democracy

Written by Jonathan Jansen

What is the meaning of Ficksburg? I did not see the question coming.

In a lecture to senior students at a UK university last week, the final query was this: if and when the ANC eventually loses the national elections, would they voluntarily relinquish power?

Written by Oscar Siwali

When President Jacob Zuma recently expressed the belief that popular uprising of the kind that has been seen in Tunisia is "impossible" in South Africa, he made a strong argument: "We have a constitutional democracy here; every person has the right to say what he wants and to vote."

Written by Justice Malala

For the sake of our children and their children, we must constantly remind ourselves why there was a freedom struggle in this country.

It is essential that we do this because many among us believe that the struggle for freedom was about power, that those who fought the apartheid system did so merely because they wanted to replace the heinous apartheid system and its snouts in the trough with their own snouts in the trough. This is not true.

Written by David Le Page

Asked yesterday what he wanted for South Africa, Desmond Mpilo Tutu said: “I will go to my grave happily when I see us become what we have it in us to become: caring, compassionate, gentle, sharing.”

Tutu was announcing that he was finally withdrawing from public life, starting in October, when he turns 79.

“The time has now come to slow down,” he said.

Abahlali baseMjondolo are not a threat to national peace and security but are a social movement seeking the basics for survival.

This emerged at ‘A Conversation with Abahlali' organised jointly by Diakonia Council of Churches and the Democracy Development Programme on 29 April. The purpose of the conversation was to listen to Abahlali and accord the public a chance to ask questions regarding this movement.

In Sakhile township, near Balfour, Mpumalanga - the scene of violent service-delivery protests in February - youth activist Zakhele Maya, 25, said Freedom Day celebrations were an "insult" to poor people like him.

"It pains me when I am told that I must celebrate Freedom Day. We are not free. How can I be free when economic participation remains a huge problem? No one is working here. All small businesses we have attempted to establish have gone down," Maya said.

South African and Swedish church leaders have reiterated grave concerns that a 10-year-old arms deal that involved Sweden with South Africa threatens the fledgling African democracy. 



The deal to sell armaments to South Africa also involved other European and Western nations such as Britain, France and Germany. It was signed a decade ago, estimated at around US$4.8 billion. 



South Africa celebrated 16th years of democracy this year. Momentous changes have occurred since the end of apartheid and the democratic elections of 1994. The feelings of optimism about the promise of democracy and a new system are prevalent throughout the country but there are also deep concerns and problems. An unemployment rate of 40%, HIV/AIDS, high infant mortality rate, low life expectancy, and high levels of criminal activity continue to plague the country.