German-South Africa social democracy solidarity lunch

The Inclusive Society Institute, in conjunction with NCOP MP Mohammad Dangor, hosted visiting MPs from the German Bundestag for lunch in Parliament on Friday, 21 February 2020. Hon. Ulla Schmidt and Dagmar Freitag, both members of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, were joined by the ANC Chief Whip, Hon. Pemmy Majodina MP. Also in attendance was Ms Sue van der Merwe and Daryl Swanepoel, Chairperson and CEO of the Inclusive Society Foundation, as well as Ms Londiwe Mntambo, who represented the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. Matthias Hansen, Consul General of Germany, also attended.

Points of discussion were wide-ranging. The conversation included coalition politics, parliamentary ethics and conventions, as well as the political programmes of both South Africa and Germany. Given the shared social democratic ideology, much of the discussion also included the furtherance of the global dialogue on the advancing of the progressive agenda internationally.

Photo: (from left) Daryl Swanepoel, Chief Executive Officer, Inclusive Society Institute Sue van der Merwe, Chairperson, Inclusive Society Institute Pemmy Majodina, MP, SA Parliament Ulla Schmidt, Member, German Bundestag Londiwe Mntambo, Project Manager, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Mohammed Dangor, MP, SA Parliament Dagmar Freitag, Member, German Bundestag Matthias Hansen, Consul General, German Consulate General in Cape Town