I truly thought I was dreaming when I listened to Helen Zille explaining away her MEC’s sexual indiscretion as none of our business, using the same mouth used to condemn Jacob Zuma for having “unprotected sex with a mistress”. Equally, I had to pinch myself when Julius Malema using his motor mouth to attack Helen Zille for “sleeping around with his male cabinet”, saying he couldn’t discuss the sexual relations of elders when pressed for comment on the Sonono saga.
Both these characters are pieces of work for our body politic, often filling our airwaves with hot air. Malema has instructed his lawyers to deregister him in order to make sure he does not benefit from the R140-million tender that his companies earned from the state recently. The is the Malema who has an unexplained bond shortfall of R2-million and cannot really be expected to know the finer details of how Cipro and bonds works if his matric certificate is anything to go by. The certificate has been declared unimportant by she who ought to be the minister of basic education. That’s the way of our politics, isn’t it? That the same mouth that declared that if you can’t explain a balance in your bank account you are corrupt, today says it’s none of our business, this huge balance in his bond account.
But it is the way of our politics isn’t it? That Vavi — who is squeaky clean — is the champion of lifestyle audits, is almost a tragicomedy for someone who abused the union credit card not so long ago and had his entire wedding sponsored by all sorts of companies. Why did he not call for this audit before the general election, so that people are not duped into voting for corrupt people who truly are out to loot South Africa?
This credit-card thing can really get people into trouble, otherwise how do you explain that a minister responsible for monitoring and evaluating couldn’t keep his fingers from the plastic. But expediency is the way of our politics isn’t it? A man leads the moral regeneration campaign but when the lights go out there’s trouble and he prepares to do something for which he will apologise to the nation at least twice. A minister of health — who by now must have his tail firmly between his legs — made an Aids day song and dance about how South African now (and suddenly) has a president who will lead the fight against Aids from the front and stop all the denialism. Indeed, he has led from the front
And then the analysts enter the fray — has anyone been able to keep count of how many vitriolic pieces Professor Seepe wrote attacking Mbeki about his stance on HIV/Aids? Not possible. Lately, he publicly defended Zuma for leading from the front on HIV and Aids (a giggle here is appropriate) declaring that morals are not important in politics.
“You can be as promiscuous as you like as long as you deliver the goods”. The professor will have us believe that the outcry following the Sonono affair was by an hysterical few. I suppose that is why Zuma apologised? That is why he is calling for a national debate on morals? Let’s all turn a blind eye to the elephant in our room; let’s even erase from the State of the Nation address that young people must abstain, be faithful and condomise — we now have a president who is so compromised that he could not bring himself to utter this policy statement that is as simple as ABC. But this did not get a mention in the professor’s tirade against others who were accused of trying to be “holy” while they themselves have fathered children in the past — it does not matter — it was in the Fifties before they were married. It must be brought in to show that even Cope has people who can father babies.
Turn the tables, find a diversion, tell a half truth here and there to cover for embarrassments and even suggest that morals are not important — all in the name of ingratiating thyself to the powers that be. That is the way of our politics now isn’t it.?
All this twisted political machinations would be funny if they weren’t so tragic. Last year, when Eskom first mooted the mad electricity hikes, the ANC was first in line to bemoan how unacceptable these hikes are, only to find that behind your back and mine they have gone on to to become part of a company that will benefit directly from the hardship of the people. Chancellor House will cream millions for the ANC to run another expensive elections campaign that will win over the same people who the ANC would have fleeced over this immoral deal making. Let them hew wood! That is the way of our politics isn’t it? And have you heard Cosatu protesting this open scandal? No, that would be too much to expect of an alliance partner that saw nothing wrong with Zuma’s embarrassing State of the Nation address and had no reason to disbelief that he did his best delivering piece jobs and not decent jobs. Closing ranks at all costs — that is the way of our politics now isn’t it?
