Podcasts · Government

Just Access: The Real Democracy

PARI (The Public Affairs Research Institute)

16 episodes

Just Access: The Real Democracy is a podcast from PARI (Public Affairs Research Institute) examining South Africa’s democracy through the institutions, services and decisions that shape everyday life.

More about the show

In this new series, PARI researchers and guests explore the major questions surrounding local government and the municipal elections — from service delivery, land, water and electricity to state capacity, public participation, youth engagement and coalition government.

Previous episodes of Just Access: The Real Transition, exploring South Africa’s Just Transition through the lens of access, remain available in this feed.

Episodes

  1. Just Access: The Real Democracy - Episode 4: Can the State Deliver the Promise?

    · 31 min · S2 E4

    What needs to happen inside a municipality for a political promise to become a working service? Host Tasneem Essop speaks with PARI’s Sithembile Mbete, Waseem Holland and Sarah Meny-Gibert about the people, systems and…

  2. Just Access: The Real Democracy - Episode 3: Water, Power and the Just Transition

    · 31 min · S2 E3

    Talking to Tracy Ledger and Jugal Mahabir, this episode does a deep dive into water, electricity, affordability, free basic services, alternative energy and municipal infrastructure. It examines what affects municipal…

  3. Just Access: The Real Democracy - Episode 2: Whose Land, Whose Decision?

    · 31 min · S2 E2

    Who decides how land is used, whose rights are recognised, and who benefits from development? Host Tasneem Essop speaks with PARI researchers Gaynor Paradza, Daniel Sher and Federica Duca about how municipal land…

  4. Just Access: The Real Democracy - Episode 1: What Is Really at Stake in the Local Government Elections?

    · 32 min · S2 E1

    What can voters expect from a new council when the problems it inherits have been building for years? Host Tasneem Essop speaks with PARI researchers Sithembile Mbete, Kate Tissington and Jugal Mahabir about the…

  5. Introducing Just Access: The Real Democracy

    · 5:29

    Just Access returns with The Real Democracy, a new PARI series exploring the major issues shaping South Africa’s 2026 local government elections. In this introduction, Dr Sithembile Mbete explains special voting and…

  6. Just Access: The Real Transition - Episode 10: The Politics of Access

    · 25 min · S1 E10

    Just Access: The Real Transition is a 10-part podcast series from PARI (the Public Affairs Research Institute) exploring what a truly just transition means for South Africa, not only in energy policy, but in access to…

  7. Just Access: The Real Transition - Bonus Episode

    · 17 min · Bonus

    Just Access: The Real Transition is a 10-part podcast series from PARI (the Public Affairs Research Institute) exploring what a truly just transition means for South Africa, not only in energy policy, but in access to…

  8. Just Access: The Real Transition - Episode 9: Beyond Green Growth

    · 22 min

    Just Access: The Real Transition is a 10-part podcast series from PARI (the Public Affairs Research Institute) exploring what a truly just transition means for South Africa, not only in energy policy, but in access to…

  9. Just Access: The Real Transition - Episode 8: Building Accountability

    · 24 min · S1 E8

    Just Access: The Real Transition is a 10-part podcast series from PARI (the Public Affairs Research Institute) exploring what a truly just transition means for South Africa, not only in energy policy, but in access to…

  10. Just Access: The Real Transition - Episode 7: Designing Justice

    · 19 min · S1 E7

    Just Access: The Real Transition is a 10-part podcast series from PARI (the Public Affairs Research Institute) exploring what a truly just transition means for South Africa, not only in energy policy, but in access to…

  11. Just Access: The Real Transition - Episode 6: From Below

    · 14 min · S1 E6

    Just Access: The Real Transition is a 10-part podcast series from PARI (the Public Affairs Research Institute) exploring what a truly just transition means for South Africa, not only in energy policy, but in access to…

  12. Just Access: The Real Transition - Episode 5: State Of Transition

    · 31 min · S1 E5

    Just Access: The Real Transition is a 10-part podcast series from PARI (the Public Affairs Research Institute) exploring what a truly just transition means for South Africa - not only in energy policy, but in access to…

  13. Just Access: The Real Transition - Episode 4: Governing the Ground

    · 15 min · S1 E4

    Just Access: The Real Transition is a 10-part podcast series from PARI (the Public Affairs Research Institute) exploring what a truly just transition means for South Africa — not only in energy policy, but in access to…

  14. Just Access: The Real Transition - Episode 3: Whose Land Powers the Transition?

    · 24 min · S1 E3

    Just Access: The Real Transition is a 10-part podcast series from PARI (the Public Affairs Research Institute) exploring what a truly just transition means for South Africa — not only in energy policy, but in access to…

  15. Just Access: The Real Transition - Episode 2: Rationed Rights

    · 13 min · S1 E2

    Just Access: The Real Transition is a 10-part podcast series from PARI (the Public Affairs Research Institute) exploring what a truly just transition means for South Africa — not only in energy policy, but in access to…

  16. Just Access: The Real Transition - Episode 1: Access and Affordability

    · 21 min · S1 E1

    Just Access: The Real Transition is a 10-part podcast series from PARI (the Public Affairs Research Institute) exploring what a truly just transition means for South Africa — not only in energy policy, but in access to…

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