What follows is an addendum to the current information in the form of a genuine and heartfelt public apology from Caroline Woods.
 
With all the information an accusations flying back and forth about Councillor Woods and the issue of the dog 'Lady', what many people do not know is that the Caroline has made an open public apology for the terrible circumstances which occurred on her premises, and has thrown herself into community work with animal welfare organisations in a show of solidarity for the plight of abused animals.

Caroline has been welcomed back into the Theewaterskloof community as a result of her commitment to animal welfare and has vowed to make most of herself as a person, given this second chance.


Public Apology: Caroline Wood

The events of the past few months made me once again realize the responsibility of being a DA Councillor. By allowing animal neglect and suffering right on my doorstep, I have failed in setting an example to my communities. I have failed our family dog, those who look up to me as a leader, the DA, and its national, provincial and local leadership. I also now realize that the unfortunate incident has caused unnecessary tension amongst members of our local caucus.

Unfortunately I will not be able to turn the clock back. However this whole unfortunate incident should serve as a lesson from which I, other Councillors and my communities should learn. It should high light the importance of animal welfare as a problem in our communities that can no longer be ignored. 

As a result I am looking forward to serving at least 8 hours per month for 1 year in support of an animal welfare cause under the supervision of a recognized welfare charity organization. I am hereby also undertaking to in addition to my normal duties as a ward councillor become the animal welfare champion of my Council.

I would like to use this opportunity to apologize to all animal lovers, and my community for failing them on the issue of animal welfare. I wish to apologize to the DA and its leadership for causing damage to its good name and reputation as a party that takes animal welfare extremely seriously. I must also apologize to my colleagues and my local party leadership for in the process causing friction and tension in the DA caucus of the Theewaterskloof Municipality.

I realize that I have been given a second chance and that a huge responsibility now rests on me in promoting animal welfare in my communities and in my Council. I also realize that I have a responsibility towards the Mayor of the Theewaterskloof Municipality and my local party leadership in restoring harmony and improved team work in our caucus and I would like to assure them of my loyal support and cooperation.

Kindest regards

Caroline Wood     


 

FACTS REGARDING CAROLINE WOOD DISCIPLINARY MATTER
Cllr Wood was charged with 4 charges of contravening the DA Federal Constitution. The first three charges all related to the incident with the dog, Lady, and are essentially as follows:

Charge 1
Misconduct in deliberately performing an act which impacts negatively on the Party.

Charge 2
Misconduct by bringing the good name of the Party into disrepute.

Charge 3
Failing to carry out her duties and responsibilities as a public representative to the standards set by the DA, and thus bringing the Party into disrepute.

The fourth charge was related to other behaviour which she is alleged to have committed, and which does not relate directly to the animal neglect issue.

She was found guilty on the second charge, as it was found that she had not acted deliberately. It is an established legal principle that a person cannot be found guilty of three separate charges in connection with the same incident.
The FLC did not consult with the Greyton Animal Welfare, as the penalty is not final until it is ratified by the Federal Executive. Unfortunately Mrs Andrews was not prepared to assist us in this regard, which we respect.

The penalty has since been amended to provide that she will serve her community service at the Kleinmond Animal Welfare, which has agreed to this.

Cllr Wood's membership has not been suspended. The sentence is that her membership is terminated, but that this is suspended, on condition that she comply with eight hours per month community service for a year, and issue a public apology. If she does not do this, her membership will be terminated. The criminal case is a separate issue.

The FLC took into account all relevant factors, which includes the fact that Lady's puppies died. There were many other relevant facts too, including that this is the first time Cllr Wood has been found guilty of any offence within the Party, and that in every other respect she is an excellent councillor. When she was served with the notice by the Animal Welfare, she immediately took steps to try and rectify the situation. The DA believes in restorative justice, and we felt that this penalty would both punish, as well as serve to educate her as to how animals should be treated, and the responsibilities that accompany owning an animal. Given that she is a community leader in a community where people are not always conscious of this, we felt that this was a proactive measure, as well as giving something back in an area where she was found wanting.

No other DA public representative has been investigated recently for similar charges. We cannot publicise the details of other investigations.

