What happens when people stop waiting for government to fix things and decide to take matters into their own hands? That is the question Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi is putting on the table with his call for a Batho Pele Convention. In his recent proposal, he argues for a membership funded, self-sufficient movement focused on citizen agency, community action and rebuilding services from the ground up. It is an idea that connects closely with his work as a political thinker and researcher, including his book ‘Love and Violence: The Revolt Against Permanent Juniority’, which examines colonial violence, political identity and the experiences that shaped young people in the Vaal during the 1980s.
Ndlozi, who previously served in the National Assembly and held senior positions in the EFF, is now putting forward an argument that goes beyond elections and party politics. His proposal questions the role of political parties, funded activism and what he describes as a state that has abandoned many communities. So what exactly would a Batho Pele Convention look like, who would lead it and how would it work in practice? He joins us to further unpack