Cookie Settings
Show details Hide details
Essential
Functional
YouTube
Imprint | Datapolicy
Search
fes.de

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in South Africa

Learn more about us
A group of participants seated in a conference room during a Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung South Africa event, with participants facing one another in an open, discussion-style seating arrangement.
Odirile Seageng / Exquisite Motivity

Welcome, Ngiyanemukela, Wamkelekile, Welkom

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) South Africa collaborates with those who work for progressive renewal and transformation. For us, progressive means focusing on social justice and on agency; it means being anti-neoliberal, emancipatory, feminist, internationalist, anti-racist, decolonial.

FES in South Africa

Latest News and Events

Group and Institution Banner with the 25 talented youth leaders
FES South Africa
  • Democracy and Political Culture
  • Fort Hare Autumn School
  • News
Wednesday, 16.09.2026

Fort Hare Activist School 2026: Beyond Protest, Towards Power

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) South Africa is pleased to announce the 2026 cohort of the Fort Hare Activist School (FHAS).

Read more
Group photo of eight people standing side by side and smiling, posing indoors in front of a large step-and-repeat banner for the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA), featuring an image of the Mapungubwe gold rhino.
Odirile Seageng / Exquisite Motivity
  • Event
  • News
Wednesday, 29.07.2026

Rethinking Civil Society: Building Power for Social Transformation

MISTRA–Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Roundtable | 29 July 2026 | Johannesburg

Read more
Audience seated in rows of red and blue chairs at an indoor event, facing two men seated in armchairs at the front of the room in a conversational setup, with a low wooden table between them. Two Friedrich Ebert Stiftung banner stands flank the seating area, reading 'Just and Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation' and 'Shaping Social Democracy. Since 1925.
Odirile Seageng / Exquisite Motivity
  • Event
  • News
Tuesday, 28.07.2026

Tax Justice: Why Tax Is About More Than Numbers

Tax affects all of us.

Read more
Three women sit on a panel at the OR Tambo School of Leadership. The speaker on the right gestures while speaking. A Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung banner reading “Shaping Social Democracy. Since 1925.” stands behind the panel.
Sharon Seretlo
  • Event
  • News
Thursday, 25.06.2026

Reimagining democracy for just and equitable futures

Women in Leadership in Local Government: Ethical Leadership, Effective Leadership and Service Delivery

Read more

Our Topics

Six speakers (from left: Tengo Tengela - Trade and Industrial Policy coordinator, COSATU, Susana Ruiz - Global lead on Tax Justice for Oxfam International, Isobel Frye - Senior Policy Advisor: G20 at Oxfam South Africa, Professor Jayati Ghosh - Co-chair of ICRICT and a member of the G20 Extraordinary Committee of Experts on Global Inequality, Gilad Isaacs - Executive Director, IEJ and Bodo Ellmers - Managing Director Global Policy Forum Europe) side by side on a conference stage, smiling at the camera during a G20 Social Summit side event. Each person wears a conference lanyard, with one holding a yellow hand fan and another dressed in a bright blue and green sari. Behind them is a presentation screen displaying the event title, while armchairs and small tables with water bottles frame the stage, suggesting a panel discussion on public policy or global governance.
Xara Fourie

Just and Sustainable Socio Economic Transformation

Together with its partners, FES aims to develop economic and social policy alternatives to address persisting inequalities in South Africa.

Read more
The artwork, created by the artist Lwanda Mthengenya, shows citizens demonstrating for accountability while the country faces high unemployment and political crises.
FES South Africa I Artist: Lwanda Mthengenya

Democracy and Political Culture

The persistence of inequality, exploitation, oppression, violence, corruption and commodification of public services has caused a big credibility crisis for South Africa’s democracy.

Read more
A speaker stands at a podium addressing an audience during a public policy panel discussion. Four panelists are seated on teal armchairs beside a coffee table with water bottles, while attendees listen from the audience. A large presentation screen displays the title, "Africa and the Thucydides Trap: Strategies for a World in Transition," and banners for the event organizers stand behind the podium, indicating a forum on international relations and Africa's role in a changing global order.
Exquisite Motivity (ExMotivity)

Internationalism and Multilateralism

The fundamental crises of our time ask for international responses. International relations are too important to be left to governments or foreign policy experts alone.

