The Great Negotiator, has his work cut out for him
Somewhere there is a photograph of Cyril Ramaphosa and Roelf Meyer taking a break during the constitutional negotiations, seemingly relaxed sans neck-ties. The picture belies the…
Citizens & Leaders
Democracies cannot be healthy and flourish without active citizens who participate in society, who solve problems their communities face, who are informed and skilled in participation.
This applies to both citizens and citizen representatives or politicians. If political leaders do not espouse democratic principals and ethics and don’t have the required skills-set or theoretical framework democracy cannot grow.
Democracy Works Foundation, therefore, offers several innovative trainings that are targeted at the following beneficiaries:
- political leaders, whether established or youthful;
- citizen and community leaders;
- civil society activists and change-makers.
Looking back to 21 years of the Constitution
December 10, 2017, marked the 21st anniversary of the signing by Nelson Mandela of our Constitution. Today we come of age as a constitutional democracy,…
The Real State of Emergency under President Zuma
10 December 1996 was a historic day for South Africa. On that day President Nelson Mandela signed the final Constitution into law at Sharpeville,…
South Africa’s long walk must continue
If we ever needed a more graphic example of what the ANC has become, we need to look no further than the video footage…
Building Democracy in Zimbabwe
The fall of Zimbabwean and Zanu-PF leader Robert Mugabe, Africa’s longest-serving liberation movement leader, is much welcomed, bringing great relief and fresh hope for…
The Fall of Grace
I spent a lot of time in Zimbabwe in the mid-2000s, as the head of a human rights organisation that worked across Southern Africa….
The Democracy We Want
The Democracy Works Occasional Paper ‘The Democracy We Want’ presents the institution’s views on what a more equitable, inclusive, sustainable and healthy democracy in…
Leaders abuse governance to control citizens
Many African countries since independence from colonialism have operated under multiple systems of governance: the country’s formal institutions, laws and values, and, in parallel,…
This is a country that can break one’s heart
This past week we again heard the name of Michael Komape. Michael was five years old when he fell into a pit latrine at…
Mugabe crumbles – but it’s too soon to celebrate in Zimbabwe
It seemed that Robert Mugabe, the 93-year-old Zimbabwean president, would rule his country until he died – but in the end, his fall was…