South African Institute of Race Relations

South African Institute of Race Relations
Formation	1929
Headquarters	2 Clamart Road, Richmond, Johannesburg
Coordinates	26°10′51″S 28°00′45″E / 26.18083°S 28.01250°E / -26.18083; 28.01250Coordinates: 26°10′51″S 28°00′45″E / 26.18083°S 28.01250°E / -26.18083; 28.01250
Website	irr.org.za

Established in 1929^[1] the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) is a research and policy organisation in South Africa. The Institute is "one of the oldest liberal institutions in the country,"^[2] and tries to be independent of government and all political parties; it sees its role as serving its members and the country at large to make South Africa the political and economic success of the continent by promoting liberal democratic values.^[1]

The Institute investigates facts surrounding social and economic conditions in South Africa and disseminating its findings as widely as possible. It aims to address issues such as poverty and inequality, and to promote economic growth.

The SAIRR tracks trends in every area of South Africa's development ranging from business and the economy to crime, living conditions, and politics.

History

Jan Hofmeyr, an important member of SAIRR in the 1930s

The Institute was founded in 1929 as to support positive cooperation between the racial communities of South Africa and to perform research on these relationships. The inaugural meeting was held on 9 May 1929 in the Johannesburg home of the missionary Reverend Ray E. Phillips. In attendance were Davidson Don Tengo Jabavu, one of the first professors at the University of Fort Hare; Johannes du Plessis, a missionary and theologian; Charles Templeman Loram, chief inspector of Native education in Natal Province; Edgar Brookes, J. Howard Pim, a government official; Thomas W. Mackenzie, editor of The Friend, a newspaper;^[3] and J. H. Nicholson, Mayor of Durban.

In its early years of the 1930s, SAIRR had a powerful ally in the politician Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr. Hofmeyr was an influential liberal who opposed some of the proto-apartheid policies of the time and pursued a pro-British agenda. However, Hofmeyr died in 1948, the same year as the decisive elections which put the National Party in power. Apartheid was formalized and the democracy was structured to favor the National Party, which would maintain rule over South Africa until 1994. White liberals were largely marginalized; even in 1948, where the United Party beat the National Party by 10% points in the popular vote, the National Party earned more seats, leading to a sense of helplessness about attempting to contest elections. Opposition to apartheid was routinely demonized as being pro-communist. Thus SAIRR's influence declined greatly from 1948 onward.

References

1 2 http://www.sairr.org.za/profile/
↑ Hearn, Julie (1 October 2000). "Aiding democracy? Donors and civil society in South Africa". Third World Quarterly. 21 (5). p. 827.
↑ http://www.thesilo.co.ls/home/Vol2I16/ts/100-years-on-the-land.html

External links

South African Institute of Race Relations

Liberalism in South Africa

Apartheid-era political parties and groups	Liberal Party of South Africa Progressive Party Democratic Party Progressive Federal Party Reform Party Progressive Reform Party Independent Party Black Sash

Post-Apartheid political parties and groups	Democratic Alliance South African Institute of Race Relations Helen Suzman Foundation Centre for Development and Enterprise

People before and during the apartheid era	Alan Paton Colin Eglin Harry Schwarz Helen Suzman Zach de Beer Denis Worrall Wynand Malan Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Donald Barkly Molteno Jan Steytler Margaret Ballinger

Post-apartheid people	Tony Leon Helen Zille

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