Dr. Sithembile Mbete-Academic, Teacher and Political Commentator

Dr. Mbete lectures in politics at the University of Pretoria. She is also a Democracy Works Fellow.

The subject of her Doctorate is South Africa's  first two terms on the UN Security Council in2007/8 and 2011/12.

So we chatted quite a bit about South Africa on the global and regional stages, but also touched on the state of our parliament, the government and the parliamentary parties as we approach the May 8 general election.

Sithembile points out the weakness of the political parties but acknowledges that the checks and balances in our parliamentary system do work. At the same time she says our democratic structures should be supported by community activism, a strong civil society and a functioning state bureaucracy.