There was a lot of coverage of the event from various organisations writing stories, producing content and spreading the news.

Here are some videos from Zoopy:

Moeletsi Mbeki:

UDM:

Crowds at the conference:

Shilowa concluding the conference:

I have been following the worlds politics with great intent this year, so much so that my friends and family scarcely bring it up anymore for fear of getting me started. I don’t care to be honest, these are important and exciting times and politics can longer be regarded as a no-no in discussion. It needs to be debated, fought over and painstakingly analyzed. If you don’t agree then best you start doing some research and studying on the topic because it’s about time you started learning.

My thoughts are very simple in regard to Shilowa, Lekota and the SANC/ SADC.

SANC

Firstly I am pretty sad that the ANC contested the party name “SANC” as I think this name would’ve been a simple transition for voters at the polls next year. I think that the “South” part of the ANC would’ve made the party more localised, centralised and relatable to the South African voters. However it was not to be.

SADC

I am not fond of this name and in fact, I am very, very glad that it has been ruled out. Why can’t they just go with something simple, relevant and easy to support? I have no thoughts in this regard particularly but I would love to know if you have any great ideas on what the party should be called.

Democracy

Is still in play here. Is still the key issue in SA at the moment. Whether the media wants us to know this or not is irrelevant because the truth of the matter is that the SANC/SADC/DA/ANC/ID or any other party are relatively irrelevant because democracy is the most import thing, not a party.

The establishment of new party is not a particularly important matter of course in the greater scheme of politics for the next elections. What the establishment of this party has done is illustrate to South Africans that our democracy is still in a working order. We are still able to have parties break up, split, fracture and rebuild. The individual human in this country is still able to make a stand – just as Lekota and his allies did.

Lekota

We need to be wary, cautious and sure of our intentions at this very delicate time in South Africa’s present and future. We need to be sure that we aren’t voting for a wolf in sheep’s clothing (Shikota), that our greatest “enemy” as the DA might put it could be the best enemy we have (Zuma) because we know his short comings and faults and we need to vote. We need to activate the effectiveness of a democracy and vote. Similar Posts:

• Lekota speaks but is a Breakaway party right?
• You need to vote because we need democracy
• Mbeki resigns. Is this the end? I think not.
• I have registered to vote. Have you?
• Can we learn form Obama’s campaign?

It is fitting that the Zoopy Gauteng team attended a Round Table discussion held by 702 Talk Radio – who evidently are doing a sterling job to raise political awareness in SA.

Much was said about democracy in yesterdays debates and discussions. Here are a few videos from various parties talking about their opinion of democracy in SA:

• Proudly Political in SA
• Democracy wins in South Africa
• Should political parties be allowed to advertise?
• Why you should vote explained in one paragraph
• My thoughts on Shikota, the SANC and the SADC

Simple visit the IEC (Independant Electoral Commission) website and enter your ID number. Or you can sms your ID number to 32810.

The reason that I insinuate that many people have no idea whether they are registered or not is because of the below:

Basically, less than half the population is currently registered to vote. Guess what? That’s not only the uneducated, rural-dwelling South Africans. We are talking about a massive portion of the country who aren’t even registered to vote, never mind those who actually voted.

My suggestion is to find out and then subsequent to your registration or lack thereof, got off your apathetic backside and register to vote on the 8th and 9th of November this year from 8am to 5pm on each day. Get on it. In our democracy, one of proportional representation, EVERY VOTE COUNTS.

And just for interest sake, here’s a map of voter registration:

Similar Posts:

• You need to vote because we need democracy
• Registered Expat voters allowed to vote abroad
• WhyVote.co.za – why would you vote in 2009?
• What exactly is Proportional Representation?
• Shocking expat response: Elections 2009

To quote the genius himself:

We must … intensify the struggle to eliminate the remnants of counter-revolution, which include the DA and a loose coalition of those who want to use state power to block the ANC president’s ascendancy to the highest office of the land.

Uhu… so should we remove our internationally acclaimed constitution at the same time or is that little document OK Julius? There is something in there about freedom of speech I think, but correct me if I’m wrong.

I’m not sure if Malema completely understands the concept of democracy and the role of viable oppositions in a democratic society?

Mr Malema let me briefly explain myself. If you are to “eliminate the remnants of counter-revolution” you will be removing the opposition. If you do that, you are left with a single party state (roughly translated as a Mugabe-esque Zimbabwe government). This is not a good thing Mr Malema. This is not a good thing at all. This will not help our country become more representative. This will exclude more than the white people in this country (I think that’s what Malema means to say), this sort of talk or move will isolate freedom of choice, freedom of expression and inherently take us 40 years in to the past where opinion, choice and freedom did not exist. Do you remember those days Mr Malema?

One of the reasons that SA Rocks and will only grow in leaps and bounds is because we are a democratic state that allows people to be represented in government, that allows people to speak out against their leaders who say that they will kill anyone who opposes their leader, this is the reason that it rocks to be a part of a democracy. It’s a little thing called freedom Mr Malema.

And let me say one thing in closing. I will die before I let you take away my freedom to choose, my freedom to oppose Jacob Zuma, Helen Zille, Mangosutho Buthelezi, You (Mr Malema) or any leader that we might have one day. Considering the past of this nation, it would only be a mistake to take away the public’s freedom to choose a leader, look where it got us in the past. Similar Posts:

• Is it time to leave South Africa?
• Lekota speaks but is a Breakaway party right?
• Mbeki resigns. Is this the end? I think not.
• Who is Kgalema Motlanthe
• Political parties discussing democracy

I don’t believe I am understating the title of this post in the slightest.

Sunday brought with it the news that Sunday Times Editor, Mondli Makhayna and journalist Jocelyn Maker face arrest in the coming week. This is shocking and worrisome news to say the very, very least.

It is my personal opinion that when the editor of a newspaper such as Sunday Times can be arrested for printing a story, we need to take a stand as the public.

Mbeki is running riot, he is hiding his agenda’s and promoting a cause that is all of his own. It is partly our fault. Don’t get me wrong, we are the public, they are the government, that is life. I know. But I think that right now we need to make a noise. We need to let it be known that this is not right.

Many people have already spoken out about the situation. Speaking to a friend about it earlies we came to the conclusion that this is a very serious situation. More so, this is very saddening to me. That a man can destroy media freedom with one single action – albeit many actions prior to this one.

In case you did not know, I am a journalist. I hold the media in very, very high regard and especially in regard to democracy and an operational and effective democracy. When the media dies, democracy dies with it. Not slowly but very quickly. If Mondli Makhanya is arrested the media is in trouble. But not bloggers. Not us.

I am blogging about this on SA Rocks because I am not ignorant. I am an intelligent guy and I know when issues are more important than ideals. And the ideal of a Rocking SA could be in jeopardy with the actions of our president this weekend. It will be an interesting week at my place of work I can assure you. We are in for some trying times in the media industry.

I will be following up this post later in the week. If you have anything to say with regard to this specific topic, please contact me or post on this comment. Let’s take a stand. It’s about time. Similar Posts:

• Tracking press freedom