The #FeesMustFall campaign dominated the news in the latter part of 2015.
This year the #ZumaMustFall campaign is dominating the news. There is a compelling reason for president Zuma to step down. It would be honourable if he steps down voluntarily. But it seems he wants to go down with the country.
President Zuma’s behaviour is negating all the gains we’ve made in the last 22 years of our democracy. The Chapter 9 institutions, including the Public Protector, are being undermined and weakened by his administration. The economy is also down, unemployment high and the nation’s moral low. And nothing suggests that things will get better under Msholozi’s leadership.
The president’s failure to uphold the Constitution, as the Constitutional Court has ruled, is the last straw. There is no two ways about it: he must go. His resistance to step down is actually a blessing in a sense that it is uniting South Africans. The civic voice is growing strong that the he must go. Despite surviving impeachment, he is going.
But I digress. The Executive Mayor of Mogale City Calvin Koketso Seerane will deliver his last State of the City Address on the 29 April. What will be Seerane’s parting shot? There is no interest shown by the citizens and media in that regard.
The lack of interest shown by citizens in the local government is anti-revolutionary. Many decisions and polices are made on behalf of them by the municipality without their input. Some policies are unfavourable to them.
The property value policy is a classical example. Yet citizens continue to show low interest in local government politics.
Back to Seerane. What legacy will the Executive Mayor of Mogale City leave behind? Frankly, I don’t know. All I know is that he is friendly but has no presence. He is also media shy and leads from behind. In addition, he’s the first mayor in Mogale to serve two terms in the democratic dispensation.
The curious question is: who will succeed Seerane? Two names keep cropping up: Boyce Maneli and Peace Mabe. Maneli has extensive experience in as far as local government is concerned. He has served as a councillor (in various positions) for 15 years or so. He’s also a backroom operator and enjoys respect among his comrades. If he becomes mayor, he’ll hit the ground running.
I don’t know much about Mabe. But the last time I heard her speaking in parliament, I was not impressed. She sounded like a noise maker who has no substance. But what stands in her good stead is that she’s a woman. If she gets the nod, she will be the first woman mayor in Mogale City.
