SA’s politics could be heading for a world of pain

Back in the mists of political history, when Thabo Mbeki was president, nobody believed that, one day, we might look back and say: “Those were the good old days…”

Yet, look at us now.

And the lesson is: beware of thinking our current politics is a mess … because it can get worse.

Here’s a nightmare scenario for supporters of President Cyril Ramaphosa who thought that, after his triumph at the ANC’s Nasrec elective conference in December 2017, state capture might finally be put behind us.

Specifically, it was hoped that Ramaphosa’s predecessor, Jacob Zuma, would be confined to the dustbin of history or to a jail cell – or both.

It was also hoped he would head off into the political sunset and the new dawn of justice along with his gang of supporters, both in government and in the various key positions in government bodies and state-owned enterprises, where they had been “deployed” to further the state capture project.

Yet, after lying low for a few years, watching as Ramaphosa struggled with the poisoned chalice of the after-effects of looting and ruinous “Radical Economic Transformation” policies and promises; his opponents are starting to make open plays for power.

And there are a number of them from the Zuma camp who, clearly, have their eyes on the seat of power, the Presidency.

To keep all the Ramaphosa supporters awake at night, in the immortal words of Malusi Gigaba, imagine this – a future roll of presidential candidates headed by Duduzane Zuma (son of the ruler of Nkandla), including Ace Magashule and “Politics Barbie” Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu.

They are openly starting to campaign – and that should worry every right-thinking South Africa.

Because if where we are now is considered in the future as the “good old days”, we are heading for a world of pain…

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