As you all know, THRU tries to ensure that human rights promotion is fun! And fun we had at the Pre-Polls Party on 13 April!

THRU was recently delighted to receive a donation from the popular R'n'B nightclub "169 on Long" for Human Rights Day on 21 March 2004.

As the club has always attracted a mixed crowd, we decided to host a special election promotions event within it's R'n'B pounding walls.

   
 

The event was held on 13 April, the eve of the third democratic election, and was immersed in "youth culture". James, the graffiti artist, painted as we danced. Stabani (the Xhosa word for moffie!), a gay white Kwaito artist played his new single entitled "Political Power".

 
SABC were there with a "huge camera" to interview and film us. Wilma from IDASA's Democracy Radio was thrown out of the "ladies" for trying to capture the voice of the youth from cross-legged women!
   The Public Education Department of Parliament provided lots of educational materials which we distributed to the clubbers as they left. I had expected to find Long Street strewn with these newsletters, pamphlets and booklets. But at 4am there was none to be seen! Everyone took them home to (look I'm an optimist!) read.
 

But my favourite thing of all had to be the huge cloth we asked everyone to write on. The cloth said "In the next decade of democracy I hope South Africa..." The clubbers had to finish the sentence.

They were inspiring!

  
There were several references to increased women's rights. "...elects a female President!", "...has more women in Parliament with power", "...sees more women articulate and fight for their needs" and a simple but powerful "women empowerment".
  Socio-economic rights also featured largely. "...can feed all its hungry and house all its indigent." "...has a roof, bread, running water for all its people." "Free AIDS Drugs" and "effectively tackles the legacy of HIV/AIDS. Almost all the messages in Xhosa mentioned HIV and Aids (and substantially more black voices than all other racial groups mentioned HIV and Aids). Princess from Guguletu told the ANC that they must give people houses.
 
Philosophical and ideological messages also found their way onto the cloth. "...removes racial classification from your mind as well as your constitution. Peace and Love" was the message from Australia. Robyn's offering, "...loves its children as much as its leaders, respects its elders and listens to its youth, appreciates its trees more than its factories," was one of the most poetic entries.
  
Of course, there were some more negative messages. "...stops raping its babies" was a particularly germane and powerful message. "If we were a democratic country, why aren't we getting the resources we vote for? We vote for promises. So what is the point of having a "democratic" government? Think before you vote!" Butl at least the latter author still bought into the purpose of the event and stressed the importance of participating in the electoral process.
  However, there were many, many more positive messages - "...realises that we are all in it for better or worse...let's realise the enormous potential this country has together." "...will grow to see our true potential." "...has true peace and prosperity". "...consolidates a truly South African nation." "...values its people about all else." And what must have been the most optimistic, but let's join with their sentiment in any event - "...eliminates poverty, HIV and achieves true economic freedom across the board."