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My social advocacy focuses on fostering social & corporate ethics, developing youth literacy and literature development in South Africa.
This work is performed through the organisations listed below. More information can be found on their websites. My work or ideas are featured regularly in the media and public events. My recent testimony before the State Capture Commission has garnered significant public interest - I have included articles and interviews below.
Disclaimer: The TV, radio and print media included below do not necessarily reflect my views unless I am the author or speaker.
Social and corporate ethics
My advocacy work for a more ethical society and ethical corporate practices is performed through the Institute of Social and Corporate Ethics (ISCE) which I founded in 2021. ISCE is a research-based institute, registered as non-profit organisation. We commit to advocacy campaigns and publish thought-pieces. I serve as CEO.
Youth literacy
Read to Rise aims to address the low youth literacy rate in South Africa by getting children excited about reading and making age-appropriate books available to children in under-resourced communities. Our full-time team works directly in primary school classrooms daily. We are currently embedded in Mitchells Plain (Cape Town) and Soweto (Johannesburg), and regularly work in other schools around the country. I co-founded the organisation in 2013 and serve as Chairman.
Literature development
The Cape Flats Book Festival (CFBF) is the first and only literary festival on the Cape Flats, an area known for grave social ills such as substance-abuse and violence. The festival is an act of hope to showcase the work of local authors and to introduce local readers to some of the best literature from across South Africa and the world. I founded the festival in 2019 and serve as Director.
I also serve as a Board Member of New Contrast, the oldest literary journal in South Africa.
UCT and State Capture
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PRESS RELEASE: 'Dean of UCT's law faculty launches social media attack on whistleblower, admits to UCT's dealings with state capture companies' 3 June 2021
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'UCT dismisses former lecturer’s ‘hush money’ allegations' The Citizen, 1 June 2021
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'UCT rejects claims by former lecturer Athol Williams' Cape Argus, 3 June 2021
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'UCT accused of enabling state capture by former senior lecturer' Cape Times, 1 April 2021
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'Athol Williams hits back at UCT's 'aggrieved' claim' Cape Times, 2 June 2021
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AUDIO: 'Athol Williams says UCT must come clean on links to state capture companies' CapeTalk, 2 June 2021
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'UCT denies hush money claims by former senior lecturer' IOL, 1 June 2021
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'UCT rejects Athol Williams’ allegations of silencing over state capture' Daily Vox, 1 June 2021
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'UCT denies offering whistleblower ‘hush money’ amid state capture concerns' Cape Town etc, 1 June 2021
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'UCT denies offering State Capture Inquiry whistleblower 'hush money' News24, 1 June 2021
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'Athol Williams on why companies involved in State Capture ...' Daily Maverick, 19 January 2021
Thought Leader series (Mail & Guardian)
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'Corporate amends: What is enough?' 14 March 2021
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'Resilience after blowing the whistle' 20 January 2021
Media: TV
My closing remarks at State Capture Commission 24 March 2021
Interview after State Capture Commission testimony, 2021
Interview after State Capture Commission testimony, 2021
Discussing upcoming inaugural Cape Flats Book Festival, 2019
Review of Cape Flats Book Festival, 2019
Panel discussing whistleblowers, 2021
Review of Cape Flats Book Festival, 2019
Panel discussion on the poor treatment of whistleblowers in South Africa, 6 June 2021
Media: Radio
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'Restructure or Capture: Understanding SARS under Moyane' Radio786, 12 May 2021
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'Role of executive boards in South Africa' Radio 702, 6 April 2021
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'How whistleblowers are hung out to dry' PowerFM, 20 April 2021
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'Evidence' The Witness, Episode 4, 30 March 2021
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'Bain yet to come clean on full extent of role at SARS and other SOC’s' Classic Business, 29 March 2021
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'Athol Williams made to resign from UCT to complete Bain testimony for Zondo' CapeTalk, 26 March 2021
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'SA's poor bear the burden of Covid-19,' CapeTalk, 20 April 2020
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Children need fun books to deal with scary topics, Radio 702, 22 April 2020
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'Books beat a failed system,' Beautiful News South Africa, January 2019
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'On a mission to inspire South Africa's youth to reach greater heights' eNCA, 14 September 2017
Media: Print
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'Need to inculcate 'moral fortitude'' Business Day, 15 July 2021
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'Athol Williams: How whistle-blowers in SA are hung out to dry' Financial Mail, 15 April 2021
