Pro-Zuma protesters’ antics show their desperation, weakness

In reportage on marches, we hear of civil society, but what about uncivil society? To be uncivil is to be, “discourteous, impolite, rude, insulting, disrespectful…”, according to Google.

Who is uncivil? Both sides can be accused of incivility. For instance, it is discourteous to describe not-my-president as junk, even if the label is deserved.

But the other side is worse. The ANC Youth League and Black First Land First (BLF) are uncivil and prone to physical violence. Almost every intimidatory act during recent political upheavals has been initiated by these groups defending “Junkob” Zuma.

ANCYL thugs were not reprimanded ahead of Friday’s Johannesburg march when they warned they would use “sjamboks and all weapons at our disposal”. You’d think the ANCYL wouldn’t want to be associated with sjamboks. Four months ago, a former ANCYL leader was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend by sjambokking her to death.

On Friday, a group of ANCYL members chased a DA supporter in Bree Street, kicking him and hitting him with sticks as he lay on the ground. Police used rubber bullets to disperse another ANCYL mob intent on disrupting the gathering in Mary Fitzgerald Square.

Outside the Gupta compound in Saxonwold, police used stun grenades after BLF members arrived to confront demonstrators. In Durban, a DA supporter was assaulted by stick-wielding ANCYL members.  The ANCYL disrupted Sunday’s Ahmed Kathrada memorial service. Disobeying a court order, they cut short the speeches of former minister Pravin Gordhan and ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize.

There is no moral equivalence between this undemocratic bullying on the one hand and the behaviour of anti-Zuma marchers. The violence from the pro-Zuma side betrays desperation and weakness. They know they cannot rely on the force of logical argument.

Zuma was clutching at straws on Monday when, addressing a Chris Hani wreath-laying ceremony, he described the marches against him as racist. Even faithful followers were unenthusiastic in response to this lame tactic. Of course racism remains a serious problem, but as Zuma has said, it should not be exaggerated.

Ever the hypocrite, after accusing others of politicising such occasions, Zuma did exactly that, railing against political foes. All through the anti-apartheid struggle era, funerals and memorial services were used for politics. Indeed, there is a long tradition worldwide. Mark Anthony’s “Friends, Romans, countrymen…” funeral oration for Julius Caesar remains a rabble-rousing classic.

If hypocrisy is a Zuma trademark, he shares it with the BLF. Following a script written for the Guptas by London-based PR firm Bell Pottinger, they campaign against “white monopoly capital”. Yet they defend capitalists who have monopolised South Africa’s Cabinet and state-owned enterprises.

Zuma, too, follows that script, designed to detract attention from what the Zuptas are upta.

There’s so much BS in the air. So-called leaders too easily backtrack to follow the herd. If a certain buffalo is not brave enough, he may find the next bull in charge is of a different hue – blue.

Either you display confidence, or voters have no confidence. This is no time for cowardice.

DA city councillor for Joburg Martin Williams

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