The launch took place on the 21st of February 2023. The Podcast Party (the newest active citizenship innovation) is a non-political party that aims to leverage the power of content by addressing voter apathy, while empowering South Africans with crucial knowledge ahead of the 2024 General elections. The Podcast Party is part of the One on One Productions (Pty) Ltd.
Jack Motlanthe, the Podcast Party programme manager expressed his excitement at the idea of reaching to the masses in the country.
“So many people don’t seem to know who to vote for anymore. Podcast Party is poised to become the go-to destination for those seeking informed and engaging dialogue not only for democracy but life in general.”
South Africa is like that one child that needs immediate help and they do receive the help they need to survive. However, the government acts the role of the parents that will do anything to sabotage the help South Africa initially received; the government takes South Africa back to a house that is detrimental to their growth and livelihood.
In the end, South Africa gets worse, jobs are available, but not to people who don’t know people in places. Higher education institutions are always facing one problem or the other- it has almost become tradition at this point. The cherry on top is that the parents offer (threatens) the child money (the infamous social grant) so that the parent can always be in the child’s life. Some people call that toxic love and some children have come to accept the toxic love because they need the money to survive.
The question that needs to be asked is ‘have people become so numb to the toxic love that they are willing to jeopardise their future and their children’s future because of a pocket money? Are they going to vote again for a government that prey on their lack of education?
The Podcast Party premiered with the episode “Democracy Unplugged”, a special episode with a live audience. Democracy Unplugged officially marked the launch of the party. The shows will feature Penuel The Black Pen, Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh and Mighti Jamie. Future episodes will include both local as well as international panellists.
The country’s socio-economic issue is a double-edged sword issue because no matter what government leads the country, they won’t magically undo all the damage that has been done in the last 3 decades. At this point, the damage is beyond repair to the point were waiting for a new world to start is more comforting than waiting for a group of people in power to ‘supposedly’ turn the country into a well-oiled machine.
It is extremely important that the citizens of South Africa go back to the drawing board and really decipher the meaning of ‘democracy.’ Does democracy only benefit the rich and powerful or do the disadvantaged and marginalised people also have a say. Is the word thrown around because those in power like the sound of it?
At the end of the day, this government has a duty and obligation to lead real people that deal with real life problems that need real solutions. There is no reason for a country that can afford to build projects that costs billions to not give water and electricity to its people. Water and electricity are part of basic human rights and what the government is doing right now is violating those rights and according to law, that is a crime.
