Tag: democracy

How are township residents responding to socio-economic inequality and the growing belief that South Africa’s democratic transition has failed to deliver constitutional promises of social justice? South Africa’s Constitution and the Law of the Township explores this question through extensive fieldwork. It challenges conventional assumptions about township agency and survival.

Something is reassuring about US President Trump’s latest debacle on the White House lawn. It wasn't just that he was inaudible while cutting the ribbon for a new helipad. No impressive long-lens shots made him look magnificent. No press showed up to film the event. They all refused. After Trump banned journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from covering the event, other members of the White House ‘press pool’ refused to cover it as well

1985: The Langa Massacre and the Ending of White Rule in South Africa revisits a critical moment in the country’s struggle against apartheid. Mark Swilling examines the Langa massacre and the political developments surrounding it. He also considers how events in 1985 helped shift the balance between an authoritarian state and a growing democratic movement.

According to UNESCO, press freedom has declined steadily since 2012. Despite this trend, South Africa continues to perform well. The country ranks 27th out of 180 nations in the World Press Freedom Index. This ranking signals a continued commitment to respecting the role and independence of mainstream and independent community media.

South Africa’s 257 municipalities, the bedrock of local governance, are currently grappling with a severe trifecta of challenges. These challenges include worsening financial mismanagement, decaying infrastructure and rapidly eroding citizen trust. Restoring trust and performance has become a national priority.

The Overthrow of Robert Mugabe argues that the 2017 coup, which ousted long-time Zimbabwean president Robert Gabriel Mugabe, cannot be accurately or rigorously understood without examining the crucial role of gender and women’s politics in military seizures of power.

Gatsha Buthelezi: Chief with a Double Agenda was first published in London in 1988. However, it was made unavailable in South Africa due to litigation threats by Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Gatsha Buthelezi operated from within the apartheid system of the South African government.

Mac Maharaj played a pivotal role in the liberation movement for nearly four decades. He endured brutal torture and spent twelve years imprisoned on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela. Maharaj smuggled out the manuscript of Mandela’s autobiography. He later returned to South Africa to build a political and military underground.

As President Cyril Ramaphosa doubles down on the promise to turn South Africa into a ‘construction site', one factor in the infrastructure development equation has become increasingly vital to government plans' success. That factor is meaningful community-centred infrastructure development and involvement.

There is a complex relationship between privacy and freedom of expression. Both rights are enshrined in the South African Constitution and are essential to a democratic society. The right to privacy safeguards personal autonomy by protecting individuals from undue intrusions into their private lives. Freedom of expression, on the other hand, promotes open debate and the sharing of information, which are vital for democracy.