Time to take democracy seriously

Is democracy safe? We live in the most exciting and dangerous time for democracy. But unless citizens, irrespective of nationality, race, gender, class or political parties, build non-party movements that strengthen accountability in democratic institutions and organise for equality, justice, freedom and participatory democracy, South Africa will become unstable.

Inequalities in the economy, in public service, in our access to justice and basic safety and security serve only to strengthen gender, class and race divisions. This local and global inequality touches everyone. It cannot be resolved in a single election cycle.

My great grandmother, both grandmothers and their sisters, my mother, my aunts and my sisters all worked in the clothing, textile and leather factories of Johannesburg and Cape Town. Some male relatives—including my dad—worked in the storerooms and as cleaners in places such as Rex Trueform, where more than 3 000 jobs were lost in 2005. Over the past decades, as well as the current one, workers religiously paid into their provident funds, saving for a rainy day.

They have used those funds for food, small business start-ups, rent and other basic necessities. Now provident funds have lost significant value because of local and global financial sector greed.

They are meant to protect workers and provide a cushion against a deepening economic crisis. The irony is that just a few days ago, the South African Revenue Service confirmed that more than 12 clothing bosses face charges of fraud and theft for stealing worker contributions to their provident funds. From businesses such as Fidentia to government officials such as those in the Eastern Cape schools’ nutrition programmes to politicians of all parties, as well as most of our citizens, we collectively undermine our democracy daily through our own lawlessness.

Zackie Achmat is founder of the Treatment Action Campaign