Politics of deception

SIR — Public trust in politics is at a low ebb. Politicians are really good at finding scapegoats to cover their policy failures. The Marikana tragedy is a case in point. Apportioning blame to a single person is morally outrageous. Evidence shows that the entire chain of command is blameworthy.

What we are sadly witnessing is the politics of blame avoidance.

A dangerous new trend is emerging in South African politics — executive politics in times of crisis.

Marikana was a monumental tragedy that will haunt the legacy of our country for centuries to come. When confronted with major disruptive emergencies, the fate of politicians and public policies hang in the balance. Both state officials and their opponents will try to escape blame for the occurrence.

Crisis thus generates framing contests to interpret their causes and responsibilities and lessons involved in ways that suit their political purposes.

In recent memory, there has been no greater deception than in the rift between pre-election words and postelection deeds. Political chicanery has corroded trust.

Intense mistrust of the entire political scene in SA is growing dangerously with each generation.

Most of our politicians are pitifully thin on vocabulary and imagery and woefully short on long-term vision.

We are at the mercy of political robots, programmed to self-destruct when faced with a major crisis. Farouk Araie Johannesburg