We get the leaders we choose

MANDLA RADEBE, of Norkem Park, writes:

HB of Edleen has made interesting remarks about how we are kidding ourselves about the freedom we think we have and another about the mentality of a future king.

Personally, I am a bit disturbed that if these are not received with proper perspective, they carry the potential of either having us all jumping from tall buildings to put ourselves out of our misery or packing our bags and heading for popular working class destinations.

Firstly, his take on the nature of freedom. For example, on Freedom Day, I also spent time listening to the radio where people expressed themselves about what Freedom Day means to them. A few expressed HB’s view of it being non-existent, for others it was an issue of it not being fully what they ideally expected it to be.

The fact is, we experience freedom in different ways, but if freedom is lacking in a certain area of our experience, we tend to magnify the point of view from which we perceive it to be lacking.

It is not true that we don’t have freedom at all, but it is not true either to say we have it all. In reading statistics, we say, for example, 26.7 per cent of South Africans are unemployed. But, to an unemployed person, it is 100 per cent, because they experience it practically. That is how perception and perspective works.

The painful side of freedom is responsibility. I have personally come under fire for being scathing on parents that don’t take responsibility for their children’s education, teachers who hold different agendas other than teaching, politicians who think they own voters, communities that don’t take seriously what happens in their environment, whether it’s crime, problematic signage or potholes, but just complain.

Freedom during the apartheid era meant no blacks in the white suburban streets, unless they work there. Today there is no such thing as a white suburb (except in Orania); streets belong to everyone. That is not a lack of freedom but it calls for alertness to those that feel threatened by a potential danger in the street.

It is something we all (first world included) need to tune our minds into and take proper precautions. Responsible citizenship is hard work which sometimes means standing up when wrong is upheld, and it’s not a solo effort.

Secondly, the mentality of the future king – where he talks about the poor person’s mind-set when he/she becomes a ruler. The Bible verse he quoted talks about the slave – two different individuals.

Nothing is wrong with a righteous poor or the former slave ruling. Righteousness, not the past condition of a ruler, matters more. I personally think that poverty and perceived former slave stigma are largely responsible for what is going wrong in our country.

The rulers are using the poor to abuse state funds but still keep them poor. Rich and powerful marginalise them because, if HB is to be believed, “slaves will accumulate for themselves to make sure that they will forever have more than enough.”

This too keeps them poor. From a governance perspective, no one can be described as a slave in South Africa. We are either victims of apartheid or of modern politics, or both. Equating the poor with the slave, is not exactly correct.

But, if the slave is wrongfully enslaved, surely he has the right to rule when he becomes free.

If the poor is in poverty because his colour barred him/her from taking opportunities in the era of opportunities he cannot be stigmatised with poverty.

Affording own legal fees cannot be the right reason for one to a president. I personally would not be happy with Zuma as a president, even if he afforded his legal fees.

Social standing or poor background shouldn’t enable or stop one from being president; it is values and principles. As citizens, we need to focus, judge rightly, separate issues correctly, send right messages and choose righteous leaders.