Local polls call for decorum and fair debate

Politicians' conduct in parliament, media and public forums shapes not only the tone of electioneering but also the very fabric of democratic trust and social cohesion

- 

In August 2025, I was invited to participate in the eNCA TV programme called We the People, focusing on the topic “GNU: A curse or a blessing”, moderated by Dan Moyane.

The political parties were represented by Hope Papo (ANC), Mzwanele Manyi (MKP), Karabo Khakhau (DA) and Ganief Hendricks (Al Jama-ah).

Just as the show started, Manyi and Khakhau were at each other's throats, robustly taking political jabs at each other.

After the programme was over, I shared the table and the meal with the same two politicians but now they were civil, calm and wonderful human beings who laughed, chatted nicely and disagreed far more respectfully.

The sad thing is that the majority of ordinary South Africans do not witness this kind of considerate civility among politicians. They are exposed to the performatory bickering, which does nothing to build national cohesion.

In the political arena, this is becoming akin to rage-baiting online, about who can get the most engagement from producing rage in the audience.

The issue is that politicians perceive that they will only get votes if they are vociferously for one thing or another.

Social media algorithms are fuelling the very polarisation and hatred of 'the other' that feeds into political public performance.

It is as if moderation and self-control are the very virtues that will lose you votes. This is something that has to change if the entire fabric of our society is to hold together.

South Africa is a powder keg ready to explode, as we saw in the July 2021 riots.