As I was writing my preliminary draft for this post Helen Zille announced (PW, 26 Sept) the plans and purpose behind her appointment as the new Policy Fellow in the IRR: to "fight the battle of ideas".
Besides the formal terms of her appointment, Helen herself defined her mission more specifically as to "position the principles of classical liberalism where they belong: in the rational, pragmatic centre of South African politics."
I personally cannot think of anyone better suited to this task. And in the process of explaining her own programme she also serendipitously presented me with the an opportunity to define more succinctly the primary intent behind my column "From the Margins"* which I have also managed to whittle it down a mere 5 words, "to expand the idea space".
That deserves a brief justification though the proof, as always, will lie in the reading.
To explain my purpose let me tackle head-on one immediate criticism which could go something like this: "PW is a site already committed to the values and policies of a liberal democracy implemented within the unique historical and demographic setting of the Southern tip of Africa. It is our government's failure to implement these values with vigour, imagination and integrity which accounts for the predicament we find ourselves in."
"It is, therefore, your task to point this out using concrete data and to hold the ANC galaxy of cadres responsible for the unnecessary suffering they are inflicting on the peoples of this country. That should include presenting workable alternatives backed by convincing evidence to bring about change. You do not need anything as grandiose as the mission you have set yourself but rather simply join in the fight to rescue South Africa from those destroying our collective future."