About us
History
The Progressive Professionals Forum (PPF) was launched in August 2013 in Johannesburg , South Africa . The PPF was established because it was felt that:
1. The Intellectual power base of South Africa is grossly under-utilised.
2. We acknowledge that the middle class is not contributing as much as it is capable of & as often as it should towards building our country and developing its people .
3. Diversity of opinions are more effective in an inclusive framework.
4. We believe other professionals bodies are more developmental in nature and inward focussed and are therefore restricted with regard to the role that they can play in society at large.
The Progressive Professionals Forum (PPF) is a non-racial, non-sexist and non-xenophobic organisation of progressive professionals, academics, intellectuals and patriotic entrepreneurs subscribing the values of the Freedom Charter and the Constitution of South Africa and who are the think tank and resource base of South Africa in the realization of the country’s developmental goals through policy, research and advocacy.
Our objectives and Character
1. Provide a platform for all professionals to stimulate intellectual debate on the progressive agenda.
2. Enable continuous interactions between various progressive formations and professionals.
3. Leverage and harness the capacity of professionals to engender an inclusive economic growth.
4. Seek mechanisms to ensure that the public discourse in the country is balanced and progressive and promote the patriotism of its citizens.
5. We will do this by availing our skills and expertise and engaging at a strategic level with government and the private sector.
6. Influence policy through well researched submissions and focused advocacy.
Character of the PPF
1. The PPF is non-racial, non-sexist, non-xenophobic and non-afrophobic
2. The PPF is a South African based organisation and has a national, continental and international focus.
3. The PPF seeks to attract professionals, academia, intelligentsia and entrepreneurs who align themselves with progressive movements and who aspire to progressive ideals such as those enshrined in the Freedom Charter and the Preamble of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
Building Africa’s productive capacity through partnership
The PPF believes that the political, social and economic history and destiny of South Africa is intertwined with that of the African continent. Since 1994 the Government has steered South Africa into a progressive, respectful and collaborative contributor to the deepening of democracy, self-determination and prosperity throughout Africa.In addition ,the performance of Africa’s economy has begun to defy Afro-pessimism, with more than half of the 10 fastest growing global economies now being African.
1. The PPF will therefore enhance all efforts to foster alliances with progressive African professionals, businessmen and entrepreneurs, in order to maximize the continent’s productive capacity.
2. The PPF will assist in fully integrating African professionals and businessmen in the diaspora into South African society as valuable and active participants.
3. The PPF will not tolerate xenophobia/afrophobia and will actively work to eliminating it.