South African Libertarian and Individualist Seminars
from 1985 to 2022
In 1985 a subscriber to The individualist, Ria Crafford, suggested that a seminar be held at which libertarians from all over the country could gather. This led to the first libertarian spring seminar being held on the farm Nebo near Ficksburg in the Orange Free State in 1985, organised by Frances Kendall. Following the success of this seminar, Trevor Watkins, Charl Heydenrych and Peter Kidson got together to organise the second Seminar at Mont-aux-Sources hotel in the Drakensberg. A libertarian spring Seminar has been held every year since that time with the single exception of 2010.
These seminars are a classic example of "spontaneous organisation" suggested by Friedrich Hayek. There is no central committee or structure that takes responsibility for organising the next seminar. After the last seminar it is commonly unknown who will organise the next one. Around about June or July of each year the pressure to organise the next seminar begins to build up, suggestions are exchanged, and eventually the person(s) who want it most emerge and undertake the quite arduous task of organising the seminar completely voluntarily. These organisers choose the date, duration, location, theme, target audience and agenda, yet there is a remarkable consistency between seminars. The date is commonly late September or October (Spring in South Africa), the venue is often close to mountains (the central parts of the country are more accessible to more people), the target audience is all known South African libertarians, with a smattering of overseas intellectuals.
The Libertarian Spring Seminars have outlasted 6 South African presidents, the oppressive apartheid regime (whose secret service agents threatened the organisers of the 2nd seminar), and massive and unprecedented changes in the governance and structure of South Africa. A full list of the seminars is available below.
No | Dates | Venue | Topics | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1985 | Nebo Eastern Free State | 1. Conservation and endangered species – a libertarian view – Trevor Watkins | Organizer -Frances Kendall following suggestion from Ria Crafford |
2 | 1986 | Mont-aux-Sources hotel | Capitalism game: Ed Dexter | Organisers – Charl Heydenrych, Trevor Watkins. Security Police spy also attended. |
3 | 1987 | Little Switzerland | Eugene Nyati, Wiseman Nkuhlu, Hertzog, James Mbetse | Organisers – Terry Markman, Charl Heydenrych, Peter Kidson and Trevor Watkins |
4 | 1988 7-13 Aug | Royal Swazi Sun, Mbabane Swaziland | 1. The worldwide revolution – Leon Louw 2. Keynote address – John Hospers 3. Fighting apartheid in the workplace – Albert Koopman 4. Saving the inner cities – David Boaz 5. Untying the knot – Louise Tager 6. Selling Freedom to workers – Marc Swanepoel and David Maphumulo 7. Fighting the system – Lawrence Mavundla 8. Reaching the minds: strategy for change – Frances Kendall 9. Economic development and property rights – Steve Pejovich 10. Centralisation of power in SA and prospects for devolution – Frederick van Zyl Slabbert 11. Privatisation 1987 – the worldwide trend – Bob Poole 12. Once more with feeling – Bruce Evoy 13. The why and when of regulation and deregulation – Jim Johnston 14. Peace in the middle east through non-violence – Mubarak Awad 15. Changing attitudes on SA in America – Ned Munger 16. Future in our time (FIOT) – Hubert Jongen Also present: Jason Alexander, Barbara Branden, James Mbetse, Dr Steve Pejovich, , Hernando de Soto, Hubert Jongen, Bill Forster | 4th World Conference of Libertarian International Organized by Frances Kendall, Leon Louw, Gail Day, Vince Miller, Jim Elwood, Bruce Evoy Swazi Times carried a front page headline article on Libertarians |
5 | 1989 | Sandford Lodge? Underberg? | Organised by Natal Libertarians, Symond Fiske, Jan Jack | |