So when Nomaindia Mfeketo — that failed former mayor of Cape Town — huddles up to her chair, after being redeployed or demoted as a deputy speaker of Parliament and seeks to expel an opposition member of Parliament who correctly points out the lawless Sodom and Gomora situation of our politics — you sit and wonder what part of political engagement she does not understand?
Double standards — it is the way of our politics isn’t it? That the deputy minister of police can call opposition “dogs that bark at a moving car” with no censure from the speaker, but a twit from the opposition bench is met with Pharaoh’s arm.
The proposed moral debate by president Zuma must interrogate the rot that has set in from the very top. Our body politic has become so rotten that we have lost all sense of shame. Politicians of all kinds trade in lies and hypocrisy. Politicians from across the political spectrum have given politics a bad name by not keeping their word, by contradicting themselves and by not living byb what they preach.
This important debate on morals in our politics will tell us once and for all whether we as a nation have resigned ourselves to the lowest common denominator among us. Are we going to simply accept this descent into political criminality and the conspiracy of the mutually guilty or are we going to make an attempt to restore some faith into our politics? When all is said and done this anarchy … it’s the way of our politics, isn’t it? As the Americans say, “That’s how the cookie crumbles …”
Well said! And seconded. Except for one point: the proposed discussion of the nation’s morals. I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for that to happen. If it does happen it will be a dog and pony show to impress the ‘masses’. Any REAL discussion–never mind REVELATION–of the extent of the corruption in the ANC and ANCYL, other alliance members and the government would bring down the whole house of cards. That will never be allowed to happen. It will be decided by the NEC that ‘some institutions’ like the President (NOT the Presidency, mind you, this particular President) “are too big to be allowed to fail”.
What is likely to emerge is a directive for the schools and churches to address the issue of morals in public life–leaving the government out of it altogether. The whole thing then becomes an academic exercise and if something is said that is critical of any public figure (who is in favour with the ANC/government) it will be dismissed as political scape-goating.
You’ve got it right, JJ. This is the way of politics in SA now–and for the forseeable future. With the likes of those you describe above plus the brothers Shaik, the Breitling cadres, the tenderpreneurs, and the merely incompetent, rational discussions of public morality are doomed to trivialisation. Things are going to get much, much worse before they get better–if ever.
And, not surprising, you didn’t bother to mention any of Cope deceitful leaders:
“I didnt join politics to be poor”–Elephant Consortium
And,yet again, as expected, you didn’t even bother to mention that tLekota, the President II of Cope, who is now one of the most vocal leaders against Zuma’s (non)declaration of interests in parliament, was found GUILTY (in 2003) by both the ANC & the National Parliament for failing to disclose his financial interests.
http://70.84.171.10/~etools/newsbrief/2003/news0731.txt
Once more, you dont even feel guilty by not atleast telling your readers that the communist, Cope’s spokesperson, Phillip Dexter, is the director/chairman/shareholder of about 9 companies. And still he projects himself as the communist and a man of the common men.
http://www.whoswhosa.co.za/user/2907
How so ludacrous !
The list of hipocrisy in your post is just endless…
That was a good read, Onkgopotse.
I understand your need to include Zille in the political shenanigans of the day which multiply like bacteria on buried offal, but she was correct (as in righteous) to defend Lennit Max under the circumstances of limited facts. As it has turned out, the Lennit Max non-scandal has been proved to be misinformation, otherwise we would have been hearing more about the issue. Simply nothing there.
The DA is so squeaky clean that it makes the ANC all the more filthy by comparison.
I heard Zille discussing the MEC’s behaviour on radio and she did not defend any behaviour but noted that he had been accused but he denied it and an investigation was being done. In the meantime he was put on leave until the results came out, one cannot accuse and act until the facts come out.
In Zuma’s case he has admitted to his fathering a child out of wedlock, a very different case.
Brent
I fully agree,but this is not just politics,it is in our daily lives.,the worst hipocrits are the churches,The past two years I have had people admitting that they do not know what they are talking about when it comes to spirituality yet they preach it everyday.
