Civil society lacks financial clout to compete electorally, political culture shakeup can compensate

Civil society organisation Abahlali-Base Freedom Park community organiser Peter Monethe said on Thursday that although there is a growing and rapid decline in public trust in political parties, it is difficult for civil society organisations to compete against the visibility and reach of well-funded political machines in an electoral setting. Monethe was speaking during a roundtable discussion organised by Public Affairs Research Institute on the possibilities of civil society organisations contesting local government elections.