Will anti-Zuma marches be enough to make leaders sit up and listen?

It is an interesting thought that for a polyglot nation, which recognises 11 official languages, the true voice of the people was heard on Friday.

This is not to downplay that this complex country does not have the disagreements that diversity of this nature invariably demand.

The posturing and prancing of the Umkhonto We Sizwe military veterans outside Luthuli House, determined to protect the spiritual home of the ANC from any form of attack, represents one view … and the veterans are entitled to this within a framework of nonviolence and keeping to the rule of law.

The countrywide marches and demonstrations against the havoc engendered by President Jacob Zuma’s autocratic restructuring of the Cabinet represents another.

These protesters are entitled under our constitution to their view, with the same constraints applied.

The long-term good of this outpouring of emotions – and, hopefully, there will emerge no lasting adverse effects – provides a brief catharsis for the average citizen and while there will always be elements of our society who hold different views from their fellow countrymen and women, is it points to a new maturity.

The constitution of this country – battered though it may have been of late – was forged by differing elements with a common goal of sitting down and seriously debating what is fit and right for all South Africans. These historic talks should remain a thing of pride and a pointer to the future for all of us.

There can be little argument that this country’s venture into the unknown realm of democracy has not always delivered against the aspirational expectations across the board, and there are still serious shortcomings. But at least we are asking the real questions.

The challenge for South Africa now is to see whether this growing sense that ordinary South Africans can speak for themselves will be seriously listened to.

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