We do not in any way believe that this indicates a "less-than -serious" attitude to the suffering Lady endured. We believe that this is a balanced and constructive punishment. Eight hours a month for a year is a lot of time to be spent by a very busy councillor doing something which she is not doing by choice, and if she does not comply, her membership will be terminated. This is hardly insignificant.

Debbie Schafer

Chair of the Wood Disciplinary Panel

2 December 2009

FURTHER COMMENTS:

The Federal Executive has the choice to accept the penalty imposed by the Federal Legal Commission, or REDUCE it.  They do not, in terms of our Constitution, have the discretion to increase it.

Regardless of the fact that the Federal Legal Commission is a structure of the Party, it operates free of interference from party members when making findings of guilt or innocence in disciplinary matters.

The finding (of guilty or not guilty), is a separate process from that of imposing the penalty.  The finding of guilty is a clear indication that we do take animal welfare seriously.

After a finding of guilty has been made, one has to look at the type of penalty imposed.  When imposing a penalty, one has to take into account ALL circumstances of the case, including personal circumstances of the "accused".  Given the factors already covered in my previous statement we decided that this sentence was appropriate, for the reasons given.

Cllr Wood has not been found guilty of a criminal offence.  She and her husband have indeed been charged, and the matter has as far as I know not yet been finalised.  We did not wait for the criminal case to be finalised, as we felt that the matter was serious and that quicker action needed to be taken.  We could not charge her with animal neglect, as that is a criminal charge, over which we have no jurisdiction.  The charge of bringing the party into disrepute is one of the possible charges in terms of our Constitution, and the charge was formulated with direct reference to the "Lady" incident.

In terms of the South African Constitution, a person is precluded from being a councillor if they have been convicted of (not charged with) an offence (after appeals have been finalised or the time for noting appeals has lapsed) AND sentenced to more than 12 months imprisonment without the option of a fine.  In terms of the Animals Protection Act, the maximum penalties provided for are a R4000.00 fine and/or a period NOT EXCEEDING 12 months imprisonment.  Thus, even if she were convicted and sentenced to the maximum possible penalty, this would still not legally disqualify her from being a councillor.

The issue at hand does not relate directly to her performance as a councillor.  She has not been found guilty or even accused of, any offence involving dishonesty or misappropriation of funds, and consequently she has been given an opportunity to make reparations for the offence of which she was found guilty by the DA, by doing her community service, which she has now started. We have received very positive feedback in connection therewith from the Kleinmond Animal Welfare.

As far as the attempted analogy with the DA's opposition to Jacob Zuma standing for president whilst charges are pending against him, there is rather a large difference between being charged with over 600 counts of fraud and corruption-related charges, and one count of neglect of an animal of which you are not the legal owner.

We would urge you to look at everything the DA stands for, and everything we do, not one incident on which you disagree with us.

PLEASE DOWNLOAD THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT DOCUMENT HERE

The DA appeals to all parents and parent bodies to urgently submit their comments on proposed new regulations to stop top-up payments to government-employed teachers. These regulations were released for public comment on 21 August, and will be implemented 30 days from then - unless there is sufficient public input to convince the minister that she needs to rethink them.

Comments must reach the Minister of Education's office by 20 September, 11 days from today. The regulations, including the details of contacting the department, are included here.

Parents pump an estimated additional R11bn every year into the public school system. They have the democratic right to be involved in decisions about how this money is spent, and we appeal to them to exercise this right by discussing these regulations with the schools their children attend, and making public submissions.

Please email your comments to juliaf@da.org.za
 

Helen Zille responds:

I have received an unprecedented flow of correspondence about Lady, the maltreated dog belonging to the husband of DA councillor Caroline Wood. My office has sought to respond to every letter received.  In the circumstances, I would like to repeat publicly the essence of the correspondence we have been sending to individual members of the public who have written to us about the deplorable circumstances surrounding this matter.

The DA takes animal welfare extremely seriously. From the outset we condemned the neglect and abuse of Lady and her puppies.  We not only publicly censured Councillor Wood, but also charged her with misconduct in terms of the DA’s Federal Constitution within a week after the incident came to the attention of the DA’s leadership. The party has constituted a disciplinary panel to investigate the matter and to recommend disciplinary action against Councillor Wood. In addition, she will face criminal charges under the applicable animal cruelty legislation. 