6 | 1990 | Indaba Hotel Johannesburg 20-23 Sep | 1. Markets in Moscow – Leon Louw 2. The future of the ANC – Willie Breytenbach 3. The emerging constitution – Justice Pierre Olivier 4. The big picture, who’s right, who’s left, who’s confused – Anna Starcke 5. Who represents non-socialist blacks? – Oscar Dhlomo 6. Obstacles to a Libertarian South Africa – Frederick van Zyl Slabbert 7. An overview of black politics – Mark Swilling 8. Who my friends will vote for – Kaiser Nyatsumba 9. What the right will accept – Karel Boshoff 10. Societies in transition – Nancy Seijas 11. Does South Africa need a classical liberal party? Gary Moore and Tony Leon 12. Making education work – Eustace Davie 13. Is Anglo a monopoly? – Dan Leach 14. The Land question – Martin Fey and Symond Fiske 15. Labour pains – Frank Vorhies 16. Overcoming historical injustices – Leon Louw 17. Redistribution illusions – Don Caldwell 18. Defending the new SA – Richard Grant 19. Constitutions, referendums – Frances Kendall 20. Crystal Ball Stokvel – predict the SA of 1994 | Organiser – Nancy Seijas? |
7 | 1991 | Salt Rock Hotel North KZN coast 26-29 Sep | Don Caldwell - New South Africa | Organiser – Gavin Weiman 49 delegates |
8 | 1992 10-13 Sep | Cathedral Peak, Drakensberg | 1. No more martyrs now – Don Caldwell 2. Personality and Liberty - Frances Kendall 3. Politics and economics of gambling – Grant Kaplan 4. Big bang, quagmire, vortex and other scenarios – Leon Louw 5. Affirmative action, apartheid and capitalism – Jim Peron 6. Shoot an elephant – save a species – Deborah Vorhies 7. Environmentalism, the final battlefield – Frank Vorhies 8. Thomas Sowell, conflicting visions and Ayn Rand – Terry Markman 9. Rand vs Hayek – Gavin Weiman 10. Heads down for the depression! – Jim Harris 11. Lets party! Forming, organizing and marketing a libertarian party – Richard Yelland 12. Compulsory delinquency – Symond Fiske | Organiser – Jim Peron, Trevor Watkins, Gavin Weiman 42 delegates |
9 | 1993 | Sparkling Waters? | 1. The things people know that ain’t so – Leon Louw 2. Is Libertarianism in SA a lost cause? – Geoff Hemm 3. A Wu Li view of Freedom – Linda Watkins 4. The end of history – Libby Husemeyer 5. Total Economic Activity Levy – An alternative Tax System – Graham Robertson and Bob Shambrook 6. The way through the woods – Symond Fiske 7. Be armed or be damned – Richard Pascoe 8. Science against unreason – Jim Harris 9. Justice and law without the state – Nancy Seijas 10. Education in a non-coercive society – Eustace Davie 11. Taking ecology seriously – Jan Crafford and Steve Chown 12. Errors in Rand’s philosophy – Gavin Weiman 13. Do libertarians believe in a free press – Maureen Sullivan 14. The sexy factor – Frances Kendall 15. A better tax base – Trevor Nell | Organisers - Gail Day, Velma Gore Ria Crafford prize awarded for 1st time to Frances Kendall for “The seXY factor” |
10 | 1994 13-16 Oct | The Nest, Drakensberg | 1. Radical thoughts on what people believe and why – Leon Louw 2. It could be better than you think: an analysis of the Bill of Rights – Gavin Weiman 3. Democracy or mobocracy – Gail Daus 4. Copyright – Jim Harris 5. From sound money to funny money – Eustace Davie 6. What’s at the top of the pyramid – Symond Fiske 7. The environment: a few practical hints – Roelof van der Merwe 8. Berton Braley : the bard of business – Linda Abrams 9. The RDP: is it worth it? – Norman Davis 10. Beyond objectivism – Peter Voss 11. Federalism: myth and reality – Gary Moore 12 Population control – Jim Peron 13. Freedom in cyberspace: a trip on the internet – Trevor Watkins 14. Why did the children of Waco have to die? – Peter Arnold 15. In defence of elitism – Velma Gore 16. A case study of terrorism in the meat industry – Nils Dittmer 17. Politicians are as black as they have been painted - Frances Kendall 18. Deregulation of gambling – Graeme Levin | Organiser – Libby Husemeyer, Theresa Griessel |
