Eight years ago, the Panama Papers scandal exposed how corporations and rich individuals are able to hide their wealth in offshore bank accounts and avoid paying their fair share in taxes. This practice still continues today, and in 2024 alone, South Africa has seen high profile cases involving banks and billionaires such as Christo Wiese, Sasfin and Coronation Investments. In just these three examples, the lost taxes amount to R19.3bn. This is more than what the government is spending on infrastructure for education or healthcare in 2024.
What can activists, trade unionists, or progressives in government do about this when the rich hold the power? This event will be an accessible introduction to these issues while sharing the experiences of speakers from three Global South countries – South Africa, the Philippines, and Brazil – each of whom have been working to stop the bleeding of capital from the Global South through research and campaigns directed at government and corporations.
𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗥𝗦: Jaco Oelofsen – Alternative Information and Development Centre (𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛 𝗔𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗔)
Jeannie Manipon – Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦)
Tádzio Coelho – Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV) (𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗭𝗜𝗟)
𝗠𝗢𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗢𝗥: Aliya Chikte – Economic Justice Project Officer at the Alternative Information and Development Centre
