Meeting of Zille, Cope, ID and UDM is the way forward

Whether the “vehicle” with which to challenge the ANC’s supremacy emerges sooner rather than later from the secret meetings held between the parties set out in the heading above is not the crucial issue but rather the fact that they recognise the need for it. Independently they can win many battles but the war will always remain beyond them.

In the lead up to the election I was highly complimentary of the way Helen Zille — South Africa’s Maggie Thatcher — roused her troops to the conflict that was taking place with what is becoming “the old enemy”, the ANC. Her efforts, as well as those of her party, were not left unrewarded as the DA put on an amazing showing to eclipse all its performances that had gone before.

One problem remained — the fact that dynamic and substantial black leadership was missing from the party.

Cope in its turn made a dramatic entry into the political landscape and landed up returning a very promising result from its electoral debut. Leadership crisis, lack of a fixed direction and failure to put daylight between its policies and that of the ANC, however, made its future appear somewhat sketchy. In addition the fact that it is, after all, in its infancy meant that structural growing pains and a goodly measure of infighting are beginning to manifest. There is no tradition or history to fall back on for guidance.

Of course there are also suggestions that Cope was merely the anti-Zuma without any real direction should that issue fall away.

The Independent Democrats and United Democratic Party on the other hand are two parties blessed with fabulous leaders in Patricia de Lille and Bantu Holomisa but facing ever-shrinking constituencies that need to find a more substantial home if they aren’t to simply fade away.

If these parties are able to merge with Cope and the DA then they would contribute not only leadership and direction but inroads into constituencies that the larger parties have struggled with in the past.

A materially unified opposition will go a long way to resolving the problems that each encounters as individual entities leaving the country will have a very substantial party with the capacity to challenge and even beat the ruling party.

It will have the infrastructure, direction and leadership of the DA married to the black leadership and constituencies of Cope and the other parties.

Significantly it will be able to throw down a direct challenge to the ANC as soon as its promise of service delivery and uplifting the poor has had a chance to run a few more miles.

Indeed it would be interesting to hear the ANC explain how it continues to allow its allies to run rampage at its own expense and that of the people of this country.

As I have said previously our new president could have better support from the alliance partners so soon after assuming office. As things stand they keep assuring us all that these mistimed strikes and their ill-disciplined rhetoric is in favour of the country and the ANC.

It’s not.

In the interest of South Africa a unification of the larger opposition parties along these lines is to be welcomed and encouraged. It will send a message to the alliance partners that the ANC is expected to govern effectively or it could be in danger of becoming the opposition come the next election. That could result in the ANC clamping down on militancy and alliance partners who put their interests before the ANC and the country.

Cosatu may have 2 million members but none of them are accompanied by a monitor to ensure who they vote for come election day. Who knows how many vote for the ANC on election day?

Protests by the jobless, homeless and those who aren’t receiving service delivery demonstrates clearly that that constituency dwarfs labour by millions. These strikes are hampering President Zuma and the government in their efforts to deliver to these people as well as removing money from the table which could be used for creating jobs. Accordingly how much longer the government will be prepared to alienate this massive group in order to placate labour, time will tell.

So too it will be interesting to see much longer wealth killing and opportunity cost is allowed from the ANCYL who only appear to open their mouths to change feet.

Indeed we are a democracy and of course everyone must be allowed to speak their minds. What, however, do you do with an employee who strips naked and runs around the office on the day your bank manager arrives?

While you may enjoy the performance and like the individual concerned you will fire them and tell them to go and exercise their rights somewhere else where it doesn’t damage your company.

If the super-opposition party comes into being it will not only give South Africans real choice but will leave the ANC with no other choice but to bring the party into line and the passengers shown the door.

Never a bad thing.