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/ 7 September 2004
As the Travelgate debate squabbled on, the real politics was taking place offstage in the corridors and rooms behind the National Assembly. Media attention was on the debate. As Speaker Baleka Mbete noted in her speech: “Our people are justifiably eager to know what happened.” Yet it was when the debate ended that the really interesting stuff began.
The media love a soft target. And Marthinus van Schalkwyk has been the perfect repository for all manner of ridicule and vitriol in the past two weeks. Much of the commentary has been as asinine as it has been predictable. Yes, he’s effectively ended the life of the party he leads — hardly the orthodox objective of political leadership. But look at the big picture.
"Travelgate threatens to drastically undermine parliamentary credibility and public trust in the institution. Speaker Baleka Mbete correctly says ‘innocent until proven guilty’. Of course. But even if no MP is convicted of corruption, enough is already known to be able to say that there has been a substantial systems failure in one of the key institutions of democratic governance," writes Richard Calland.
The 10-year season is over. It was not all party time. A rhythmic pattern of celebration and scholarship emerged, spawning a mini industry of endeavour and entrepreneurship. What is striking about the five main studies of the past 10 years that sit on the table is the conspicuous absence of a consensus about the full range of challenges that will confront democracy over the next 10 years.
”This column is a celebration of the re-election last week of Ken Livingstone as Lord Mayor of London. There are three reasons to celebrate”. Richard Calland argues that there are political leaders everywhere who can learn from the Livingstone’s re-election.
About a month ago I interviewed Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel and asked him which people have the greatest impact on his thinking and his approach to policy-making. ”[President] Thabo Mbeki” came the reply, without a second’s hesitation.
The answer to my follow-up ”who else?” took much longer. His answer was Britain’s leading liberal economic thinker, Will Hutton. I was surprised.
Hardly a week has gone by in the past few months without a whistle-blower somewhere around the world breaking news. But a potentially important turning point has been reached for whistle-blowers. Changing public consciousness of their role is crucial and positive publicity is valuable.
Politics can be a brutal profession. One minute you are in the Cabinet, the next you’re not. You might have come in the top 10 in the African National Congress’s national executive committee election not even two years ago, and been picked in the top 10 for the election candidates’ list, but it means nothing in the final choice of The Chief.
Thinking the unthinkable about democracy in South Africa sounds like an exercise in pessimism. But it need not be. Invited to ruminate about the ”wicked issues” of contemporary politics, each of the three ideas I offer is as hopeful as it is concerning, writes Richard Calland.
”The three-pointed compass that will guide the second decade of democracy in South Africa was on display at the opening of the new Constitutional Court complex last Sunday”. Richard Calland forecasts the direction of the Court in the second decade of democracy.