We fully understand the public outpouring of anger caused by the condition in which Lady and her puppies were found. Lady successfully underwent surgery for an infection in her uterus, and both she and the puppies are now being fed and nursed back to good health by the Animal Welfare Society. The DA has been in regular contact with the Society’s chairman, June Goodman, to find out about their progress. Already the Society has been inundated with offers by concerned citizens to provide a home for Lady.

The DA has offered its assistance with volunteer work at the Animal Welfare Society, and has also undertaken to place volunteers in other organisations as a mark of solidarity for Lady’s plight. The DA would like to thank the Animal Welfare Society for the care and consideration they have shown Lady and her puppies. The Society performs an invaluable service, often with little recognition.

As distressing as the incident with Lady and her puppies has been, hopefully it will serve to raise awareness about abused animals – not all of whom are fortunate enough to arouse the public concern that Lady has.

Helen Zille
Leader of the Democratic Alliance
 

The Democratic Alliance has set up a blog dedicated to South Africans living abroad, and their right to vote in the Election. Click here to read a post entitled “How to apply for a special vote”.

If you’re in South Africa, you can SMS your ID Number to 32810, and you’ll get a reply from the IEC telling you if and where you are registered.

Alternatively, you can visit the IEC’s website – www.elections.org.za – click on the ‘Am I registered?’ link, and submit your ID number; or you can call their toll-free line, 0800118000.

If you need further assistance, please call the DA’s call-centre on 0861 CALL DA (0861 2255 32) or email callcentre@da.org.za

The DA regrets and is deeply saddened by the loss of innocent Palestinian lives as a result of the current conflict in Gaza. It is our sincere wish that an end is brought to the conflict without delay and that a lasting peace is generated through the creation of a two-state solution, which will see Israel and an independent Palestinian state coexisting in peace and harmony.

This is a blog post by Daiyaan Halim, one of our volunteers - see his blog here >>

Often, political parties get so passionate about one message during their election campaigns that people feel parties do not adequately describe their policies, and not enough reasons are given to support that party. With the great number of political parties in South Africa, it is difficult to find one that ties up with your personal beliefs. I had this problem and with so many political parties failing to tell us what they’ve done, and what they would do, I had to find out for myself. I have decided to vote DA, and these are 100 of the reasons that are most convincing to me (They are all based on sources cited at the end of the post):

 
1. The DA has delivered where it has governed.

2.In the Cape Town CBD crime has reduced by 90% since 2000

3.Cape Town is clean both figuratively and literally: in 2007, Cape Town was awarded the department of environmental affairs and tourism’s annual cleanest metro award.

4.Under the DA, the economy in Cape Town has grown and more opportunities have been created.

5.Cape town’s gross geographic product increased by over 12% from R116.6 billion in 2005 - when the ANC governed - to R130.77bn in 2007, under DA rule.

6.Under the DA, government has become more efficient. Within a year of taking over the city, we cut debt by nearly R1bn.

7.The DA has tripled the investment in infrastructure that benefits the public and supports the economy from an average of R1bn per year between 2002 and 2006, under the ANC, to R3.1bn in 2008.

8.The DA has been able to write off debt for the very poor to the value of R1.5-billion.

9.The DA gives you houses:

10. The DA has doubled the average annual rate of housing delivery, from the ANC’s average of 3 000 per year between 2002 and 2006 to an average of 7000 per year between 2006 and 2008.

11.The DA has introduced fairer housing allocation procedures in Cape Town.

12.The DA has speeded up service delivery; they offer free basic services for all.

13.The DA is busy installing electricity and water in the areas that did not receive them when the anc was in government

14.The ANC brought Cape Town to the brink of collapse, but the da saved it and we busy turning it into a success

15.Helen Zille is the only South African mayor to win an international mayor of the year award. Because the world recognises the success of the DA in Cape Town.

16.The DA is the only party to offer an “open opportunity society”

17. The DA stands for a constitution that enshrines the rule of law, individual rights and freedoms, and the separation of powers

18. The DA believes in transparency and accountability, without which governments abuse their power and compromise the freedoms enshrined in the constitution

19. The DA fights for an independent and free-thinking civil society, including a free and independent media and a free and independent political opposition that is loyal to the constitutional order trong>

20. The DA fights for security of person and property

21. The DA preaches a general tolerance of difference on the part of the population

22. The DA desires an economy that is characterized primarily by the free choices of individuals

23. Ultimately, the DA stands for individual freedom and the limitation of state power.

24. The DA does not make empty promises. All of its election promises are backed up by statistics, calculations and fact.

