Abstract
The idea of democracy is a curious oneand puzzling. There is reason for this;everyone talks about democracy no matter whether their views are on the left, centreor right of the political spectrum. Various politicians, regimes, whether in Africa, Europe or America claim to be democratic;yet what each says and does is usuallydifferent. Democracy as a practice is supposed to bestow rules, laws and decisions that are justifiable on democraticgrounds. Democracy also has evolved through social struggles. This article examines the practice of democracy withinthe context of local government in South Africa, and is an attempt to explore the concept of democracy without escaping other historical aspects of the idea and practice. From a methodological standpoint, this article is based on a literature assessment. Lastly and most importantly, this paper has made a scholarly contribution to the scholarship of Political Science and Public Administration with regard to the nexus between democracy and public participation at local government level in South Africa.
Highlights
Democracy is a system of a government based on the following key ideals: Citizens are free to choose, check and replace their leaders, the active participation of the citizen in politics and civic life, protection of the human rights of citizen, and a rule of law, in which the law is procedure to all citizens.In furtherance to this, democracy is often defined as an opposite of other types of government:(Mekoa & Breakfast, 2011:1)
The concept of democracy has evolved since its inception in the middle of the fifth and fourth century denoting the political system that existed in some Greek City-States
Ward Committees are not the only vehicle for public participation, they provide a structured model for public participation
Summary
Democracy is a system of a government based on the following key ideals: Citizens are free to choose, check and replace their leaders, the active participation of the citizen in politics and civic life, protection of the human rights of citizen, and a rule of law, in which the law is procedure to all citizens. Participatory Democracy in Theory and Practice: A Case Study of Local Govt in South Africa 33
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