On the same day as our President Jacob Zuma was delivering his State of the Nation address I was monitoring the near implosion of Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s British cabinet. A second cabinet minister Hazel Blears joining Jacqui Smith in resigning her post; two in as many days. The brouhaha over the members of parliament expenses debacle being the last straw for many party faithful who have witnessed a seemingly endless list of blunders committed by Labour.
Of course the European and local elections are upon them and should Labour, who are currently sporting the tag of lowest opinion poll in their recorded history, fare anywhere remotely as badly as opinion polls suggest, then Brown will be forced to call a general election. Having recently suffered Labour’s first defeat in the House of Commons in a number of years, Labour’s position is already bordering on the untenable.
Today the British press is filled with stories of an anonymous email calling for Brown’s head as well as predictions of doom and gloom for the prime minister.
Under Labour the British economy has entered one of the deepest recessions to be found anywhere in the world while daily we witness their government lurch from one sleaze and corruption scandal to the next. Staggering ineptitude that has occasioned the boom and horribly bust that is Great Britain today.
Two things emerge:
Firstly there is a misconception in Africa — sold to it primarily by those who see Western governments like Great Britain and the United States as the bastions of civilisation and democracy — that accountability is absent on this continent while it reigns supreme among these so-called powers.
As Britain clearly demonstrates there is almost no accountability whatsoever as political parties attempt damage control on the MP’s expenses scandal. While many of their members were morally wrong, a number of senior parliamentarians were outright crooks claiming for mortgages that didn’t exist or had been paid off previously.
If there was to be a cull of those who were morally and criminally wrong you would empty out the greater part of their parliament. Instead we have Brown clinging to power instead of calling a general election despite the fact that the public has no confidence whatsoever in their politicians or parliament.
Corruption supposedly the scourge of Africa and its Banana Republics is just as prominent in Europe, the United States and the rest of the world.
A second misconception is that where South African and African politicians stick like glue, those overseas will fall on their swords at the slightest hint of dishonour. That is the biggest pile of doggy-do in the history of dog-shitting competitions.
Going back to the MP’s expenses scandal, those who have been found committing criminal acts are trying to hide behind garbage like calling their acts “mistakes”. Can you imagine appointing a chancellor who can’t even keep track of his expenses? Given the choice I’m sure the British would rather have a dishonest genius than a moron at the head of their finances.
The list is endless and the point is that nobody is falling on their swords.
Those like ministers Blears and Smith aren’t leaving because they have honourable intentions, actually quite the contrary; they are set to be shuffled off the Titanic when Brown reworks his cabinet shortly. So instead of allowing their party leader — in huge dwang as it is — to do so in an orderly fashion they go out in a blaze of publicity to plunge the dagger in even deeper.
That is Great Britain, don’t even begin to get me started on the U.S.A. with their sub-prime, trillion-dollar deficit and ongoing illegal wars.
As South Africans and Africans we tend to view those abroad as shining examples of where we need to be.
Heaven help us if we get there.
Zuma has delivered his first State of the Nation address.
The speech is designed to reflect on our current situation and outline the government’s plans for the year/s ahead.
It is not intended to cover policies in detail but rather sketch their thinking on where the priorities lie and how they believe these areas should be tackled. The devil in the detail with regard thereto will be coming from the various ministries and committees tasked to deal therewith.
In essence the president acknowledged the severity of the global recession which has now touched us. In accordance therewith we are being told to temper expectation with reality. That said government, labour and business are working to implement measures that will deal with the impact on South Africa.
On some of those items the government will fall flat on its face while in others it will exceed expectation. Many organisations and opposition parties have expressed their views which you should read through along with Zuma’s address.
This time I want South Africans to judge our leaders on the basis that they have not done too badly in weathering the financial storms of the planet and — more importantly — without using these fictitious overseas role models that they have been conditioned to believe are unconditionally worthy of our respect. If anything most are examples of what we need to avoid.
In the case of President Zuma — as his address clearly indicates — he is bending over backwards in trying to bring all South Africans together and for that alone he deserves our support.
In the case of Western Cape Premier Helen Zille, we have a fearless opposition leader who will take on the powers that be whenever required. I read her response to an interview with the Mail & Guardian where she admitted to misreading the mood of the country when she went on the attack straight after the elections. Wisdom allied to courage in a dynamite package can never be a bad thing.
On the day after the president’s address and a few days after the premier’s I could not be more optimistic or proud of our country.
