Steenhuisen, and the DA, could do with Churchill’s wisdom
Steenhuisen has the opportunity of appointing the right people for the job and addressing poverty with concrete and sustainable plans.
John Steenhuisen and Ivan Meyer address the media, 17 November 2019. Democratic Alliance (DA) members voted for John Steenhuisen to become their new interim leader and voted for Ivan Meyer to be the party’s interim federal chairperson at Nkukuleko House in Johannesburg. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
New Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen should learn from some of the choice quotes from Winston Churchill as he takes on the task of not only uniting the factions within the party, but comes up with solutions for SA’s crying needs.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it’s the courage to continue that counts.”
Steenhuisen undoubtedly faces an uphill task. But, on the plus side, the ANC has shown its true colours of being incompetent and corrupt and no longer of any use to the black people who trusted it to end their struggle against poverty and unemployment.
These people are desperate and crying out for help. They are awaiting the day for a change of government. For a saviour, if you will.
More’s the pity that Mmusi Maimane hadn’t heeded Churchill’s call. He clearly didn’t have the courage to continue within the only party that has a chance of shafting the ANC.
Together with Steenhuisen, he could have added value to the DA’s efforts to save a nation ruined through crooked governance.
In parliament, Maimane proved his worth with evangelistic zeal and, together with Steenhuisen, could have continued taking on the arrogance and complacency of the governing party.
He should have heeded another Churchill gem: “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”
Maimane still has the chance to make a comeback and stand up for the people of this land – whether or not in a leadership role.
The party as a whole could learn from this one: “I hold that governments are meant to be, and must remain, the servants of the citizens; and can only be justified by preserving the life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in the homes and families of individuals. The true right and power rest in the individual. He gives of his right and power to the state, expecting and requiring thereby in return receive certain advantages and guarantees.”
Is this not the type of governance we all crave?
Steenhuisen has the opportunity of appointing the right people for the job and addressing poverty with concrete and sustainable plans.
A parting Bulldog shot: “If you’re going through hell [Steenhuisen], keep going.”
Cliff Buchler.
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