How to Stop Jacob Zuma and the ANC

With only 8 days to go to Election Day, it is important that supporters of change in South Africa do not lose hope. There is no doubt that the dubious decision of the NPA to withdraw the charges against Jacob Zuma has led to despondency among some opposition supporters. The idea that the political game in this country is effectively rigged in the ANC’s favour and voting is just a waste of time is very dangerous and must be challenged. Helen Zille, the leader of the Democratic Alliance, did just that this week in a brilliant speech explaining clearly what is at stake in this election and why every vote counts. (PoliticsWeb: Zille calls on voters to help stop Zuma)

First and foremost it is imperative that we stop the ANC from getting a two-thirds majority. The latest polls show that the ANC is hovering around this mark. Jacob Zuma has made it patently clear that his election goal is total control of South Africa. He told supporters this week at a rally in KwaZulu-Natal that ‘it will be easy for the ANC to take decisions and deliver if it had a massive majority in government.’ What else significant but to change the constitution would the ANC need a super majority for?

The ANC in general and Jacob Zuma in particular seem to have little patience even for the trappings of a functioning democracy with minimal checks and balances (though they do like large cheques and big personal bank account balances). Their policy of cadre deployment defecates on the age old principle of separation of powers. With a two-thirds majority in hand is there any reason to think that more overt and damaging measures will not be taken to weaken the independence of the judiciary and silence their critics in the press?

Perhaps even more importantly, the ANC already has plans to emasculate local government through a constitutional amendment to entrench its power, as Zille points out. Unbeknown to most South African, the DA in particular, but other opposition parties as well, have made significant inroads into ANC support at the local level. The abhorrent level of service delivery has created massive unhappiness especially among poorer communities. The ANC knows that strong municipal councils provide the only real threat to their almost total political control. Stopping Jacob Zuma and his ANC from getting the two-thirds they want to be able strip local communities of their power is crucial to keep any hope of a significant political opposition alive in South Africa.

More than just preventing the ANC from having absolute control, this election is also creating an alternative. Polls show that the DA is set to win the Western Cape. Unless COPE performs a miracle in perhaps the Eastern and Northern Cape, this would mean that this will be the only province not controlled by the ANC. Giving the DA a majority in the Western Cape would provide the first real provincial level opportunity for the party to show South Africans how it can govern.

We have seen in just a short time the amazing results Helen Zille has produced in Cape Town. Service delivery is up; corruption and crime are down and I have no doubt increased sustainable growth and economic development for all will follow in its wake.

Given the substantial authority that provinces possess in terms of the constitution, a DA run Western Cape administration would be able to augment these gains in the entire province. When South Africans begin to see the benefits both social and economic of living in a province that is governed on the basis of an open opportunity society for all rather than the ANC’s closed corrupt society for a few, old political loyalties will surely begin to crumble. If the DA wins, the Western Cape will be the epicentre of the change South Africa so badly needs.

So what can you do?

• Vote for the DA on April 22.
• Explain to everyone you know what is at stake and encourage them to vote for the DA or at least another opposition party (here's one to consider). The most effective political campaigning is done around the water cooler!
• Help with the logistical or financial support by joining http://contributetochange.org.za

Winning elections are ultimately about getting out the vote.

And most importantly don’t lose hope!

Comments

[David Silman]

Where do these revolting people come from and where are they leading us?
Recently, the MEC for local government continued weaving her gillnet of red herrings around the Zimbabwean refugees in central Joburg, gracelessy trying to place the ‘blame’ for their presence in the city on Bishop Verryn and other aid providers. This is contemptible, particularly since it is her party’s government, local, provincial and national that has done nothing to ease the suffering of these refugees. A year ago, the government piously announced that we (South Africa) cannot set up refugee camps close to the border because ‘we do not place our brother Africans in camps’. Strange how the limitations of freedom of movement were subsequently introduced, confining the refugees in Musina to a specific area of the town, warning that Zimbabweans found elsewhere would be arrested and deported.

