An effective opposition must oppose those policies and approaches which hinder the development of society. To this end, credit must be given to the coalition government where credit is due while criticism must be harsh when there are failures.
Listen to this article 6 min Listen to this article 6 min Democracy requires checks and balances, and a strong opposition is crucial to this. As South Africa steps into the murky waters of coalition governance, it is crucial to have voices that will keep the executive in check. But with the Government of National Unity (GNU) representing a swathe of parties and more than 70% of voters, South Africa may face a crisis of opposition, especially as the parties outside of the GNU are dominated by populism and have their own corruption skeletons.
The 10-party coalition promises to address priorities including:
- Inclusive economic growth;
- Social justice;
- Effective cooperative governance;
- Human capital investment;
- Professionalising the public sector;
- Strengthening law enforcement;
- Fortifying social cohesion through nation-building; and
- Focusing on foreign policy built on human rights and constitutionalism.
The government will operate in a context where nearly 33% of the population are unemployed. Roughly 55% of the population live on the upper poverty line of R992 per month, while 25% experience food poverty. More than 46% of young people are unemployed and lack the basic skills required by employers.
In terms of crime, at least 75 people in South Africa are murdered each day and more than 190,000 cases...
