What the ANC is very good at, and still doing

The UK is not alone in using filibustering in its parliament as a delaying tool.

The National Assembly. Picture: Amanda Watson

The word filibuster has a nice ring to it. I thought it meant a party gatecrasher. Or to do with horse racing. But once I had taken an interest in British politics, I learnt its meaning.

“An action such as prolonged speaking which obstructs progress in a legislative assembly in a way that does not technically contravene the required procedures.”

In other words, a go-slow strike by parliamentarians.

If a piece of legislation is not to their liking, they filibuster – doing a lot of unnecessary talking to prolong a decision, with the hope that it will either be changed, or erased from the agenda.

In the UK’s history, filibustering hasn’t taken place too often, but presently it’s been contemplated regarding the Brexit nodeal Bill of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Evidently the House of Lords is considering just that.

It’s doubtful whether our parliamentarians have ever heard the word, never mind knowing its meaning. But, funny thing, they’ve been filibustering for years – in fact, fine-tuning it during the disastrous Zuma era.

Think back a little. How long had it taken to get shot of Zuma? How many times had the national executive council met without discussing the matter?

How many times had the world’s media camped outside the meeting places where the NEC met, awaiting an answer that was promised? Only silence or empty rhetoric from chief filibuster Gwede Mantashe.

And what about the promised culled Cabinet? It took ages for the new president to decide on whom to go or stay.

Now to the present. The Zondo commission. How many more witnesses to prove state capture is a reality? How many more times is Judge Zondo going to hear the same names of those implicated before a conclusion is reached?

Why a commission in the first place, when books and newspaper articles written by investigative journalists have all the proof needed to flag the culprits? All the prosecuting authority and law enforcement agencies need to have done was to scrutinise the proven material and follow up the manifold leads.

So the UK is not alone in using filibustering in its parliament as a delaying tool.

The ANC has been doing it for years – and is still at it!