion Index at the National Planning Commission Roundtable Dialogue Event Inclusive Society Institute Mar 4 Artificial Intelligence in Public Policy: Gateway to inclusion or risk to democracy Release of Report Inclusive Society Institute Feb 18 #2/26 Open Consultation Mondays: What is the future of the G20 in a fragmenting world? Open Consultation Mondays Daryl Swanepoel Feb 11 #1/26 Open Consultation Mondays: The U.S. intervention in Venezuela: Global reactions and implications Open Consultation Mondays Klaus Kotzé Feb 3 Journal for Inclusive Public Policy, Volume 6, Issue 1 Release of JIPP Inclusive Society Institute Jan 31 Language, Learning and Social Cohesion: Lessons from Finland for South Africa Release of Report Daryl Swanepoel Jan 28 FOCAC AT TWENTY-FIVE: A reflective inquiry into a matured partnership Release of Report Daryl Swanepoel Jan 21 #12/25 Open Consultation Mondays: Dissecting China's global governance initiative Open Consultation Mondays Daryl Swanepoel Jan 12 1/2026: The Inclusive Society Institute's participation in the National Dialogue Release of Occasional Paper Daryl Swanepoel Jan 7 VIOLENT EXTREMISM IN AFRICA - Trends, Drivers and Pathways to Resilience Release of Report Odile Bulten Jan 7 Quantifying the impact of restrictive monetary policy on the South Africa economy since 2022 Release of Report Roelof Botha & Ilse Botha Dec 11, 2025 ISI participates in the Inaugural Babita Deokaran Annual Lecture Conference Inclusive Society Institute Dec 9, 2025 ISI participates in Global Dialogue on China's Emerging Global Governance Initiative Dialogue Event Inclusive Society Institute Dec 8, 2025 G20 Socio-Economic Rights Barometer Release of Report Inclusive Society Institute Dec 5, 2025 Inclusive Society Institute (ISI) explores Finland’s multilingual education model: 1–5 December 2025 International Engagement Inclusive Society Institute Dec 5, 2025 Republican Constitutionalism: Reviving South African Democracy Release of Occasional Paper Klaus Kotzé Nov 26, 2025 Panel participation: Türkiye's Humanitarian Diplomacy and Assistance in the Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts, Johannesburg, 21 November 2025 Panel Discussion Daryl Swanepoel Nov 21, 2025 Reforming Global Governance or Building a Parallel Order? Release of Occasional Paper Daryl Swanepoel Nov 19, 2025 G20 South African Presidency: Aspirations and Expectations Release of Occasional Paper Daryl Swanepoel Nov 19, 2025 Inclusive Society Institute hosts high-level China-Africa symposium marking 25 years of FOCAC cooperation Conference Inclusive Society Institute Nov 17, 2025 Inclusive Society Institute presents at the Global South Media and Think Tank forum China-Africa Conference, held in South Africa, 12-14 november 2025 Conference Nondumiso Sithole Nov 14, 2025 ISI participates in the 2025 T20 Summit: 13–14 November 2025: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg Conference Daryl Swanepoel Nov 14, 2025 Inclusive Society Institute participates in African Union's 5th APRM Youth Symposium Conference Daryl Swanepoel Nov 11, 2025 The People's Voice: Public Participation and the Soul of South African Democracy Release of Book Daryl Swanepoel Nov 6, 2025 Regulating the Veto: A pragmatic path to United Nations Security Council reform Release of Occasional Paper Daryl Swanepoel Nov 5, 2025 The impact of longevity on fiscal sustainability in South Africa Release of Report Fanie Joubert Oct 29, 2025 Inclusive Society Institute partners with Stellenbosch University’s School for Public Leadership for the 18th International Winelands Conference: 22 – 24 October 2025: Stellenbosch Conference Inclusive Society Institute Oct 24, 2025 US-Africa relations: The case of South Sudan Release of Occasional Paper Melha Biel Oct 15, 2025 REFORMING THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL - Regional Union representation as a pathway to legitimacy and effectiveness Release of Report Daryl Swanepoel Oct 8, 2025 AFRICA'S SECURITY IN TRANSITION: An examination of Africa's contemporary peace and stability challenges Release of Report Odile Bulten Sep 24, 2025 REFORM UN80 - Renewal or Decline? The future of multilateralism at the United Nation's 80th anniversary Release of Report Daryl Swanepoel Sep 17, 2025 The Role of Mother Tongue Education Panel Discussion Inclusive Society Institute Sep 17, 2025 Inclusive Society Institute CEO at the FOGGS Open Consultation Dialogue Event Inclusive Society Institute Sep 15, 2025 Rebuilding South African Airways through strategic partnerships and improved governance Release of Occasional Paper Emil Gumede Sep 10, 2025 RISING DISTRUST: GovDem survey shows sharp increase in anti-immigration sentiment in South Africa Release of Report Daryl Swanepoel Sep 3, 2025 The Gathering Conference Klaus Kotzé Aug 28, 2025 FINANCING AFRICA ON AFRICA’S TERMS: Rethinking development sovereignty in a shifting global order Release of Report Odile Bulten Aug 27, 2025 Reform UN80: Renewal or Decline? Panel Discussion Inclusive Society Institute Aug 25, 2025 1 2 3 4 5 Up