11 | 1995 8-10 Sep | Franschhoek Swiss Farm Excelsior | 1. Understandings the …isms – Conservatism, Objectivism, Liberalism, Libertarianism – Leon Louw 2. Stolen property – what limits to restitution – Jim Harris 3. A practical, local Libertaria (Sedgefield) – Trevor Watkins 4. South Africa – economic policy without an economic philosophy (What are the prospects for a capitalist economy in the hands of socialists) – Hugh High 5. Once upon a time there was a virus… the truths, lies and outright fairy tales associated with the AIDS saga – Peter Arnold 6. Libertarians vs Libertines – Symond Fiske 7. A rational approach to the environment – Andrew Kenny 8. Prostitution, feminism and the law – Linda Day 9. The politics of freedom – Frances Kendall | Organiser – Trevor Watkins, Geoff Hemm Mark Shuttleworth attended this seminar. |
12 | 1996 | Qwantani Sterkfontein Dam Eastern Free State | 1. Our new constitution: what went on behind the scenes, results & outlook – Leon Louw 2. To whom should Libertaria belong – Symond Fiske 3. Despite popular opinion, science is an essential component of a free world – Jim Harris & Garth Zietsman 4. Freedom and economic growth – Terry Markman 5. Black Liberalism: a contradiction in terms? Themba Sono 6. The right to self-determination – Johann Enslin 7. Environmentalism as if reality matters – Kelvin Kemm 8. Porn again – Jim Peron | Organiser – Charl Heydenrych |
13 | 1997 | Harrismith | Organiser – Gail Day | |
14 | 1998 24-27 Sep | Everglades Hotel Natal midlands | 1. Race and ideology in SA – Frances Kendall 2. Fraud vs Caveat Emptor – Jim Harris 3. A constitution for Libertaria – Ron Weissenberg 4. Bill Gates: 3rd millennium robber baron? – Gary Moore 5. Can individualists work as a team? – Theresa Griessel and Clive Barrett 6. Waco – the rules of engagement (movie) 7. Does God exist – Norman Davis 8. The benefits and hazards of religion – Terry Markman 9. Capitalism and Christianity in conflict – Jim Peron 10. Alternative health: Mumbo-jumbo? Gail Daus 11. Libertarians – society’s misfits? Garth Zietsman 12. Reinventing government – Leon van Wyk 13. Whither the new South Afica? – Russell Crystal 14. Child pornography: a victimless crime? – Leon Louw | Organiser – Frances Kendall? |
15 | 1999 | Organiser – | ||
16 | 2000 22-25 Sep | Alpine Heath Drakensberg | 1. Hitler on the Zambesi - Jim Peron 2. The coming revolution in education - Eustace Davie 3. The game of life - Neil Emerick 4. Prospects for growth in SA – Jim Harris 5. AIDS—myths and misconceptions - Leon Louw 6. Reports from the Frontline - Denis Beckett 7. IQ, sanity, stupidity and madness - Symond Fiske 8. Debate: Can free markets operate on public property? - T Markman, L Louw, J Harris 9. How can all the doctors be wrong? - Anthony Brink 10. Rhetorical Speaking — How to do it - Corne Bester 11. Taxi-ing towards disaster - Paul Pereira 12. Libertarian primer - Trevor Watkins 13. Black thinking / White thinking -Themba Nolutshungu 14. Lies, damned (anoma)lies and stats - Garth Zietsman | Organiser – Trevor Watkins Herringbone band played at Barn dance Ria Crafford trophy instituted, won by Neil Emerick Sponsored RAU students from Salsa 61 attendees |
17 | 2001 | Roode Vallei Country Lodge? Near Pretoria | 1. Understanding liberalism – Marc Swanepoel 2. Benevolence and Objectivism – Terry Markman 3. Freewill 3Fdiceman Y2Kgame – Jim Harris 4. Gambling on the internet – Graeme Levin 5. The New SA: Is Atlas shrugging? – Mark Heaton 6. The Bell curve: Does IQ matter? – Garth Zietsman 7. CS Lewis: the problem of subjectivism – Norman Davis 8. Was Objectivism a cult? – Jim Peron 9. Buddhism for Libertarians – Richard Yelland 10. Yoga and nuclear physics – David Sevitz 11. Libertarian scruples – Theresa Griessel & Clive Barratt 12. Gun control debate | Organiser – Gavin Weiman? |
