NEW ANTI-APARTHEID STYLE EXTRA PARLIAMENTARY ORGANISATION TO BE LAUNCHED IN DURBAN SOON

(SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT RACISM IN THE NEW DEMOCRATIC SOUTH AFRICA) By Subry Govender A new non-government and extra-parliamentary organisation is to be launched soon to re-vitalise the activism of the anti-apartheid era in order to help in the promotion of a truly non-racial and democratic society as articulated in the country’s new Constitution and Bill of Rights. Details of the new organisation, for the interim called the United Citizens Forum(UCF), were unveiled during a meeting of some former anti-apartheid activists, struggle stalwarts, concerned individuals and other interested groups at the Ritson Campus of the Durban University of Technology on Sunday (May 29). The meeting was a follow-up to an earlier gathering of former activists held at the same venue early in March.

(THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA HAS A LONG WAY TO GO TO OVERCOME THE INEQUALITIES OF THE PAST AND PRESENT) The new activist organisation, which could resemble the United Democratic Front(UDF) of the anti-apartheid era, will be structured “to foster a society that is fully integrated across racial and class lines” and to embark on projects that promote social cohesion, poverty alleviation and non-racism in every aspect of life.

(Mr Siva Naidoo, who is an Interim Committee of the new initiative) A leader of the Interim Committee, Mr Siva Naidoo, who is a former UDF and Natal Indian Congress activist, said the new organisation would work with the Government and all other role players to achieve a race-free society where all citizens would enjoy “the fruits of our new non-racial, non-sexist and democratic society”. “We aim to revitalise the activism that informed the struggle against apartheid and develop a new generation of young activists,” Naidoo said in his presentation at the meeting. “We aim also to strengthen the capacity of government to respond to the challenges that we face as a society, and to strengthen the responsiveness of the private sector to the needs of social justice and greater economic equality,” he said. The new organisation would not act as a political party and would not involve itself with political parties. “We seek to develop young leaders who will have a sense of service to the people of this country.”

(Professor Jerry Coovadia and former judge, Mr Thumba Pillay) Some of the former activists and stalwarts who participated and made inputs at the meeting were former judge, Mr Thumba Pillay; Professor Jerry Coovadia; Mr Paddy Kearney, a former Director of Diakonia; Mr Siyanda Mkhulisi of Lamontville; Ms Mary Mtombela, Mr Alex Sokela; Mr Lucas Makahuza, Ms Coral Vinsen; Mr Crispin Hemson; Professor George Devenish; Ms Nora Saneka; Ms Zwale Kakaze; Ms Gladys Ngxabi; and Ms Ndzumo Kanyisile. Most of the participants said there was a sense of urgency for citizens to become active once again.

(Professor George Devenesh) “We need to be speaking out once again because there is a sense of paralysis on the part of the government. This is clearly noticed when we witness what is happening during service delivery protests around the country,” said Professor Devenesh.

(Young activist, Mr Nkonzo Mkhize) A young activist, Mr Nkonzo Mkhize, said there was a need for government and civil society to work together to overcome the social and economic problems affecting the country. “There is a disconnect at the moment”, he said.

(Mrs Nora Saneka) Another participant, Mrs Nora Saneka, said she found that “ANC politicians are not listening to the voice of the people”. “We must move away from protest politics to development politics”, she said.

(Veteran activist, Ms Coral Vinsen, with two new generation observors - Nkonzo Mkhize and Lloyd Govindsamy) A veteran activist, Ms Coral Vinsen, said South Africans need to act fast to save the country from descending into an abyss. She said Adolf Hitler succeeded in Germany despite that country having a constitutional democracy. “Hitler succeeded because civil society did not get up and speak out against his excesses. Germany had one of the finest constitutions but yet Hitler rose and plunged his country into war,” said Vinsen.

The new movement envisages itself as an International Organisation but initially would focus itself in the Ethekwini region. Thereafter, it would extend to other regions, provinces and countries A strategic workshop would be held in June to finalise the constitution and the launch date of the new organisation. – ends May 30 2016

VIOLENCE HAS BECOME PART OF OUR CULTURE, SAY POLITICAL ANALYSTS IN RESPONSE TO THE VIOLENT PROTESTS TAKING PLACE IN SOUTH AFRICA ON A DAILY BASIS.

(The chaos and lawlessness that took place at Ennerdale in Johannesburg on Thursday, May 26 2016) By Subry Govender

(Political science lecturer and analyst - Zakhele Ndlovu) “We have developed this culture where every time we are unhappy about something we resort to violence. It’s been like that for decades now.” This is how a South African political science lecturer and analyst, Zakhele Ndlovu, describes the ongoing violent protests that are currently plaguing South Africa on a daily basis. I spoke to Ndlovu at his offices at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in the coastal city of Durban soon after the burning of 24 schools in the Vuwani area of the Limpopo province – north of Pretoria where residents were protesting against their region being incorporated into another municipal authority.

