Tutu won't vote next year

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Alan

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DA leader Helen Zille has taken Archbishop Emeritus Des-mond Tutu to task for saying he won't vote if the ruling party fails to heal its divisions.

Zille's described Tutu's threat as "reckless and misguided" and bad for South Africa.

Writing in the DA's online newsletter SA Today, Zille said: "If every South African who is disillusioned with the ANC adopted Tutu's view on voting, we would live in a one-party state; a state whose office-bearers become increasingly corrupt and drunk with absolute power.

"It should also occur to someone as insightful as Archbishop Tutu that the approach he advocates is precisely what undermines the capacity of opposition parties to become alternative governments.

"If he does not vote, Archbishop Tutu will serve to entrench and prolong the very set of conditions - the slide into one-partyism - that he bemoans," she wrote.

The DA leader said that as a long-standing critic of Robert Mugabe's misrule in Zimbabwe, Tutu should know boycotting elections will not achieve the desired results.

She said Tutu had agreed to meet to discuss his comments
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http://www.capeargus.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4655322

Seems even Tutu thinks S.A is a one party state :o. Somebody needs to explain to the old man what democracy actually is
 
WHAT!!! Do we have other parties as well...can't be. Who is the DA again...

Well said Helen.
 
Even Desmond Tutu does not hold any of the opposition parties in high regard. He would much rather not vote. :D
 
sox63 said:
Even Desmond Tutu does not hold any of the opposition parties in high regard. He would much rather not vote. :D
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The question is why? What has the DA done to prove themselves worse than the ANC?
 
alanf85 said:
Somebody needs to explain to the old man what democracy actually is
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Surely democracy, at its simplest, is voting for someone/a party that you would like to represent you? Perhaps there is nobody that he feels is suitable to represent him?

Isn't that his right, in a democracy?
 
chiskop said:
Surely democracy, at its simplest, is voting for someone/a party that you would like to represent you? Perhaps there is nobody that he feels is suitable to represent him?

Isn't that his right, in a democracy?
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Exactly, part of the democratic system is the right not to vote.
 
chiskop said:
Surely democracy, at its simplest, is voting for someone/a party that you would like to represent you? Perhaps there is nobody that he feels is suitable to represent him?

Isn't that his right, in a democracy?
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Ideally yes but in reality no. If that was the case almost nobody would vote. You'd need literally millions of different political parties. Your standards must be pretty damn low if you manage to find a bunch of politicians that you'd like to represent you.

Not voting is a cop out IMO. You vote for the lesser evil.
 
alanf85 said:
The question is why? What has the DA done to prove themselves worse than the ANC?
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I was going to post that the DA has proven, via their policies, that they are pretty much the same as the ANC.

And now they have gone and changed their website in to some sort blog-type mess, where you cant find their policies on various issues.

Maybe you can have better luck sifting through it.

www.da.org.za
 
alanf85 said:
You vote for the lesser evil.
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Well, if that's how you choose to vote, good for you. But to suggest that one has to vote, is a stretch too far.

I realise that there are problems with not voting, and I have always said "If you don't vote, you can't complain", but I am revisiting that belief myself.

My vote is based on a party's policies. Being not-the-ruling-party, isn't enough for me.
 
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sox63 said:
Maybe you can have better luck sifting through it.

www.da.org.za
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We can only hope they'll run the country better than that website.

chiskop said:
Well, if that's how you choose to vote, good for you. But to suggest that one has to vote, is a stretch too far.

I realise that there are problems with not voting, and I have always said "If you don't vote, you can't complain", but I am revisiting that belief myself.

My vote is based on a party's policies. Being not-the-ruling-party, isn't enough for me.
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Well if no party is worthy of your vote perhaps you should consider starting your own

:D

IMO if you've got right to vote you should use it. If not to put a party you wholeheartedly agree with into power then to prevent a party you strongly disagree with from coming to power.

"If you don't vote, you can't complain" still holds true IMO. If you did not vote for an alternative to that party then you can't complain when that party comes to power and implements them.
 
If you don't vote your vote goes for the majority party by default(Statistically speaking). I also believe it is your right not to vote but "If you don't vote, you can't complain". Unless you are starting a new movement where you are going to change South Africa without voting.

Regards,
 
Less votes for the ANC == a higher percentage of votes for the opposition. WTF is Zille complaining for? Besides, he doesn't have to vote if he doesn't want to.
 
i dont think the not voting is realy the problem, it more the fact that the arch B is a very influential figure, and in our "young democracy" its not a good idea for him to be influencing ppl to not vote.
 
Hopefully Tutu will explain why he will not vote for the other parties.

EDIT: I think Tutu like many "struggle" icons believes the ANC are the divine rulers of S.A. If you don't like the way the country is being run you don't remove the ANC from power you change the leadership of the ANC . One party state. After all that was the purpose for the struggle.
 
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alanf85 said:
http://www.capeargus.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4655322

Seems even Tutu thinks S.A is a one party state :o. Somebody needs to explain to the old man what democracy actually is
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Shocking. Its his right to choose not to vote but IMO in his position its a dangerous statement to make because the implication is ANC or nothing. Whether that's what he meant or not that's how its likely to be interpreted.

EtienneK said:
Nope. Not true. There are lots of healthy democratic states where voting is mandatory.
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Like Australia IIRC.
 
blunomore said:
And about your statement "Well if no party is worthy of your vote perhaps you should consider starting your own ", that is even more crap ! I trust you are aware that most people have actual careers, for which they were educated and in which they excel. Why would I want to leave my day job and form a party? How ridiculous. I have no political ambitions, no-one will force me into it and if the parties on the ballot paper are all mediocre, I refrain from supporting them.
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Agreed.

Was thinking about this earlier - I have a job which I really enjoy and which pays well (enough). Why should I start a political party which a) I wouldn't enjoy, b) wouldn't be very good at and c) wouldn't pay my bills - just because the current bunch of politicians are more interested in looking after themselves than me?
 
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