ANC will be taken to the brink by revenge politics and manipulation

“For the past nine months we seem to have been held collectively hostage to the crude politics of revenge and manipulation. Our political discourse has been crude and divisive, not only from the ANCYL but also from the alliance partners. The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the South African Communist Party’s (SACP’s) Blade Nzimande, specifically, have been leading the charge, trying to convince the country that it needs a proverbial “saviour”, someone who, unlike President Thabo Mbeki, is able to connect with people and “listen” to them — a “working-class hero”, namely Zuma.” (Judith February — Business Day)

It is becoming clearer by the day, that regardless of whether we elect to adopt a political solution or stand firm on principles regarding the matter of Jacob Zuma’s prosecution, the country is going to become ungovernable sooner rather than later unless matters are taken in hand.

A constitutional democracy, which is what we are, restricts the powers of government in accordance with the limitations imposed in the document, by the framers thereof, as duly mandated by the people of South Africa. In order for that Constitution to fulfil its functions in respect of corruption and accountability, which are after all in the interests of all South Africans, it needs an independent judiciary and organs of state which operate without fear of reprisals from the government or ruling party.

Without doubt the government and then in reprisal, a faction within the ANC party and its allies, have used and then threatened respectively these organs of state in order to gain political advantage.

The one faction allegedly seeking to use the system to rid itself of a political rival, who in his turn together with his allies, attacked the various organs of state in trying to extricate himself from the same.

In order to bring about the pressure required to achieve this result the Zuma faction have allowed almost unlimited verbal attacks on the judiciary, NPA and other independent state bodies. The government in its turn has been lukewarm in defending them and ensuring that their independence is respected.

Should these “vehicles” of state become materially weakened by the ongoing factionalism and point’s scoring that we are witnessing, it begs the question of how the next government proposes to maintain law and order? Are they of the view that they will be able to convince the country that they are suddenly worthy of respect? Do as I say not as I do?

In addition, are the factions prepared to allow a movement, that struggled against racism and injustice for nearly a hundred years, to be reduced to a third of its former power because one faction needs the alliance partners to pressurise the state into abandoning the prosecution?

Is there nothing that these factions consider too high a price to pay in order to get their own back on each other?

And if politics based upon revenge are to continue can we to assume that while the Zuma faction is ruling, the Mbeki faction will be out there collecting the dirt? Preparing itself to make the next government as uncomfortable as they made the current one? What does that mean? Come election time — pick a faction?

As they destroy each and every pillar that this constitutional democracy is founded upon, from the judiciary to the freedom of expression, they are in effect putting guns against their own heads.

South Africans are not Zimbabweans and if this culture of non-delivery continues while politicians fight over who gets control of what, rather than giving consideration to serving the interest of the people of this country, then something has got to give sooner rather than later.

Those masses will not stand back indefinitely as we saw during the xenophobia riots. In addition to Zimbabwean exiles and the legacy of apartheid, they now have the added weight of a mass migration to the cities of around five million people. This will further intensify the fight for limited resources. If the situation in Zimbabwe is not resolved soon, those areas will begin to heat up very quickly.

At some point, sooner rather than later, these same politicians are going to need the institutions that they are undermining to try and restore order. Let’s hope they aren’t going to live to regret their current actions.

Because not only will the state bodies be weak but through their own conduct they will have encouraged people to simply ignore the government which they have been taught to distrust, the organs of state that are being rendered powerless and even the elders whose stature has been destroyed by breathtaking insolence.

Accordingly it does not matter whether they regard a political solution or not as the way forward; the time to start restoring a culture of respect is long overdue.

If they keep undermining everything upon which this democracy is based they will be hoisted by their own petard and like Zimbabwe be forced to resort to the only method of rule left open to them — calling in the army.

Wouldn’t it be ironic if it turned out that the government faction was not in control of the army on the day they try to call it out?

Best people stop inciting violence and start speaking with one voice.

And with respect.

Start today.