"I am angry. I am furious. Because I never thought it would happen to us. Not us, the rainbow nation that defied doomsayers and suckled and nurtured a fragile democracy into life for its children. I never thought it would happen to us, this relentless decline, the flirtation with a leap over the cliff." In a searing, honest paean to his country, renowned political journalist and commentator Justice Malala forces South Africa to come face to face with the country it has become: corrupt, crime-ridden, compromised, its institutions captured by a selfish political elite bent on enriching itself at the expense of everyone else. In this deeply personal reflection, Malala's diagnosis is devastating: South Africa is on the brink of ruin. He does not stop there. Malala believes that we have the wherewithal to turn things around: our lauded Constitution, the wealth of talent that exists, our history of activism and a democratic trajectory can all be used to stop the rot. But he has a warning: South Africans of all walks of life need to wake up and act, or else they will soon find their country has been stolen.
At the dawn of the twenty-first century Adam Kellas finds himself hurled on a journey between continents and cultures. In his quest from the war-torn mountains of Afghanistan to the elegant dinner tables of north London and then the marshlands of the American South, only the memory of the beautiful, elusive Astrid offers the possibility of hope. With all the explosive drama of The People's Act of Love, this is a spellbinding tale of folly and the pursuit of love from one of today's most talented and visionary writers.
12 FEBRUARY 2015. The South African secret services block the cellphones of journalists covering Parliament. Opposition party members are violently thrown out of the House. President Jacob Zuma - accused of corruption on a grand scale - laughs uproariously. Where is the country of Nelson Mandela headed? The institutions of democracy are falling apart or being captured by a narrow and deeply corrupt elite built around Zuma. Its infrastructure is collapsing. Its economy cannot provide succor to the eight million who don't have jobs. Protests over service delivery are on the rise. Does South Africa have the resolve and the leadership to stem the slide? In a devastating, searing, honest paean to his country, renowned political journalist and commentator Justice Malala forces South Africa to come face to face with the country it has become: corrupt, crime-ridden, compromised and its institutions captured by a selfish political elite that is bent on enriching itself at the expense of the increasingly marginalised masses. In this deeply personal reflection, Malala's diagnosis is devastating: South Africa is on the brink. He does not stop there. Malala believes that we have the ingredients to turn things around: our lauded Constitution, our wealth of talent, our history of activism and a democratic trajectory that can be used to stop the rot from setting in. But he has a warning: South Africans need to wake up now, or else they will soon find their country has been stolen.
A history of the erosion of democracy across the globe Democracy is being destroyed. This is a crisis that expresses itself in the rising authoritarianism visible in divisive and exclusionary politics, populist political parties and movements, increased distrust in fact-based information and news, and the withering accountability of state institutions. Over the last four decades, democracy has radically shifted to a market democracy in which all aspects of human, non-human and planetary life are commodified, with corporations becoming more powerful than states and their citizens. This is how neoliberal capitalism functions at a systemic level and if left unchecked, is the greatest threat to democracy and a sustainable planet. Volume six of the Democratic Marxism series focuses on how decades of neoliberal capitalism have eroded the global democratic project and how, in the process, authoritarian politics are gaining ground. Scholars and activists from the political left focus on four country cases – India, Brazil, South Africa and the United States of America – in which the COVID-19 pandemic has fuelled and highlighted the pre-existing crisis. They interrogate issues of politics, ecology, state security, media, access to information and political parties, and affirm the need to reclaim and re-build an expansive and inclusive democracy. Destroying Democracy is an invaluable resource for the general public, activists, scholars and students who are interested in understanding the threats to democracy and the rising tide of authoritarianism in the global south and the global north.
South Africa stands at the edge of a precipice. Almost thirty years after its first democratic election, poor policy and rampant corruption have left the country standing on the brink of becoming a failed state. In this thought-provoking book, Bronwyn Williams and Ludwig Raal interview a diverse group of public intellectuals, business leaders and political mavericks to discuss tangible ways South Africa can rescue itself from itself. Through a series of illuminating conversations, a group of independent thinkers explore the root causes of South Africa's problems and offer insightful and radical ways to solve them. From addressing land reform and economic development to rooting out corruption and overhauling political institutions, the conversations in this book come together as a roadmap towards a better South Africa that leaves no one behind. While the challenges facing the young democracy are immense, these experts provide hope and inspiration towards productive actions that we can take together to build a brighter future. For anyone interested in understanding the complex issues facing South Africa today and how they can be addressed, Rescuing Our Republic is essential reading. It is a powerful reminder that the fate of a nation is not predetermined; that individuals, citizens and corporations still have powerful agency and that when that agency is directed towards the right ideas and actions, South Africa can still realise its full potential.
Devin Lewis is trying to piece his life together as he reels from a recent separation that is inevitably headed for divorce. As Devin tries to sort his life out, he helps his close buddies work through their own equally testy situationsBrandon finds out that his wife of fifteen years has been dabbling on the side with another woman, and Chriss picture-perfect marriage is shattered by cruel fate. The only thing certain is their friendship as the men navigate through a mirage of dating disasters, concupiscence fulfillments, comedic interludes, and serious conversations. Despite his good looks and charm, Devin realizes that starting over isnt as easy as he thought it would be. Then, when it seems as though love isnt in the cards for Devin, he finds companionship and uncanny chemistry in the least likely of places. At last, Devins new acquaintance may just bring him the peace of mind hes been longing for, or perhaps he is headed for another disappointment . . .
