SA must stop applying the same methods, tools and language over and over again, hoping to achieve better results. Elections are a splendid opportunity to bring about change, says Solly Moeng.
While many analysts, commentators and other observers may agree that something must change for South Africa to avoid falling irretrievably over a precipice – even if they disagree on how best to achieve this – what's less certain is whether voters acknowledge the depth of the trouble, beyond their immediate material frustrations.
Lack of information, misinformation and disinformation pose clear dangers to SA's democratic well-being. Laziness and shortened attention spans don't help either. In an era of multiple digital platforms, including social media, there are plenty of breeding grounds for political and other opportunists to thrive on confusion and to take advantage of unsuspecting or ill-informed people for their own ends.
