Categories: Opinion

NDZ poor choice for president

As I write this column, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (NDZ) is holding forth about her vision for the country, mouthing the same platitudes that have become the gospel of the National Democratic Revolution.

Smiling more than we have ever witnessed in her long career in politics, she refuses to let go of Bell Pottinger-speak. Firmly in the Gupta camp with all her supporters aligned, her leadership will be more of the same.

As South Africans, we should be worried, very worried.

Those who love our country must defend it against fraud, corruption and maladministration, even her.

We owe it to our children yet, within the ANC, NDZ is gaining momentum and refuses to retire because she cannot envisage life after politics.

The cadres are addicted to politics not because they care about the people, but because they care about their own vested interests of acquiring instant wealth through politics.

Next door, Emmerson Mnangagwa is continuing along the path of his predecessor, mouthing off politically correct utterings here and there, yet eschewing the call for democratic elections.

Zimbabweans were so desperate to get rid of Robert Mugabe that anyone was considered an improvement on the tyrant. The same thinking seems to prevail here.

Anyone will be better than President Jacob Zuma. Ironically, his greatest enemies seem to welcome NDZ on the grounds that SA is ready for a woman president.

Lest we forget, we had Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka as deputy president once.

Her tenure, though, was shrouded in an unofficial trip for her and her friends to Qatar at taxpayers’ expense.

We have many senior women in parliament as speaker and deputy speaker, yet their presence has made no difference.

In fact, Speaker Baleka Mbete has become one of the most despised women in SA. She is on television as I write, harking back to the evils of colonialism because she has nothing current to offer.

In fact, the evils of colonialism are on a par with the evils of post-colonialism in a country that has 30 million poor people, 17 million on social grants and 28% unemployed, while MPs and the ruling elite are draped in gold and diamonds.

Women are everywhere in parliament and government, doing their thing.

They are not intrinsically good by virtue of their gender. Dudu Myeni, Ellen Tshabalala, Bathabile Dlamini, Busisiwe Mkhwebane and Nomvula Mokonyane, for example, are the kind of women you wouldn’t want to be alone with in a room.

So, let’s forget the gender question because the ruling party has been excellent at breeding men and women who are equally obnoxious and corrupt.

To quote one of the EFF leaders: “Mr Zuma is a constitutional delinquent.”

Now that a judge has ruled that Zuma take responsibility for his actions as revealed in former public protector Thuli Madonsela’s report, those who support him had better beware.

This is the first domino to fall. Will NDZ pick up the domino and reverse the rot, or is she too embedded to do so?

Well, her NEC line-up of Gupta-supporters makes one doubt that she will. President Harry Truman, billed as one of the worst American presidents said: “Some of the presidents were great and some of them weren’t. I can say that, because I wasn’t one of the great presidents, but I had a good time trying to be one, I can tell you that.”

I can tell you now, NDZ will not be a good president.

She won’t even try!