What have South Africans done to deserve such consistently poor leadership?
As the country is pummelled by pressing challenges globally and domestically, its leaders are playing chicken with each other. Almost every second week now the two main parties in the GNU intensify their conflict, hoping the other will yield. Meanwhile, punitive tariffs take effect, jobs are wiped out, crime and corruption flourish and the country’s prospects deteriorate further.
Clause 24 of the GNU’s statement of intent, signed on June 14 last year by ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and DA federal council chair Helen Zille, is clear. It reads: “In keeping with the spirit of an inclusive GNU it is agreed that the composition shall be discussed and agreed amongst the existing parties, whenever new parties desire to be part of the GNU.”
If one of the parties in the GNU — specifically the ANC and the DA, as the two biggest in the formation — unilaterally decides to “make the circle bigger”, then it is the end of the GNU unless the other party cowers and agrees to be bullied. We know the DA has threatened fire and brimstone for the GNU on other issues and then folded when push came to shove. How many more times will it yield? Similarly, how many times will the ANC yield in the face of threats?
Last week ANC national executive committee (NEC) member Mzwandile Masina announced after an NEC meeting that the party is forging ahead with plans to bring in Jacob Zuma’s MK Party, the EFF and others.
“This GNU is led by ourselves,” Masina said. “The DA will have to accept that we are resetting the button. We are bringing others who will be prepared to subscribe. What we will not accept are conditions, because previously we were given ridiculous conditions, which we could not accept, which is why other parties are not necessarily part of the GNU.”
What does Masina, or his principals President Cyril Ramaphosa and Mbalula, expect the DA to do? Burst into song and applaud the imminent arrival of the scandal-soaked Zuma into the GNU?
The ANC leadership’s decision to seek outside partners is provocative, myopic, illogical and suicidal
The ANC leadership’s decision to seek outside partners is provocative, myopic and illogical. It illustrates just how self-obsessed our politicians — on all sides of the divide — have become. It is all about themselves, and not about the country and the people.
Masina’s declaration once again introduces instability into the political environment when the country least needs it. At a time when the ANC and the DA should be working feverishly to deal with the US tariffs, a collapsing safety and security sector, and so many other issues, they are still focusing on who might leave the GNU. And so are the domestic and international investors the country desperately needs. And when they don’t invest because of the uncertainty and instability, we will pathetically rush to label them racist.
The ANC and the DA are turning their backs on a golden opportunity to build trust and win approval among voters. A survey earlier this year commissioned by the now defunct Brenthurst Foundation found that most South Africans approve of the GNU. About 57% of respondents said the GNU is performing well, while 60% said it was performing better than the previous ANC-only government.
Good performance would multiply that goodwill.
Instead of flirting with a political disaster such as Zuma’s MK, the ANC should fix the GNU clearing house mechanism. This is the structure that’s supposed to deal with problems in the GNU before they become crises. In May, Zille declared it a waste of time. Why don’t Mbalula and Zille resuscitate it? Paul Mashatile, the man in charge of it, is clearly incapable and uninterested in making it work.
I don’t know how many times it needs to be emphasised for South Africa’s leaders to hear: this country is in trouble and needs focused attention right now. Our leaders cannot, should not, be playing chicken with its future at this point.
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