To democracy be the glory

We simply cannot “opt-out” [View this email in your browser]( November 2, 2021 [Mail & Guardian]( Hi there, It is quite common to hear the erroneous argument that most Africans are not that committed to democracy, nor does it appeal to them. There’s often the suggestion that it is development that trumps democracy, and that voters – especially those in rural areas – don’t really understand democracy. There’s also the mistaken belief that they would be comfortable to trade away their political rights for rule by some “strong man” who can “get things done”. This narrative has proved to be durable despite being wrong. With voter turnout tracking low this year, according to the Electoral Commission of South Africa, sometimes we need reminding of how ugly things have been and could be. Take our neighbours in Eswatini. Earlier this year, before [the unrest which rocked parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng]( protests against the king of Eswatini, Africa’s last absolute monarch, turned violent. Some buildings connected to King Mswati III were torched by protesters, and [police began a campaign of violence]( assaulting and arresting political opponents with impunity. On more than one occasion this year, as violence has ebbed, the government has shut down the internet — with the compliance of mobile providers MTN and Eswatini Mobile — which makes it difficult to access reliable news from the country. Criticised for living a lavish lifestyle in one of the world’s poorest countries, Mswati has ruled the landlocked nation since 1986, owns shares in all of the country’s telecoms and is accused of stifling political parties and legitimate dissent against his rule. Regional intervention seems to have gone nowhere. The violence and destruction appeared to jolt the Southern African Development Community (SADC) into sending ministers and officials to consult with the Eswatini government and some members of civil society and the political opposition. SADC quietly produced a report recommending that Mswati engage in a national dialogue about the country’s future. Without his say-so there’ll be no national dialogue and it is apparent that such talks will likely lead to the end of his reign. In the final communiqué of SADC’s August heads of state summit, there was no mention of Eswatini at all. We bring up our regal neighbours not to shame the apathetic or compel them to vote — it’s too late for that this year anyway — but rather to remind ourselves that days like yesterday were hard won and for more of them to happen we must remain vigilant. We simply cannot “opt-out”. The attempted insurrection in July also affirmed the extent to which South Africa suffers from a number of pathologies — among them high unemployment, inequality, poverty, xenophobia and racism — which if left unresolved will destroy the gains made since 1994. Our democracy is by no means perfect, but at the very least every citizen is afforded an opportunity to have their voice heard. Consider Paddy Harper’s [visit to the Denis Hurley Centre in Durban’s ward 28, on Monday morning](. He followed the experience of Vincent Sivalingam, a 48-year-old former Clover Dairy employee who has been homeless since the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown. Even amid his regrettable circumstances, Sivalingam still sees value in heading to the polls. Or as he puts it: “Everybody should vote. In a way it is a contribution. We all play a part in this society and we choose who can run things.” The day was not without its issues. A significant number of South Africans decided not to vote with only 3.5-million citizens having made their mark as of noon yesterday. Although this is hardly a new development, we are hoping it is less a crisis of legitimacy and more a consequence of a long weekend. Arguably the people who require the most effective governance and are often left without adequate services — those who routinely must express themselves through violent protests — were the cause of some voting stations not opening on time if at all on Monday. In the Eastern Cape on Monday, 19 voting stations did not open because of community protests. In all incidents, protesters had dug trenches to deny commission staff and voters access to the stations, the IEC said. An act of God, a hailstorm delayed the opening of voting stations in Giyani, in Limpopo province, while an act of De Ruyter — power cuts — disrupted voting in parts of Limpopo and the Northern Cape. Meanwhile, a presiding officer in the eThekwini metro was arrested after allegedly stuffing marked ballots into a ballot box. The IEC said that this would not affect the final count for the polling station, calling the official’s arrest a testament to the safeguards built into the voting process. Two people including a journalist were arrested during voting. The IEC was forced to intervene when a Newzroom Afrika journalist was arrested. In Moretele in the North West, a member of a political party was arrested after he interrupted the voting process. In Taung, in the same province, the commission laid charges against a presiding officer after he opened a ballot box that had been sealed. The DA’s federal council chairperson Helen Zille was on Monday removed from the premises of the Fernwood Primary School voting station in Bethelsdorp in the Eastern Cape by a man in a police uniform. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate said it was investigating the matter after Zille opened a case of assault against the police officer for “mishandling” her. The ANC has accused Zille of “hooliganism” for “making spurious complaints” and according to the party, attempting to pass herself off as a DA party agent. In a statement on Monday, the ANC said: “The hooligan behaviour of Ms Zille becomes even more egregious when one recalls her defamatory accusations where she has previously defamed the IEC by questioning its independence and accusing it of being a lapdog of the ANC.” We will keep you updated once more details emerge. Apart from power cuts, bad weather, protests and the arrest of a person who attempted to tamper with a ballot box, as of 2pm, the IEC reported a positive start to this year’s local government vote. In a statement, the commission said more than 99% of the 23 148 voting stations around the country opened on time, with many reporting a strong turnout. In some cases, voters were already waiting in queues before the 7am start of voting, Lizeka Tandwa reports. Voter apathy has long been thought to be the cause of low voter turnout among young South Africans. According to research from 2016, it’s not that South Africans are unaware of how bad things could be or are somehow ungrateful for living in a participatory democracy. The Institute for Security Studies says this “apathy” is [actually disillusionment with the political landscape](. The good news is we have you covered as the scene develops. The Mail & Guardian will be at the IEC Election Results Centre today, and that includes your humble Poll Position writers. You can expect two more newsletters from us today. One at midday and the other in the evening. See you in a few hours, Kiri Rupiah & Luke Feltham [Support the M&G's election coverage]( [Share]( [Share]( [Tweet]( [Tweet]( [Forward]( [Forward]( [Share]( [Share]( Copyright © 2021 Mail & Guardian Media LTD, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive communications from the Mail & Guardian either at our website or by taking out a print subscription. 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