Turning and turning. Exploring the complexities of South Africa's democracy

(Johannesburg: Picador Africa, 2018) 9781770105737. 234 x 157 mm; pictorial wrappers; pp. x + 326. Fine condition. "South Africans often are deeply polarised in our perspectives of the present and the past. Our 'ways of seeing' are fraught with division, and we fail to understand the complexities when we do not see what lies beneath the surface. There is no denying that the Jacob Zuma presidency took a significant toll on South Africa, exacerbating tensions and exposing the deep fractures that already exist in our society along the lines of race, class and even ethnicity. The Zuma years were marked by cases of corruption and state capture, unprecedented in their brazenness, and increased social protests - many of which were accompanied by violence - aggressive public discourse, lack of respect for reason and an often disturbing resistance to meaningful engagement. ... Combining analytical insight with personal observations and experience, February highlights the complex process of building a strong democratic society, and the difficulties of living in a constitutional democracy marked by soaring levels of inequality. There is a need to reflect on and learn from the country's democratic journey if citizens are to shape our democracy effectively and fulfill the promise of the Constitution for all South Africans." .