25. When the DA wins it will give citizens control over their own lives, and not allow the state to dictate the course of their daily lives or the direction of their ambitions.

26. When the DA wins it will expand choice, not contract it.

27. When the DA wins it will increase the number of police from 190 000 to 250 000, and ensure that they are fit and properly trained

28. When the DA wins, it will reinstate units to deal with specific types of crime, such as the Scorpions and the Commandos, to allow expertise to be pooled and certain crimes prioritised

29. When the DA wins, it will create a Directorate for Victims of Crime, which will run a national victim support training centre and administer a toll-free hotline for victims

30. When the DA wins, it will ensure that all able-bodied prisoners work, both to equip them with skills they can use when they finish their sentences and to allow them to partly atone for their crimes

31. When the DA wins, it will bring back the Scorpions.

32. When the DA wins, it will create jobs by reducing the corporate tax rate to 27% and create export processing zones to attract labour intensive industries

33. When the DA wins, it will give young South Africans who meet certain conditions an opportunity voucher, which will allow them to subsidise study costs or start a business

34. When the DA wins, it will make an Income Support and Unemployment Grant of R110 per month available to all South Africans earning below R46000 a year who do not receive another state grant

35. When the DA wins, it will allow any South African aged between 16 and 24 to perform a year-long voluntary community service in a school, hospital, municipal office, the SAPS or SANDF.

36. When the DA wins, it will encourage employers to take on young workers through learnership programmes and wage subsidies

37. When the DA wins, it will give control of their classrooms back to teachers with a range of measures, including stronger support for the right to expel disruptive learners and dedicated remedial schools for disruptive learners.

38. When the DA wins, it will ask all teachers to write standardised knowledge assessments in the subjects they teach, and we make pay increases and promotions dependent on the results

39. When the DA wins, it will institute a nation-wide bursary voucher programme aimed at giving 250 000 children from low income families the opportunity to receive a better school education

40. When the DA wins, it will increase the number of teachers by reopening teacher training campuses and reinstituting teacher bursaries.

41. When the DA wins, it will introduce a universal per-child preschool state subsidy for early childhood learning

42. When the DA wins, it will ensure that every hospital and clinic is managed by a person with the training and qualifications to run it successfully

43. When the DA wins, it will make public hospitals subject to strict standards and rigorous performance requirements, similar to those currently expected of private hospitals

44. When the DA wins, it will increase the number of doctors and nurses by removing restrictions that have been placed on training doctors and nurses in the private sector

45. When the DA wins, it will make it possible for patients to collect medicines from any accredited pharmacy where they live, so that they do not have to spend hours travelling to a state hospital

46. When the DA wins, it will boost our AIDS prevention programme by creating a deputy ministry of HIV/AIDS by involving all public representatives in promoting AIDS awareness. And by integrating faith based organisations into the prevention campaign.

47. The DA will bring the private sector into state hospitals making sure that our state hospitals measure up to their private counterparts.

48. The DA has fought for our freedom under the apartheid government and is fighting against the destruction of our constitution today.

49. The DA has its roots in 1959 when members of the United Party broke away to form the Progressive Party. They broke away because they did not support the National Parties segregationist policies which certain factions of the UP agreed with.

50. The forerunners of the DA had very little representation in the apartheid parliament but continued to fight: Helen Suzman was, for thirteen years, the only representative of the Progressive Party in parliament – she is famous for attacking the apartheid government.

51. When the apartheid government attacked her for criticising it in the international arena she stated quite clearly: “It is not my questions that are embarrassing, it is your answers.”

52. Helen Suzman fought against detention without trial; pass laws; influx control; job reservation on the grounds of colour; racially separated amenities; Group Areas; and forced removals

53. The PP took a stand on constitutional reform, and called for an entrenched Constitution that incorporated a Bill of Rights. This Bill of Rights would provide for an independent judiciary, and a federal Constitution in which the powers of the provinces would be constitutionally protected.

54. The PP also stood for an economy based upon free enterprise, however it would be 35 years before the members of the Progressive Party saw their ideals realized in South Africa’s interim Constitution.

