30 Years of the Open Society Foundation for South Africa

South Africa plays an important role in Open Society’s history and George Soros’s philanthropy with his university scholarships for Black South African students during apartheid. The Open Society Foundation for South Africa, established just before the country’s first democratic elections in 1993, nurtured democracy and addressed inequality after decades in which the country systematically discriminated against most of its citizens for decades. 

As the country moved from the jubilation of apartheid’s end to the realities of building up a state and civil society through the ravages of the AIDS and HIV epidemic and state corruption and capture, Open Society has worked to ensure that all South Africans’ rights and democratic practices are strengthened. 

This publication looks back at the history of Open Society in South Africa and the legacy of the work there as we continue our investment in the country through our united global structure.