The Helen Suzman Foundation is an independent, non-partisan think-tank in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

dedicated to promoting liberal democratic values and

human rights Human rights are Morality, moral principles or Social norm, normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for ce ...

in post-

apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

South Africa through its research, publications, litigation and submissions to the South African Parliament. The foundation was established in honour of Helen Suzman, a long-time liberal opposition MP who opposed apartheid in the South African parliament and the foundation's patron. Its liberalism is grounded in Helen’s legacy, and draws from the history of liberal thought in South Africa. The foundation believes that the

Constitution of South Africa The Constitution of South Africa is the supreme law of the Republic of South Africa. It provides the legal foundation for the existence of the republic, it sets out the rights and duties of its citizens, and defines the structure of the Govern ...

is a liberal document. In its preamble the Constitution calls for “a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights”, which aims to “free the potential of each person” and where “every citizen is equally protected by law”. The foundation publishes opinion pieces on its website, in a quarterly electronic magazine, ''Focus'', and via email. Academic

R. W. Johnson R. W. Johnson (born 1943; Richard William, "Bill" ) is a British journalist, political scientist, and historian who lives in South Africa. Born in England, he was educated at Natal University and Oxford University, as a Rhodes Scholar. He was a ...

was the foundation's first director until he resigned in 1995. Johnson's successor at the Foundation,

Lawrence Schlemmer Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...

, In 2006, former Democratic Alliance MP Raenette Taljaard succeeded Schlemmer to become the foundation's director."Former MP to head Suzman Foundation", ''South African Press Association'', 11 April 2006 She, in turn, was succeeded by the present Director, Francis Antonie, in 2010.

References

Think tanks based in South Africa Foundations based in South Africa {{SouthAfrica-org-stub