To the Brink: The State of Democracy in South Africa

by Xolela Mangcu

Xolela Mangcu is well known for incisive social commentary that characterizes his regular newspaper columns. In To the Brink, Mangcu turns his focus to the state of South Africa's evolving democracy. From policy controversies surrounding HIV/AIDS, Zimbabwe, corruption, and the constant labeling of black critics as 'foot lickers' of the white man, no relevant issues escape his analysis of the racial insider/outsider dynamic that has evolved under President Thabo Mbeki's rule. Drawing on the intellectual history of the Eastern Cape as well as his own life experiences, Mangcu contrasts damaging racial exclusivity with the adaptation, renewal, and tolerance that has characterized the best traditions of South Africa's liberation movements. He discusses how black and white people could build a joint culture and, additionally, he examines the African National Congress' choice of president and its implications for the future of democracy in South Africa.

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 10, 2008

About the author

Xolela Mangcu is the executive chairman of the Platform for Public Deliberation, a think tank that promotes open dialogue on political, cultural, and economic matters affecting South Africa. He is the author of Visions of Black Economic Empowerment and To the Brink: The State of Democracy in South Africa.

Reviews

[Gadifele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives good insight into the tragedy of Thabo Mbeki...

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

a scathing post-mortem assessment of Thabo Mbeki’s decade or so in power, good for anyone wanting to understand that era of South African history