This Movement intends to promote human rights and enhance democratic values and processes embedded in the Constitution.
Participants renewed their commitment to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and established Defend Our Democracy as a progressive civil society movement. Issues flagged by those present included local and global threats to democracy, a lack of active citizenry for transformation and accountability, and the problem of young people having no agency to respond to their generational mission.
| This is a South African movement officially launched as a civil society movement on May 27 in Illovo, established to defend Constitutional democracy. They issued the Conference Paper for a Democratic Renewal and Change as a discussion document. «This call for comment serves to gather all input made by all members of the public and sectors of society. The discussion document serves to convene and facilitate conversation on democratic renewal and change.» |
The movement intends to undertake a national campaign to ensure the integrity of the 2024 elections by encouraging organizations to register election observers to monitor processes at voting stations across the country.
In committing to enabling a new politics aimed at invigorating people’s power, renewing and strengthening democracy, the launch declaration read, “Even as we declare that Defend Our Democracy will not contest elections, it no longer will accept the glib promises of career politicians and make-believe manifestoes of political parties. It will champion the hopes and aspirations of its constituent members and the people of South Africa and hold politicians and parties accountable for their actions.”
[ More Information ]