Idasa concerns over vote buying

Democracy institute Idasa has expressed concern over vote buying and the improper use of state resources to influence voters in the upcoming local government election. Idasa’s monitoring has turned up a number of instances of interference and intimidation. Read more here.

Idasa challenges municipal election candidates to disclose their campaign funding

4 May 2011 For Immediate Release Idasa challenges municipal election candidates to disclose their campaign funding South Africa will be holding countrywide municipal elections on Wednesday 18 May 2011. They will be held against a background of many years of mounting dissatisfaction with service delivery, manifested in increasingly widespread protests and rates boycotts.

African Charter campaign mounts pressure for successful elections

There are 17 presidential and legislative elections due to take place in Africa this year, and after the violent electoral standoff in Côte d’Ivoire the time has come for African leaders and institutions to take elections seriously.  Idasa’s campaign to promote the African Union Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance needs ratification from 15 more [...]

Investigate Shiceka – Idasa calls on Public Protector

African democracy institute Idasa has sent an urgent letter to South Africa’s Public Protector, Advocate Thulisile Madonsela, calling on her to investigate Minister Sicelo Shiceka for alleged fraud and abuse of privileges following his recent spending spree. Idasa believes Minister Shiceka is in breach of the Executive Code of Ethics in the Executive Members’ Ethics [...]

Idasa warns voter dissatisfaction will be a factor in upcoming poll

A political researcher at African democracy institute Idasa, Justin Sylvester, has said voters are struggling to find new political homes, “and because of levels of dissatisfaction voters then choose to stay at home.” He warned of the impact this will have on the election outcome. “By choosing to stay at home registered voters proportionally increase [...]

Idasa asks where is Africa heading?

Idasa has issued a call to the African Union, the United Nations, development agencies and think tanks to engage in a very honest appraisal of the transition processes currently in practice on the continent. We remind our fellow African citizens that with a number of elections pending in Africa, and as our continent moves towards [...]

African citizens demand change, Idasa looks at implications for the continent

Now is the time for the African Union, regional African blocs and individual African leaders to stand beside Africa’s citizens in their call for greater democracy on our continent. African democracy institute Idasa sees in the waves of popular uprising in North Africa the opportunity for African leadership to support democratic consolidation; a consolidation that [...]

Reviving democracy in Africa requires Europe to do the same

Idasa’s executive director Paul Graham warned that reviving democracy in Africa requires Europe to do the same. At the Netherlands Institute for Multipary Democracy conference held in Brussels earlier this month, Graham spoke of the need to understand the revitalisation of democracy as a global concern, focusing on the challenges that emerge as Europe cooperates [...]

Promoting transparency in political party financing

Idasa’s Gary Pienaar spoke on the role of civil society in promoting transparency in political party financing in SADC at Transparency International’s launch of a report in Johannesburg on 28 September. He listed broad motives for regulating public finance as: •        Promote democratic principles of transparency and accountability – Art. 10 of AU Convention; Art. [...]

Commentary on AIDS 2010 Conference in Vienna

The AIDS 2010 conference took place in Vienna this month. Idasa was in Vienna to discuss the state of leadership, government budgets and the challenges people living with AIDS face when they take part in political, social and economic life. Listen to Marietjie Oelofsen (Programme Manager) about their time in Vienna here –  http://ipad.io/MOw. Or listen [...]