18 | 2002 26-29 Sep | Golden Gate Free State | 1. The miracle of poverty – Leon Louw 2. I have a dream that one … with the help of Jonathan Gullible – Janette Eldridge 3. Free minds and free markets in a new form for kids – Barry Kayton 4. The trouble with democracy – Garth Zietsman 5. Quality capitalism vs conventional capitalism – Ron Weissenberg 6. Libertarianism Schmibertarianism – Vivian Vermaak 7. People should butt out – liberty in public spaces – Jim Harris 8. Denationalise money – Eustace Davie 9. Ignore victimless crimes and convict real criminals: The facts – Jean Redpath 10. Drug patents, drug activists and access to drugs – Richard Tren 11. Workshop on Nigeria: Applying libertarian ideals to the real world – can it be achieved in Africa? – Therese Griessel 12. Enron et al: the solution – Gary Moore 13. Afro-optimism: Justified? – Kerrin Myres 14. e-Liberty – Neil Emerick 15. Consense: consent and common-sense – Trevor Watkins | Organiser – Gail Day? Trevor Watkins had surgery during this seminar. |
19 | 2003 | Breakwater Lodge V&A Waterfront, Cape Town | 1. Principles of good law – Leon Louw 2. Health care: who is responsible? – Louise Botha 3. People make a difference – Nic Marais 4. Introducing Symond Fiske’s Our Principle Problem – Jan Jack 5. The adventures of Jonathan Gullible – A Free Market Odyssey – Janette Eldridge 6. Vox populi, vox diaboli – Geoffrey Wittenberg 7. The long road to equality – Duncan Andrew 8. Growth and transformation – Prof Brian Kantor 9. The tyraany of obsolete political labels – Prof Don Ross 10. How free are we? – Neil Emerick 11. Education, entrepreneurs and freedom – Barry Kayton 12. Nietzche for libertarians – Garth Zietsman 13. The cleanest, safest source of energy: Nuclear power – Andrew Kenny 14. Privatization: why it applies to everything – Douglas Shaw 15. South Africa: the good news – Ron Weissenberg 16. Constitutional Freedom Foundation / Economic Freedom Movement – Trevor Watkins | Organisers – Barry and Betty Kayton |
20 | 2004 27-28 Mar | Free Market Foundation Johannesburg | 1. Trip to Lindela Detention centre near Krugersdorp – Charl Heydenrych 2. Jonathan Gullible Book Launch & Braai – Amagi ranch - Ken Schoolland 3. The triumph of government! – At keeping citizens poor and elites rich. – Leon Louw 4. Should criminals be punished? – Christian Michel 5. How wrong ideas survive and breed - Dr K Kemm 6. Debate - The War in Iraq – Barun Mitra / Ken Schoolland 7. Why I am not a democrat - I prefer freedom - Christian Michel 8. Changing South Africa – constitutional court, ballot box or diplomacy? - N Davis, M Mokoena 9. The Regulation Explosion. How laws are ruining our lives - Dougie Shaw 10. Freedom evolves - Dr Jim Harris 11. More people believe in God than in themselves! Why can’t we sell Individual Freedom? -Panel discussion 12. Medical Monopolies - M Swanepoel 13. Individual rights and immigration wrongs – can they be reconciled? - Ken Schoolland | Organisers – Trevor Watkins, Leon Louw Billed as the 1st SA Individual Freedom Conference International guest speakers: Ken Schoolland, Christian Michel, Barun Mitra |
21 | 2005 | Golden Gate Free State | 1. The Jonathan Gullible Game – Janette Eldridge 2. The Constitutional Court and Supreme Court face off – Norman Davis 3. Principle Poker – the game – Trevor Watkins 4. The importance of principles – Neil Emerick 5. TAP-minarchy needs a growth-HOE – Jim Harris 6. The common sense of the common law – Gavin Weiman 7. Where’s our broadband? – Neil Emerick 8. Why Anarchy sucks – Richard Yelland | Organiser – Jim Harris |
22 | 2006 5-8 Oct | Nebo Farm Eastern Free State | 1. A slow, steady decline? – Trevor Watkins 2. Fey on Farming and Freedom – Chris Fey 3. Africa and Other Matters – Doug Shaw 4. 9/11 Conspiracy theories – Norman Davis 5. The effect of Islamism on Western Freedom – Graeme Levin 6. Habits of highly effective countries – Leon Louw 7. Werewolves and Villagers game – Katie Louw 8. The Stakeholders myth – Gary Moore 9. The Welfare state we’re in – Richard Yelland | Organiser – Trevor Watkins |
