Tag: Democracy

CONSTITUTION UNCONSTITUTIONAL: A CRITIQUE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S 1996 CONSTITUTIONAL DISPENSATION

The 8th May marked 30 years since South Africa adopted a new constitutional dispensation in 1996 under a democratic order. The constitution is not just a symbolic document. It is the supreme law and the foundation upon which our constitutional democracy rests. Its importance cannot be over emphasised given the country’s history of divisions stemming […]

THE WEAPONISATION OF THE NPA AND THE JUSTICE CLUSTER: SOUTH AFRICA’S INSTITUTIONS OF ACCOUNTABILITY HAVE BECOME TOOLS OF POWER

Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States, famously observed that “In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way.” The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) latest embarrassment — the striking off the roll of the case against taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni and his co-accused […]

PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA APPOINTS JUDGES OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

President Cyril Ramaphosa has in terms of section 174(4) of the Constitution appointed Justice Nambitha Christabel Dambuza-Mayosi and Justice Katharine Mary Savage as Judges of the Constitutional Court with effect from 1 May 2026. As directed by the Constitution, President Ramaphosa has made these appointments after consultation with Chief Justice Mandisa Maya and leaders of […]

LAFA ELIHLE KAKHULU: FROM LAMENT TO NATIONAL RE-AWAKENING

In a marriage, betrayal is rarely accepted all at once. It reveals itself slowly — through disbelief, excuses, rationalisation, even denial. One clings to what once was, determined to “work at it.” And when acceptance finally comes, it is not relief that arrives — it is pain. Deep, unsettling pain. This is where many of […]

ZIMBABWE’S CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BILL NO. 3: A STEP TOWARD POLITICAL STABILITY

Zimbabwe has long struggled with the tensions that accompany elections. Too often, political competition spills beyond the ballot box into intimidation, unrest, and violence. Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, which proposes an indirect system for electing the president, seeks to address that reality. It is a significant reform and, understandably, has sparked intense debate. But […]

SACP’S CONDOLENCES TO FAMILY OF MOSIUOA ‘TERROR’ LEKOTA

The South African Communist Party (SACP) conveys its message of condolences to the family of Mosiuoa Patrick Lekota, the founding member and president of the Congress of the People (COPE) political party. The SACP also conveys its condolences to his party as well as the people of South Africa for the loss. Affectionately known as […]

BANTUSTANISM 2.0 AND THE RUINS OF A FAILED NATIONAL BOURGEOUIS STATE

After three decades of experimentation with a bourgeois democracy, it is as clear as daylight that our country is in free fall. We have been hobbling from crisis to crisis with no real solution on the horizon. Except for the first decade when we were still wallowing in the euphoria of democracy, the post-colonial polity […]

MAXIMUM DISCLOSURE. MINIMUM CONSEQUENCE. WELCOME TO MZANSI.

From boardroom liberation to procedural democracy: the quiet making of a government fluent in process and allergic to consequence. There was a moment, not announced and not televised, when South Africa quietly changed posture. Not the moment of liberation. Not the first election. Not the swearing-in ceremonies or victory speeches. A quieter moment. A moment […]

A PERSONAL TRIBUTE TO BHEKI MLANGENI – LEST WE FORGET

This week, 35 years ago, my brother, friend and dependable comrade, Bheki “Mabhekza” Mlangeni, got his young life cut short by a parcel bomb. The explosive(s) that were packed into what was referred to as a “Walkman” (cassette player) detonated the minute Cde Mabhekza switched on the device upon wearing its headphones. The explosion shattered […]

THE LONG SHADOW OF THE LABYRINTH: WHY THE MADLANGA COMMISSION IS THE FORENSIC AUDIT OF OUR UNFINISHED TRANSITION

It is necessary to clarify from the outset: this opinion piece is not written by a political scientist but by a decolonial, Africana scholar. My interest lies not in the mere mechanics of “governance” or the liberal tropes of “good administration,” but in the more profound, more haunting questions of power, continuity, and the persistent […]

THE U.S. IS NOT DEFENDING DEMOCRACY IN VENEZUELA — IT IS ENFORCING CONTROL

The United States insists its actions toward Venezuela are driven by a commitment to democracy and human rights. That claim no longer withstands scrutiny. What is unfolding is not principled foreign policy but a campaign of coercion, punishment, and force designed to impose political outcomes favourable to Washington. This is about power, resources, and control […]

NYDA EXECUTIVE CHAIRPERSON AT 80TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

As the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), we were honoured to form part of the South African delegation to the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Week. During this historic gathering, we participated in the high-level plenary meeting commemorating the 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth, reaffirming […]