Braving the perils of a ‘State of Fear’ together
Civil society, NGOs a barrier for citizens against bullying by state
IT IS reported that democracies around the world are squeezing their respective civil societies, and South Africa is no exception. One of the Minister of State Security’s favourite phrases is “dangerous NGOs”. Last week the president even singled out a special category – those foundations that operate under the rubric of some Struggle hero. He said they should stop criticising the government. Of course, Ahmed Kathrada comes to mind because he was active right up to his death among the stalwarts. He even wrote to the president himself suggesting resignation. So why would the authenticity of his NGO team’s posthumus efforts be diminished? Or that of the stalwarts?
Ominous comments like these contribute to the State of Fear. It can reach anti-white rhetoric or even outright xenophobia.
There is this tension between living in an open society, in a “wired world” of globalisation, and the decades-old isolationism that came of being a pariah-nation under apartheid.
The three most common concerns that feed the State of Fear are: 1. Blaming everything bad on apartheid. 2. Suspecting a regime-change agenda driven by some “third force”.
3. The “white monopoly capital” analysis – brought to you by the spin doctors at Benniton.
I am old enough to remember when Ronald Reagan was the controversial governor of California. It was a very “permissive” era and he was trying hard to manage change – especially containing crime. One comedian got it right (I have paraphrased it for South Africa in 2017): “You can say that Jacob Zuma is a bad singer. But you can’t say that he is a bad president. Which is ridiculous! We all know that he’s a good singer!”
There is now a code language for criticising him – by mentioning proxies like the Guptas or State Capture.
Things are as bad as they are – and they are very bad – only half because of the foul play of politicians and their cronies. The other half of the blame must be cast on the silence and complicity of citizens – that amounted to cowardice. When you are afraid of a State of Fear, it will basically get its way with you. It’s like bullying in the school yard – it won’t work if the victims stand up to the bully and expose him.
MLK Jr’s theme song was First overcome fear. Then speak out and march.
Professor Arnold Smit put it this way in an article called “Parly has lost the right to convene meaning-making talks”: “It’s up to us: We are now faced with ourselves and with one another and we need to engage with the questions that matter and open ourselves for the perspectives and experiences of others.
“The time has come for ordinary South Africans, once again painfully aware of our differences and divisions, to entertain questions around our common future and the ideals and values that we are willing to work and live for.
“We need to do this in our communities, churches, schools, universities and businesses.
“In doing so we need to suspend judgement, step into the shoes of the other, talk through the tough questions and allow distrust and enmity to make place for partnership and collaboration.
“If we do not do it, the next generation will have to pay the price in the same way that the children of apartheid had to.”
This is great advice. Let’s face the music, like Parly is only just beginning to do, at long last, after being asleep for over two decades…
We waste; we litter; we pay kickbacks; we blame-shift; we deceive; we even perjure ourselves; we plunder; we exclude; we explode with jealousy; we swindle; we corrupt. And it seems that the higher you go up the wealth and power scale, the worse it gets!
In an article called “The ANC cannot be reformed – the rot is too deep”, Prithiraj Dullay writes: “The ANC has self-destructed. People’s power has to manifest itself through civil society organisations. We need a national convention to chart a new way forward so that we can reclaim our dignity as a nation.”
This sentiment reflects the way more and more citizens are thinking. They are losing trust in government and business leaders, but there is a modicum of trust left in churches and NGOs.
Without citizen participation, without whistle-blowers, without NGOs, without our Section 9 institutions, and without a strong and independent judiciary, democracy will dwindle. As it did in Venezuela while those spouting socialist rhetoric got filthy rich on the oil revenue. Citizens are but cannon-fodder in the minds of these crony capitalists. Venezuela is now Number 1 on the Misery Index. South Africa is Number 2. Citizens of South Africa, awake!
THE TIME HAS COME FOR ORDINARY SOUTH AFRICANS TO TALK ABOUT OUR COMMON FUTURE AND THE IDEALS WE ARE WILLING TO WORK AND LIVE FOR PEOPLE’S POWER HAS TO MANIFEST THROUGH CIVIL SOCIETY BODIES. WE NEED A NATIONAL CONVENTION TO CHART A NEW WAY FORWARD