I cannot defend Zuma's decisions anymore

By Mpho Buntse

It saddens me to find myself in a position where I’m questioning my loyalty to the ruling party. I’m willing to be seen as a sell-out by my fellow comrades, I’m failing to even defend the decisions taken by the president anymore. These past few years, particularly under the leadership of President Jacob Zuma we’ve seen a totally different ANC. An ANC that forgot about the people and this can never be correct because the ANC that I know champions the interests of its constituency.

Growing up in South Africa at a time when the ANC had just assumed office convinced me that oppression is finally over and that we’ve realised the dream of the great stalwarts. I did not live to experience the tragedy of apartheid like Oliver Tambo, Chris Hani, Nelson Mandela, Solomon Mahlangu and many others who sacrificed themselves did but I know that this is not the democratic South Africa they envisioned when they fought for freedom.

Our Constitution is viewed by many as one of the most progressive in the world. It was founded on the principle of a free and just society, as such I believe that as an active custodian of this Constitution it is my duty to defend it. Defending the president’s mediocrity simply means that I am failing the legacy of Tambo, Hani, Mandela and Mahlangu. Under Zuma’s leadership we continue to live with gender, class inequality and a complete lack of accountability.

The ANC played a crucial role at a time when black thought and action was excluded and oppressed, it advocated for an inclusive government of the people as the Freedom Charter stated “The people shall govern”. In addition to this is an important and notable provision stating that “All people shall be entitled to take part in the administration of the country”. Let us be frank my fellow cadres, this stipulation and many aspects of our Constitution have no meaning and bearing anymore. Oversight work in Parliament is at a snail’s pace due to disregarding decorum by the opposition and the ruling party. We are seeing an all-time high when it comes to service-delivery protests and the country is losing investors. This demonstrates a state in a fiasco, a state losing control of its affairs due to reckless decisions taken by the ANC.

ANC leaders and members continue to turn a blind eye to the fact that not only are they losing members and following, but that they’ve deviated from the core mandate and principles of the ANC pre-democracy. Under Msholozi’s leadership we’ve seen a dramatic explosion in factionalism within the politics of the ANC. This has been demonstrated through former leaders and stalwarts criticising the status quo and state of affairs.

I’m not the one to be playing the blame game. I endorsed and voted for Zuma at a time when I believed he is the kind of leader the ANC ought to deploy as per the leadership criteria document known as “Through the eye of a needle”. This is a beautiful document that, when observed from the periphery, warrants for Zuma to be recalled from office. The people of South Africa have lost confidence and this affects the entire Mass Democratic Movement and allies.

Let me be as frank and critical as I can be, if the ANC is to regain the confidence of the South African people (including my grandmother’s who’s been voting for the ANC since the first democratic elections but now switches the television off when she sees Zuma’s face) the party should recall the president.

I am not going to point out the obvious and massive errors under Zuma’s leadership but I will be vocal in that the dignity and regard of our Constitution is under siege and this is the right time for us as friends, supporters, members and followers of the ANC to be critical about the disastrous state of affairs in South Africa and the ANC.

Mpho Buntse is a social commentator, new media enthusiast, LGBTI activist and journalist.