Jaco Roets

Jaco has ten years experience working with civil society, business and government. His key interest lies in deepening democracy, especially in emerging democracies or in post-conflict societies. He has international experience managing and designing strategic civil society and health interventions.  His own research looks at the role of boundary-spanning organisations and individuals that connect the socio-political fabric, allowing for more engagement and representation for groups that are traditionally excluded or marginalised. He has also explored these connections within urban spaces, particularly in terms of how residents in dense urban centers relate to each other, landlords and the city council. He holds a Master's Degree in Public and Development Management cum laude from the University of the Witwatersrand and consults with NGOs working in the HIV/Aids sphere, assisting with strategic planning, budgeting and monitoring and evaluation.

Democracy is not a spectator sport

The past decade should remind South Africans that democracy does not always work the way that it should. Democracy remains elusive, it doesn’t simply…