(The mayhem at Ennerdale on Thursday, May 26 2016) Since the tragic burning of schools, disgruntled students destroyed and set alight libraries and halls and vandalised university properties at the universities of Johannesburg and historical Fort Hare in the town of Alice in the second week of May. The violent student protests at Fort Hare took place at a time when the institution was celebrating its 100th anniversary. Violent protestors also went on the rampage in several parts of the country - setting alight community halls and clinics; attacked and looted shops; set up road blocks with burning tyres and generally clashed with the police. So far this year alone there have been more than 80 violent protests by communities and students at universities. In the latest violent protests starting in the fourth week of May on May 23 violent protestors took to the streets in Hammanskraal – north of Pretoria; Ennerdale in Johannesburg and several towns in the north and south of Durban. The protestors set up road blocks with burning tyres and generally causing mayhem. What are the reasons for the violence and chaos? Ndlovu said while the violence could not be condoned, it seemed that many communities had become frustrated at the slow pace of change in the quality of their lives. “I think the first one and probably the most obvious one is that there is a certain level of frustration because many people believe that the basic services are not being delivered. But that is not an excuse to resort to violence. They can use other mechanisms to deal with that,” he said.

(Political scientist and analyst - Lubna Nadvi) A social and political scientist who has been monitoring the upsurge in violent protests in South Africa is Dr Lubna Nadvi. She’s of the firm view that the lack of strong political and moral leadership is also one of the reasons for protestors resorting to violence. “I think if our President and the top level of leadership,” she said, “showed the ethics and the morals that are expected of leadership at that level then the people will actually think twice about engaging in lawless behaviour”. She added: “When they observe that our President is behaving in ways that are illegal and corrupt and see him getting away with it, the message that comes across very clearly is that well if the President can do it, then we can too.” The South African Government has literally been caught with its pants down with the latest wave of violent protests that are sweeping the country. But it seems that it is not prepared to accept any responsibility for the upsurge in violent protests. A government leader in the Gauteng Province in Johannesburg, Nandi Mayathula Khoza, has simply white-washed the violent protests as the work of opportunistic groups. “We are concerned that this violence is tantamount to intimidation in the season of elections and this is something that must not be allowed in our 20 years of democracy,” she said.

(Chaos and mayhem at Ennerdale in Johannesburg ion Thursday, May 26 2016) But political analysts and observors say that more than strong arm police and security actions – there’s an urgent need for literacy about South Africa’s new democracy. Dr Lubna Nadvi said she was not certain whether in 22 years of freedom political role players and others had done much to promote literacy about democracy. “I think that because of the history of structural segregation that the people who are living in the rural areas who are now moving to urban and semi-urban areas have not been exposed to what democracy is really all about,” she said. “I think there are still gaps in terms of understanding the business of participatory democracy, how you can people engage in debates and discussions. We need to do more to educate people that they don’t have to be violent and they don’t have to throw rocks and stones to be heard. They can perhaps engage in you know the kind of engagement that is not destructive that is going to produce some kind of constructive outcome.”

(Violent protest at Ennerdale in Johannesburg on Thursday, May 26 2016) There’s no doubt that the continuing violent protests is of serious concern to all role players in the country. The common thought among most people is that while perpetrators of violence must face the full might of the law – at the same time constructive engagement must also take place with communities in order to meet their demands for basic social and economic facilities. – ends – Subry Govender May 25 2016

VIOLENT PROTESTS IN SOUTH AFRICA - ARE THE MARGINALISED AND DISENCHANTED FRUSTRATED WITH THE POWERS THAT BE?

VIOLENT PROTESTS IN SOUTH AFRICA - A MATTER OF CONCERN FOR ALL The recent violent protests in the Vuwani area of the Limpopo province in South Africa where 24 schools were burnt and destroyed and the burning of libraries and halls at two universities last week have once again thrown the spotlight on service delivery protests in the country. Since the beginning of this year more than 80 violent service delivery protests have taken place all over the country – especially in the Gauteng and Western Cape provinces. The forced and violent ejection of members of Julius Malema’s EFF party from Parliament once again last week has also led to serious questions being asked as to why South Africans have to use violence while trying to resolve social and political differences. Subry Govender investigated and filed this special Behind The Headlines report for Radio Deutsche Welle (Voice of Germany) in Bonn……………………. .

TSUNAMI - VOICES OF THE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE TSUNAMI IN TAMIL NADU ON DECEMBER 26 2004

PART THREE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE TSUNAMI IN TAMIL NADU ON DECEMBER 26 2004 RECALLING THE REPORTAGE OF THE TSUNAMI IN THE COASTAL AREAS OF TAMIL NADU ON DECEMBER 26 2004 BY SUBRY GOVENDER AFTER THE KILLER TSUNAMI WAVES STRUCK SOUTH AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA ON DECEMBER 26 2004, I TRAVELLED TO TAMIL NADU TO COVER THE AFTER EFFECTS OF THE DEVASTATION. MORE THAN 8 000 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE DISPLACED. HERE I WOULD LIKE TO RECORD THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE AFFECTED BY THE TSUNAMI. THIS IS THE THIRD RADIO REPORT.

