South Africa today is a tormented country of extremes.
The climate, vegetation, topography and people are diverse. The religions, ideology, language and welfare of the fifty five million people who inhabit this distant tip of Africa are different and disparate.
In fact it is arguably the most disparate nation on earth.
As the country enters its twenty third year of constitutional democracy, the disparity between rich and poor, educated and uneducated, rural and urban, democratic and kleptocratic, Keynesian and Marxist, young and old, tribal and modern, African and European and the compassionate and the greedy, has reached a crescendo.
Unless common sense prevails the young nation will be torn asunder.
My admiration, gratitude and applause is extended to those brave souls of the Fourth Pillar of Democracy, the Free Press, for their selfless contribution to inform, expose, enlighten and guide the nation in its struggle to avoid implosion. In regurgitating their informed articles here I have attempted to attribute the pieces precisely to the authors. Should I have not done so accurately, I do beg their indulgence?
The articles cobbled together in this publication represent erudite commentary on the parlous nature of the South African democracy at this key moment in history. Views and contradictory views have been presented to the reader to ponder and decide on the merits of the issues.
The issues chosen, whilst perhaps not all embracing, do represent current topical debates. Resolution of these issues are paramount if the democratic novice is to progress to maturity.
Bryan Britton
March 31, 2017