South Africa needs political courage, a change. A change for the better to steer away from the ill-informed direction we are bearing on at the moment. This is exemplified by, but not limited to the Protection of Information Bill, “proposed” media tribunal, lack of service delivery, abuse of taxpayers’ money by the politically connected.
This nation deserves political courage! The best definition of political courage I can think of if we are to avert another Zimbabwe and a “banana republic” is expressed in a quote by John F Kennedy. The courage displayed by the ilk of FW and Madiba I will not reference as it is a given.
“In whatever arena of life one may meet the challenge of courage, whatever may be the sacrifices he faces if he follows his conscience — the loss of his friends, his fortune, his contentment, even the esteem of his fellow men — each man must decide for himself the course he will follow.” John F Kennedy
This is what I would like President Zuma to exhibit. It is easy for me to say this in a blog post as I do not face the backlash he might face. I would contend though that this great nation of ours deserves better, much better than what we’re getting at the moment.
He could show his political grit by coming out openly, not speaking with forked tongue as the bearer of the highest office in the nation. Tell the nation that the Protection of Information Bill will not see the light of day. He can in the same breath, once and for all, ensure this stupid media tribunal “proposal” is not even tabled for discussion at the forthcoming ANC national general council. Either the ANC is going to put the tribunal to rest or confirm it will happen. Many structures across the country representing the ANC continue to say the media needs regulating.
Zuma could, as the president, put the interests of the nation ahead of those of the ANC. He should be serving the nation and not the organisation. He could come out and admit that the people of this nation deserve to read, hear or see how their tax money is being used by public servants to enrich themselves. This would be the president showing political courage. With the economy needing more than a boost and more funding to ensure true service delivery, he could say that there would be an across-the-board 20% salary cut starting with Cabinet members and the MECs. This would be political courage.
He would lose many friends as a result, but this would be a sacrifice worth making as it would be in the interest of the nation, not the political hacks and connected few. He might as a result also face the ire of the ANCYL, thus ensuring he perhaps gets recalled or does not see a second term. This political courage would ensure he sets us back on track and reinforce that as a nation we deserve better. He might also lose his fortunes, but it would be for the better.
He could further admit that perception reflects the truth and that most BEE initiatives benefit the politically connected and should therefore be reviewed to ensure more people benefit. He could put together a panel of legal scholars to draw up a bill that would ensure that if you have held political office, you must wait 10 years before you can engage in business with the government. That those who hold high political office in any organisation cannot directly, through family or third parties engage in business with any office of the government. There would be argument that this would deprive people the ability to earn. To this argument I contend that if you want to serve the people of South Africa, this should be your goal. The mere fact that you can influence the tender process means you need to decide on one of the two.
It would be a wonderful thing if the president, as the head of state and president of the ANC, would cancel the idea of ANC political schools. They have never been a success and should be scrapped. Good examples of this failure are not even a century old: the former USSR, German Democratic Republic and China. Political schools have no other objective but to brainwash. We need an educated electorate and not political dogma and party followers. It would be a great idea to take those funds and direct them towards the education of the young.
In a country that had its first democratic election in 1994, the president might also encourage the notion of unity. Differing ideas shared openly is what makes democracy work. It’s high time we stop using language that entrenches racial barriers and complaints of the past and start building a nation for the future.
President Zuma in my humble opinion is content with the status quo. He couldn’t possibly not know that people live in sub-standard conditions. There was a report that he was close to tears when he saw the conditions that some people live in on a daily basis. If this is the case, why would he allow ministers to continue to abuse taxpayers’ money and live in extreme luxury? How can you “feel” for the people and not speak out? Why do you not come out openly against the graft? Being a minister comes with benefits but just because you can does not mean you should. This would be a display of political courage.
These actions, though small, would leave Zuma in political limbo but would be for the greater good of this nation. This would be a sacrifice definitely deserving of the people of this country. This would be political courage.
Don’t hold your breath.
And risk his career and corporate empire? I don’t think so. He simply doesn’t care.
It is sad to see someone like JZ who was prepared to sacrifice his life during the struggles against Apartheid unwilling to sacrifice any BEE or ZEE links or benefits.
Very well said. I guess to have a president with courage we need an electorate that have the courage to ask for these things. May your article be the start of a landslide to a more democratic electorate and eventually an honourable and courageous president.
I suppose political courage means doing what you and your fellow travellers want him to do. Unfortunately for you South Africa is a democracy(despite what you believe), Zuma was elected, so he can’t just do whatever he chooses. He is compelled to consult and pick the brains of his cabinet on any matter. No president or prime minister in the world take decisions on their own. And yet our first world people in South Africa want the president to dictate to the electorate. Surely you can’t hate Mugabe and insist that Zuma should behave like him.
Amen brother, Lucky Ntuli.
We need vision, courage, new leadership, a new ethos, a new spirit in the land. The vision is dull, the water is polluted, the air is smoky, we are not sure who is really in charge and what their vision is.
I call on all South Africans to share the phrase Yiza Moya. A call for renewal of spirit in the land. Yiza Moya!
@Sipho, nobody id elected in SA because the people vote for the party and not the person. If the people had voted for the president in SA the ANC could not have recalled president Mbeki. Democracy means government by the people and for the people. The people have no voice in the government in SA because they can’t even elect the mayors of their cities or the province premiers. The members of parliament are not elected by the party and many of them are absent most of the times. The members of parliament are supposed to be the voice of the people but, the lady who is head of the defense department refused to appear in parliament and nothing happen to her. In a real democracy this lady would have been held for contempt of parliament but, in SA this behavior is acceptable.
