Pop into any senior executive’s office anywhere in SA and you’ll get asked one question: is there a silver lining?
You can’t blame these executives. These are depressing times: electricity blackouts whose end is officially nowhere on the horizon; a president who is being blackmailed by members of his own party; and a global context that is dominated by the rise of fascism in Europe and war drums elsewhere.
It is easy, and understandable, to fall into a depression at times like these. It is also easy to fail to spot the silver lining when it presents itself. That’s because silver linings are unlike the terrifying daily news headlines — they are not bold, brash or strident. You might not spot them because they make their way through our lives in a halting, uncertain, fashion.
Yet this week, with the dark clouds over us, when there is no water and no electricity in large parts of Joburg, I choose to remind myself of the silver lining. Not because things are not bad (they are), but because in bad times it is useful, and rejuvenating, to remind oneself of the good.
Over the past few weeks there have been developments in the anticorruption battle which seemed impossible just five years ago. First, and most important, is that the corruption-filled era of Jacob Zuma is coming to an end.
A month ago, Zuma received pledges of support from the new KwaZulu-Natal ANC leadership. The week after, he summoned his supporters in the party and instructed them to abandon all other hopefuls for the ANC leadership and instead support his ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma’s bid for the presidency.
Two weeks ago, the ANC in KZN issued a statement supporting Zweli Mkhize for ANC president, rejecting Dlamini Zuma. Her ex-husband had heard of their move the evening before. He promptly tried to bully them by publicly announcing his support for NDZ — and raising his own hand for the ANC national chair’s position.
It tells you just how desperate the man is that, at the ripe old age of 80 when he should be enjoying his retirement, he wants to return to active politics and run the ANC by stealth. It also shows just how delusional he is, believing that the organisation he has collapsed wants him to continue wreaking havoc on it.
Well, his comrades laughed at him. His former henchman Gwede Mantashe summed it up: “I take that as the biggest joke of the year, actually.”
The man’s days as a force inside the ANC are over. He is now just a sad has-been desperately trying to avoid jail.
There’s more. Zuma’s shameless ally and Gupta family bootlicker Mosebenzi Zwane finally appeared in the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court three weeks ago on fraud and corruption charges.
Just a few years ago Zuma was colluding with consultancy Bain & Co to capture the SA Revenue Service. Two weeks ago, the National Treasury banned Bain from tendering for public sector contracts for a period of 10 years for engaging in “corrupt and fraudulent practices”. At the same time, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has charged the SA unit of McKinsey & Co with fraud, corruption, and theft.
These are just a few of tens of cases now being enrolled in courts, all showing the renewal that is taking place in the law enforcement agencies and NPA.
A few years ago all the Hawks seemed to do was try to arrest Pravin Gordhan. Today, instead of Zuma’s compromised and docile Hawks, you have admirable leaders such as Special Investigating Unit (SIU) head Andy Mothibi and others. The Hawks, the NPA, the SIU — all compromised under Zuma — are beginning to deliver. Brian Molefe, Siyabonga Gama and Anoj Singh — alleged to have looted Transnet — are in court. In time, more will join them.
We have now heard comprehensive testimony in parliament that shows just how the intelligence services under Zuma captured the public protector’s office. In a few months the office that Thuli Madonsela made so proud will be rid of its incumbent and its renewal will begin, too.
Let’s not allow our many, many problems to blind us to the progress that is being made. It’s something to build on.
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