Nine men and one woman cabinet is no pride of any country for Mike!!!!
Zille acted as if she had won the Western Cape from blacks not just ANC and her cabinet and rhetoric prove just that. I know that all blacks that voted for her are kicking themselves.
What a typically Sarth Efrikin attitude.
Try to deflect attention from, minimise, SA’s many and gross failings by pointing at problems in other countries.
Give it up, Traps, it doesn’t make SA any better.
Well said Traps. We are capable of coming through this situation if we all work together and temper our expectations. I would suggest that MEC’s expectations be cut of a less costly cloth than exclusive Mercs and that captains of industry refuse large retention bonuses etc whilst retrenching their workers.
The already monetarily enhanced might do a lot of good if they made sure that their consumption declines in conspicuousness and their contributions to the national good are discrete but effective.
As for the rest of us, let’s all do what we can to make our country work by holding each other and ourselves accountable for our actions. This includes reporting the murder that I am watching taking place outside my house instead of telling the police that “I saw it but didn’t want to get involved” as a Sandton resident did last week.
I am so disgusted that I have no feasible comment or explanation. The whole damn Labour Party; that was formed to look after workers – should exit politics.
Give the Liberal Party an opening.
Maybe conspiracy theorists can explain the greed that has gripped those who are already wealthy wanting ever more. When will enough be enough ?
The world and mankind is losing the plot.
Corrupt, greedy, thieving politicians are passe and my vocabulary too limited.
Maybe society should find new ways of running their country.
Traps – give alternatives, so that we can shoot them down.
This goes to show that politicians are the same throughout the world. To put a politician on a pedestal is to set one up for disappointment. It is suicidal political pontification.
Paul Wolfowitz was appointed by Bush to the World bank to fight corruption. He condemned African countries for corruption but was later forced to resign because of special favours he did for his girlfriend. Cheney’s firm had an interest in the Iraq contracts. Blair suppressed UK arms deal investigation because of national security.
Spitzer was prosecuting Wall Street corruption and resigned because of his own involvement in prostitution. Leonard McCarthy conspired with Ngcuka to prosecute Zuma on alleged corruption charges and he is heading the world bank anti-corruption unit.
Helen Zille complained about the misuse of state resources during the Erasmus commission. Plato and the DA Cape Town council are using state funds to sue the SON newspaper. Thus suppressing press freedom. When the Sunday Independent published a story alleging that president Motlanthe had impregnated a mistress, he declined to sue after it was discovered the alleged mistressed lied. I suppose the dignity of the mayor of Cape Town is more important than that of the president of SA.
Practitioners of political pontification like DA supporters will always apply double standards when looking at politicians. Their politicians are saints and infallible just like the pope.
What a great article Michael, thank you. The point is well made that the last thing we should be doing is aspiring to be like the first world. Heaven help us in so many ways if we do.
We have to strive to be Sarth Efrikin and do things in a Sarth Efrikin way. Our uniqueness and playing to our strengths will always be better than trying to be like some idealized ‘first world’.
Leaders choose what they look for. Leadership requires balancing the shortfalls and the successes, not negating all success because there are failures.
There is no ideal situation, organisations of any size and countries manage the complexity of this tension all the time.
No successful leader has grown anything by focusing on the gross failings and pointing at problems. Likewise leaders don’t succeed by only focusing on the positive. They succeed by managing through the many paradoxes that they encounter.
I haven’t yet seen ‘giving up’ working as a trait towards success either.
Thanks for putting the effort in to write, it makes a difference and like a stone into a pond, ripples out making things better along the way.
All the best
Dale
@Lebo: “Nine men and one woman cabinet is no pride of any country for Mike!!!!” If that is all he has done wrong so far, then she should be seen as a shining star amongst the rest of the travelgaters, bribe collectors and other non performing civil servants.
Really, wake up and watch Zuma kicking people out on the streets if they cannot or simply do not do their jobs. This is what I read in his promises and state of the nation.
Zille can start with a team of her choice. Gender, capabilities and skills do not necessary go hand in hand. Maybe all the good, sharp and clever ladies joined the ANC some time ago? Sorry, wrong bet for them.
Why not wait for Zille and her team to deliver, like many South Africans are waiting for Pres Zuma to deliver with his 50% lady team.
I wish both of them well, they need it. And so do all other Provincial premiers and Local Mayors need it.
