Al-Qalam 
By Al Qalam Reporter
With elections just over a month away, Radio Islam International and the South African Muslim Network (SAMNET) have organised an interactive public debate involving a broad spectrum of politicians to go head to head with each other in Durban.
The debate will be held on Monday, April 8, at 8pm at the Mariam Bee Sultan Hall in Overport and everyone is invited.
Internationally acclaimed scholar and award winning presenter at Radio Islam International, Moulana Suleiman Ravat, will be moderating the event.
Representatives of various political parties have confirmed their participation in the debate. The candidates are ANC – Mike Mabuyakhulu; DA – Imran Keeka; EFF – Vusi Khoza; IFP – Mkhuleko Hlengwa and NFP – Happy Khuzwayo.
The floor will also be open to members of the public to ask questions and engage the panellists in a meaningful way.
An organiser told Al Qalam: “Voters have a lot to gain when attending a debate. In the era of multimillion-rand campaigns and slick political messaging, nothing beats the potential of old-school debates to reveal and humanise the men and women behind the glossy adverts and approved slogans.
“Muslims and Indians, in particular, as minorities in the country, have many concerns and may need answers to a variety of burning issues.
“Public debates are tremendously informative when candidates vying for the same important job stand (or sit) next to each other to answer questions, describe their policy differences. Unscripted forums offer a rare glimpse into candidates’ foundational character traits and temperament. They can also indicate how well a person might handle the unexpected challenges that arise once he or she is in office.”
