EDITOR – The theatrical politico-legal tango that has been on display in the past few weeks does not embody a functional and vibrant democracy. South Africa is at the cross-roads and it’s time for our President to reach out to all the peoples of our beloved country to assuage their fears and restore their confidence that its not all “gloom and doom”.
The political narrative is in need of a paradigm shift and the political rhetoric needs to be re-tuned to bring home a passionate message that there’s still light at the end of the tunnel, even if its just a glimmer. The South African people, who are taken for granted, are in desperate need for some form of warm embrace of re-assurance.
Our leaders must go ahead even when moving ahead is controversial, they need to be ahead of their time because if they want to represent the status quo what do you need leaders for?
South African politicians, who are really only coming of age now, need to take lessons. All blame has been put at the doorstep of President Zuma and all blame for the poor economy and the downward free-fall of the Rand is blamed on him but when the DA put before Parliament a “motion of no confidence” in the President the Rand devalued from just over R13 to just over R14. Look back at Nkandla – this saga consumed and distracted the interest of Parliament and the country for over three years only to produce a verdict of approx. R8million that the President had to pay. This whole legal battle cost the taxpayer in excess of R200 million and severely dented the image of the country causing irreparable damage to the economy.
I get this feeling that the opposition has to learn from the mistakes and miscalculated decisions that they made in the past and move forward with more positive plans rather the public’s perceived belief that they are fixated obsessively with the tenacious, resilient and unshakeable President Zuma. The opposition equally has a responsibility to re-view its agenda and be mindful that it was the voting public who gave them a mandate to co-govern this country. In our constitutional democracy they need to be reminded that it’s the prerogative of the voting public to withdraw that mandate. We need to recognise the significant role that opposition parties have to play in our vibrant democracy and I believe that they doing a great job but for the aforementioned and undermentioned.
Attacking the offices of the President will in no way ameliorate the socio-economic conditions of the indigent people of this country. The opposition politicians must know that they have a long way to get before they unseat the all powerful ANC and given their past performance as perceived by the public, of just attacking the ruling party without constructively contributing to the three major issues of poverty unemployment and living conditions of the indigent people they have just failed to convince the masses that they have what it takes to govern South Africa.
This critique must be read in conjunction with what’s happening on the ground and must be seen as constructive criticism and respected in that context.
Sicario
Durban
Letter shortened – Editor