Oh Traps, what trash. Their Speaker of Parliament, a whole raft of MPs and two ministers quit, ffs! The closest equivalent we’ve had in South Africa is Travelgate and not one – NOT ONE – MP has been fired or quit over the scandal. Theirs is a democracy to look up to and emulate here: where wrongdoers are found out, there are harsh consequences. Here, the crooks just keep getting away with it, to the point that Parliament, the very institution that was defrauded, bought the corrupt MPs dept!
The British politicians claimed the same as Zuma that someone else (Shaik/my accountant) handled their finances. The Brits did not buy it!
Any of their politicians got over $300 billion tucked away in bamk accounts – like the president of Gabon has in France, and the president of Equatorial Guinea in the USA?
Lebo, please stop talking race and sex politics. She is actually quite competent and one would think that she had hired the right people that can do the job as opposed to the right token assembly.
Pls dont insult our president. Dont even think of comparing her to/with Zille.
While I agree that South Afria has a lot going for it and I am proudly South African, don’t forget that in those western powers the voters tend to vote out the dirty politicians on a more regular basis than we do. But here again I believe that our democracy is growing and we will start to change our politicians more regularly as you have rightly pointed out – all politicians are dirty, some just hide it better than others.
Don’t know if you should really be saying neh neh deh neh neh you are in bigger recession than me, because actually SA economy is contracting (-6.5%) twice as fast as UK and US.
Richard P, when you’re complaining about our country first thing you will do is call it a basket case with the worst this and that in the world. Aren’t you pointing out supposed greener grass then? Lol. And one of the first places you will think about moving to solve your bitterness is the uk. Isn’t it? Haha. You’re laughable.
Traps,
Good message ! I’m with you. I still don’t agree with Zuma – but realities are realities.
And I’d far rather the Government + Western Cape delivered – than endlessly whinge.
I want to eat cake… Let’s see if the bakers are up to it…
@Lebo.
Pleeeeaaaase, when can we stop looking at black & white and male & female, and start looking at who will be best for the job? 1994 is long past, and it’s time we move on.
I usually disagree with a lot of what you write, but I think you’ve hit the nail on the head here. I hope nobody reading this thinks that you are *condoning* corruption, when in fact you are pointing out that it is simply not only a “third world” phenomenon.
Italy is one of the world’s most corrupt and ill managed countries – they’ve had something like 40 different governments since the second world war – and yet it is still a wonderful place to live and visit.
South Africans are far too self absorbed to see that this kind of thing goes on all around the world, and that it is not reason enough to abandon our country. Yes, we should all fight corruption. Corruption is never okay. But there are a lot of South Africans who need to get down off their high horses and realise that its not the worst thing that ever happened, that we can work through it, and that there really is a lot of positivity and hope for our country.
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-06-05-the-premier-farm-and-platinum-mine
We can eat Platinum post 2009 !
This is far worse that UK – focus on RSA – let UK burn up for all I care.
I could not be more “inspired” or “delighted” by what has happened in England – whilst being empathetic towards the British public – and God knows some experiences in RSA with our own dear politicians have prepared us well to be empathetic – I am thoroughly sick and tired of having the “shining” example of Western politics and politicians thrust into our collective face. All those self-righteous westerners looking down their noses at Africa and its politicians – as they say, pride comes before the fall. On person actually had the gal to comment – “you know, at least when this happens in England, it is all out there in the public eye” as if it isn’t in the public eye in SA! I was frankly gob smacked by that comment! Our news media are at pains to keep us in the know regarding every single shady personal or public deal undertaken by our politicians and so they should – but to intimate that in RSA things are hidden. That is just plain ridiculous, “when we” behaviour and it stinks of hypocrisy and bigoted opinion. As Roger Whittaker so aptly put it “all politicians are like a bunch of bananas – they hang together, they’re all yellow and there’s not a straight one among them”! Sad but probably true in about 80% of cases…. In South Africa we are definitely blessed with a few politicians of integrity past and present thank God! Thanks Michael – this article says it as it is – well done!
You cannot sell Zille yet as a proud of the Nation. She is just one of the Nine Premiers and has not done any well as an opposition leader. Opposition is on policies and not on personalities. Ifyou are on image laundry mission, then I think it is too early to adjudje HZ as pride of this country with her current cabinet composition and an unlistening posture!
well at least you are all united in the steadfast belief that 1st World = bad. I am not so sure any of you live in poverty however. Poor people risk their lives to get into places like the UK because the quality of life on average is extremely high.
As for accountability, I think UK politicians are finding that they are indeed accountable for their actions – when their situation becomes publically untenable they ultimately have to go.
If the’ Sarth Effeickan way’ has evolved into “do what the 1st World doesn’t and hope for the best” I suggest it is based on prejudice rather than logic and strategy.
MADODA -
DA ANC reactions are our “perceptions” of our reality that matters to each.
A child defending his attitude to his perceived “cruel. unreasonable father”
who perceives the child’s responses as “cheek and too big for his boots” explains it perfectly.
The opposing worlds do not meet.
There is an ad on TV that is so relevant 2009 – about what we think we “hear” what the other person is saying.
Its a world of self-absorption of every person that is labelled “self-…..) plus “SELfishness.”
In my young days, we depicted those who disagreed with us with a tiny circling motion of the index finger next to the head.
Meaning – “not all there.”
We only try to be !
Helen Zille, won the Western Cape with the Coloured Vote. In turn she turns around and says Thank You for the Vote, But you are not capable or competent enough to serve on my panel, Only the “White Man ” can rule. Do not compare Zille with Zuma
@ Traps
In words the President has laid a foundation for the whole Republic to move forward, the action people demand at the moment it must be well planned and coordinated for the government must involve the people they seek to help and that takes time!
Indeed, we ought to reconcile and unite in course to overcome all obstacle facing the country and this is the message of the President! Amandla to a way forward!
As for Helen Zille, lets adopt wait and see attitude for her reaction is for attention and political points that seek to prove her presence in the political arena! Intelligence sometimes can be clouded by such useless and minor things! Helen is smart but small political points are tampering with the good politician in her!
Yep,leaders across the world are more or less the same….but if you’re following the British news, you will know that the electorate are in the process of kicking Labour out of government. When that happens in South Africa, when our electorate makes our politicians accountable and when they start realising that the government are PUBLIC SERVANTS and not the other way around….perhaps then we can compare ourselves to countries like Britain, the USA and Australia.
Well said, Traps. And I liked Patricia de Lille’s statement that when the first bigwig hits the floor for corruption or non-delivery, she’ll join JZ in a rousing rendition of Mshini Wami. Me, too.
For me and many others, Zimbabwe is the ANC’s litmus test. If we don’t stand up for human rights and tell Mugabe the facts in no uncertain terms, we can’t expect anyone at home or abroad, to trust that our Government will support strong democratic values at home. When South African equivocation ends on Zimbabwe, I’ll join the Mbongis with you and praise Zuma to the skies.
Meanwhile, Zille is correct when she says that “comrade deployment” aka cronyism is an ongoing problem in the ANC (though that opens her up to similar accusations which she’ll now have to refute through proving its competence to deliver the goods while respecting the Constitution).
Cronyism has also long been a problem in British politics. Personally, though not conservative with big or small C, I give minimal credit to the influence of Labour organisations in Government. They protect a minority of the world’s people (employed workers in stable democracies) and their leaders always end up posturing as socialists while real jobs vanish like morning dew. And, someone else always has to clear up their economic mess which provides an excuse for right wing reactionary experiments (i.e. monetarism and war).
The more Cosatu goes on at Zille for her cabinet, the more the debate rages on on the blogs about Zuma’s gender inequaltity polygamous marriages.
Cosatu seems incapable of rational sense at the moment.
And why did we pay R15 million for Dali Mpofu’s legal fees, when all we had to do is not renew his contract?
All human beings are potentially corruptible whether they are politicians or paupers. That is why checks and balances are important for those in public office. Luckily, all human beings are also potentially redeemable. So all this finger pointing is an exercise in denial if we don’t start recognising the very human pattern.
We are in this together, ergo, we have to be our brother and sister’s keeper regardless of nationality, race, class, gender etc. Finger pointing is so passe.
@ Observer
“when you’re complaining about our country first thing you will do is call it a basket case with the worst this and that in the world.”
Your country is also my country, even if I no longer live there.
“Aren’t you pointing out supposed greener grass then? Lol. And one of the first places you will think about moving to solve your bitterness is the uk.”
I did not move to the UK out of any “bitterness”. I do not claim that the UK is perfect paradise (anything) but, but I find it a far better country to live in and make one’s future than SA.
“You’re laughable.”
Your post is barely literate. I’d mind that glass house if I were you.
