The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), cordially invites you to the 7th ASSAf Presidential Roundtable: Science, Scholarship and Society on “After the Riots: What really happened? Can we Prevent a Recurrence?”

The 7th Roundtable Discussion seeks to bring together some of South Africa’s leading public intellectuals and social scientists to deliberate on the worst weeks of civil unrest since the end of apartheid. The riots of July 2021 left more than 300 dead and upwards of 3000 people arrested in a paroxysm of violence concentrated largely in two provinces. Now that the smoke has cleared, a number of crucial questions confront us. Questions such as the following: What really happened? Why did we not see this coming? How did things settle down so quickly? Can it happen again? What can be done, if anything, to prevent a recurrence? Nothing could be more important for the future of our young democracy than making sense of such critical ruptures in the body of politics.

The panellists include Prof Thuli Madonsela, Prof Adam Habib, Prof Barney Pityana, Ms Palesa Morudu and Ms Ferial Haffajee.

The purpose of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) Presidential Roundtables on Science, Scholarship and Society is to together various experts and the best minds to address critical issues percolating in society and that are of interest to a broad audience that require an evidence-based dialogue.

Date:  28 October 2021

Time:  16:00 – 18:00

Platform:  ZOOM Webinar

Registration:    Please click here to register (You will receive a joining link immediately after registration)

Enquiries:         Ms Thato Morokong (thato@assaf.org.za)