Think tank 'to get the nation
Thématique :
sud afrique
Sipho Khumalo, IOL, 28 August 2008
A new think tank was launched in Durban on Wednesday as part of a process of capitalising on the spirit of Polokwane to generate political and social economic debate in South Africa.
Called Post-Polokwane Conversations, the KwaZulu-Natal leg of this initiative was launched in Ntuzuma, north of Durban, and was addressed by church, business, trade union and academic personalities.
One of the key movers behind the initiative, Madoda Dhlamini, of Storm Communications, said the project sought to open up debates and add voices to the platform of national debates.
He said the Post-Polokwane Conversations would be roving round-table sessions held in communities around the country. "This is the platform for industry captains, political leadership, opinion champions, church leaders and for the community to interact with each other. We call on all of civic society, academia, corporate and government to join forces to ensure that dialogue and vigorous debate on topics that affect our communities are encouraged in order for our democracy to flourish," he said.
Commenting on the need to open up national discourse, political commentator Sipho Seepe said that during the tenure of President Thabo Mbeki "political power had been consolidated in the hands of the few" - a centralisation of power which had led to centralised thought in society.
"The outcome at Polokwane was against this," said Seepe.
He also attacked the post-1994 ANC government for adopting "the same logic of power" as the apartheid regime by spending money on arms and "creating Bantustans" by allowing Mbeki to centralise power and hand-pick provincial and local government leaders.
He reiterated the need to reclaim the public discourse to "save this country from itself".
Speaking at the launch, Cosatu President Sdumo Dlamini said there was a need to discuss the issue of two centres of power created by the outcome of the Polokwane conference.
Dlamini suggested that the existence of two centres of power - one in office of the president of the country, at the Union Buildings, and one in the office of the ANC president, Jacob Zuma, at Luthuli House - hampered the implementation of the resolutions of the Polokwane conference.
Other chapters of Post-Polokwane Conversations will be launched around the country.
A new think tank was launched in Durban on Wednesday as part of a process of capitalising on the spirit of Polokwane to generate political and social economic debate in South Africa.
Called Post-Polokwane Conversations, the KwaZulu-Natal leg of this initiative was launched in Ntuzuma, north of Durban, and was addressed by church, business, trade union and academic personalities.
One of the key movers behind the initiative, Madoda Dhlamini, of Storm Communications, said the project sought to open up debates and add voices to the platform of national debates.
He said the Post-Polokwane Conversations would be roving round-table sessions held in communities around the country. "This is the platform for industry captains, political leadership, opinion champions, church leaders and for the community to interact with each other. We call on all of civic society, academia, corporate and government to join forces to ensure that dialogue and vigorous debate on topics that affect our communities are encouraged in order for our democracy to flourish," he said.
Commenting on the need to open up national discourse, political commentator Sipho Seepe said that during the tenure of President Thabo Mbeki "political power had been consolidated in the hands of the few" - a centralisation of power which had led to centralised thought in society.
"The outcome at Polokwane was against this," said Seepe.
He also attacked the post-1994 ANC government for adopting "the same logic of power" as the apartheid regime by spending money on arms and "creating Bantustans" by allowing Mbeki to centralise power and hand-pick provincial and local government leaders.
He reiterated the need to reclaim the public discourse to "save this country from itself".
Speaking at the launch, Cosatu President Sdumo Dlamini said there was a need to discuss the issue of two centres of power created by the outcome of the Polokwane conference.
Dlamini suggested that the existence of two centres of power - one in office of the president of the country, at the Union Buildings, and one in the office of the ANC president, Jacob Zuma, at Luthuli House - hampered the implementation of the resolutions of the Polokwane conference.
Other chapters of Post-Polokwane Conversations will be launched around the country.
