Choose leaders wisely

EVERY time a fascist leader comes to power the world becomes a more dangerous place. This was the world of people in the Balkans during the rise of ethnic nationalism in the early 1990s, after the fall of Josip Tito’s Yugoslavia of “brotherhood and unity”.

On this day, 22 years ago, in this fractured world, in the historic Bosnian city of Sarajevo, 43 civilians lost their lives. This dastardly act shocked the world. The responsibility for this marketplace massacre is still contested by both sides of the conflict.

Fascist leaders are on the ascendency across the world. From the West with the banal and bigoted President Donald Trump to the East with the radical Hindu nationalist-aligned Indian President Narendra Modi to several political leaders in Africa and the Middle East. Mosul is today’s Sarajevo.

We also have our own home brew of belligerent mamparas. There’s EFF commander-in-chief Julius Malema’s vitriolic that Indians are “worse than Afrikaners”, oblivious to the hurt caused by the 1949 xenophobic attacks against Indians. Then there’s the BLF’s Andile Mngxitama’s ridicule of Holocaust victims over the upside of genocide; in similar vein to the DA’s Helen Zille looking at the bright side of colonialism, showing no empathy for the plight of slaves and victims of colonial genocides decimating indigenous people.

Or the MK Military Veterans Association head and Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Kebby Maphatsoe’s hostile posturing in supporting the beleaguered Zuma or his disrespect to the previous public protector.

Or Zuma’s supporters “100% Zulu” branding of the president.

The reporting on our Leader page today by columnist Shanil Haricharan poignantly highlights the dangers of such callous invective. It is offensive and inconsiderate, and could only sow the seeds of discord and division.

Any form of fascism, whether racist or narrow ethnic nationalism, erodes our struggles to engender solidarity and a common South African identity across all divides.

Political parties and their leaders must be held accountable to our constitutional values and promote unity in diversity, celebrating our differences rather than scoring cheap political points for their self-interest.

They should espouse the values of peace builders such as Bosnian Adnan Hasanbegovic so that we can proudly build on the legacy of giants like Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo.

Your future is in your hands – beware who you choose as your leader.