The media has an important role to play in amplifying the resurgent voices of civil society organisations, including those calling for a national dialogue to forge a way forward for a united South Africa, more so with the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa of the of government of national unity (GNU) cabinet.
Although civil society organisations come in different forms, shapes and sizes, they rely on donors to advance a specific agenda or cause. Like the fourth estate, their voice is important in a democracy.
By their nature, civil society organisations act as fora for people with common goals and interests to further develop democratic ideals, which in turn can lead to a more democratic state, instead of acting like the opposition.
They also run campaigns such as restoring the moral fabric of society, entrenching and encouraging ethical values and principles, promoting and supporting democratic principles and processes such as fighting corruption, promoting openness, transparency and accountability in government affairs.
Civil society organisations also foster changes in power structures and instil knowledge within families, communities, governments, corporations and bring about social change through accountability, community engagement and empowerment, ensuring good governance and ethical leadership.
However, at times the division between civil society and political parties is blurred, and sometimes they seem to cross the line and play the role of opposition to government. Not that they must be praise singers, however, some take adversarial, combative and hostile postures, become opportunistic and even call for regime change. Even some media outlets sometimes push such nefarious agendas.
Recently, civil society organisations bearing the names of struggle activists including the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, Ahmed Kathrada Foundations and the Steve Boko Foundation expressed their uncertainty about the country future after the fiercely contested elections since no party won an outright majority to enable it to govern on its own.
They seemed reactionary at best, and alarmist at worst, because parties were still engaging in negotiations and horse trading in order to form the GNU, that was tantamount to putting the cart before the horse, and even using words such a crisis to describe the situation.
While their collective concern might have been genuine, to insinuate and even proclaim that the results of the 2024 elections indicated a nation in crisis was plain alarmist and playing to the gallery, in my book.
The election results reflected the will of the people and there are reasons aplenty as to why the ANC got less than 50% of the votes, but to characterise that as a crisis is taking it a bit too far.
Such organisations were dead silent when they should have spoken out when the country was in real crisis during the 2021 July riots and when the government was in the clutches of the Guptas with state entities such as SABC, Sars, Denel, Eskom, Prasa and others being stripped bare and the accompanying destruction of public infrastructure.
Unlike during the Jacob Zuma presidency when most civil society organisations were muted for fear of being ostracised and sidelined and labelled as “clever blacks” if they happened to be -African, they are freer to air their views.
The only visible pressure group then was the now silent and seemingly defunct Save South Africa. It seemed theirs was just a campaign and not a social movement, hence they’ve folded.
The resurrection of pressure groups is a positive thing. Actually, credit should be given to Ramaphosa and the sixth administration for creating a conducive environment for civil society to contribute constructively to the future of SA. Ramaphosa is on record imploring civil society to work hand in hand with government for the betterment of the country.
“A strong, vibrant and activist civil society is key to the development of any nation. It is therefore critical that the interface between government and civil society is improved and strengthened,” Ramaphosa told a civil society summit one day.
“We have a common appreciation that we are all heading in the same direction and on the same road towards the realisation of a better South Africa. We know that to reach this goal we have to be partners, and not adversaries.”
It is therefore imperative that civil society and the media, as the fourth estate, guard against behaving like adversaries or unelected opposition but partners in addressing maladies facing our country, including the scourges of drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and unemployment.
As Gurbaksh Chahal once aptly put it:” If you don’t fight for what you believe in, no one else will.”
- Sepotokele is a journalist, communication strategist, media trainer and journalism lecturer
