The ANC is dead from within and starting to wilt in public, much like our police system.
“Hurry, come quick! Is that a green shoot up there?”
There is a massive tree next door that can be seen from anywhere in the suburb. When it starts to colour, we know spring is here.
Spring green shoots show new life, but there is no such thing for major political parties, especially the ANC.
A report this week claimed that party secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and deputy president Paul Mashatile have promised not to go to war against each other for the ANC presidency in 2027. This gentleman’s agreement, in a craft where there are no such things as gentlemen, may not stick. But even if it does, who else may be a contender? No obvious answers come.
The rumours will continue to swirl around Patrice Motsepe, deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane, and international relations minister Ronald Lamola. But none of them have seriously thrown their hat in the ring, except for Mokonyane this week warming the ground with a call for a female president.
After a new dawn, a Mashatile midnight
If Cyril Ramaphosa’s election was a new dawn, a Mokonyane or Mashatile presidency would be the darkest of midnights. Both are tainted by corruption allegations, for a start. Mashatile has been tasked with leading government business, but can hardly govern himself, appears to only be able to solve issues as complex as a 10-piece jigsaw puzzle, and is about as imaginative as a single brick.
No doubt he is visible, with a packed diary of events to attend and speak at, but he rarely says anything innovative or of substance.
This is concerning of a potential future president who will first have to resuscitate an ANC that has long been dying and then solve national issues. All this while convincing South Africans that his government can really change their lives for the better.
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The problem runs deep
Local government often provides political patterns that later reflect nationally, and this lack of adequate leadership at national level has long been seen at local municipal level.
While there are some good councillors, community dissatisfaction with service delivery may be behind an increase in new parties ahead of next year’s local government elections.
Residents are looking for leadership, but are often only given excuses. This leaves the perception that major political parties lack willing leaders and are just clogged up by cronyism and incompetence. The only solution is to go it alone, or organise locally.
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Call the police
In an extreme world, complacency would be a criminal offence. But then, who would we report it to, and who would do the investigation?
A report released this week on victims of crime found that confidence in the police continues to erode, and leads to most people not even reporting crimes committed against them.
When they do, the police are often uninterested or ignorant on how to proceed.
While we should aim to reduce incompetence at all levels and in every public service, it is most important in law enforcement and defence. Police should be the least complacent, or we are all in danger.
And we are.
SA is no land of sunshine and rainbows. As admitted by the chairperson of parliament’s portfolio committee on police, Ian Cameron, last month, South Africans are not safe. Six weeks later, he was a victim of an attempted hijacking.
The police, like the ANC, need a spring refresh. But even the first step to doing so, a judicial commission of inquiry into alleged corruption, political interference, and collusion with criminal elements, has stumbled at its first hurdle. Nearly two months after it was announced, it admitted on Tuesday that infrastructure issues have left it stuck in limbo.
Meanwhile, the rot continues, and South Africans lose hope.
That’s the beauty of the green shoots in spring, its rejuvenation won’t let you down.
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