The new political landscape of co-governance in Gauteng’s major metros and in other provinces made residents the real winners after their voices were heard and respected.
The development also gave credence to the Independent Electoral Commission which was found to have been impartial during the elections. Besides the regrettable inter-party election-related deaths and inter-party skirmishes, the metros should be lauded for the election outcome which was declared free and fair by local and international observers.
The result proved that the province and country had taken a different route in consolidating South Africa’s fledgling democracy. This is in contrast to many African countries which have failed for decades at the game of democracy they claim to uphold, only to fall into the temptation of, ‘he who wields the gun shall rule forever’.
For South Africa’s political leadership in the African National Congress (ANC) – who underestimated the power of the citizens – a lesson that needs to be learnt is that, over time, citizens’ critical mass ultimately prevails, despite the odds. Their first lesson should be the art of listening even to voices they denigrate.
They should now introspect, accept and learn from their weaknesses, and humble and endear themselves to the citizens if they desire to mount a comeback. Citizens will consider such comeback attempts if, whichever party may be in power shows signs of failure.
Unfortunately, comebacks are monumental feats very seldom achieved, especially by those who have lost power.
The comfort from the spoils they have amassed tends to lull and deflate their desire to serve. They seem to lack the drive to get down and dirty on organisational and renewal work, which they would rather see done by others of a lesser class. It appears that they feel entitled to a free ride to leadership drawing from past struggle credentials, conveniently forgetting that struggles are a collective good played out by all through varying roles and capacities to achieve freedom.
They forget that the struggle credentials mean nothing to the masses who, through their votes would rather choose those they trust will guarantee full and progressive attention to the bread and butter issues they face.
South Africa’s moral beacons of the struggle, former President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu aptly advised that leaders who fail to serve should be ousted as they will have failed the nation.
Joburg’s new leaders are challenged to listen and serve. The city’s youthful metropolitan majority is fully aware of and ready to exercise its power.
