The upheavals in South Africa's political arena in the past 18 months - most particularly the ousting of former President Thabo Mbeki from his position as leader of the ruling African National Congres (ANC) at the party's December 2007 Polokwane conference, his later removal from office as President of the country, and the subsequent and related emergence of new political party the Congress of the People (Cope) - could see the country moving into a more positive social and political landscape.

Professor Adam Habib, deputy vice-chancellor at the University of Johannesburg, explained at a talk on Thursday, that Polokwane had ushered in a new era of engagement with the poor and marginalised, which could begin to address some of the disappointments of previous democratic administrations.

Further, Habib contended that the emergence of Cope had the potential to structure opposition politics in South Africa along non racial lines. In addition, Habib expected that Cope had the potential, should it garner a substantial portion of the votes in the upcoming elections, to begin to hold the ANC accountable for its actions, and to force the ruling party to be responsive to the demands of its citizens, as its ongoing position as the ruling party would no longer be guaranteed.