CDH Conversations

CLIFFE DEKKER HOFMEYR

Welcome to CDH Conversations. This is a dedicated Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr podcast channel where our audiences have insight into the most recent legal and business developments across key industry sectors. This is an interview and conversational-based channel where our experts delve into various legal subject matters that impact businesses across East and Southern Africa. This channel acts as an enhanced method to access our thought leadership.

  1. -11 h

    The Reparations in German Colonial Namibia Series | Genocide Remembrance Day

    Episode 2 of our CDH Conversations podcast series, The Reparations in German Colonial Namibia, is now available. Timed to coincide with Genocide Remembrance Day on May 28, this episode examines the controversy surrounding the date itself and explores why the affected communities have rejected it. In Episode 2, Patrick Kauta, lead counsel in the matter, is joined by Esther Shigwedha to explore the significance and controversy of May 28th. The discussion unpacks: The controversy over May 28 as Genocide Remembrance Day, a date marking the closure of German colonial concentration camps in 1908, which the OvaHerero and Nama communities reject as a day of remembrance.Why the affected communities regard the camp closures not as liberation but as the beginning of forced relocation, forced labour, and continued dispossession, with Paramount Chief Mutjinde Katjiua describing May 28 as "the day the OvaHerero people were reduced to slavery."The dates the communities themselves hold sacred: October 2, 1904, when General Lothar von Trotha issued his extermination order against the OvaHerero; and April 12, linked to the 1893 massacre at Hornkranz and the beginning of genocidal violence against the Nama.At its core, this episode asks a question that resonates well beyond Namibia: who gets to decide how genocide is remembered, and what happens when the descendants of victims are excluded from that decision? Building on the foundational context of Episode 1, this instalment provides listeners with a deeper understanding of why the politics of remembrance remain inseparable from the pursuit of restorative justice. Listen to Episode 2 now and continue following the series for deeper insights into one of the most significant reparations cases in Africa.

    11 min
  2. 13 mai

    Workers’ Day reflections: Are workplaces truly fair for women?

    As we recently marked International Workers’ Day, Labour Day, and Workers’ Day on 1 May across our offices, CDH Conversations brings you a timely and thought-provoking episode from our Women’s Empowerment Series. In this conversation, hosted by Phetha Mchunu, Njeri Wagacha, Yvonne Mkefa, Leila Moosa, and Rihupisee Kavari unpack what fair work for women truly looks like today beyond policies and into lived experience. Drawing insights from South Africa, Kenya, and Namibia, the discussion explores key issues such as pay transparency, workplace culture, career progression, and unconscious bias, highlighting both the progress made and the realities that still need to be addressed. A key theme emerging from the conversation is that fairness in the workplace is not just about compliance, it is about creating environments where women are supported, valued, and able to thrive. While many organisations have implemented policies aimed at equality, the real challenge lies in ensuring consistent and meaningful implementation in practice. The panel also shares practical insights for women navigating their careers, including how to advocate for themselves, understand their rights, and show up with confidence in professional spaces. Importantly, the discussion calls on organisations to move beyond performative commitments and actively address systemic and cultural barriers. Click here to listen to the full episode to explore how workplaces can better support women and what meaningful progress truly looks like.

    46 min
  3. 24 avr.

    Socio-economic rights, the constitutional promise, and state accountability

    In the latest episode of CDH Conversations, Pro Bono & Human Rights Senior Associate, Gift Nkosinathi Xaba is in conversation with Senior Attorney & Head of the Education Rights Programme at Section27, Zeenat Sujee about the growing crisis in the delivery of essential services in South Africa. The discussion explores the constitutional promise of socio-economic rights, including access to housing, healthcare, education, water and sanitation, and how these rights have evolved through landmark court decisions over the past 30 years of our constitutional democracy. They unpack: the impact of state failure on underserved communities;the role of the courts in enforcing socio-economic rights;delays in implementing court orders, even where citizens succeed in litigation;whether constitutional damages may become a more effective remedy or recourse for state inaction; andthe importance of active citizenry, collective agency, and collective accountability in the nation's quest to fulfil the constitutional promise.This timely dialogue, which serves as a point of reflection, offers practical insights into the legal and societal challenges shaping access to basic needs, services and a life of dignity for all in South Africa. Zeenat is the Head of the Education Rights Programme at Section27 and has experience in work and litigation in areas relating to the right to access to housing, access to water, sanitation and electricity and the right to health.

    34 min

À propos

Welcome to CDH Conversations. This is a dedicated Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr podcast channel where our audiences have insight into the most recent legal and business developments across key industry sectors. This is an interview and conversational-based channel where our experts delve into various legal subject matters that impact businesses across East and Southern Africa. This channel acts as an enhanced method to access our thought leadership.