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'Fluitjieblasers moet alles waag, maar word dan vir die wolwe gegooi' Vrye Weekblad, 16 April 2021
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'UCT accused of enabling state capture by former senior lecturer ...' The Cape Times, 1 April 2021
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'UCT statement on claims by former GSB lecturer' University of Cape Town, 30 March 2021
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'Athol Williams made to resign from UCT to complete Bain testimony for Zondo' CapeTalk, 26 March 2021
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'Living without chaos' The Big Issue, 25 March 2021
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'A country of losers - the attitude that drove former Bain fixer to the State Capture Commission' Fin24, 25 March 2021
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'Bain & Co planned to work with Zuma to ‘reshape SA economy’, says former partner ...' Daily Maverick, 23 March 2021
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'Former Bain fixer lays into Tom Moyane for calling him 'disgruntled whistle-blower' News24, 24 March 2021
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'Whistleblower testifies to fraudulent behavior of a major consulting company' PPLAAF, 24 March 2021
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'Zondo dismisses Bain’s request to publish its affidavit to commission' Mail & Guardian, 24 March 2021
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'Our work at SARS was effectively a Sham,' Williams Tells Zondo Inquiry' EWN, 24 March 2021
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'Former Bain consultant claims company plotted capture on a grand scale with Zuma' Mail & Guardian, 23 March 2021
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'Bain & Co asks Zondo to make affidavit public' The Citizen, 23 March 2021
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'Athol Williams on why companies involved in State Capture ...' Daily Maverick, 19 January 2021
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'Bain seeks redaction of former partner's affidavit to Zondo ...' Business Maverick, 13 January 2021
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'Bain's bid to muzzle whistleblower' Financial Mail, 17 December 2020
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'South African poet and writer obtains five master’s degrees from top universities' LitNet, 11/9/2019
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'Business as usual won’t fix youth unemployment, poverty and inequality' Business Report, 23/06/19
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'Business as usual won’t fix youth unemployment, poverty and inequality' City Press, 21 June 2019
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'Reparations and big business,' CapeTalk, 29 January 2019
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'Business and socio-economic justice,' Radio 702, 18 July 2017
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'Oaky empowers 100k to read,' People's Post, 2018
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'Reader of the Pack,' Daily Voice, 2018
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'Library makes reading a breeze,' People's Post, 2017
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'Writer seeks to push boundaries for justice,' Cape Argus, 8 September 2017
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'Happy tree is kids’ play at mall,' People's Post, 2017
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'Birthday celebration for Read to Rise,' Plainsman, 2017
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'Local brothers get learners excited about literacy,' Workers World, 2016
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'Oaky’ helps pupils to read and grow stronger,' Plainsman, 2016
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'Sharing their love of reading,' News24, 2016
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'Author uses skills to help uplift others,' Cape Argus, 2015
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'Promoting Youth Literacy,' The Muse, 2015
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'Karabo Learners Read to Rise,' Bridge, 2015
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'Give the gift of reading,' Citysearch, 2015
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'Athol Williams Wins Inyathelo Award for Education,' Inyathelo, 2012
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'Transforming disadvantaged schools,' LeadSA, 2011
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'Hungry for Home,' Mail & Guardian, 2009
Podcasts
OUTA, 31 May 2021
PPLAAF, 30 March 2021
Past Roles
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Founder & Chairman, Taurus School Solutions, Cape Town
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Chairman, Family Life Centre, Johannesburg
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Board member, Khulisa Social Solutions, Johannesburg
Gallery
Presentation at The Ethics Institute, 2019
Testifying at State Capture Commission, 2021
Contributor to documentary, 2020
Discussing social justice with Dr Mamphela Ramphele
Silent, solo protest, Washington DC, 2013
Keynote speaker at CFO conference, 2019
Presenter of State of our Nation on Classicfm, 2008 & 2019
Reading an Oaky book to children
Article in Financial Mail, 2021
At the launch of 'The South Africa I Want to Live In' I contributed a chapter, 2021
I was Executive Producer of 2 human rights films
Conference panellist on active citizenship with former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel and Crispin Sonn
Conference panellist, 2019