Machaba speaks his mind

Letter by Peter Machaba, addressed to the President

I understand fully that running a country is not child’s play, I know very well that there are people who expect our president to do the impossible, especially the opposition parties.

We need to be realistic in our expectations and our politicians should also be realistic when they deliver the election manifestos.

It is very simple and straightforward. Don’t promise what you can’t provide. Once you fail to deliver what you have promised, you are inviting the inevitable chaos and anarchy.

We are living in the 21st century, people are wiser than before.

People do not want to be taken for granted.

I have witnessed in shame how people respond with anger when the government fails to fulfil its promises.

Our parliament has now become a laughing stock, our President has given the opposition parties a powerful tool to destroy him, his organisation and our country.

It is very difficult to fight Zuma without damaging the reputation of the ANC and the country.

He is the face of both the ANC and the country.

There is a saying that goes when the elephants fight it is the grass that suffers the most.

In case of a battle between President Zuma and the opposition parties, we are the ones who suffer the most.

Our economy is in a bad state, we almost plunged into junk status.

As a patriotic and responsible citizen of the Republic of South Africa, I would like to call on both parties to be considerate when fighting each other.

They must first think about the school children whose future is being compromised as a result of schools being burnt. Public places like clinics and libraries are vandalised by their supporters who have joined the battle to support them as their leaders.

I know very well that President Zuma’s struggle credentials are impeccable, he spent 10 years on Robben Island and many more years in exile, fighting for the freedom of this country.

He contributed a lot to this country.

It is a fact that he is one of the heroes who risked their lives for the love of this country.

It pains me now to see him moving down from heroic status to villain status.

By failing to comply with the public protector’s report and failing to honour his presidential oath that he would never do anything that would harm the well-being of this country, he has given his opponents powerful weapons to destroy him and our country.

If I were to advise him, I would advise him to step down not because he accepts that he is not suitable to be a president, but for the love of this country and for the sake of the democracy that he spent many years in jail and exile for.

Mr Honorable President, you can’t allow people to use your name to destroy this beautiful country that you worked so hard to build.

At times like these you need to have the same courage and vigour that you had when you fought victoriously against Apartheid to stand up and handover your resignation.

By so doing you will be preserving the legacy that you have fought for.

Please Mr President, stand up and say NOT in my name will the economy of South Africa go down the drain, NOT in my name will the future of innocent school children be compromised.

Please Mr President, I am very concerned that you are now losing respect from unexpected and unlikely sources like your own ANC veterans, church organisations, students and ordinary citizens.

The Constitutional Court has ruled against your favour regarding public protector’s report.

Now you don’t have any strong pillars that you can hold on to.

Please Mr President, resign while you still have the chance to restore your dignity.

If you fail to consider this free advice then your fall from heroic to villain status is imminent and inevitable.

Peter Machaba.