Government continues to play the blame game for SA’s woes

For years now, the ruling party has steadfastly refused to accept any accountability for the plethora of failures it has presided over. Instead, it has sought to lay blame before the doors of colonialism and apartheid.

According to them, they are “blameless”. As the senior partner in our dysfunctional government, it has proven it has no empathy for the citizens it supposedly governs. Indeed, the word “governance” does not apply to our government as it has demonstrated its inability to exercise governance in any manner of form.

Whereas this is shown on a daily basis, it has a far-reaching impact and even reverberates internationally. The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force has already found South Africa wanting in all 11 of its measures to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

If our country is grey-listed, it faces the risk of being booted out of the global financial system. The results will be catastrophic. Yet they continue with their approach to the destruction of our economy and our reputation.

South Africa is already listed as the 15th country most likely to default on its debt obligations. Given our natural wealth and the abilities of our people, this ought to be regarded as nothing short of disgraceful. But our people matter little to those who seek to cling to and expand their power and personal wealth.

Instead, the government continually formulates new policies with little regard of their impact on the country, its people and our future. Its seems as though the government’s desire is to leave a totally ruined and wrecked country for our youth.

Our dysfunctional foreign policy seems stuck in the era of Cold War politics where it views itself as the only correct and good state in a world filled with evil capitalist states. Below this fragile narrative it likes pushing, the converse is true. Any disagreement is viewed as “counterrevolutionary”.

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The government seems concerned at the growing influence of both foreign and African countries. It is, however, its dismal foreign policy that has allowed this as it is unable to project any form of foreign influence – apart from talk and no action.

Coupled to this misdirection, our largest trading partners, the US and Europe, are increasingly viewed as “enemy states”. It is, according to the ruling party, these wealthy enemies, along with colonialism and apartheid, that are to blame for the current mess our country is in.

Yet, when SA needs foreign investments, it runs hat-in-hand off to the “colonialists”. Ironically, these enemy states employ thousands of South Africans in their capitalist companies. Whereas the government loves positioning itself as “nonaligned”, it has proven to be not so.

It loves to align itself with pariah states and then acts surprised when it finds itself being criticised. And those who dare criticise it, as recently shown by our minister of police, must be shouted down and removed.

Apartheid is long dead and gone. The only ones who appear to be clinging to it are those diehards from a previous era, along with some of our super-entitled government ministers. Our youth, who are often more educated than those in power, have no desire to continually live in the past. They are aware of both the good and the bad colonialism brought to our country.

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They also are able to see through the false narratives some of our politicians are trying to propagate. They understand the value of education and realise that the government’s approach to degraded educational systems holds many dangers to our country and its progress.

The youth are under the impression that the government seems to believe that if they are kept uneducated, they can easily spout sweet nothings and convince them to vote to keep them in power.

The greatest compliment any teacher or politician can receive is when their “students” emulate them. No one wants to emulate the current crop of political misfits we have. The only examples we get from our politicians is how to lie, cheat, shout and steal.

After almost 30 years in power, the government’s failings cannot be blamed on the “evil West”, apartheid or colonialism. Indeed, it was the “evil West” and the ex-colonial powers that gave them safe haven and support during the years of their struggle.

Having the monopoly of the microphone, living in the past and by shouting the loudest will not rectify the many wrongs this government has brought upon us.

It is time the youth of South Africa made their voices heard and their votes counted to get rid of those who have come to regard us as their slaves.

The blame game no longer counts.

Isaac Mashaba is a political advisor.