On Supra: It’s too early to celebrate
The ANC must ensure that the person replacing Mahumapelo is competent, dedicated … and honest, or the tyres will soon burn again.
West Premier Supra Mahumapelo and former president Jacob Zuma during the unveiling of a monument dedicated to Zuma at the Groot Marico site on October 05, 2017 in North West, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images / Business Day / Tiro Ramatlhatse)
Whatever happens in the drawn-out political reality show Survivor North West Province – starring Supra Mahumapelo – the ANC government of President Cyril Ramaphosa will not be able to celebrate a victory.
That will be partly because Mahumapelo and his supporters – and the others in the camp of ex-president Jacob Zuma – are going to find it difficult to come to terms with what has happened to them.
In that sense, what has happened in the past six months constitutes a “revolution” in the truest sense of the word. And, often in history, the losers in any revolution fight back.
The Zuma camp is far from being a footnote to history and, therefore, Ramaphosa needs to step very carefully. Many may not like it, but that is the world of realpolitik.
The other reason to delay premature celebrations is that there is a massive amount of work needed to fix the mess left by Mahumapelo in North West. And that province is merely one of a number that are failing.
The ANC must ensure that the person replacing Mahumapelo is competent, dedicated … and honest.
If that is not guaranteed, then it will only be a matter of time before the tyres start burning again…
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