Zuma and Gupatgate Imapct on South Africa

This is my responce to: 

http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2013-05-03-zuma-and-the-guptas-the-symbiosis-continues/#.UZNvkbWl1gE

The challenge on this is that we allow our constitution to be transgressed by those we have elected on the basis that they are entitled to do so. This will set a wrong president for those who will come after them in that it is right to be a politician and have business connections at the same time. If our legislatures have allowed this "cargo cult" mentality to continue in this fashion, South Africa is moving towards a disaster in that people will be promised goody goodies that will never come during the election campaigns and politicians will claim that they owe nobody anything. When looking at the response by Minister Jeff Radebe last week, he said “….the answer is there….” Hoping that it is there for everyone to see except for those entrusted with the responsibilities of transforming our nation to a better life for all. While growing up I used to listen to some radio story called “Uhlohlesakhe” meaning one who feeds himself, it is clear that those we have elected have turned to only look for themselves, their families, and friends, those within the elite class and those who are politically connected. If our politicians can change their minds and practice what they preach, it would be better.

The fact is that ‘politics of SA are so polluted’ in that we don’t have any say as citizens when it comes to these matters, shows that the kind of democracy envisaged by our predecessors has not yet been achieved in that;

•             One face for all these liberation movements to have one single face to contest elections during the 2014 NPE elections. But now most of them also want to gain access to these resources they see ANC has gained since it came to power. If they can compromise and come with a solution to agree and contest these elections for the betterment of all South Africans, they might stand a chance of taking the reins from the ANC. I have been voting the ANC in the past elections and will also not be voting for them as we move towards 2014; the challenge is who will I be voting for? I would not want a situation of experiencing Apartheid as I did before and will not either vote for the DA or those who have are not contributing to the creation of a better life for all. It would be better if ANC can be voted out and /or not get more that 50% from these votes so as they can start learning as to what will it be like if they are no longer a majority party. Most of those I have be discussing with in the past few months or so also share the same sentiment but now are so much disgruntled in that they have said that they will either spoil or not vote next year. Our advice to them is that they should not abstain from voting as it is their democratic right to vote and that people have died fighting for this right, they will then be failing those who have fought for this right. They would rather vote for a party that they see fit in ensuring that their vote is counted somewhere and not with the party they have been loyal to vote since the 1994 elections. We are aware that Zapiro will be having snippets of those who will be contesting the elections and appeal for his mind on the ballot paper, how will it look like for the candidates (his version of candidates during the 2014 election). It is clear that as a nation we have accepted that the President has some shower on his head, but the challenge is how we will explain this to our children as they seek to know.

•             On matters of Zumaville /Nkandlagate we need to get clarity on how former Presidents such as De Klerk, Mandela, Mbeki and Motlante will access the same amount (R206-R256 Million allowance for National Key Points) allocated to Zuma on his home improvements –our Legislatures should inform us as to how is this going to impact on the developments of these houses if it is found that there was nothing wrong in improving that homestead. All former Presidents should also have an access to this allowance and this will be some president that will be set by our Legislatures if they have accepted that there is nothing wrong with the way this National Key Point was upgraded. The reason we are saying this is that when its pay day for Presidents, an sms for their salary grants is sent to all of them as it was agreed and so it should be explained as to why other Presidents cannot get that allowance if they would want to improve their homesteads. If our Legislatures can also look at these matters on the impact that will be set should certain things be allowed to continue, then all Presidents will be entitled to also apply for these grants and that most of the resources aimed at developing societies will end up developing our Presidents. We would appreciate if we can also be educated on these matters as we seek answers to the challenges that we face as a nation and be given space to be explained as to what procedures are followed by those in Parliament in making these decisions that seems to be not benefiting the course our struggle - “building a better life for all”

•             On Guptagate and Businessmen becoming politicians, let’s visit Nyerere’s way of life in this one, and look at how these relationships will impact on us in the near future. It is believed that when he came to power, Nyerere advised his cabinet members that they had to choose from being businessmen or being politicians. Our President has argued that there is nothing wrong for parliamentarians to have business dealings and being politicians at the same time, and in our discussions as ordinary citizens we did not agree with that “cargo-cult” mentality and thus we now see what has transpired in the Guptagate scandal. If our Politicians could just follow what the Nyerere Administration did to Tanzania, being examples of what this democracy should look like, then we could keep on voting them to power, but now, since they are contradicting the very same principles set before them and in the process transgressing the rule of law, one will wonder as to where are we going as a nation. Since this relationship between our President and the Guptas seem to be right within the Cabinet members, how will it be possible for the very same members not to grant tenders to their immediate families and friends in the process delaying access to ordinary poor children who are still attending classes at mud and dilapidated schools? Why will it be wrong for our Legislatures to refer their budgets to some of the 5 key priorities that the President mentioned in his State of the Nation Address? Why will it be wrong for a Minister to allocate funds to improve his /her state house and the purchase of expensive vehicles while we have a backlog of unemployed skilled people like us who are not able to be given an opportunity in most of these underperforming departments? Why will it be wrong for some of these Ministers to stick in what they are employed (or voted for) to do (dealing with improving the legislation and providing leadership in the implementation of policies in their departments) instead of moving around the street marching for things that they can have a positive impact or influence on if they can just think? ‘Justice delayed is the same as justice denied’ article tries to look at some of these challenges since it is clear that our government has shifted from being a people driven to some soup opera (Days of our lives in South Africa) that we witness every day on newspapers and that most of the people who are concerned on the development that South Africa is shifting to seem to be seen as critics although the intention is of ensuring that we have a system that must work for all. If our Ministers can only manage to look at ways that can assist us all in ensuring that the justice system never gets delayed for poor people and is implemented speedily. If some of them can look at ways that has led to cases that take long and that people comply with the rule of law and those who continue to do wrongful acts face the justice system that is transparent for all.

These are some of the challenges that we face as a nation and that it will take us years to fix if our government has accepted that it is right for those in power to have relationships with those in business and at the same time members of the legislatures cannot be held accountable their constituencies. It is then upon the electorate to ensure that who they vote for will be held accountable and that they must accept to live with it. We need to ensure that as we move towards the 2014 NPE, people are well informed on these issues and their vote will count. The challenge is what will happen if the ANC does not get the 52% envisaged, will we see what we have seen in what happened at Lonmin between AMCU and NUM? Will those in power accept the results if people decide to choose other parties instead of ANC or will we move towards the Zimbabwe route? Your article has inspired me in that as South Africans we have to raise some of these concerns so that we do not cry foul play and that we can be able to respond to some of the questions that our children pose as they seek to understand government procedures and protocols. We just hope things will be better and that our politicians also learn from their mistakes and that we can have better people that will lead us to a better life for all.