The greatest conundrum for a movement that masterminded the RSA political settlement is reconciling its centrist, absolute power-dependent perspective of government with the emerging and disruptive multiparty and coalition government-based democracy. The leadership instability that comes with losing absolute power to govern runs through the entire organisation's rubric. The internal [...]
Historical analogies serve as guiding lights for individuals and nations during times of uncertainty. South Africa, currently navigating a significant phase of political uncertainty, is no exception. Its leaders and thinkers have drawn parallels from its past, finding comfort in how the nation has reacted and adapted under similar circumstances.The [...]
This was published in TimesLive on 04 September 2024 under the same title.The revolutionary alliance, the tripartite alliance between the ANC, SACP, and COSATU, is at a crucial juncture that demands immediate attention. The context, supposedly occasioned by the 2024 election outcome, is pressing and requires innovative and fresh thinking. [...]
The anticipation for the National Dialogue is palpable, with preparations in full swing and potential participants actively discussing it. The critical questions of 'what the National Dialogue is', who should be involved, what the dialogue should focus on, how it will be structured, what will make it truly national, and [...]
This was published in the TimesLive on 29 August 2024 under the same title. In retrospect, South Africa's electricity delivery in the last fifteen years is most curious. Several times during this period, RSA has had the worst stages of load-shedding and, thus, energy supply instability. In a post-2017 period, acutely [...]
The debate in Parliament has elevated the equality of indigenous languages to a point of visible equality before the law. The first sign of a society committed to its freedom comes when it demands the rights of authentic self-imagination. Political and economic domination is exerted through cultural influence. The extent [...]
This was published in the Sunday Times of 21 August 2024 under the headline: The NDR-GNU PARADOX IS THE NEW BATTLE. Does the NDR still have one centre, or is it still being pursued? Have we moved into a world with one NDR objective being pursued by multiple processes (of struggle) [...]
Generally, the rise of parties like MKP and the EFF is the direct consequence of the loosening of the bond between voters and the representatives they elect, and the increasing perception that the governing party, and lately it will be the GNU, serve a narrow elite and capital interests.Unfortunately, no [...]
As we describe the nature of political opposition developing around, within, and out of us, we should appreciate that our character as an organisation will have to change as an outcome of the renewal journey we have embarked upon. A decision to renew an organisation is complete if it runs [...]
This was published in the Sunday Times on 18 August 2024 under the title "Recalibrating the templates of economic dominance."The need to manage the risk that the GNU is the standard defining the ANC renewal is urgent. The inconvenient truth is that the forces that make the rand economy move [...]
