Episode 66 - DOES THE CONSTITUTION CONTAIN THE RIGHT VISION FOR AN IDEAL SOUTH AFRICA?

Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh and I jointly hosted each other in a fun,
experimental set-up where I appeared on his fantastic YouTube
channel, and that in turn served also as the recording of this
episode of In The Ring. 

We explored two framing questions about the constitution: first,
is the vision for the country that is contained in the
constitution the right vision for an ideal South Africa?
Secondly, would changes to the constitutional text make any
difference in helping us achieve a more just South Africa?

These proved to be complex questions that gave rise to some
consensus but also much disagreement, which we teased out. We
have different views about how to read the constitution, and
different views about the actual vision as expressed within the
constitution.

Along the way we debated whether the drafters of the
constitutional text were bold and explicit enough about what a
racially just society looks like.

The discussion about modifying the constitutional text also gave
rise to interesting dialogue. I am deeply sceptical about the
extent to which a differently crafted constitution - or a
modified version of the current text - could help us overcome our
governance weaknesses within the state. Sizwe in turn tried to
persuade me that there could be some important causal effects
that may flow from radically rethinking what the constitution
says. 

Who was more persuasive? Or is the quasi-equilibrium note we
ended on the most reasonable view to take (for now)?

You be the judge. Enjoy this episode. Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE
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