Newbies shake up the old order in politics

We reckon the ANC must have been apprehensive about taking into its ranks, in the government of national unity, a bunch of parties with radically differing ideologies and approaches to governing than its own.

But, we would bet that none of the ministers deployed by Luthuli House would have expected their former opponents to hit the ground running with such vigour – nor that they would make their ANC partners look bad in the process.

The DA’s ministers – Leon Schreiber in home affairs, Dean McPherson in public works and Siviwe Gwarube in basic education – have all made very public moves to tackle the worst parts of their portfolios.

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The same has occurred with Freedom Front Plus minister Pieter Groenewald, who has carried out snap inspections of some of the prisons now under his control.

IFP head Velenkosini Hlabisa has set out a no-nonsense approach to local government by warning those municipalities that cannot get their act together and deliver services they will be taken over and run by central government.

Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has generated huge interest with his outspoken populist comments on all sorts of issues, but has won much public sympathy for ending the superfan gravy train, for example.

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In the dust of all this publicity, ANC ministers like Senzo Mchunu have found themselves squeezed out of the limelight, as when he presented his plans for the police and the combating of crime.

Ordinary citizens are now being exposed to enthusiastic, transparent governance which has been anathema to the ANC when it was unchallenged in power.

While it should be pointed out that fine media statements do not necessarily translate into action on the ground, we hope that the professional, citizen-centred approach by the newbies will help shake up the ossified ANC mindset.