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Cogta and Salga are  pushing for an amendment Bill that seeks to remove the undue influence of smaller parties on the appointment of political office bearers in municipalities to be approved as law by next year’s elections.
 (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

With the rise in right-wing populism, democracy around the world is weakened

South Africa stands out as a country that strongly defends democracy

A response to racially-charged assertions

The article shows ignorance about liberalism, its supporters and what it has done for this country and the rest of the world

(John McCann/M&G)

Masses lulled by South Africa’s wealthy and powerful

The people need to remove their blinkers and reclaim their minds to achieve a better future

Zama Ndlovu: Lessons from China to the ANC — No one policy can be correct indefinitely

China’s decision on edtech firms demonstrates a desire to achieve equity even at the expense of profits, and there are lessons for South Africa

DA interim leader John Steenhuisen. (Delwyn Verasamy/ M&G)

DA’s policy proposals are counter-transformative

The DA is stuck in classical liberalism when there are new ways of thinking about capitalism and the role of the state – and its denial of race as a concept is disingenuous

Doctors and nurses of Cuba’s Henry Reeve International Medical Brigade take part in a  farewell ceremony before travelling to Andorra to help in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, at the Central Unit of Medical Cooperation in Havana, on March 28, 2020.  (Photo by Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images)
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Political pragmatism is required to survive Covid-19

Political ideologies — communism, capitalism, liberalism — and an unrealistic view of the world as we’d like it to be got us into this mess

(John McCan/M&G)

Cancel culture, threats to freedom of speech, and the state of liberal democracy

Although Ian Buruma was removed as the editor-in-chief of the New York Review of Books in September 2018, he still speaks his mind

Rooted out: Mmusi Maimane quit as leader of the Democratic Alliance because people in the party did not agree with his bid to promote diversity within the DA and in the country. (Paul Botes/M&G)

Don’t be distracted by liberalism debate

Unless it’s centred on egalitarianism. And the political left can’t guarantee equality either

Shattered dreams: The press conference in October at which Mmusi Maimane

Black rebels among the blue bloods of liberalism

Bongani Madondo says the meltdown amid racial witch-hunting portends the beginning of the end of white liberalism itself

There is perhaps no better way to guarantee that people submit to the rules than by making sure that they feel included and integrated in the community that adheres to them. (John McCan/M&G)

Communitarian ideals in capitalist workplaces

Companies are trying to build community among workers. But this can have sinister side-effects

Saturday and Sunday will now be reserved for the convening of a bi-annual lekgotla where alliance partners will also attend to plan for the year ahead.

Black-centred egalitarian liberalism cannot ignore capitalism

Leaving aside the schoolroom-debate gymnastics that radical liberal Eusebius McKaiser is wont to use, the core issue in the debate is what he avoids.

(John McCan/M&G)

Liberalism’s hold on the political imagination loosens as new forms of populism surge

Liberalism is not the paragon of virtue it is held up to be. As its authority wanes we need to unshackle reason from its strictures.

‘You see, for some, when they are caught out undermining clean governance for the people, and zero tolerance for corruption, they move towards racial victimhood,’ Mmusi Maimane said. (David Harrison/M&G)

Old progressives would approve of DA’s ‘new liberalism’

With Mmusi Maimane’s rise to leadership comes a new brand of liberalism that would gain the approval of previous incarnations of the DA.