Thuli Madonsela achieved in seven years as Public Protector what few accomplish in a lifetime; her legacy and contribution cannot be overstated. In her final days in office she compiled the explosive State of Capture report and, two years before that, Secure in Comfort, the report on President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla residence. Praised and vilified in equal measure, Madonsela frequently found herself on centre stage in the increasingly fractious South African political scene. Yet, despite the intense media scrutiny, Madonsela remains something of an enigma. Who is this soft-spoken woman who stood up to state corruption? Where did she develop her views and resolve? In No Longer Whispering to Power Thandeka Gqubule, journalist and one of the 'SABC 8' fired and rehired by the broadcaster, attempts to answer these questions, and others, by exploring aspects of Madonsela's life: her childhood years and family, her involvement in student politics, her time in prison, her contribution to the Constitution, and her life in law.
This handbook explores how democracies around the world seek to balance democratic values with the requirement to protect their citizens from the threat of politically motivated violence. Over the past few decades, the majority of the world’s democracies have had to confront serious security threats, and in many instances these challenges have not come from rival states but from violent groups. This volume offers readers an overview of how some democracies have responded to such threats. It examines the extent to which authorities have felt compelled to modify laws to evade what would ordinarily be regarded as protected rights, such as personal privacy, freedom of movement and freedom of speech. Grounded in historical analysis, each of the sections addresses past and emerging security threats; legal and legislative responses to them; successful and unsuccessful efforts to reconcile democracy and security; and a range of theoretical questions. The case studies provided vary in terms of the durability of their democratic systems, level of economic development and the severity of the threats with which they have been confronted. The volume is divided into three thematic parts: Strong democracies: United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand and Israel Challenged democracies: India, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina and Romania Fragile democracies: the Philippines and Nigeria. This book will be of much interest to students of democracy, security studies, political philosophy, Asian politics, Middle Eastern politics, African politics, West European politics and IR in general.
Dreams ... everyone has them. A man dreams of becoming a CEO of a big corporation, a famous athlete, a hero, or the president of the United States of America. Basically, men dream about all things rich and powerful. For women, dreams are more sentimental. Women dream of having a successful career, the perfect marriage, children, and financial freedom to live like a queen. But what if you're a Christian? Do you still have the same dreams? Is it okay to dream about wealth, power, and success? Is there any truth that as a Christian, you can still obtain your dream job, dream house, and dream mate (i.e., soul mate) without compromising your integrity? Can you have morals in a world where if you want to be successful, you're told you must be willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead? Do dreams really come true, or should you just leave your dreams buried in your childhood memories? Or is the reality of life, as a child's nursery rhyme concludes, that "life is but a dream"? Distant Dreams but Closer Realities is a story about Lisha Dillard, a successful African American career woman who decides, against her family's wishes, to move from Louisiana to Los Angeles on a journey of discovering God's will for her life. During her first year, she faces many challenges in her quest. She has her first dose of reality, after finding her dream home, with learning the difference between southerners and westerners. Her next task is finding a job that will provide an adequate salary as well as accommodate her aspiring acting career. She finds what she thinks is a dream job in corporate America. She believes she's working for a company that is not concerned with only making money but also with helping people ... is she wrong? Her next task is finding a church. She prays and then uses an uncommon practice for finding her dream church. The one type of church she doesn't want to join is a mega-church ... but why? Next on her to-do list is pursuing her acting career. Since she's naïve to the entertainment industry, she believes her manager's assurances that she's well connected in the business ... but is it the truth? Eventually, she finds her way to an acting coach who gives her a reality check—unless she has a Hollywood connection and is amoral and skinny, being talented just is not enough. She becomes painfully aware that unless she's willing to compromise her morals and integrity, she will never achieve her dream ... so does she? Since she believes another reason why God told her to move to Los Angeles is to meet her "God-ordained husband," she wonders if and when that'll happen. Then, one day she accidently runs into her neighbor, a handsome single man. They have a two-day whirlwind romance, but his mysterious job suddenly interrupts them, and now she must wait for his return. Is he her dream mate or just a dream? Lisha desperately needs to know God's will for her life. She begins questioning whether or not she actually heard from God regarding moving to Los Angeles, because of all the struggles and challenges she's had to face. After spending one weekend alone with God, she suddenly receives all the answers she been longing to know, but then she gets a phone call that could change everything. Distant Dreams but Closer Realities is entertaining but also will minister to women, as they will identify with this fictional character's struggles and challenges in living life as a godly woman. It addresses some important issues, such as faith, trust, dating, career choices, and family. It's through this one woman's life journey that many women also may learn how to discover their purpose and find their destiny.
Helen Zille’s long-awaited autobiography is one of the most fascinating political stories of our time. Zille takes the reader back to her humble family origins, her struggle with anorexia as a young woman, her early career as a journalist for the Rand Daily Mail, and her involvement with the End Conscription Campaign and the Black Sash. She documents her early days in the Democratic Party and the Democratic Alliance, at a time when the party was locked in a no-holds-barred factional conflict. And she chronicles the intense political battles to become mayor of Cape Town, leader of the DA and premier of the Western Cape, in the face of dirty tricks from the ANC and infighting within her own party. This is a story about political intrigue and treachery, floor-crossing and unlikely coalitions, phone tapping and intimidation, false criminal charges and judicial commissions. It documents Zille’s courageous fight against corruption and state capture and her efforts to realign politics and entrench accountability. And it describes a mother’s battle to raise children in the pressured world of South African politics. This book is as frank, honest and unflinching as Helen Zille herself, and will appeal to anyone interested in the story of South African politics over the past fifty years.