23 | 2007 | Golden Gate | Organiser – J Harris | |
24 | 2008 | Golden Gate | Organiser – J Harris | |
25 | 2009 | FMF offices | Organiser – G Zietsman, L Louw | |
2010 | None | No conference held | ||
26 | 2011 | Cape Town | - Intro to Libertarianism Neil Emerick - Open borders and pacifism as libertarian principles Garth Zietsman - Free to fail? Lessons from financial failures Brian Kantor - Alternative order of distributed online coordination of law and money Piet le Roux - The Scorpions Constitutional Court Case Hugh Glenister - Seasteading Julian le Roux - Climate Change Andrew Kenny - Challenges facing the SA labour market Loane Sharp - The Cape Republic and secession from South Africa Jack Miller - SaveSA Brainstorming Session Everyoneaturday - A guinea fowl, Karl Marx, and a gravedigger walk into a bar Dawie Roodt - Sanction of the victim Gavin Weiman - Our experience at FreedomFest 2011 Vega5 - How human individualism evolved: prehistoric markets drove brain growth, then big brains made collectivism unstable Don Ross - The moral case for liberty Garreth Bloor - The perils to freedom of scaremongering Ivo Vegter - Wealth distribution, equity and equality Stephen van Jaarsveldt - The experience of a South African libertarian in Canada Gary Moore | Organiser – J Le Roux |
27 | 2012 16-18 November | Grahamstown | -Colin Bower The Myth of Unique Suffering - Mario Oriani-Ambrosini A Libertarian Manifesto - Public Meeting Ivo Vegter/Dr B De Klerk What's the fracking problem? - Loane Sharp SA Labour Market – Trends and Issues -Trevor Watkins A Mission to Civilise -Ron Weissenberg Planning to survive - Paul Hjul Be Liberal in what you do; be Libertarian in what you expect from others - Frances Kendall Is rationality possible? - Ivo Vegter Extreme Environmentalism - Leon Louw The gorilla in the room - Loraine Weissenberg Libertarians from a distance - Roland Kroon What we can do to fix the environment.Winner of the Ria Crafford award -John Luscombe Farming 2.0 -Neil Emerick Internet Privacy | Organiser – T Watkins, R Weissenberg Roland Kroon won the Ria Crafford award Available at https://www.libertarian.org.za/2016/10/27th-libertarian-spring-seminar-2012.html |
28 | 2013 | Prince Albert | - Paul Hjul - Privatization and Nationalization - Two Sides of the Same Unprincipled Coin. -Leon Louw – The importance of being unequal - Brian Kantor - How much does capital cost the private or publicly owned company in South Africa? A review of the theory and the evidence and why bearing risks of ownership should be borne by volunteer shareholders rather than conscripted citizens. -Tracey Swanepoel - Critical factors in running a successful private school, -Schalk Dormehl - Investment Opportunities in Cryptostan - the potential of doing business anonymously over the internet. - SA Bitcoin Exchange -Simon Nicks - There’s nothing tragic about the Commons -Danielle Roodt – How to clone a Mammoth. A test tube, some genetic material and a super-sized surrogate, and out pops a baby mammoth! Is it that easy … but should we do it? And how about GMOs? Winner of the Ria Crafford award for best speaker - Dawie Swanepoel (no relation to Tracey!) – Sexual morality, sexual freedom -Andrew Kenny - Animal Rights. -Dawie Roodt - Demographics and BBBEE – who depends on who in contemporary South Africa? -Sue Milton-Dean – An eco-business model for the Karoo -Rory Kleu – The Need to Feed- doing the maths - Neil Emerick – EFW Feedback. -Andrew Kenny re-visits the myth of anthropomorphic global warming. - Colin Bower re-visits the myth of unique suffering -Formation of SA Libertarian Party, Enyinnah Nkem-Abonta, Barry de Harde,Trevor Watkins | Organiser – C Bower, T Watkins |
