A dynamic selections of speakers engaged with the audience in an exhilarating debate on what it means to be a South African citizen.
Adam Habib, vice chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand, opened the discussion, emphasising how the notion of citizenship is a historically bound concept.
A dynamic selections of speakers engaged with the audience in an exhilarating debate on what it means to be a South African citizen.
Adam Habib, vice chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand, opened the discussion, emphasising how the notion of citizenship is a historically bound concept.
"Citizens always exist in a polity. They are often intrinsically bound," said Habib.
He argued that class, gender and race often play major roles in defining what citizenship is about.
Habib also explained how South Africa must take the necessary steps to achieve social democracy, where every citizen is included.
"People must be given power. The only time government is accountable to the public is when it feels threatened,” said Habib.
Laurence Piper, an economist from the University of the Western Cape, argued that citizens are not accessing their resources democratically. He said citizenship could be categorised in four ways.
"We have citizens that have a relationship with the markets, who pay for their living costs (middle class). We also have citizens from the urban rural sections in our communities, who have problems that are solved through networking with politicians. These citizens are clients.
"We also have another citizen group: foreigners who are accessing state rights and responsibilities without having any relationship with the state.
“And in rural areas we have communities that have to access their resources through traditional leaders," Piper said.
He explained how the rights of citizens are infringed upon when it comes to lack of provision by the government.
In response to a question about religion's power to effect change, Habib said, "Religion should not be underestimated. In past centuries we have seen religion defining what a citizen should be like."
An audience member concluded the debate by being a citizen in South Africa should mean transparency from the government and that every citizen has access to resources in accordance with the Bill of Rights.
•Sibonelo Gamnca is a third-year journalism student at Walter Sisulu University and commenced a six-month internship with Grocott’s Mail on 1 July.
