State capture, corruption, incompetence: ANC bad apples must go

Over the last 28 years this writer has, along with other ordinary South African citizens, lost things due to the ANC government’s corruption, state capture, dumb policies and incompetence.

Things like reliable electricity, clean streets, pothole-free roads, affordable food and fuel prices, job security, home security and municipal service delivery.

This month, it got more personal.

My daughter, her husband and their two kids, aged 10 and six, left for Australia – for good.

They had come to the conclusion that the kids simply do not have a viable future in this country.

He is a plumber, running a successful business here, and she is a computer expert, earning lots of money by doing things I will never be able to understand.

In Australia, they will basically have to start from scratch, earning minimum wages for the first three years, after which they can apply for more permanent residency status.

They are going to take the knock for the sake of their children.

My daughter was nine years old in 1994, when we had our first democratic election. At the time, I was hugely excited and told her that we were going to live in the world’s best country.

My views were vindicated when Nelson Mandela became the hero of the entire planet and our Rainbow Nation was the toast of the known universe.

In 1999 came Thabo Mbeki and his minister of health, the late Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who between them (with their Aids denialism) delayed the rollout of anti-retroviral drugs which could have saved as many as 250 000 lives.

Mbeki also famously announced that Eskom – at the time a healthy organisation – did not need to build more power stations.

That tipped the first domino in a series of utter disasters that will ensure I see out my lifetime in darkness.

On 9 May 2009, Jacob Zuma took the reins for a period that is now referred to as the “lost years”.

For nine years. every government department, NGO and municipality in the land was filled with ANC cadres.

Taxpayers and ratepayers were subjected to thievery the likes of which have rarely been achieved anywhere else.

Cyril Ramaphosa became president on 15 February 2018, and promised a “New Dawn” for South Africa. Amazingly, some people still believed politicians and “Ramaphoria” was rife for a while.

ALSO READ: Zondo pulls the rug from Ramaphosa

Our new leader inspected the land and proclaimed himself “shocked”, “saddened”, “appalled” and “angry” to find he is presiding over a massive gang of thieves.

But what has been done about it?

Today, Eskom, SAA, the armed forces, the police, just about every municipality … our education system and our health services are all shadows of their former selves.

Their names are known – the massively expensive Zondo’s Commission of Inquiry into State Capture has unmasked the lot.

But not one politician is actually in trouble. Jacob Zuma has spent the last 15 years successfully playing our justice system for a fool.

He has been joined in the game by Dudu Myeni, Ace Magashule and many others who know the National Prosecution Agency is a toothless dog.

ALSO READ: Zuma to challenge state capture report, lay complaint with JSC against Zondo

They will never account for their deeds, with politicians clearly above the law.

Meanwhile, our official unemployment figure is over 33%.

What will it be by the time my grandchildren start looking for jobs?

Better they go.