South African politicians aren’t sexy, yet I am slightly disturbed by utterances from some politico circles that politics should be sexy. Sure, it makes sense: sex sells. But considering our socio-economic climate, it appears as if South Africans just aren’t buying. No individual politician from the crop of leaders the 2009 elections produced — in […]
Marius Redelinghuys
Marius Redelinghuys is currently a DA National Spokesperson and Member of the National Assembly of Parliament.
He is a 20-something "Alternative Afrikaner", fiancé to a fellow Mandela Rhodes Scholar (which has made him fortunate enough to be the only member of his family to converse with Tata Madiba) and father to two "un-African" Dachshunds.
Marius is a former lecturer in political science and development studies at Midrand Graduate Institute and previously worked in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature as the DA Director of Communications and Research.
He is also the Chairperson and a Director of the Board of the Mandela Rhodes Community, an alumni network of the Mandela Rhodes Scholarship.
Posted inNews/Politics
South Africans aren’t stupid, Sam
Sam Shilowa and his henchmen – the self-styled Express – insulted not only the intellectual capacity of the members of the party, but South Africans in general. Allegations of misconduct, financial mismanagement, fraud and underhanded tactics haunt the Express and we’re just not buying it. Cope will split, and let me be the first to […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The Conspiracy of the People
Democracy is not just about elections, and yet there is a vocal minority guilty of this reductionism, complicit in conspiring to commit political infanticide. The first inclusive, multiracial democratic elections in 1994 merely marked the culmination of a long, arduous negotiation process that sought to lay the foundation of a new democratic and constitutional order. […]
Posted inGeneral
Queer for Madiba
The Community of Mandela Rhodes Scholars (CMRS) is a rather queer and gay snapshot of a utopian society. Queer in the sense of it being “different” or “strange”, and gay because CMRS gatherings are often jubilant and joyous occasions. But beyond the archaic and now dated uses of these terms, the CMRS has proven to […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Cope must put its money where its mouth is
The Congress of the People must practice what it preaches and implement the direct election of its president, as it advocated during the election campaign. With preparations under way for the Cope national elective and inaugural congress to legitimately and democratically elect its leaders, it is imperative that the party seriously considers and implements the […]
Posted inGeneral
Do we deserve to celebrate Women’s Day?
As South Africans celebrate Women’s Day, the contribution of great women are often heralded and echoed across the nation, and rightly so. It is only fitting that we, as a nation, mark the immeasurable sacrifices and suffering of leading women in our society. The names of Lilian Ngoyi, Mamphela Rampele, Helen Joseph, Albertina Sisulu, Adelaide […]
Posted inNews/Politics
What Cope can learn from the DA
Many people, myself included, had hoped and believed that the Congress of the People (Cope) would be a credible alternative to the ruling party. Sadly, Cope has from its start been plagued by two factions: those who are committed to and wanted to build this credible alternative, and those who opportunistically sought to advance their […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Propagandist media houses and the misfortunes of Cope
I have known for a long time that the SABC continues to function as a well-oiled propaganda machine on taxpayer money — despite the fall of apartheid. However, it was recently confirmed that the so-called “Paper for the People”, the Sunday Times, has its fair share of misrepresenting and twisting the facts. Whether intentionally or […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Feeding Cope to the dogs
In politics, and in Cope in particular, sometimes it is necessary to “cut through the spin” of that spun by those claiming to cut through the spin. Especially when their cutting lacks surgical precision and leaves much to be desired. I was rather amused by the virtually instantaneous return of two of Cope’s most notorious […]
Posted inLifestyle
Post-Modern Hippie Communalism
But I digress. It felt even more hippie-esque considering the total absence of any furniture beyond the bare necessities residing in the kitchen. The dinners on a mattress in the living room and ashtrays on the floor accompanied by constantly refilled wine glasses and philosophical musings stand out as memorable experiences thus far. It has […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Juju blog blackout — no more free publicity
Julius Malema has exploded into political … prominence … by making himself hard to ignore. Inheriting a platform that drew attention to the accidental outrages he tripped into, he quickly learned to stoke outrage and roar back at any responses he provoked. For the media, trying to gauge the state of the nation’s health from […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Eulogy for a right-wing nutjob
As we gather here today to reflect on the passing of an unfortunate soul and tragic enigma of our collective South African history, very few words can adequately capture the impact of this his actions and ideas on countless South Africans throughout the span of his public and private life. Eugene was an anachronism, not […]