DDP MULTIPARTY DIALOGUE

The Democracy Development Program (DDP) has since its inception in 1993, been committed to the principles of Constitutional Democracy and building of a Human Rights Culture in South Africa.  To this end the DDP has over the last two decades been a very player in the socio-political landscape in KwaZulu Natal in particular and South Africa in general.

 It is against this backdrop that the DDP has invited political party representatives to a Public Political Forum to unpack what each Political Manifesto has to share in dealing with, what is often referred to as the “triple challenges”.

This engagement was held at the Maharani Hotel in Durban on the 28th March 2019.

The forum had a panel of 12, represented by 12 different political parties that are registered and contesting the 2019 general elections on the 08th May.P

The IFP and NFP was not available at this event.

INDEPENDENT ANALYST INPUT BY LUKHONA MNGUNI

Lukhona was asked to give a slightly different perspective on the following issues. 

• Academia
• Political observation
• He opted to direct his speech to the voters, not the political leaders that had presented

THINGS HE ADDRESSED DIRECTLY TO THE VOTERS

(A)COGNISANCE DISSONANCE: he asked how many voters do not believe any of the elections manifesto unpacked by various political parties, but still support it.  He urged the people to be matured in democracy and be in a position to take right decisions when it comes to distribution of resources in SA.

(B)BUILDING ELECTORAL ACCOUNTABILITY: in South Africa people are not honest about what they need. Voters and people are persecuted, ill-treated, but still stuck with same individual or party. People are so married to political homes even when they don’t deserve.

(C)ELECTORAL TO INTERROGATE ITSELF AS TIME EVOLVES: he posed an important question to electorate. “are we able to be bold enough to safeguard SA against politicians?”.  Parties change what they stand for; in some cases, leaders also change. Although there are areas where even leaders do not change.  But as the voters we are still stuck.  He warned that politicians are in the competition for resources. As politics is about distribution of finite resources. As the people in need, how then are we going to ensure fair and equitable distribution of such.

(D)RECYCLING AND RE-INVENTION OF POLITICAL ELITE IN S.A.: he warned that voters make the politicians and political elite invincible as they continue to be voted into power even if they are no longer relevant to the people.  South African Voters make the politicians survive even if they move from what they stood for to what they never stood for.  Voters retain MP’s and MPL’s at all costs.

(E)LAND QUESTION A BURNING ISSUE IN SA

 In South Africa we only talk of Land and not its Waters. 

In KZN land activists are still killed. Killed for resisting mining of their rural land. Like Mpembeni village in Port Shepstone and cases in Umtubatuba. There are mineral deposits that are being discovered by the people in their land, but they get killed for that.

Unemployment, inequality and poverty in South Africa is the manifestation of colonisation. What gives birth to the triple challenges? As an analyst it is:

• Education
• Violence and
• Mismanagement of State

THE QUESTION POSED TO EACH POLITICAL PARTY WAS:

How will your party redress the imbalances of the past, so as to address successfully the question of Unemployment, Inequality and Poverty.

 Please click here for pictures