Nobel Laureate and Founder of The Climate Reality Project, Al Gore once said that in order to solve climate change, first we have to fix democracy – and while we elect our representatives on voting day, our input doesn’t just end there.

But how many of us in South Africa actually know who our representatives are, how they work, and how we can (and should!) engage them on issues that affect our communities?

Tune in to The People’s Fix, the three part podcast mini-series with DJ Fikile ‘Fix’ Moeti and get more clued up on our rights, find out how to participate in the decisions that affect our future, and how we can hold our elected representatives to account.

Let’s be active citizens!

Episode list:

1. Legislatures 101:

The first episode is all about getting to know what National Parliament and Provincial Legislatures are, how they work, what powers they have in governance of South Africa, and how we, the people can engage them.

2. Public Participation – More than a tick-box exercise:

This episode zooms in on South African civil society that is already engaging our elected representatives; from South Durban and Lephalale’s toxic air, to the Vaal triangle’s water pollution and the Western Cape without water, this episode has a story from every corner of the country. We look at how public participation processes are currently working in South Africa (Spoiler alert: not very well), and what can be done to improve citizens’ participation in decision-making processes.

3. Follow the Money:

Aside from watching the budget speech and sending in your #TipsForTito, there is a lot more that you can do to influence where and what taxpayer money goes to. In this episode, we talk all about budgets: what the budget process is, what role the Legislature plays, and how you can both influence and monitor the budget through the workings of your elected representatives.

4. The climate crisis in Mzansi – how bad is it?:

In this episode, hosted by Nicole Rodel from African Climate Reality Project, we cover the science and impacts of the global climate crisis – and what it means for Mzansi. South Africa’s greenhouse gas emissions are the fourteenth highest in the world – making the country a carbon criminal. Nicole from African Climate Reality Project, together with civil society on the frontlines of climate and environmental injustice, explore how the climate crisis is connected to the socio-economic issues that many South Africans are faced with today – and what we can do to solve it.

5. The climate crisis in Mzansi – will we change?

You can make the difference really, and truly, in determining whether or not we are all successful in solving the climate crisis. In this episode, Nicole from African Climate Reality Project, together with civil society on the frontlines of climate and environmental injustice, cover the solutions to the climate crisis – and how solving the climate crisis can also solve the socio-economic challenges and injustices that many South Africans are faced with today. Tune in and find out how you can use your voice, your choices, and your votes to fight for our future, fight for our communities, fight for our world. Let’s be active citizens!