ANC versus Shikota: It's about dogs and poisons, stupid

While Terror Lekota and the dissidents (there’s the name for a rock group right there) kick off their national convention in Sandton, the ANC continues to refer to them unapologetically as dogs and a bunch of poisonous snakes; seemingly upgraded from the dead snake of a few weeks ago. Indeed there can no longer be any doubt that the ruling party is concerned about the damage that all of this is doing.

In my humble opinion this is the best thing that could ever have happened to the ANC and South Africa.

In terms of the country, policies rather than personalities are going to be the questions of the day, giving rise to an electorate being forced to focus on what the leaders are actually saying about them, rather than who shouts the loudest or beats their chests the hardest. Non-delivery and corruption will no longer be pointed out by the previously advantaged whites, but by comrades with impeccable struggle credentials.

Politics will be results driven as opposed to which peacock has the brightest feathers.

In terms of the ANC, it could not have come a day too soon. As a supporter of the party I, like many others, was opposed to the split, but was left in despair at the failure to deal with militancy, corruption and disunity within an organisation that had flourished when there was a purity brought about by a single purpose — i.e. ridding South Africa of apartheid — but this floundered before all the riches on the table.

In this act of division the ruling party will now have to get its house in order, and dare I say it, finally put to bed the notion that South Africa is the next Zimbabwe:

Firstly: The leadership issue now becomes critical. It can hardly be in the party’s favour to have a smorgasbord of weapons available to the opposition to throw at the ANC in the build up to the election. This means that not only must ANC president Jacob Zuma’s position be addressed properly, but the ANCYL and alliance partners must be warned that if they go off half-cocked they are endangering the party’s future. Militancy is the weapon of scoundrels who have no real answers to the questions being posed.

It will also allow the ANC to put to the opposition that the problems they are complaining about arose while they were the government of the day. The fact that they have changed the name of the party to which they owe loyalty doesn’t change the facts.

Secondly: The issues of the arms deals, corruption and Zimbabwe can now be tackled head on. In respect of the latter, president Motlanthe, by bringing matters to a head, could achieve what the ANC under former president Mbeki failed to do — force President Mugabe to stick to his word. This alone will lance the boil that is infecting the entire SADC.

In terms of the arms deal and corruption, the president could signal the beginning of accountability by firstly announcing the inquiry into this episode and secondly confirming that henceforth an independent civil service would replace deployment of cadres. In this, with Aids denialism already booted into touch, the current ANC would have addressed four major problems (disunity included) that the previous administration failed to come to terms with.

A previous administration that hopes to challenge the ANC as the new party — the irony of having an opposition which was the government of the day for the last two terms and throwing stones at “their own efforts” is breathtakingly cheeky in its construction. Although Mbeki hasn’t accepted any part in its design, the compliment paid to him by Helen Zille i.e. that he has a brilliant analytical mind, never leaves me.

Thirdly: The ANC leadership can now, with hand on heart, go out to its members and advise them that only those who show initiative, loyalty and discipline can henceforth be considered for leadership roles. The days of anything goes are over. If you threaten the party elders, drop your pants or disrespect the country you are out; the party no longer has the luxury of tolerating idiots.

In this exercise the real leaders of the ANC will emerge and those who resort to name-calling and threats brushed aside by an expectation of better things.

If the ANC has regard to what has happened to the Zanu-PF and Zimbabwe by being allowed to drift along, then it will realise that this challenge has come at exactly the right time. The support for the party is still overwhelming, but it needs proper direction, leadership and discipline. The country in turn will have an opposition that forces the ANC to keep producing its top game. Serve up the likes of Aids denialism, Eskom and Zimbabwe and ministers best start looking for jobs outside the party.

I hate the term but this is a win-win situation and South Africa’s future will be far brighter as a result of it.