The problem with blind loyalty

The French phrase “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche” (let them eat cake), says it all.

This is seemingly the stance of the political leaders and their pals who raked in millions and have failed to satisfy their mandate by amassing fortunes through corrupt and ill-gotten gains from tenders.

Fast-forward to the year of breaking all things in the status quo – 2024, ex-politicians and business people are filling the docks as the accused as the country counts the number of lost billions to utter wastage, this ahead of the important general election.

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We may joke about the women who found themselves conveniently aligned to businessmen who appeared from nowhere, we may chuckle that the Mercedes-Benz Viano was key in the criteria of determining who had “made it”.

But we sadly cannot ignore that in personal enrichment, somehow, we are losing.

The nation keeps losing to a handful of continuously enriched individuals who continue to assimilate themselves with the correct people – speaking with the correct and convenient amount of “Chief, My Brother and Comrade”.

And in this, alliances are forged and deals are sealed – at a cost devastatingly high. And while the ones whose names we consider to be small fish remains in the public, the news and on commentary lips – those of undoubted political clout remain “purely speculated”.

Ministers, MPs and business people who pay the way for political power remain under our eyes – true to the words of the Economic Freedom Fighters, are there sacrificial lambs while the real masterminds evade justice?

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Names that repeatedly resurfaced in the Zondo commission still enjoy their freedoms – involved in the Bosasa scandals, personal protective equipment tender awards and so much more – yet not a single day in court.

Where is the real focus? What real influential players are yet to be uncovered? Qu’ils mangent de la brioche – we voted into power men and women who have continuously responded to us that we should eat cake, while they feasted at our expense… their children scoring tenders, ours being recruited to march in the streets against white monopoly capital that somehow fed theirs?

And when the time comes to mark our X on our votes where it matters most, all this will be forgotten, because it’s better the devil we know?

Our voting and its blind loyalty need an overhaul that will prevent South Africa from becoming the expected African narrative, a Mugabe, Idi Amin story of Africa.