South Africa Confronts Israel and Its Own Democracy

Matter of Opinion

New York Times Opinion

Society & Culture, Ross Douthat, News, New York Times, Journalism

4.2 • 7.2K Ratings

🗓️ 2 June 2024

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In a special intercontinental episode, Lydia Polgreen reports from South Africa as the country challenges Israel for its attack on Rafah in southern Gaza. The post-apartheid nation has emerged as a critical leader and a moral voice in some (but not all) superpower struggles. Yet back at home, South Africa’s 30 years of multiracial democracy is undergoing major political upheaval. What does the nation’s recent election offer young nations hoping for postcolonialist democracy? Lydia opens her reporter’s notebook and explores these questions with the South African journalist William Shoki and her editor, Max Strasser.

Transcript

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0:00.0	From New York Times opinion, I'm Lydia Polgreen, and this is a matter of opinion, South Africa
0:06.7	edition.
0:07.7	That's right, I'm going rogue.
0:11.5	So... Rogue. So over the past 10 days I've been reporting from South Africa, which just had a big election.
0:19.3	But that's not the only reason that South Africa has been in the news.
0:22.2	We've also been talking about South Africa has been in the news.
0:22.5	We've also been talking about South Africa because of its advocacy for Palestinians.
0:27.1	And I've been thinking a lot about the meaning of South Africa for the world 30 years after the
0:31.2	end of apartheid. So we're trying to think different today.
0:34.0	Instead of chatting with my co-hosts, I've enlisted two other guests who've been a crucial part of my reporting.
0:39.0	One of them is Will Shoki, who's in studio with me here in Cape Town. He's the editor-in-chief of one of my
0:44.7	my favorite magazines, one that has shaped a lot of my thinking, it's called Africa's a country.
0:49.7	Hi Will. Hi, Lydia. And my editor, Max Strasser, is joining us from New York.
0:54.2	He's going to be asking us lots and lots of questions.
0:56.7	Hi Max.
0:57.6	Hi, Lydia.
0:58.2	Hi, I will.
1:00.8	All right, Max, I'm going to hand the baton over to you.
1:03.4	Let's talk.
1:05.0	So one thing you didn't mention, Lydia, is that you have been in South Africa before, of course.
1:09.5	You were the Bureau Chief for the New York Times from 2011 to 2014 and so this is your first time
1:15.5	back on a reporting trip since then and I'm really curious what your impressions
	...

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