The Role of Civil Society in Democracy Consolidation. Rethinking State-Civil Society Relations in South Africa
Joseph Nangombe Tobias
Academic Paper from the year 2019 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: Africa, grade: 67.5, University of Namibia , course: State and Civil Society, language: English, abstract: This essay appraises civil society's relations with the state in south africa in recent times. It focuses on democratic consideration and argues that despite relative weaknesses in civil societies in Africa recently, they continue to play a major role in maintaining and protecting democratic standards and Human Rights in South Africa. Recent events involving former president Jacob Zuma are a case in point of this article. It is argued that civil society is and will continue to be crucial in democratic consolidation and will therefore ensure its survival despite its uphill battle. The paper concludes that civil society's action inSouth Africa should set an example for other African nations on the powers and activism of civil society organisations and their roles in holding government accountable.
