Keyword: Rondebosch Common

Talking about Race Without Ending Racism

Picture: www.popularcritic.com Anna Majavu - The Democratic Alliance (DA) has been campaigning furiously for the past two months against the assertion that Cape Town is racist, after this was again thrust into the public spotlight at the beginning of the year by acclaimed singer Simphiwe Dana’s tweet that “no matter how famous/ rich you are, you’re still a 2nd class citizen if you’re Black in Cape Town”. After Dana asked DA leader Helen Zille for proof of the change she often trumpets, Zille responded,...

The Struggle for Street Politics

Picture: how will i ever/flickr Jane Duncan - Public demonstrations have been central to South Africa’s democratic life for decades. Yet recent events suggest a narrowing of the substance of the right to assemble, demonstrate and picket, and a de-legitimisation of street politics.   In this regard, the City of Cape Town’s near hysterical overreaction to attempts to occupy Rondebosch Common is cause for concern. Last week’s Constitutional Court case about whether the South African Transport and Allied...