29 | 2014 | Jeffreys Bay | -Frances Kendall - Fast and slow thinking and the Oscar Pistorius trial - Ivo Vegter -The tinfoil-hat loonies were right all along. The surveillance state, and the implications of Edward Snowden's revelations. -Leon Louw – A libertarian approach to traditional law -Andrew Kenny – Chiefs and Traders Winner of the highly prized but rarely seen Ria Crafford award for Best Speaker! -George Werner - Abolishing Government as a social institution, Practical or Utopian? -Schalk Dormehl - State of the dark market -Gareth De Vaux – The road to anarchy -Trevor Watkins – Authoritarians An overview of the book “The Authoritarians” by Bob Altemeyer -Trevor Watkins – An overview of “Swarmwise” by Rick Falkvinge, founder of the Swedish Pirate Party, and its relevance to libertarian ideas. -Ron Weissenberg - Orania – Whitewash, white elephant or white what? -Garth Zietsman - Liberty and Democracy -Erik Peers - Going against the grain; is Noakes a Libertarian? -Prof Pierre Le Roux - Economic growth and Economic freedom -C Bower – What do people want? -C Bower - Punishment - a pointless pursuit -C Bower - Reflections on SAPS vs R Barnard -E Marais – Dorp van Drome – individual activism that works | Organiser – T Watkins |
30 | 2015 | Orania |
| Organiser – F Kendall |
31 | 2016 | Golden Gate | -Trevor Watkins - A visual history of the South African Libertarian Movement -Charl Heydenrych - an innovative libertarian solution to social ills -Daniella van Jaarsveldt - Feminism - Gary Moore - Impressions of Oz -Peter Elstob - Why are we getting fatter? -Viv Vermaak - De-motivational speaking Winner of Ria Crafford award -Garth Zietsman - The psychology of political ideological differences - Stephen van Jaarsveldt - Self regulating markets, random walks and price determination -Paul Hjul - Income equality is real and does matter - Stephen van Jaarsveldt - practical libertarianism in business -Ron Weissenberg - The future, bright to moderately terrifying | Organiser – S van Jaarsveldt |
32 | 2017 | Wakkerstroom | - Eric Peers: 3B2E+ -Clive Coetzee: - The Economic Freedom & Growth Nexus in SA -Garth Zietsman: The Illusion of Rational Thinking -Gareth de Vaux: Bitcoin -Neil Emerick:Privacy in the Age of Big Data -Jenny Elstob:Six month overland trip into Africa -Bronwyn Kohler:Medical Tyranny -Peter Elstob:Beware Big Food & Big Pharma - update. -Rob Jeffrey:Pollution, Climate and the real energy sources for SA -Andrew Kenny:Free Energy is very expensive -Viv Vermaak: The top 3 reasons for spraying yourself in the face with Doom! Winner: Ria Crafford award Trevor Watkins:Consent, Anarchy and Consistency Gavin Weiman For, Leon Louw Against, Debate: Libertarianism is underpinned by jurisprudence that goes beyond and supersedes the consent axiom and the NAP | |
33 | 2018 | Wilderness | Rex van Schalkwyk - Central banking: the enabler of inequality https://youtu.be/cNF2U1xikbs
Sihle Ngobese of IRR (@BigDaddyLiberty) https://youtu.be/PDXD6i7DHWc
Martin Brassey - Libertarianism and Racism https://youtu.be/ETXo5r28cqQ
Ivo Vegter - Fashionable Food Fears https://youtu.be/prxKZseftY4
Colin Bower - Libertarianism - a personal lifestyle choice and not a policy https://youtu.be/pFNEu38L2DM
Garth Zietsman - Diversity https://youtu.be/7rJcETYEyT4
Frans Rautenbach - Educational Crisis https://youtu.be/DSbR3PvREI8
Andrew Kenny - History of Land Ownership Winner: Ria Crafford award https://youtu.be/jZ9YSLkzElE
Leon Louw and Kelvin Kemm - Nuclear Safety Lies! https://youtu.be/F64TFJH9Qqo
Martin van Staden - Expropriation without Compensation https://youtu.be/tiSpgRdHjFQ
Trevor Watkins and George Werner - Individualist Movement https://youtu.be/dsBc9NaXux8
10 minute presentations:- Martin Fey - The Servile Mind https://youtu.be/p419FHaCRWg
Ron Weissenberg - Makana Revive https://youtu.be/7pG26XhCx_8
