Next year is going to mark twenty years since South Africa’s first post-Apartheid election. Since 1994 the African National Congress (ANC) has dominated South African politics. In 2009 the ANC won 65.9% of the national vote. The ANC is so large that the party experiences a lot of infighting. In 2008 former South African President Thabo Mbeki was forced to resign from office because the ANC national executive committee threatened to hold a leadership spill. Shortly after Mbeki’s resignation, Jacob Zuma became the President of South Africa.
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The Progressive Alliance formed on May 22, 2013 by political parties currently and formerly affiliated with Socialist International. This organization aims to promote progressive values and stresses the importance of democracy, freedom, transparency, and justice. The organization started shortly after the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SDP) refused to pay their membership dues to Socialist International. SDP Chairman Sigmar Gabriel refused to pay Socialist International any money until the organization expelled political tyrants from Africa and the Middle East. In recent years Socialist International has received criticism for admitting political parties connected to corruption. For instance, the Pakistan People's Party is still a member of Socialist International despite being accused of past human rights violations. Socialist International houses corrupt political parties such the Alliance for Democracy in Mali and Yemeni Socialist Party. Gabriel has been critical of Socialist International's admittance and continuing inclusion of undemocratic “despotic” political movements.
In 1979 the United Nations adopted an international treaty to stop discrimination against women. The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was intended to serve as an international bill of rights for women. Key provisions include: rejection of violence against women, equality of men and women under the law, and to ensure that women participate in decision-making (at all levels). This treaty came into force on September 3, 1981. As of July 2011, 187 countries have ratified or acceded to this treaty.
Despite being a political underdog, the Democratic Alliance (DA) controls 61% of seats on the Cape Town City Council. In 2011, voters in the Western Cape swung heavily in favor of the DA (winning 12 of the 25 local municipalities in that province). This map reflects the political geography of the Western Cape following the 2011 local elections. The municipalities shaded in blue reveal the jurisdictions won by the DA. This party continues to make inroads. There is no doubt this party is going to play an important role in the upcoming federal election.
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Gabriel FilerThis blog started as a place to dump my thoughts as I tried to wade through the complexity of this world. It also serves as a platform to put my ideas out into the ethers. Archives
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