Western Cape Premier Helen Zille has clearly rejected the overtures made by South African President Jacob Zuma to opposition parties during his inaugural address. In his opening speech Zuma called upon opposition parties to work with the government where there are areas of common interest and called upon the ruling party to be more open to criticism.
Within days the leader of the Democratic Alliance put any thoughts of a honeymoon period or temporary truce to bed as she let fly at the president with both barrels. In response to attacks on her choice of a provincial cabinet, Zille turned on Zuma’s lifestyle and its impact on HIV/Aids. She further suggested that he was putting his wives at risk and presenting a poor role model to our youth.
Fair comment?
Not if you consider that this debate had been aired ad nausea prior to the election, that Zuma had just extended an olive branch to her days before, that he was not one of those who criticised her choices and that the country was looking for positive direction after the mudslinging that passed as campaigning in the build-up to the vote.
This is now being followed by the Western Cape premier holding her opening address in the legislature prior to the president’s state of the nation address.
In terms of South African tradition the president would give his address first and the premiers some time thereafter.
While the Constitution does not prescribe the order that these have to take place and Zille, via her spokesperson, has defended the decision on the basis that they have a budget to complete before the end of June, this smacks of bloody-mindedness.
Whether the committees can be constituted or not or that the DA has to review an ANC budget, the fact is that in order to accommodate this convention or tradition the DA could, if they wished to, continue to work informally prior to the premier’s address.
At this point it appears that they are going head to head with the ANC on principle rather than picking their fights.
The problem with this approach is that you may well antagonise your constituency who would rather deal with issues as they crop up as opposed to seeking showdowns as a matter of course.
South Africans do not wish to spend every day of their existence electioneering.
They may well tire of never-ending confrontation sooner rather than later.
I’ll tell you what I’m getting tired of. Calling Helen Zille a racist (erm, Bongo..?). For heaven’s sake – give it a rest! I find it just ever so slightly contradictory that we can’t criticise Zuma (the showering thing; having dodgy mates), but it’s perfectly acceptable to call Zille a racist. I don’t get it.
(And I really do not want someone to post a long, pointless explanation on why she’s a racist, because we’ve seen that all before. It was a load of old bollocks then and it’s a load of old bollocks now!!)
Well said!
Politicians in South Africa are so immature, and so are the public! Zuma’s president okay…get over it, for goodness sakes and as they say move on. Nobody said you have to like it. But if you believe in democracy, then accept it otherwise you are just another supremest pig…which I’m sure you not! One does not find solutions arguing and bickering over spilled milk. We have to figure out who is going to be bold enough, to swallow their pride and clean up the mess. Identify the problems at grassroots and address each one of them positively in an organised and systematic way and when you experience a problem, use ALL your political might to implement your solution. Grow up! You’re behaving worse then kindegarden kids!
Sips,
Why are there 3 scores? Is it a league of some sort?
Zille is not the President of this country and Western Cape is not independent. She still have to report to Zuma. You guys are just giving her too much credit.
It seems to me that the ANC is playing “good cop, bad cop” strategy on the DA. Only time will tell if HZ’s response is right. I think that she could hold her fort if she keeps her trusted people to deliver while she takes it as good as it comes. She will do well if she fights on both fronts, delivering whilst she keeps fighting. I think HZ knows what she is doing. Isn’t this plain politicking?
I think that reasoned debate is compulsory in a democracy. So was Helen reasoned in her argument? I would say yes. Everything she said was true. He is the president and hence his personality affects all South Africans. So as the opposition she has a right, or perhaps even a responsibility to highlight shortcomings. And I think every point where they disagree needs to be highlighted, not only certain “picked” fights that, I don’t know, are only designed to win voters and appease.
I suppose we’re coming off a fairly low base in Africa, but personally I think that President Zuma has struck the right note and proven himself to be a mature politician and a mature person.
Think of how Pres Mbeki, or Uncle Bob, or virtually any African leader you might care to name, would respond to someone who’s made a personal attack as Zille did on Zuma; even – or especially – if that attack was justified. Pres Zuma has shown that whatever else he might be, he is not a spiteful or petty man and for that he has my respect.
BTW, it is not my understanding of the Constitution that Pres Zuma is Premier Zille’s “boss” or that she is “answerable” to him. They are both answerable to the voters who appointed them. The National Government could, if it chose, make it difficult for the DA to govern here but only at the expense of people who desperately need State help and support.
Julius Malema’s recent comments, as with most of his public remarks, show a low level of morality. It’s clear that he cares nothing for the young black people he wishes would “flood” the Western Cape – who would be homeless and jobless here as well as far from their families. To him, they are not human beings or people of dignity but a “black flood”. That puts him right in the same camp as the architects of grand apartheid.
ex-Zimbabwean
Helen Zille did not attack – she defended herself against attacks from Malema and others.
And Zuma is a coward who gets his dogs to do his dirty work for him.
I was taught NEVER to ask a junior or employee to do ANYTHING I was not prepared to do myself.
Helen started the fight unprovoked. Insulted Zuma and his wives. Then drew the ire of Malema and others. Who know and walow in gutter politics like her. Zuma never uttered a word against Helen.
Now it is only if you are white and South African that you insult a man who keeps his peace and gives you a warm welcome and you spurn the overture. Politics is not about personal insults but is about issues.
What olive branch are we talking about when Zuma never insulted Helen in the first place?
If anything it has reinforced my prejudice that Helen Zille is generally anti-social and very poor at human relations
As for the Western Cape Boerestaat, go read Chapter 3 sec 40 &41 of the constitution; it proves the point that Helen does not even know her constitution! There is no need to beg Helen about something that is enshrined in the constitution.
It may appear as a clever ploy at publicity, but Helen has really destroyed a huge chunk racial goodwill in South Africa. It shows her gross misunderstanding of the culture shared by 80% of South Africans. Malema is not us, he is single an aberation of his party. You cant generalise all black people by him. But Helen has really damaged whatever goodwill she enjoyed among black South Africans.
She could have let her achievements talk for her instead of wallowing in gutter-speak and insult-trading!
Mandla
This is what Malema said about Helen Zille:
That he would “flood the Western Cape” with blacks from the Eastern Cape “to dissapoint Zille”
“she is an enemy of the revolution….she is a racist and will remain a racist. She has a racist agenda of making the Western Cape a province for whites only”
The MKMVA said they were going to make the Cape “ungovernable” and Helen was was “suspected of being a lesbian …and Dutch” (Dyke?)
On top of the “boyfriend and concubines” comment, and caalling her “sexist”.
And you REALLY find none of that provocative?
And what is “suspicious” about lesbians to the gender equality Alliance?
Lyndall –
The WP should prepare for a migration south of white Gauties to settle there.
Today the woman in charge up here – says they
“intend to include urban areas in land transformation.” Tomorrow a further announcement of the “plan” will be made. Pomp and ceremony to accompany it no doubt.
Homeowners can be offered R1 and are compelled to “sell to ANC” ie. means “give” free and gratis for ANC Cronies.
How will she run her kingdom without the hefty rates and taxes paid by the departing money crowd?
One word is enough – SAZIM is about to be launched.
ANC is committing its own financial suicide with such an Act.
As usual, Afriforum will take up the cudgels.
Old,female,paleface
The old Nat businessmen are hand in glove with the ANC – all in the corrupt deals together.
Let them stay in Gauteng.