Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale has blamed councillors elected during former president Thabo Mbeki’s time as the reason for the latest wave of protests sweeping the country. He then goes on to suggest that it has to be the former government’s fault because this one has only been in power for three months.
Minister, this government has been in power since 1994.
Moreover it has always been the ANC’s strength that no single individual decides on policy — that is the work of the collective. It is down to the national conference and thereafter the NEC, guided thereby, to give direction. Accordingly to lay the blame, and worse to even name Mbeki as the problem is wholly unfair.
The problems experienced in this country right now are down to the same issues that have troubled us for a while now. During the height of the xenophobia riots I went in to speak to our people and asked them about the basis for their anger. I set it out in a series of articles but primarily in the first one which you can find here and here.
It certainly does not help the government and ruling party’s cause when almost immediately after the election of President Zuma a whole battery of crippling strikes are launched. Coming so soon after a bitter and hard-earned election victory and in the shadow of the xenophobia riots the utmost caution should have been exercised.
Vested interest overshadowed the interests of the government and country.
That these strikes set off or compounded the protests, there can be little doubt — that they were unfortunate and unhelpful in this global economic crisis is beyond question.
President Zuma has inherited many problems that were beyond the control of the previous administration of president Mbeki in terms of the financial meltdown. The way Mbeki’s government was structured and the role played by the ruling party cannot be in dispute. The current waves of violence are self-inflicted by people who don’t want to allow the president any breathing space and demand satisfaction now.
The problems of the people as I set out above are there and here, as in the case of xenophobia, they must be dealt with without being distracted by those with personal agendas.
It is time for ALL the members of the Alliance as well as all South Africans to start pulling together to help the masses of our country.
Cartoon: Tokyo Sexwale passes the buck
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