PART TWO RECALLING THE REPORTAGE OF THE TSUNAMI IN THE COASTAL AREAS OF TAMIL NADU ON DECEMBER 26 2004

PART TWO RECALLING THE REPORTAGE OF THE TSUNAMI IN THE COASTAL AREAS OF TAMIL NADU ON DECEMBER 26 2004 BY SUBRY GOVENDER AFTER THE KILLER TSUNAMI WAVES STRUCK SOUTH AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA ON DECEMBER 26 2004, I TRAVELLED TO TAMIL NADU TO COVER THE AFTER EFFECTS OF THE DEVASTATION. MORE THAN 8 000 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE DISPLACED. HERE I WOULD LIKE TO RECORD THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE AFFECTED BY THE TSUNAMI. THIS IS THE SECOND RADIO REPORT.

RECALLING THE REPORTAGE OF THE TSUNAMI IN THE COASTAL AREAS OF TAMIL NADU ON DECEMBER 26 2004

BY SUBRY GOVENDER AFTER THE KILLER TSUNAMI WAVES STRUCK SOUTH AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA ON DECEMBER 26 2004, I TRAVELLED TO TAMIL NADU TO COVER THE AFTER EFFECTS OF THE DEVASTATION. MORE THAN 8 000 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE DISPLACED. HERE I WOULD LIKE TO RECORD THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE AFFECTED BY THE TSUNAMI. THIS IS THE FIRST RADIO REPORT.

Sports transformation

The Sports Minister has got his cards all wrong. Twenty two years into our "non-racial democracy", the ruling ANC government should have ensured that programes had been put in place at grass roots levels - schools and communities - to ensure that there was a rapid growth of people of colour into sports such as cricket, rugby, swimming etc. When we were first invited by India to send a cricket team to that country, I was one of those who was opposed to this tour. I felt that cricket had not earned its place in the international arena. Most of us in the anti-apartheid struggles wanted to see cricket fully transformed. But of course the ANC elites - including the late Steve Tshwete - were purchased by Ali Bacher and company. We gave him the benefit of the doubt because we wanted to see our "new non-racial" South Africa succeed. We should by now seen all the players selected on merit. But now two decades later the Sports Minister says these sporting codes have not transformed enough. Now whose fault is this? It's an ANC Government that has not kept to its promises of improving the social, sporting and economic lives of the poor and marginalised. At this time I recall what Mr M N Pather, secretary of the SACOS and South African Non-Racial Tennis Union, told me some time in the 1980s at his offices in the former "Grey Street" area of Durban. His office was situated in a building near the Naaz Cinema. I asked him when will the non-racial struggle in sport come to an end. He said: "Subry, we will only be satisfied once we have a non-racial and democratic society where all people would enjoy equal opportunities and privileges. When this is achieved I would have no problems whether the national teams are all black or all white because I would then know that the teams would be selected on merit." It's clear that as Ashwin says the government is to blame for the shambles we find ourselves in. If they put in extra efforts in schools and in communities then we should have no problems in all sportsmen - whatever colour - enjoying the privilege of representing our "non-racial" South Africa.

JACOB ZUMA - IN THIS SECOND PART OF A RADIO FEATURE THE ANC LEADER PROMISES A VIBRANT ECONOMY AND BETTER LIFE FOR ALL

LIFE OF PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA - JUST BEFORE TAKING OFFICE IN 2009 ZUMA PLEDGES TO CREATE A HEALTHY ECONOMY AND IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE BY SUBRY GOVENDER President Jacob Zuma, who is facing strong and loud calls for him to step down from office, has had a rich struggle history. In April 2009, just before he was elected as President after the political coup against President Thabo Mbeki, I interviewed Zuma about his life and struggles and his plans for the country. His climb to the President’s office in 2009 followed after the fraud and corruption charges against him were withdrawn by the Public Prosecutor at that time, Mokotedi Mpshe. Born in April 1942, Zuma came across in the interview as a humble leader who experienced the life of poverty, deprivation and denial of human rights. He promised that he would work in the interests of the people. He rejected claims that people joined the ANC to enrich themselves. He was confident that under his leadership, the country would be a better place for all with an improved social order and a thriving economy. Today, seven years later, Zuma is not only facing wide-scale condemnation and criticism but the Pretoria High Court ruled last Friday (March 30 2016) that the withdrawal of charges against him was “irrational”. In this second part of the radio feature you would be able to judge for yourself whether Zuma had lived up to his pledge to uplift the lives of the “common people”: