President Jacob Zuma has admitted guilt, gone public and made a mockery of an apology – and the same can be said about his bootlickers.
But when all was said and done, I sat back and thought, ‘no man, what the president ought to do is to take to the podium, the very same podium he quickly took to for his fake apology, and do the honourable thing’.
To me, that would be a fundamental acceptance of his wrongdoing and of holding this country to ransom through his alleged mafia activities with the Guptas and involvement with corruption and the Armsgate, Nkandlagate, Shabirgate, Nenegate, Marikanagate, Rapegate and Waterkloofgate – you name them, the list is endless.
If the president can be bold enough and stand on the platform and say: ‘Good people, my countrymen and women, I think I messed up and therefore I resign’.
That would be the most profound statement to ever come from the mouth of a sitting head of state, let alone being done anywhere in Africa. He would make history for all and sundry on the entire conflict-ridden continent of ours.
I long for the day an African head of state will utter those words and say, I resign. If this can become the norm even in our so-called democracy, I think it would go a long way to fundamentally change this country and the ruling culture of the entire continent.
The major element that is killing the vibrancy of African politics is the new phenomenon of the politics of the stomach. People will say and promise all sorts of things in flowery language that get blind followers carried away, but when they have tasted the sweets of that office, things dramatically change.
If Zuma cannot do the honourable thing and resign, what are we expected to do or what option does he leave us with? Should we go back to the trenches and take up arms and chase him out of office with AK47s?
That is the life of Africa and we need to fundamentally change that culture as much as we have tried to change the culture of coups. There was a time when coups were the order of the day in Africa, with some government or coup leaders not even lasting a minute in office. You know Nigeria, you know Ghana, you know Burkina Faso, and you know Jerry Rawlings and his coups and counter-coups and coups again.
Please, Zuma, surprise us all and we will remember and cherish you forever, not for the rotten things you did, but for being an honourable man and a president who made history, not just for South Africa, but for the whole continent of Africa and the world at large.
I know your bootlickers and those whose bread you butter don’t want you to go as they prepare for what could be a bruising local government election later in the year, but please set that precedent, Mr President.
