Democracy Dialogue: Remaking the (com)promise of liberation

The recently published New South African Review 2: New Paths, Old Compromises (Wits University Press: 2011) addresses a number of major socio-political and economic issues confronting contemporary South Africa. The text poses provocative questions and reflects on how the struggle against apartheid was significant for its embrace of and experimentation with different political forms – from armed struggle to negotiations; while after apartheid there seems little left to the imagination of change but electoral politics and the struggle for decent work.

It could be argued that the promise of 1994 was already based on a set of compromises that foreclosed the imagination of political possibilities. With the adoption of neo-liberal policies, each new election has demanded that the party demonstrate its continued commitment to the realization of the ‘promise of liberation’, each time this promise refigured according to the limits set by the changing needs of the global capitalist system.

The discussion sessions are planned as follows:

Chairperson – IMRAAN BUCCUS

REGISTRATION - 8 to 8h30

8h30 -10h30 – The Zuma Presidency and the politics of paralysis – Prof Roger Southall and Prof John Daniel
Roger Southall and John Daniel, both editors of the New South African Review, will look at how Zuma’s government was meant to be closer to the people. In addition, the government promised to move economic policy to the left, thus making it pro-poor. However, the government seems to have been somewhat of a failure –from rampant extravagance and corruption to key state agencies becoming unaccountable and out of control. The ‘paralysis’ of the Zuma Presidency will be examined closely here.

Respondent/Discussant: Protas Madlala

 11hoo – 13h00 – Civil society, accountability and participatory policy-making –Janine Hicks
Hicks focus will be on participatory in policy making in South Africa, exploring how participation and deliberation can overcome the shortcomings of a purely representative democracy by connecting citizen voice with state decision making, thereby transforming broader social power relations and enabling responsive policy making.

In the process, she will highlight some civil society experiences. The presentation will also make reference to the idea that accountability makes modern constitutions work and a society which has the necessary political will to exact accountability from those in charge is one in which constitutionalism has a chance to flourish.

Respondent/Discussant: Judge Chris Nicholson

LUNCH -13h00-14h00

14hoo- 15h30 – The Right to Know and Media Transformation –Prof Devan Pillay
Pillay will address a key issue facing our country – media transformation – in the context of a perceived attack on the freedom of expression and access to information which form the bedrock of democratic rights.

Three proposed measures by the ruling party and government have raised alarm: the Protection of Information Bill, which threatens to undermine the laudable Promotion of Access to Information legislation, passed more than a decade ago, by blocking access to information that could expose corruption or negligence by government officials; the Media Appeals Tribunal, an ANC proposal to replace media self-regulation with a state-appointed body that has much stronger punitive powers, including imprisoning journalists; and a proposal to centralise all government advertising, which can be used to punish media that cast government in a bad light. Taken together, these proposals are ominous, and have given rise to the Right2Know campaign, an impressive array of civil society organisations that has the support of Cosatu as well as prominent individuals such as former minister of Intelligence, Ronnie Kasrils. Pillay will reflect on all of these critically important issues in South Africa currently.

Respondent/ Discussant: Philani Mgwaba –Sunday Tribune Editor

Please RSVP by 25 October as space is limited.  Send your RSVP to Nondumiso via email (rsvp@ddpdurban.org.za) or by fax to 031 3062261.