Lucky Ntuli, what are the chances that you’ve been brain washed yourself. Brain washing is not a monopoly of an ANC political school. Your knowledge of BEE and its beneficiaries is limited to what the media feeds you. For instance you seem not aware of the debt that accompanies a BEE stake. When the media shouts “Lucky Ntuli gets a 1% stake of Arcelor Metal” you don’t bother about the details involved, you just run with the story, thinking its factual in all respect. Lucky please tell us one thing tyhat Zuma needs to do to improve the lives of the people. You obviously haven’t noticed nor benefited from the infrastructure in your township.
The question needs to be asked? Is the ANC in government to serve themselves or to serve the people? We know the answer to this so its all about power and nothing else so don’t expect Zuma to rock any boats at all. Deny all, promise all and plunder all. This will not be upset by upsetting anybody by doing what needs to be done. As Malema makes his way to the Presidency of the country we all look on in dismay at what is to come. Perhaps we can export lots of bananas?
@Fergie, what you’re saying is false. The fact is any party that contests elections put forward their presidential candidate. The face that you see on the elections posters is the face of the person who’ll become president when the party wins. You can’t honestly say that those who voted ANC never knew who was to become the president.I wonder what makes real democracy or does it exist anywhere in the world. People run from the socalled real democracies to subject themselves to fake democracy in third world countries. What could be the reason?
@Sipho,
Last I checked, I still see shacks at Mofolo, Emndeni, Zola, Diepkloof, Ennerdale and outskirts (could go on and on). There is no running water, no toilets and no schools. At The Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital we still have serious issues.
@Peter Joffe. Can you also direct your concerns about self-serving on the captains of listed companies. In general, they spend as they please with public funds.You’ve got to see offices of life assurance companies in upmarket areas, cars parked in the executive parking space, share options, to realise that those in private sector are no angels either. Some listed companies also own helicopters.
But ask any guy or girl who bought an endownment policy 10 years ago what the returns have been over the years. You’d probably be disappointed. It has also become a norm for listed companies never to declare anything above R1 per share dividends.
@Sipho, the people didn’t vote for the president of SA or any officials in the government in SA. Unlike other democracies like Brazil or the US the parties run this country. In a real democracy the mayors would have been elected by the people and members of parliament would have been elected by the people. I would like to ask you a question who is the person that represent you in parliament and did you vote for that person? That person who is making decisions about your life doesn’t have to face the voters and can sell his votes to the highest bidder. Malema is running all over the country like he has been elected by the people to speak and make decisions for them. This is why the ANC wants to muzzle the media because the me=media is exposing their flaws. By the way I agree with you about the BEE deals they might not be gold as one might think. I can’t see people borrowing money to buy stock with interest and if the stock drops that person can lose their head.
@Sipho, the SA government needs to get people to investment in SA and that means creating a climate where people feel their investment will be safe. I was just watching a program on TV where companies were lining up to invest hundred of billion of dollars for the next ten years in China and how come SA is not getting some of those investment? The more investment that SA gets the more jobs will be created and the people can move themselves out of poverty. Cuba is getting ready to open that island to investments from overseas. SA is not alone out there and this country has to compete for investment. Lucky makes some very good point and the issues he raises should be discuss without name calling.
Sipho, I think you are hijacking the discussion to focus on a socialistic view of the world – party is more important than anything + capitalists steal money. The key to the article is the complete lack of action taken by the President, and his total cowardice, &/or complicity, in the face of all the well known issues that surround the “ruling party” in terms of incompetence, non-delivery and entrenched corruption right down to municipal level. If he really believed what he said post-Polokwane and pre-installation as President, or if he actually had intended to change the lives of ordinary people, then this article would not have been necessary. Defending the status quo does not cut it. Lucky is right.
I get the feeling that there are two “nations” emerging in SA. It is no longer the “white nation” and the “black nation” that Mbeki rightly identified in his time. That time is past. It is now a nation of progressive thinkers and a nation of traditional thinkers, a group of people who value opportuntiy vs. a group of control freaks. Or, simplifying matters, we live in two countries simultaneously: the wonderful country that hosted the SWC and the dictatorship that today’s leaders are trying to guide us towards.
Time is running out, and we are all in the valley of decision.
What Ntuli should have asked of the buffoon was that he “needs to show his willy”.
At least this is something he is good at and is known for.
@Andrew
My point is that if we accused the president of tolerating corruption in the public service we should not turn a blind eye to his tolerance of corruption in the private sector. In both instances poor people like me are the losers, when services are not delivered, pensions do not grow, proper due diligence is not done when investing our monies, insider trading takes place with impunity. You need to read NOSEWEEK to understand my point. Infact most corruption that happens in the public service ends up benefiting the private sector.There’s nothing socialist about asking for a balanced commentary.
@ Lucky
A point of correction: there are no shacks in Zola (make your point without giving incorrect information). It is not the role of the state to provide free things to people. The role of the state is to provide conditions that can enable people to earn an income and decide what to do with it.Why not escalate your argument and say Zuma has failed because the majority of people are still living in match box houses instead of mansions like those in Sandton?
@ Fergie
But then again Brazil and the USA do not have a constitution like ours. Would you prefer us to copy these two countries in every respect. You seem to deliberately refuse to accept that Zuma campaigned for the ANC and won the elections. You seem to be nursing a feeling that if Zuma was contesting the presidency with Ms Zille, Rev. Meshoe, Ms De Lille, Rev. Dandala, he would have lost to one of them. I think that’s just far fetched.
@Sipho,
At the risk of being silly which this blog is not about. What do you call that which is between the Zola bottle store and the coal yard? What do you call that which is between Emndeni North outskirts and Zola?
Having read this blog what do you take away from it and when you read the second last paragraph, what do you think it is saying?