What would a ‘sensible centre’ party look like in SA?

In our household, we’ve become quite addicted to the Netflix series Designated Survivor about the man who “inherits” the US Presidency as the literal “last man standing” when the country’s entire political leadership is wiped out in a terrorist attack on the Capitol in Washington, DC.

Tom Kirkman (played by Kiefer Sutherland) is the man thrust, almost wholly unprepared, into the limelight and who has to tackle a shopping list of crises, from nuclear to biological terror, attempts to kill him and the death of his wife.

As the series goes on, Kirkman – who is an avowed independent, not belonging to either of the main parties, the Republicans or Democrats – decides to run for election, rather than just be a caretaker president.

He battles, because he has neither the big party support, nor their money (and deceit).

But he and his advisors realise that as many as 45% of Americans do not vote at all, because they believe politics holds nothing for them.

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Kirkman, though, represents what one of his people calls the “sensible centre”.

That was a phrase which must have crept into my subconscious, because I found myself using it – for what I thought was the first time – when I had coffee with a friend of mine.

The man – who shall remain nameless for the moment for obvious reasons – is a talented writer and analyst … and is frustrated by the current state of politics here in South Africa.

So much so that he is planning to start his own party.

Although we never discussed the nitty-gritty, I had an instinctive feeling that here was the sort of guy I could vote for.

Sensible, centrist, down to earth. Barack Obama, if you will – but without that man’s habit of sending drones into “terrorist” countries and building up huge civilian body counts.

What would a “sensible centre” party look like in South Africa – and what would it stand for?

Not knowing what my friend intends, I personally would like to see an organisation where race really is not an issue for the members or the leadership. No token darkies. No token whiteys.

Competence recognised and rewarded, but underpinned by the understanding that this country still has to level the playing fields of opportunity for people who suffered under colonialism and apartheid for 300 years.

A free market system would drive the economy – but it would be far from unfettered capitalism.

Companies would be monitored so that they paid their fair share of taxes and so that they did not pay their executives outrageous money for massaging share prices.

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Perhaps there could even be a national pay scale setting benchmarks for various jobs.

A much smaller Cabinet would oversee the radical trimming of the civil service and, following a thorough assessment of skills and performances, salaries of nurses, teachers and cops would be radically increased.

Social services and a social safety net – through pensions, as well as medical and educational subsidies for the poor – would be maintained.

South African Airways (SAA) would be sold off. The national rail system would be revitalised and subsidies introduced for the transport of goods and people.

A vastly smaller parliament would be elected by constituency – and MPs held accountable.

Mostly, I would like the Sensible Centrist Party to have as its motto: If we get it wrong, we’ll resign.

Brendan Seery