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The constitutional requirement for public participation, while right-sounding, has degenerated into a fraudulent process that is either a box-ticking exercise or a manipulation in favour of the governing party. Either way the requirement illustrates the limits of popular democracy.
If a political nominee tells voters that they have been left behind by an elite who accrue all the benefits of the economy, that they will be better off if they elect a television personality who will kick out foreigners who take their jobs, antagonise allies who are deemed to take advantage of them and somehow make the state "great again", guess who they will vote for.
Tell poor black people that their problems are caused by white people who stole their land and that if given back to them for nothing everything will be fine, then get them in a room and ask if they think expropriation of property without compensation is a good idea both to punish those who caused their problems and to gain an economic advantage.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Public participation farce
The constitutional requirement for public participation, while right-sounding, has degenerated into a fraudulent process that is either a box-ticking exercise or a manipulation in favour of the governing party. Either way the requirement illustrates the limits of popular democracy.
If a political nominee tells voters that they have been left behind by an elite who accrue all the benefits of the economy, that they will be better off if they elect a television personality who will kick out foreigners who take their jobs, antagonise allies who are deemed to take advantage of them and somehow make the state "great again", guess who they will vote for.
Tell poor black people that their problems are caused by white people who stole their land and that if given back to them for nothing everything will be fine, then get them in a room and ask if they think expropriation of property without compensation is a good idea both to punish those who caused their problems and to gain an economic advantage.
No prize for guessing what they will say.
Sydney Kaye
Cape Town
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Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.