"We have elected leaders who serve only themselves and their families. Selfish leaders, who do not understand the meaning of democracy," says Unemployed People Movement chairperson Gladys Mpepho.
"We have elected leaders who serve only themselves and their families. Selfish leaders, who do not understand the meaning of democracy," says Unemployed People Movement chairperson Gladys Mpepho.
Speaking on behalf of the movement at a workshop to launch pressure group Democracy from Below workshop in East London recently, the Grahamstown resident was referring to mayors and councillors.
She said she didn't know the meaning of freedom because in her lifetime, she had never seen such a thing.
Mpepho was among a number of speakers – including high-profile former members of government, Nozizwe Routledge Madlala and Ronnie Kasrils – addressing a gathering at eQuleni Primary School in Zone 2, Mdantsane.
Former deputy health minister, Routledge Madlala said Democracy from Below had a right to demand accountability and to monitor the government processes of service delivery.
She said as an organisation, they did not want to participate in government for the next five years. Former Intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils explained this, saying the government had lost its way.
“We do not want a government like Zuma’s which cannot be criticised. We want participative democracy. We must all raise our voices,” he said.
Kasrils emphasised that empowering and encouraging people to participate in democracy was a way of strengthening the institution.
Former deputy national secretary of the Young Communist League, Mazibuko Jara, who was expelled from the body last year and is one of the initiators of the new movement, said the purpose of the campaign was to put pressure on the government.
He said they wanted to have 100 branches countrywide by the end the year, and 5 000 members by the end of 2014.
They will use the next three months to meet organisations and initiate Democracy from Below structures and campaigns, with a national workshop scheduled for August.
