We live in a fractured country

Depending on who you speak to, it either doesn’t exist any more or it’s time for a radical overhaul.

After the vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma unravelled in the National Assembly, the streets of Cape Town around parliament became one big celebration, with music pumping far into the night.

Saying the time for change was here, Siyabonga Booysen is one of South Africa’s radical “young lions” who believes the ANC – and President Jacob Zuma – is the way to go.

“In the South African context, we are facing real social inequalities, but one thing we must not forget is that we are dealing with class politics,” said Booysen, who is also the secretary of the Western Cape central region of the South African Students’ Congress.

“We are not going to pretend there is a rainbow nation when the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. We can’t just walk away from that.

“Those who control the means of production, such as the land and the mines, it’s a minority of people who control the country.”

He said the perception that government was corrupt was a lie.

“It’s the private sector which has a hold on the economy.”

Alicia – not her real name – is a South African-born citizen with a Polish passport. A businessperson, she says her children were born here and are self-employed.

She spoke to The Citizen on condition of anonymity, fearing a backlash. Standing with her hand over her mouth, her gaze fixed on the big screen outside parliament, where the motion of no confidence was happening, she pondered whether it would be worthwhile staying in SA.

“I’ve been out before but I keep coming back.”

She said she had lost faith in politicians’ ability to run the country.

“Even if Zuma was voted out, who’s next? Personally, I think they are all full of it. It’s a Catch-22, there’s no win-win. Politicians just say what you want to hear, but things just drag on and there’s no real change.” – amandaw@citizen.co.za