55. Today, through a series of coalitions, mergers and name changes, the then Progressive Party has become the Democratic Alliance who still strives to ensure democracy and accountability in South Africa.

56. Today, Helen Zille is our Helen Suzman, she has fought against the ANC’s abuse of power and the lack of accountability in South African politics:

57. Helen Zille fights for democracy.

58. Both in CODESA and the subsequent Multi-Party Negotiating Process held at the World Trade Centre in Kempton Park, the (then) DP played a vital role in the negotiation of an Interim Constitution, which included most of the principles and ideals around which the PP was formed in 1959.

59. In the 1994 election, the ANC sought to destroy the DP’s reputation of fighting for freedom by making the DA appear to be racists and telling people that the DP had stolen people’s homes. THIS IS FALSE!  They had forgotten that the PP and ANC had worked together to fight the apartheid government.

60. The ANC has lied in every election and failed to deliver on its promises. Vote for a party that delivers, vote DA.

61. The ANC has delivered work – as it promised in the 2004 election campaign – but only to people closely associated with it. The ANC cronies are the only ones to benefit under ANC rule. The DA offers an open opportunity society for ALL.

62. The ANC only gives jobs to ANC members. The ANC only gives food to those that support the ANC. As a South African citizen, you are entitled to all the benefits of employment and aid as stated clearly in our constitution.

63. The ANC has used its vast majority to violate the rules of our constitution by allowing corruption to continue and instead of trying to get rid of it, they cover it up.

64. The DA has been fighting state corruption throughout the rule of the ANC and will put an end to the corrupt use of tax payers’ money.

65. I will not deny that the ANC has achieved something in their 15 years in power. Moreover, they have probably done more good than bad, but with 15 years, they could have achieved a lot more. In three years, the DA has achieved far more in the City of Cape Town than the ANC in any of the great municipalities including the City of Joburg, Tswane and Ethekwini. Imagine what the DA could do if they applied those principles of good governance at State level.

66. Under the ANC South Africans are dying.

67. Under the ANC our health system is disintegrating.

68. The former head of the ANC and minister of health have denied that HIV causes AIDS, instead telling people to eat beetroot when South Africa has the highest number of people infected with the virus, and the highest rate of infection! The current head of the ANC stated unequivocally that he could wash away the possibility of AIDS with a shower! The DA has fought and continues to fight the ANC on its AIDS policies.

69. The ANC supports totalitarian and non democratic governments:

70. The ANC failed to take a pro active stance on Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe.

71. The ANC supports the former Sudanese dictator, Omar Al-Bashir who murdered countless people in genocide.

72. The ANC has highly questionable ties to communist China.

73. The ANC who fought for human rights and freedom is now supporting those who deteriorate it. Ask the Dalai Lama. We need put a stop to our ties with criminal and communist states and leaders.

74. The DA has fought against the government’s stance on Zimbabwe and has lobbied for action – the kind of action the world expected: Something. The ANC did nothing.

75. The DA has stated unequivocally that it condemns the ANC’s decision to deny a visa to the Dalai Lama.

76. The ANC has the capability, and will (it appears), to turn South Africa into a communist state.

77. The ANC was trained by the communist Soviet Union and still employs many communist habits. (Ask your ‘comrades’ in the ANC)

78. Today it is highly speculated, and believed proven in some circles, that the ANC is funded by the communist China.

79. The ANC’s management of the economy has sought to centralise all public amenities (typical of any communist state) which has led to the failure of infrastructure and results in inconvenience for taxpaying citizens who have to sit in the dark (load shedding).

80. The DA, who is a liberal party, plans to stop this by allowing for the privatisation of such institutions.

81. The ANC is attempting to amend the constitution and centralise government in the national sphere which effectively means that the heads of government would be able to decide what happens on the ground and take away power from municipalities. This must be stopped!

82. The ANC is attempting to destroy one of the checks and balances of our constitution by abusing its power and consolidating power in the executive.

83. The DA has been campaigning against this policy as the DA understands that our constitution must be protected and that checks and balances must be present in all levels of government.

84. Liberal states are more powerful, more resourceful and wealthier than communist states. It is proven by the fact that the Group of Eight Most Powerful Nations in the world (G8) are all liberal democracies.

