Dear Comrade, It is a fact that opposing parties tend to citisize usand never come up with solutions to validate their statements. It is all good and well to identify a problem but use do we have of itif you are unable to come up with solutions or an attempt to remedy or folly.
With regards to our education system, well i think it seems pointless to employ people according to teir qualifications if you make it impossible to attain the necessary qualification. Fees are far too high regardless of our current recession.The DA (a euphamism of the national party) will support many things but not our people and in a democracy the people make person. So in conclusion i completely agree with you and find that ouropposing parties are more faudulent than we think,trying to implement the power of perception when they are the diabolical ones. On Fri, May 29, 2009 at 11:48 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > > What can we say about Opposition Parties in South Africa? > > On my 2008 November Political overview, I wrote “As political opposition > parties never stop discussing the ANC and its leadership in their campaign > I think there are many votes we will also be getting from their > supporters. I am saying this because those supporters do not hear what > those parties are going to do but they are told how wrong the ANC is. It > is my view that South Africa is running short of opposition parties but > accumulating groups of political analyst who criticize the ANC at the > expense of their own image …” > > This statement is still relevant as I write this paper. We have seen in > recent developments many strange actions and decisions that there is a > high level of deterioration in the capacity and the fundamental existence > of opposition parties. My feeling has always been that of the urgent need > to review the work of these parties. Their existence is funded by the > state and therefore we directly or indirectly affected by their very > existence. It is therefore imperative that we should transform the > political atmosphere in the society in general. > > My understanding is that Opposition Parties’ fundamental role is to > criticize the ruling party on its failure to deliver to the people and its > weakness to respond on all social, economic, and developmental needs > facing the society. The criticism should be informed and constructive. The > criticism should be objective and focus on redressing the issues other > than individuals. In this regard the opposition parties must not focus on > criticizing the individual members of the ruling party but their lack of > active role in service delivery to the people. They shall not personalize > issues. > > South Africa being the democratic state has fundamental rights to freedom > of association and expression. Thus make the people to assembly in > organization of their own choice, which correspond with their own believed > ideology and persuasion in life. This is a constitutional mandate > befitting true characters of freedom that our heroes and heroines > struggled for. This principle applies in sports, economy, religion, > culture, and in politics. However sometimes the ideology become > homogeneous in other organizations but how they seek to achieve may differ > from party to party. To some people it doesn’t make sense but it is > happening anyway. > > To be specific, the recent developments indicate deterioration in a sense > that the Opposition Parties will oppose for the sake of opposing not > necessarily because they are objective or what. The Congress of the People > said its formation will consolidate democracy in South Africa through > stabilizing the 1994 gains. The United Democratic Movement said they will > ensure a strong voice against the ANC. The Democratic Alliance said they > will ensure tight opposition against the ANC. The other parties are also > raising their own views about harnessing and intensifying the > participatory democracy. > > During the 2009 election lobbying, all parties made promises to the people > and some got seats in our Parliament and Legislatures. We expect those > parties to fulfill their mandate, in particular the ruling party. Because > the manifesto is a public document and easily accessible, I expect > opposition parties to utilize the manifesto and resolution of cabinet > leklotla in order to oppose the government. The opposition parties shall > criticize the ruling party base on its policies and on how they seek to > address developmental needs of the society. > > Two incidents have transpired: > > • Western Cape Cabinet is led by the Democratic Alliance. The cabinet > is > composed of whites and males only. This is against the ruling party’s > policies on patriarchy and demographic representation. It is unfortunate > that the deployment of DA has compromise the principle of equality > enriched in our democratic constitution and undermines the 1994 progress > to date, on these critical areas of focus. The Premier’s statement in > replying to the comments made on her decision to appoint such a cabinet > has raised a number of concerns about the building of a one nation, which > the DA promised during election lobbying. She said “I need dedicated team > which will work not teddy-bears who will sleep” > > • UNISA Vice Chancellor has been accused of failing to address > challenges > facing students by the progressive youth alliance components namely South > African Students Congress (SASCO) and the South African Young Communist > league (YCLsa). These accusations come from the University Management > decision to deny students who owe the Institution to write their > examinations. This decision was contested by students on appropriate > forums and nothing has been done, as a consequence of that, the senior > structures are intervening. The criticism on the Vice Chancellor Barney > Pityana has always been raised like with all Principals whenever there are > unfolding reactionary tendencies. > > Barney Pityana said “these students have a contractual obligation to pay > the Institution so if that obligation is not met, the university will > devise measures in this regard..” that is reactionary because when > students were contesting that decision and many other things, they were > threatened of being suspended and some suspended indeed by the management. > It was going to be better if the management withheld the results other > than to deny access to exam room. Because the PYA is challenging these > developments and therefore called for the Vice Chancellor to resign and > the new Minister of Higher Education and Training to intervene, the youth > of Congress of the People is rolling sleeves to contest the PYA and > pledges support for the Vice Chancellor. The Cope youth leader Anele Mda > said “this is the continuation of purging those who are associated with > COPE not necessarily about the lack of management in the University” > I don’t know whether Cope members were not affected by this decision or > they don’t have members studying in UNISA. This is affecting all students, > in particular those coming from the poorest of the poor and disadvantage > background. We don’t expect it from those who were part of Black > Consciousness Movement or any learning territory. We say this is academic > and financial exclusion. The access to education and examination room > shall never be determined by the ability to pay or affordability to meet > ‘contractual obligation’ as conceptualized by the honourable Barney > Pityana. > > These two incidents intensify the perception of others that opposition > parties are opposing for the sake of opposing not objective and realistic. > This subjective persuasion of politics indicates the deteriorating mood of > existence and capacity of opposition parties in our country. > > We have a duty to educate and keep political engagements unfolding in > order to consolidate the democracy in South Africa. I would appreciate if > opposition parties are criticizing the lack of roads, water, decent houses > and slow pase of developmental initiative in matters affecting the people. > > The other challenge facing opposition parties is to exist when there are > elections. That is also very critical; they may argue and say it is a > question of resources. That is untrue. To hold meetings and issue public > statements doesn’t require thousands and millions. It seems as if > opposition parties do not have their own agenda if there are no elections. > The other challenge is that of one leader show. A leader becomes the Party > as an individual and that diminishes the party if the leader does or say > something to the public which is against the people’ interest at a time. > These are most of the illnesses facing opposition parties in South Africa > hence make their capacity to deteriorate. > > Some of these parties are described as liberation movements and they > participated in the struggle against apartheid. We have seen how the Pan > African Congress has suffered split and dignity in the recent years. This > is not healthy for them and the struggle in general. The current struggle > facing South Africa is to ensure equality in all levels and better life > for all. But it is a sign that in South African we have one strong Party > that exists because of its own policies which were never dictated, imposed > or even outsourced from somewhere. This party still remains the hope of > our people, a longest liberation movement, a true agent for change, a > liberator, the one and only African National Congress. But the question > remains, what must be done about the opposition parties? Is political > School for Political education an answer? The moratorium on the > registration of Opposition Parties will compromise the constitution? > > > Let’s engage!!! > > > > ------------------------------------------- > South Africas premier free email service - www.webmail.co.za > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > For super low premiums, click here http://home.webmail.co.za/dd.pwm > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] . -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
