The politics of numbers

There is a new concept in SA that is threatening to engulf society in the current phase of our democracy – what I call the “Nyovestisation” of our politics or election campaigning.

It is a case where stadium numbers are perceived as a determinant of electoral support and, therefore, an indication of the likely outcome in an election.

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Of course, this is a tactic to sway the voter using imagery to vote for the party because of its “following”.

This is an idea stolen from the famous rapper Cassper Nyovest (real name: Refiloe Phoolo) who initiated the fill-up-the-stadium phenomenon in the music industry.

Nyovest was trying to demonstrate his prowess and to show he was not only a crowd-puller but also the king of rap.

Our politicians are also attempting to outdo each other trying to show that they can do better than the rest in pulling in the crowds to their political rallies.

This is what Prof Lesiba Teffo, in one of his unsolicited observation briefs to me this week calls the “politics of numbers”.

“The new political paradigm in South Africa – the politics of numbers. ‘I filled a bigger stadium than you.’ No content and no substance,” Teffo says as he signs off with his favourite slogan Cry the Beloved Country, borrowed from Alan Paton’s novel title.

Legal eagle Modidima Mannya also noticed the morphing of our politics into what he terms “stadiumology”.

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In a separate analysis on party prospects that circulated on social media, the law expert seems more swayed by filling-up the stadium than I would be.

“As the election starts in earnest and seems to promise to be the most interesting since the dawn of democracy, I foresee many heartbreaks. The ANC seems to still be leading the pack, using the stadiumology approach. To think these numbers may not translate to votes may border on the cynical,” Mannya says.

But EFF leader Julius Malema takes the political Nyovestisation very seriously. His ground forces must work hard to bring the crowds to the stadium – a process that entails busing to the venue, otherwise you will be fired.

However, let’s give it to Juju. After Nyovest the rapper, the EFF commander-in-chief has mastered the art of attracting crowds to the stadium this way.

His colourful show at the FNB Stadium during the EFF’s 10th anniversary in July last year, where he was literally elevated on a platform amidst fireworks, brought a new dimension to election campaigning in South Africa.

There was obvious jealousy from particularly the ANC, which, of course, could not afford such expenditure with its coffers having dried up many moons ago. Malema promised to fill up Moses Mabhida and he did exactly that last week.

The ANC matched the red berets at the weekend in the venue and the Inkatha Freedom Party will attempt the feat next.

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But one doubts if the leaderless uMkhonto weSizwe party would risk going there, lest it embarrasses itself with few numbers.

The idea of stadium crowding is to display who has more supporters, because in the minds of the leaders, filling it would translate into votes at the 29 May general election.

The ongoing Moses Mabhida jamborees are indicative of the fact that KwaZulu-Natal has become a battleground for the ANC, IFP and MK party.

In their fill up the stadium contest, their leaders tend to behave like bulls fighting for mating dominance. Like the bulls, they are kicking up dust and goring the ground as they size up each other before the big fight.

As is always the case, a defeated bull is banished from the herd and it would never dare to return if the winner is a stray from another herd.

It’s sad and shameful when a local bull is vanquished by a nomad and had to leave his females with a stranger.

One of these scenarios is likely to be the outcome in the battle for KwaZulu-Natal.