South Africa then followed up by bravely colluding with the Mugabe government to kill many thousands of innocent men, women and children by means of the ubiquitous and convenient killers, cholera, hunger and indifference.
The South African government is complicit in these deaths through inaction. It is no longer apposite to suggest that evil flourishes when good men do nothing; in this case there are no good men (or women for that matter).

We have witnessed death on a scale that makes the recent conflict in Gaza seem like a minor incident. Our government rants about the wicked Zionists and their disproportionate response to attacks on Israeli citizens, yet when the Sudanese monster, President Al Bashir is called to account by the International Court for his (alleged – ha!) slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Sudanese Christians, not only does our government not support the World Court in its pursuit of this murderous beast, it actually condemns the Court for attempting to bring him to the dock. It appears that our Foreign Minister, aptly designated, is ministering to all manner of unsavoury foreigners, kissing up to thuggish killers who rule with iron fists and gold-lined wallets.

The Dolittle and Donothing school of rotten governance has once again triumphed!

Since no appropriate action was taken against Mugabe, the refugee trickle became a flood. At the borders, the cum laude graduates of this school failed to provide safe havens close to the crossing points; as a result the refugees were forced to move to the more anonymous ‘big city’, where help was offered by communal organisations and individuals.

Three cheers for Mr Mbekis’ successful quiet diplomacy. Hurrah! We might as well cheer as castigate him; he is no longer relevant but at least he can’t now make the situation worse. Unfortunately there is a queue for the position of chief executive, and all these worthies are little different from the previous incumbent.

At metro level, the Joburg mayor has refused to engage with the issue, following the basic tenet of the Dolittle school, best exemplified by the question, ‘ crisis, what crisis’? To take three years to meet with Bishop Verryn and finally visit the Pritchard street haven suggests that Mr Masondo is too busy (doing what exactly?) to care about the voting and non-voting residents of the city. Judging by his girth, one cannot but entertain the thought that finally the mountain indeed came to Mahommed.

With elections coming up this brilliant strategy is sure to capture the popular vote. The (mainly voting) traders in the area are being ruined by the consequences of the refugees’ presence in such large numbers on the streets. Way to go, Mr Mayor!
If Joburg is considered to be a world-class city, then either the rest of the world has equally bad city government or the ruling party is propagating a fantastic delusion.

Perhaps the Joburg mayor has learned the old Arab method of keeping a pot on the boil, mimicking their speciality of exacerbating the plight of refugees by keeping them in miserable conditions so as to support a political imperative.
The specific purpose of this peculiarly callous strategy is unclear, but if this is not the case then the only other reason for not rendering assistance to them must be that the government simply doesn’t care. Can this be the case? Surely not! We all know that the ANC sincerely values the support it got during the struggle from brother Africans. After all, we don’t set up refugee camps to confine our brothers and sisters, do we? In any case, we can’t or won’t keep all our local jailbirds confined.

Then there is minister Mdladlana and his vile racist comments about the Chinese in June last year. If you’ve forgotten, I remind you of his outburst. According to him the Chinese:
· must remember that they are coloured, exploitative sweatshop fat- cats
· must stop pretending to not understand English
· are trying to abuse BEE policies
· want to control the country’s economy

Which brings my attention to that most undiplomatic of Deputy Foreign Ministers, the charming Ms Hajaig. This loathsome bigot has caused more trouble in the cabinet than she realizes because she and Mr Mdadlana will now have to duke out this issue. She believes it is the Jews (oh no, sorry, she meant the Zionists), who control the world economy, and he thinks it’s the Chinese. Oh! The conundrum…to have to choose between such convenient scapegoats.

Then we have that ANCYL intellectual, the uncharming and undelightful Julius. If you naively believe the hateful propaganda that he did really badly in matric, then you are taking his results ‘out of context’. Only neo-colonial, post-modern imperialist neo-conservative racist so-called liberals would do this. Of course, the same dogs, pigs, monkeys and snakes would take his ‘kill for Zuma’ statement out of context too. He must have been so busy liberating the country that he was prevented from handing in his woodwork project, hence his GG symbol for woodwork. I am convinced that he really did produce a tastefully carved wooden head which he proudly displays whenever he’s on TV.