Leon van Wyk - State of Local Government https://youtu.be/tjNo1EtVuOY | Gail Daus, Frances Kendall |
34 | 2019 | Velddrif | -Welcome to the West Coast. Chris van Niekerk, Evet Odendaal, Cllr Sandra Crafford -Freedom: The key factor in all successful societies David Steward -The impact of corruption on economic growth: Willem Heath -The art of bokkom eating. -How Jacob Zuma stole my country and the battle to win it back: Jacques Pauw Winner: Ria Crafford award -Legalizing Dagga: Myrtle Clarke -Justice without the state: Trevor Watkins -Socialism vs Capitalism in the USA: Marian Tupy - Cato Institute USA -It’s the “Lights” Stupid! Dr Clive Coetzee -On Being a Robot Frances Kendall -Air show: commentator Brian Emmenis -Creating a power empire: Menno Parsons -The art of tying knots: Networking Activity -Libertarianism vs Liberationism: Dr Piet Croucamp -The legal and social implications of sex-bots: Leon Louw -Irreconcilable differences between economics and politics: Stephen van Jaarsveldt -The role of exchange control: Dr Dennis George -“Still Truckin” Folk Music Cabaret: Des and Dawn Lindberg -Freedom and Efficiency: Andrew Kenny -Succeeding at secession: Jack Miller, Hein Marx,Des Palm, Christoff Smuts | Organisers: Clive Coetzee, Trevor Watkins, George Werner |
35 | 2020 | Zoom | Andrew Kenny: Climate Change Mel Ferguson: How I used government during lockdown Anthea Jeffery: The People's War Winner: Ria Crafford award Rob Duigan: Libertarian Morality Je'anna Clements: Self Directed Education Dumo Denga: Should we we concerned about inequality? Rakesh Wadhwa: Doing Business in the Third World Mpiyakhe Dhlamini: Regulations in South African Townships Leon Louw: Greenies Should Love Nuclear, Sceptics should love Coal, Economists should love Both Hügo Krüger: Covid19, Propaganda and Innumeracy | Organiser: Hugo Kruger, Trevor Watkins |
36 | 2021 | Nooitgedacht, Krugersdorp | - Erik Peers Property Developer Love in the time of Covid-19 and Welcome - Bronwyn Kohler Scientist Vaccination programs past and present- Non disclosure - Dr Douglas Shaw Advocate How to approach the Constitutional Court - Gail Day Wanderer Have bicycle, will travel - Nick Hudson Actuary Chairman PANDA Pandemic Data Analytics - Garth Zietsman Statistician The evolutionary roots of Libertarianism - Burninglash Entrepreneur: Consent in all matters - Ayanda Khumalo Accountant In conversation with Erik Peers - Dawie Roodt Economist The effects of lockdown policy on the economy Winner: Ria Crafford award - Mitch van Den Bos: Farmer Profitable small scale farming - Viv Vermaak Journalist Variant scariant - Petrus Potgieter Mathematician #syfersigtig - Ivo Vegter Journalist Public health in a liberal society - Rex van Schalkwyk Judge The Rule of Law - what does this actually mean? | Organiser Erik Peers |
37 | 2022 | Grahamstown | Alan Weyer :Tour Guide – Our Town, Makhanda/Grahamstown David Comyn: Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) for the treatment of Cancer Andrew Kirk: Businessman – Cameras, Community and Personal Safety Athol Trollip: Politician – My Political Journey. SA Politics – Quo Vadis Rod Amner: Journalist – The State of Local Journalism Mandisi Majavu: Academic - Racism in South Africa Andrew Craig: Academic – Honey Guides and Honey Hunters Viv Vermaak: Journalist – Hi, my name is Viv, and I am a Dronkie Winner: Ria Crafford award Philip Machanik: Academic – A View from the Municipal Trenches Petrus Potgieter: Academic – Porn and Regulation: “Who calls the shots”? Andrew Tracey: Academic – Musical Instruments and Music of Africa Francesca Porri: Scientist- Larval Ecology and Why it Matters Garth Cambray: Scientist - Bees, Mead and all things Tasty Nyiko Mabasa: Scientist - Domestic Aquaculture William Yell: Farmer/Businessman – Cooking Oil, Fuel and Craft Beer | Organiser: Dittmar Eichhoff |