@ Dale Williams
Your post is all spin and no substance.
Traps, why must you be always so patronising? We never doubt for one minute that those in Northern America and Europe are corrupt to the core! Through their colonialist quests, they brought corrupt practices to Africa and in that process stole our mineral resources and land! Before the white colonialists set foot on the dark soil of Africa, our forebears did not know or understand anything of bribes. Who taught them these corrupt practices? The white settlers!
Its an irony that Africa must be judged by those that are the most corrupt in the world. No American President will ever be elected without concessions to multi-national corporations. this include the darling of our biased media, Barack Obama! Indeed the chickens come home to roost!
I think you are on meds Traps. Zuma might hold the office of President of this country but please don’t ask me to accept his shenanigans as more honourable than that bunch of like minded criminals running USA, UK, Russia, China etc
I think that governments are organized crime. Show me where it is different; show me where these parasites are any different. I have zero expectation on their ability to deliver anything. They are all great orators but then so was Hitler.
They lay claim to the efforts of ordinary people,(who actually do make a difference), as their own and when they are inevitably caught with their proverbial pants down having a shower or taking money that doesn’t belong to them then it is always someone else’s fault. Goodness I wouldn’t employ someone like that never mind serve under them!
Oliver Cromwell’s speech on the 20th. April 1653 at the dissolution of the Long Parliament:
“It is high time to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonoured by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by you practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Essau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money.
Is there a single virtue now remaining among you? Is there one vice you do not possess? Ye have no more religion than my horse; gold is your god; which of you have not barter’d your conscience for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth?
Ye sordid prostitutes have you not defil’d this sacred place, and turn’d the Lord’s temple into a den of thieves by your immoral principles and wicked practices? Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation; you were deputed here by the people to get grievances redress’d, are yourselves gone!
So! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors. In the name of God, go to the dungeons with the Escorts and rot in hell for the rest of your days as your rotting flesh already stinks.”
My, how times have changed…
)
Hi Michael,
Suggest reading the news – UK politicians are indeed falling on their swords, or being pushed onto them. But the fact is people are going. Remind me, how many travel-gaters do we still have in posts of public responsibility?? This is what accountability means.
Craig – “Poor people risk their lives to get into places like the UK because the quality of life on average is extremely high.” Poor people risk their lives every day to come into South Africa because the standard is much higher when compared to where they come from and so are the safety and security factors. Believe it or not! Everything is relative. I have many friends and family in the UK and the general living standard is not higher than the standard kept by the reasonably advantaged in South Africa – it is often far lower and very low for many people who live in England possibly as low as what we would term “poor” but obviously not the poverty stricken or destitute – of course we have way too many people living in those conditions – however the safety and security is far better in places such as UK which is why many advantaged South Africans leave here to go there and to other places around the globe. Many South Africans of all colours and creeds live to an extremely good standard and wouldn’t dream of leaving were it not for the security difficulties we face. Who would want to live in the UK with that dreary climate and squish? So many people in such a small space!
Brilliant Damian – thanks for reminding us – the more things change the more they remain the same! It’s those damn humans! Keep letting the unimportant things in life take precidence over the important issues! To err is human – to forgive is divine…….. so much to forgive and be forgiven…. yip – so frail we are us humans.
@Traps, also don’t forget that what started the whole rot with the expenses was the passing of the Freedom of Information act in the UK. This is proving to be incredibly powerful in holding politicians to account – the public has the right to see what they are up to.
I think this is a good thing and is a move towards less corruption and ‘smoke & mirrors’ in government – 1st world or not…
Whoa. So now I hear on the news that the Gauteng MEC who spent nearly a million on 4X4 only to lose it within hours without insurance, has resigned.
Better if she’d been sacked, but resigned is still better than we’re used to. Apparently people who know her think she was probably pushed to resign. So…Looks like Ms de Lille and I are going to be singing Mshini Wami sooner than expected.
Anyone got the words??
ex-Zimbabwean
She might have resigned (as a PR exercise to make the ANC “look good”) but the truth is she has been re-deployed.
And no-one is asking her to pay for the car either.
@Rose Morrow – I do. I have lived in privilege in SA and I can tell you that the UK pips it in every single way except for the weather. I don’t look down on SA – I just wish people would stop fooling themselves that it is a paradise. It is a broken society – something I only fully realized after living in London
Who would want to live in an informal settlement? All that squish, squalor and violence???