Read more
A diverse group of around 20 young people pose together inside a museum or exhibition space with wooden floors and white walls. Some are standing while others sit on the floor, smiling and looking at the camera. Several wear event badges on lanyards. Behind them is a large black-and-white historical photograph and two portrait displays mounted on the wall, creating a sense of learning, heritage, and collective engagement.
Xara Fourie

Youth Leadership programme

Over the course of one year, 25 young leaders grapple with the challenges facing South African society and imagine alternative pathways out of SA’s crises in the Fort Hare Autumn School.

Read more
Portrait of Lindiwe Mabuza
Lindiwe Mabuza

The Lindiwe Mabuza Space

Building Tomorrow! Opening spaces to imagine and live renewal.

Read more

Voices

This FES icon features a loudspeaker symbol to represent audio functions or voices.
FES

Voices

The negative effects of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation on society and democracy make people less likely to participate in public dialogue and trust progressive democratic institutions.

Read more
This FES icon shows a hand holding a microphone.
FES

Opinion

The ongoing struggles for democracy and social justice rely on new ideas, new ways of doing things and new generations joining in.

Read more
This FES icon shows a microphone symbol, indicating podcasts or audio content.
FES

Podcasts

With each podcast, we strive for authenticity, conversational dynamism, and thoughtful co-creation of networks.

Read more
Group of five young people standing indoors in front of a mural featuring handpainted portraits, smiling and holding up small paint bottles.
FES South Africa

Renewal of political culture

What if ‘renewal’ meant going beyond cynicism and a world of pandemics and war?

Read more

Latest Opinion

  • Socio Economic
  • Democracy and Political Culture
  • Voices

You're BROKE because you can't spell A.U.S.T.E.R.I.T.Y

What is the economy, really?! Economics, despite often being presented as a neutral or natural science, is deeply social. It is shaped not only by numbers and models, but by emotions, expectations, and beliefs. Confidence, fear,...

This FES icon shows a hand holding a microphone.
FES
Read more
  • Socio Economic
  • Voices

South Africa’s G20: A pivotal stepping stone towards centering inequality in the global agenda

South Africa’s G20 Presidency was centered around the theme of Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability. Finding consensus and actioning this theme was difficult in the context of domestic challenges and increasing geopolitical tensions. ...

This FES icon shows a hand holding a microphone.
FES
Read more
All Opinion

Publications

All Publications

Contact

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

Meet the team

You might also be interested in

Logo of the IPS Journal - IPS
FES / IPS Journal

IPS-Journal

New perspectives on issues such as the environment, European integration, international relations, social democracy and development policy.

Visit ips-journal.eu
This FES icon depicts a stylised globe to represent internet connections or websites.
FES

FES Africa Department

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung has been promoting the values of the Social Democracy in Africa for over 40 years. We work for social justice, democracy, peace and international solidarity on the continent.

FES Africa Department
The FES icon shows a rectangular frame representing a screen, with a play button in the centre.
FES

FES South Africa on Youtube

Get more videos from our Youtube-Playlist on the FES Channel.

Visit us on Youtube
This white FES icon on a dark red background symbolises a hand holding a smartphone.
FES

Follow us on Instagram!

Stay up to date with the latest news on our Instagram page.

Follow us
The FES icon shows a thumbs-up symbol
FES

Follow us on Facebook!

To learn more about FES South Africa and our most recent activities follow us and like our Facebook Page.

Follow us
This FES icon shows a white envelope symbol on a dark red background used for a newsletter.
FES

Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter and stay informed on the latest news and special updates.

Subscribe now!

Anti Sexual Harassment Policy

At Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) we are guided by the core values of social democracy – freedom, justice and solidarity. In the spirit of these values, we advocate for a society that treats all people with respect and dignity.

Code of conduct