85. Jacob Zuma has failed to clear his name in a court of aw.

86. Jacob Zuma was neither vindicated nor acquitted. Only a court can find him innocent. The NPA’s decision only prevents him from standing trial. It is not constitutionally mandated to decide on the innocence or guilt of an accused.

87. Jacob Zuma has enough evidence to prove him guilty by the mere fact that Shabir Shaik was convicted for engaging in a “generally corrupt relationship” with Jacob Zuma. It takes two to tango.

88. Vote DA to stop the ANC

89. THE MAIN REASON I WILL BE VOTING DA IS BECAUSE OUR CONSTITUTION WILL FAIL WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.

90. The DA has done an excellent job as the official opposition by questioning ANC policies and motives since 1994, and not only during the election period. This is a constitutional imperative ensuring checks and balances and the DA has delivered on that, even if it was excessive or ineffective at times.

91. The South African election is not a popularity contest. You do not vote overwhelmingly for the biggest personality or vote for someone just because everyone else is doing it. The point of elections is to allow South Africans to show their approval or disapproval.

92. The point of elections is to allow for a change of government where the previous one has failed.

93. Our electoral system can only be effective where one party does not have an absolute majority in parliament. When a party has too much power it detracts from the very essence of democracy because accountability is reduced.

94. No party should have so much power that they can unilaterally amend the constitution or create and repeal laws without being challenged.

95. A legitimate government is able to fight for what they believe in and if they are proven right through debate, they should be allowed to do as they have planned. They should not be allowed to go ahead with their objectives without those objectives being questioned. No matter how right the party is or how wrong the opposition is.

96. THE DA IS THE ONLY REAL, PROVEN ALTERNATIVE TO THE ANC!

97. THE DA IS THE ONLY TRUE LIBERAL PARTY IN SOUTH AFRICA!

98. THE DA IS THE ONLY PARTY TO RECIEVE INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR THE GOOD IT DOES – THE ANC RECIEVES INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION, BUT FOR ITS HOPELESS POLICIES.

99. THE DA IS THE ONLY PARTY WHO TRUELY STANDS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY.

100. THE DA CARES ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA!

 
VOTE FOR HOPE.

VOTE FOR CHANGE.

VOTE FOR PROSPERITY.

VOTE FOR SECURITY.

VOTE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE

ON WEDNESDAY 22 APRIL 2009.

 

This blog post is based on fact reported in the media, the DA election manifesto, opinion of leading political analysts and facts cited by reputable historical and research sources. Many of the points made are direct quotes from these sources. All conclusions are inferences from those sources.

Click on the links below to view the internet sources used:

http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71654?oid=119604&sn=Detail

http://www.da.org.za/campaigns.htm?action=view-page&category=6329

http://www.da.org.za/our_policies.htm

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2497372,00.html

http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/governence-projects/organisations/DA/da.htm

http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/governence-projects/organisations/anc-history/origins.htm

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19930729&slug=1713294

http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/view/1079/542

http://www.tac.org.za/community/node/2189

http://jv.news24.com/City_Press/Letters/0,,186-247_2496845,00.html

http://www.scaruffi.com/politics/democrat.html

http://www.saelections.co.za/opinion/justice/nothing-fresh-about-%e2%80%98new%e2%80%99-anc/

http://www.worldmayor.com/

http://www.polity.org.za/article/shaik-verdict-official-responses-2005-06-03

 

Here is a list of books and journal articles used:

Heywood, A., 2007. Political Ideologies. Palgrave MacMillan, New York.

Malherbe, E.F.J. and Rautenbach, I.M., 2004. Constitutional Law 4th Edition. LexisNexus Butterworths, Durban.

Sadie, Y., 2006. “Political Parties, Interest Groups and Social Movements”, in Venter, A. and Landsbers, C. (eds), Government and Politics in the New South Africa. Van Schaik Publishers, Pretoria.

Venter, A., 2006. “The Context of Contemporary South African Politics”, in Venter, A. and Landsberg, C. (eds.), Government and Politics in the New South Africa. Van Schaik Publishers, Pretoria.

Leon, T., 2008. “ An Imperfect Democracy: The Case of South Africa”. Harvard International Review, Vol. 3(50).

Lutz, D.S., 2000. “Thinking about Constitutionalism at the Start of the Twenty-Fir