Since Adolf Hitler abused the democratic process to come to power and proceeded to wipe out all opposition, many a tyrant has taken advantage of the voting power of the easily manipulated and intimidated masses to stay in power.

Turkey’s Recep Tayip Erdogan has recently joined the ranks of such tyrants , and this week’s local elections in which his long-ruling  party  managed to capture about 46% of the vote- hardly a majority, but enough to claim a public mandate for his tyranny, and to control the country’s two largest city council’s of Istanbul and Ankara, are truly an example of democracy’s Achilles-heel.

That a leader who threatens to destroy his opponents, imprisons more journalists than any other country in the world including China, and even bans Twitter and Utube to prevent people spreading reports of his corruption, can do so well in an election, truly reminds one of the famous words of Sir Winston Churchill: “The greatest argument against democracy is a 5 minute conversation with the average voter!”

dare I guess the same will apply in South Africa this May?

yet what can one do? there is no better system currently available….