Democracy is not a spectator sport
The past decade should remind South Africans that democracy does not always work the way that it should. Democracy remains elusive, it doesn’t simply…
civil society
On freedom, fact and falsehood
‘Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come’ Whispering ‘it will be happier…’ Tennyson One cannot help but be drawn by these…
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…
Policy Brief 22: Democratic renewal of the ANC
The African National Congress as the ruling party in South Africa continues to go through a series of leadership challenges and a growing loss…
Is Zuma’s nuclear gamble still in play?
Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba’s Medium Term Budget Policy Statement last week had one simple message: we are drowning in debt. So it wasn’t surprising…
Disintegrating state capacity is a betrayal of democracy
State capacity — the ability of the South African state to implement its declared policies, public services and programmes — has been undermined by…
Idasa could have been useful in these trying times
The authoritative Financial Times dedicated its editorial to South Africa on Tuesday. Under the damning headline, “South Africa’s descent into despotism must stop”, it was a…
SA’s future is in the hands of activists
Unheralded local civic, community and civil society activists, leaders and peace-builders, working at the coalface with local communities where broken families, decay and failing…
Leadership vacuum is costing us dearly
“A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less…
Policy Brief 19: Citizen, civil society and media-based monitoring and evaluation
South Africa’s constitution relies on an organised, engaged citizenry to ensure the transparent, fair and democratic implementation of its core values. Without resolute, consistent…