Our government is just full of unfunny clowns

Our government pays much disingenuous lip service to Pan-Africanism yet is unable to put its words into deeds.

Converting soundbytes into actions requires driven, motivated and determined political will and a desire to improve the lot of the nation.

Our failed government has none of these attributes. To lead, we need real leaders. We have none.

Having been instrumental in propagating corruption, racism and xenophobia, government has lost the trust of a large percentage of the taxpaying people who live in the country and contribute to its economy and wellbeing.

It has also silently incentivised and encouraged criminality as it is unable or unwilling to ensure that safety and security are enforced.

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This has not gone unnoticed in Africa. The government has consistently put the ruling party above the citizens. It has come to view itself as our royal rulers.

This merely entrenches and reinforces the perception that it governs for itself and itself alone. Royal they certainly aren’t and rule they definitely can’t.

To become a reliable and trusted partner to Africa, our government must reassess its many failures in terms of its disconnected domestic and foreign policies, especially insofar as Africa is concerned.

It must lead the nation by example. It must advise and assist from a position of strength.

It needs to set an example to others if it is to be listened to and respected. Currently, it can’t.

Our country’s opportunity to give advice, guidance and support to developing African economies has long passed as our government oversees an economy it has destroyed through its policies of corruption, greed, marginalisation and exclusivity.

It is an economic model designed to fail and impoverish the citizens. Not only does this spell disaster for South Africa, it also erodes any potential trust in our government.

How can a government that has failed to maintain basic infrastructure – and that continues to fail daily in providing basic, paid-for services such as water and electricity – advise any African government on how to conduct its affairs?

Recently, large portions of entire cities were left without water and to add to that, the people had to contend with so-called load shedding.

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Without water, most services cease to function. Shopping malls, restaurants, hospitals, schools and many others were left “dry”.

The victims of these basic, paid-for services failures can neither cook their meals nor wash after a long day’s work.

No thinking person can view these continued failures as positive and believe our country is progressing. We aren’t.

Without electricity, critical infrastructure, along with most businesses and households, are unable to function optimally.

We now suffer from both load shedding and water shedding. The government has taken us from an age of enlightenment to the dark ages.

It proclaims to encourage a “Fourth Industrial Revolution” (another of its revolutions) and encourages Africa to “industrialise” while it destroys its own industries – adding to the country’s unemployment and poverty.

The ruling party, to deflect from its own trajectory of failures, continually formulates new revolutions and encourages citizen participation in these.

It will do itself a favour by reading up on the storming of the Bastille.

In 1789, French revolutionaries stormed and seized the medieval armoury and the Bastille.

The Bastille was viewed as representing royal authority. The current trajectory of failure may just result in a revolution they never saw coming.

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As a renewed culture of coups d’état rolls out over some parts of Africa, our government urges “calm”, “clear thinking” and “unity”.

Not only are these words our own government consistently fails to implement, but it is also virtually impossible to do when leaders are fleeing their countries.

Given the inability of the government to stem the days of madness that cost the country billions of rands, what gives them the right to give advice to other African governments – especially on national security?

Let’s not even venture down the road of food security.

The government has dismally failed to protect farmers against hideous crimes and it is the farming community that produces our food.

Farming is considered to be one of the most dangerous occupations in the country. But perhaps this is the plan: more kickbacks by importing food.

Put your own house in order before dispensing advice.

Unfunny clowns who make plans in highly flammable circus tents should not be playing with fire – especially when there are no workable fire engines.

Isaac Mashaba is a political advisor.