Democracy  =  ''DEMOCRAZY''!!

As the challenges of the week subsided, and by week two, I was coping well with the metro, directions and my internship! This week the theme was Democracy and we as the SAWIP team was fully hyped up that we could experience and learn what democracy meant in different aspects, versions and developments.

We had a thought provoking panel discussion with IDASA on Monday night, experts in the field, Eric Robinson (National Endowment for Democracy), Jon Elliot (Human Rights Watch) and Dr. Chloe Schwenke (Africa Bureau of USAID) gave us a brief idea of the work they do and how democracy as evolved.

As a law student I found myself thinking about how different ideologies create and shape democracy in a country. Africa as a continent is still trying to understand the notion of democracy and it has become a proven systematic means to ensure that countries rights and responsibility is vested in a sound democracy. However throughout the years one still reads and finds that democracy has become a faraway notion and is developing at a slow pace. My idea of democracy is founded in our constitution. A humanitarian and breath-taking piece of legislation which captures the true essence of our plight for human rights, and Ubuntu! Emulating South Africa’s legislation would in my opinion be a stepping stone in assuring a democracy. Africa has for too long depended on the United Nations, and other independent bodies to ensure peace, stability and democracy in their countries.

With our post-apartheid and newly found democracy…I think our country has become complacent. Our leaders have had democracy for 17 years, and a constitution which protects promotes and enshrines humanity, yet we still have inequality, poverty, and corruption. We as a society don’t defend our democracy with the will our parents, leaders and the previous youth do! We have forgotten how people died to have our rights protected, how the right to vote is a privilege which many did not experience two decades ago; how the levels of poverty, illiteracy and corruption continues to slap the  idea of ‘ubuntu’ in its face!

I called this blog DemoCRAZY, because with all our freedoms, we have forgotten to tend to those in need. THIS IS PURE MADNESS, taking into account the plight of people to ensure our rights and dignity! The systematic change our parents and forefathers struggled for was to ensure a healthy South Africa and a DEMOCRATIC change! Currently our society as gone CRAZY! With the democracy we possess, instead of uniting for policy change, economic growth, and sustainability, there is blatant racism, an increase in inequality and a continuation of focusing on the past and not the present! This is crazy, as we live in a country that is rich with diversity and fertility! As a young hopeful I want to shape our demoCRAZY into an ubuntu loving and diverse DEMOCRACY!

SAWIP continues to invoke thought provoking panel discussions, and as we strive for growth in Democracy, we are encouraged to hash out the problems and overcome the challenges ahead!

D.C=Destination Commenced!

It’s been a turbulent week, and I’m happy to add, I’m o my way to The District of Columbia! Last South African blogs always feel so final. As I feel the hype of the SAWIP guys, and the intense planning we have to do, I could only be excited 2DAYS before we left, exams, and some wonderful leadership events made any time to get excited very limited! That meant I had 2 days to pack, get all my money and shopping in check…By the way, finding an adapter for the states…a really odd job!

A Pre D.C task that I found enriching was that we all had to find sponsorship and work our way through our financial obligations, I found my experience opened doors at my university that were unknown to me. The University of the Western Cape, has been perceived as a university on the rise, with more than 18000 students, our little piece of heaven is situated amongst nature and wild life, capturing the essence of the Western Cape. I learned that this institution was willing and able to move, shift, break and tear down any door you need to go through to reach your potential. As I packed, I can truly say, my university with its rich sense of justice, community spirit and OPEN DOOR policy, gave me the confidence to aspire to be a great leader.

So the trip to D.C was set, all that left me with was many goodbyes which would eventually lead to some/many tears! The foundation of a soul is found in one’s growth, I personally feel my growth stems from my family. This was a set of people chosen by God to be my pillars and root me in the right directions. Everything I have accomplished, and aspire to be is linked to their belief in me.

Thank you to everyone who work hard, slept late, and tolerated our schedules to allow us to learn, grow, and experience some of the most thought provoking events I have ever been to. After selection camp, we as a group are finally norming and growing. This would not be possible without a great team in South Africa and Washington. The impact of SAWIP D.C on my life is still pending, however, the SAWIP South Africa experience, has created a hunger to learn, and absorb as much as I can! Thank you,  Dankie and Enkosi Kakulu SAWIP management team 2011.

As my blog is called D.C-which really means to me, DESTINATION COMMENCED…I’m leaving South Africa, to COMMENCE my  DICTRICT OF COLUMBIA experience.  Like they say in AMERICA…SEE YALL on the other sideJ