What is happenng in the political system is a reflection of our society,we are all hipocrits,as a father,mother,uncle,pastor we all live in contradictions,What seem to be common in all of us is that we are selfish,the bottom line is that we are after our own interests,You would do or say anything to appear or be something else, the people who supported Zuma are now showing why the did.Zuma is not diffrent to any of my uncles or my pastor,they say one thing and they do the opposite.American politics is the same,just that they hide it better,look at marriage we claim be about love but our actions contradicts it.
Sometimes what we are is not enough so we have to make up something,to appear more knowledgable,smart,cool,religuos,thoughfull and we get trapped in the pretends,the lies and unltimatley you dont know who u are so you keep going to nowhere and take your followers with you.Thats how society gets lost,going bak is hard,we keep going,we following people who dont know where they are going.
Well said JJ. It is disheatening how our politics have turned out.
Well said, Siphiwo! Tabane’s article smacks of hypocrisy.
This is yet another example of what we can expect from the so-called Congress of the People.
Talking about the pot calling the kettle black!
JJ I really don’t think that we should debate morals, in terms of the Public Engagement Act, it is ‘fruiless and wasteful engagement’.
So true! But not of course complete until you have made a full case of it (I shudder to have to admit: as pointed out by Sipiwho Sipiwho). The fact that COPE has made a clean slate of it does not mean they weren’t ANC before, and did not benefit, and did not know about the shenanigans of their co-cadre in the ANC.
I also agree with both Brent and Panchetta. Most of the other parties seem to loathe Zille for the fact that they can find so little dirt on her, and that fabricated. If Max and Plato were found guilty, Malema would have crowed, except, deathly silence. Says it all really. Just another day in the ANCYL Discrediting the DA Dept.
I think it is a stunning case of jealousy makes you nasty. All those who spew vitriol about Zille are actually rabidly jealous that their own leaders can’t behave more like her. And that is the real crux, actually, that it is a “her” (and she’s white! gasp!) and while racism is being kept alive by the ANC and COPE, sexism will have to stand in the queue to be adressed. Viva Male Chauvinism!
@Phetogo – Extremely well and honestly said. If more people would wake up and realise that we will be most of the way to winning the battle. The same Americans, possible for the same reasons have a pertinent saying: “cut the cr@p”. Perhaps it is time we South Africans insist on the same.
It seems to me there are people like Siphiwo…( not sure they are thought leaders or just barking at the moving bus of thought all the time) …who really never stop before they poke fun at references to COPE – shame on you broer…when are you going to originate some thought leadership? …i thought that is what this thing is about…so in order to critizi the ANC i must alsways find something wrong in COPE? At whose pace and timing – yours? Come on grow up man! I AM A COPE MEMBER – i will not rush to criticise COPE only the naive will believe otherwise. I did not join COPE by mistake. I know that in there there is potential of an alternative no matter what the problems….i will not stop to point out the rot that besets the ruling party because there may be problems in COPE. I know my duty to introspect – but not like a parrot man – So much space that has gone to waste replying to your intellectually lazy self…..when are you starting your own blog?….
Gatvol with your silly commentary quite frankly.
Phetogo I couldn’t have said it better, we ARE selfish… There must always be someONE who wins/is better… we see things as win-lose situations, too many people and too little pie, if my neighbour gets it means I lose… Need to change that thinking… Not too sure how… I’ve always been a fan of the idea of “National Group Therapy”…. We should all just have a good outlet session about all the rubbish we put ourselves and each other through, get over ourselves, and get on with the business of creating the kind of lives we all deserve… I know… These are the things of fairy tales and day dreams… But we can dream a little, that should be therapeutic…
Good column! We all need a God in our lives to keep us honest.
this hypocrasy at it’s best, is moral regenaration only the forte of some.
Are we deliberately forgetting the shenanegans of Cope & it’s ilk, that they don’t even have policy & are gunning for political office — makes them more corrupt.