This uncouth youth seems to be doing so well at his ‘on the job’ training that he may even be exempt from attending the Dolittle school courses his role models attended. After all, this greasy eminence believes that formal education is not important anyway.

Then there is the liver-lipped former ANC election spokesman. We were treated to tearful confessions and breast-beating from this paragon of self-righteous morality. He has left the stage but let it never be said that the arts in South Africa are under threat. He may be typecast as the snivelling crook character, but any performance (EPNS not Sterling) by him is money in the bank regardless.

Lest I forget, we have COSATU’s Bongani Masuku threatening to expel Jews from South Africa. This intellectual dwarf, a representative of 1,9 million unionised workers, trashes fundamental principles of our constitution; Freedom of expression, movement, religious and political conviction are our constitutional bedrock. Just in case your vitriol spilled onto your daily paper, rendering it unreadable, the Constitutional Court recently confirmed the absolute right to citizenship, (thus supporting the right of non-resident citizens to vote). Mr Masuku, I challenge you to explain how my support (or lack of support) for a legitimately constituted, internationally recognized state could possibly form the basis for denying me South African citizenship. If you accept the values expressed in the constitution of this republic as you doubtless claim to, then the only explanation for your desire to remove me from South Africa must be on the basis solely of my being a Jew. This being the case, I can only conclude that you are a revolting bigot in the Hajaig/Mdladlana mould.

And then, most recenty we hear Mr Zuma in his chameleon mode, telling a group of Afrikaners that they are the only true South Africans. Sycophancy gone mad! One wonders whether he is sharing spirochaetes with Mr Mugabe. Forgiveness is one thing but forgetfulness is another. Clearly his brain does not register that Apartheid was refined by the very group he so warmly embraced. Gee, what patriots they are! Oy Vay. Perhaps Israel should scrap the Law of Return so that we Jews don’t have to worry about being regarded as ‘untrue’ South Africans. Mr Zumas chameleon suit is worn so frequently these days, I am beginning to see why he was suspected of criminal activities. Of course, when keeping company of crooks and frausters one must expect that the chameleon will morph to exhibit the characteristics of present company. President (of the ANC) Zuma, recently off the judicial hook but Justices (Haikona) Motata up for drunk driving and his colleague Hlope (mess) accused of improper conduct, National Police Commissioner Selebi suspended pending his trial for dodgy doings...the list of the prominent revolting and allegedly revolting grows ever longer.

I conclude these observations with the following specific exemplar question.

Where are the politicians and city officials to see to the needs of the crippled, blind and destitute people we see begging at virtually every traffic light? How is it possible that I can see the children at these intersections but city and state officials apparently cannot?
Could it be that the since high velocity blue-light convoys don’t stop at robots, stationary objects (like children’s faces) don’t generate even a blurred image of their presence? The luminaries within don’t really need their armoured cars; their thick skins clearly provide adequate protection.

Why are there no children’s villages to care for the orphaned and destitute youngsters on our streets? Why can social services not provide transport to these ‘places of safety’, where they can be housed, fed and schooled.

There is enough state and municipal land in and around this city, to build residential facilities for the thousands of our children who are living in most dreadful circumstances. Whether you are an elected or appointed public official, you have a moral and legal duty to serve the entire citizenry. I require that you serve without consideration of your personal prejudices. I expect you to execute your responsibilities without consideration of improper personal enrichment. If you are can’t subscribe to the principles of ‘Batho Pele’, you are entitled to place yourself in the company of the many aptly named public servants; those who really serve themselves, shamelessly, in public.

[Mike]

David,

I agree with you. I think this government's performance has been atrocious on so many levels. That is why we need to get as many people as possible to vote them out of office. I hope you will use your anger constructively to rally your friends and family to vote DA!

[Gary]

I voted IFP on my national ballot and DA on my provincial ballot.

[Mike]

Gary, I think the IFP is in disparate need of change. I think it needs a new leader and a new vision. What are your thoughts?

[Mike]

Gary, I think the IFP is in disparate need of change. I think it needs a new leader and a new vision. What are your thoughts?