politics | Terry Bell Writes

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A democratic back to school message for SA

January 20, 2018

Whatever democratic power ordinary people have should always be defended — and fiercely. So SA ctizens, importantly organised labour, should prepare to do battle with a government that proposes abolishing elected school governing bodies that have admittedly failed, but largely because government has failed them.

2018 — and the hope to fly above the mire

January 13, 2018

A hope for 2018: that we will not again see the reinvention of old political and economic wheels that drag us deeper into the recessionary mire and instead utilise existing opportunity and abiity to soar above the mess we are in.

Gramsci, technology & hope for the future

January 4, 2018

Those in positions of power continue to bury their heads in the sand, constantly prophesying that the economic crisis is heading towarda recovery. But each of these predictions is as hollow as the next. If the system is to recover, it will only be at the most horrendous cost in terms of human suffering as well as in massive environmental despoilation. However, there is hope.

ANC leadership: change, but no change

December 19, 2017

Looked at in isolation, the election of the ANC’s “top six” at the governing party’s Nasrec conference, provides a classic example of the more things change, the more they stay the same. But it could be a case of Cyril Ramaphosa being handed a poisoned chalice.

Glimmers of hope amid the gloom

December 16, 2017

Whether the much debated five-day ANC elective conference at Johannesburg's Nasrec conference centre — it started today, ten hours late — ends prematurely or in calumny or consensus, life in South Africa life will go on, with the lot of the already battered majority of the population unlikely to improve. But despite the gloom, there are flickers of hope; evidence of a growing fightback.

Fake unity — and what to look forward to

December 10, 2017

Unity is the main internal rallying cry as South Africa's clearly disunited and governing ANC heads towards its faction ridden elective conference next weekend. But unity with whom — and to what purpose? Once again it seems to be a case of mixing oil and water.

Apples, drought & democracy

November 5, 2017

As fruit trees die, surplus apples are being given away as the Western Cape expects p to 50,000 framworkers to lose their jobs because of drought. It is a disaster in the making — and one that could, and should, have been avoided.

Unions demand pension fund answers

November 2, 2017

South African public sector unions, notably the PSA, are demanding a full account of investments made in unlisted entities apparently to promote Black Economic Empowerment, a "list of politically connected persons" involved and union seats on the PIC and other boards.