Editor
Political mudslinging and backstabbing that are abound in today’s trade union leaders, politicians and political organisations reminds me of what was once said by the current South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) Managing Director in 1990, Mathatha Tsedu, where he said: “In politics there are no permanent friends or eternal friendship and enemies, but only friendship of convenience.”
Tsedu was in fact referring to the unceremonious expulsion of General Bantu Holomisa from the ANC because of what he said in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) about the then ‘political counterpart and comrade’ in the ANC Stella Sigcawu.
Holomisa gave a damning account of corruption by Sigcawu that prompted him to stage a coup d’état against her. Although Holomisa was revered in the ANC hierarchy, but such a startling revelation or corruption in the TRC about his ‘own comrade’ incurred the wrath of the ANC higher echelons and therefore Holomisa was mercilessly booted out of the government and ANC.
The bitter truth in politics is that politicians today would always fight for power, popularity, money and side-lining anyone standing in their path of getting all these things. Therefore, all politicians should now know that in politics ‘it’s dog eats dog.’
Philani Hadebe
Draycott
