A ‘sit-down’ ovation for Ramaphosa’s sadly flawed cabinet
MASSES of our people have been inspired by Cyril Ramaphosa’s clarion call “thuma mina, send me”.
They have hope he will “turn things around” as he calls for ANC “renewal” and that “tomorrow will be better than today”.
He has evoked the spirit and wisdom of Nelson Mandela. I gave him a “standing ovation” for his State of the Nation address.
Unity of the ANC cannot be supreme to moral and ethical values that Madiba, Walter and Albertina Sisulu, Ahmed and Barbara Kathrada Hogan, Albert and Nokukhanya Luthuli, Joe and Ruth Slovo, Petros and Jabu Nzima, Joe and Jackie Quin, Joe and Lindie Phaahle, Marius and Jenny Schoon, Jack and Rica Hodges, Victoria and Griffiths Mxenge and many “revolutionary couples” stood for.
Visiting Winnie Mandela was a good gesture, but it’s not good enough.
Seen walking with Qedani Mahlangu and retaining Bathabile Dlamini, Malusi Gigaba, Nomvula Mokonyane and David Mabuza in his cabinet was a great moral misstep by our Number One. I gave him a “sitting ovation” for this. Mahlangu disgraced herself and the ANC. She has not been found guilty, but we all know she was forced to quit and appear before the Judge Dikgang Moseneka arbitration in the same way Comrade Jacob “Bathingenzeni, what wrong have I done?” Zuma was forced to resign.
Partly, CR17 vs NDZ was about “good and evil”, “Batho Pele vs Zuma Pele”, good corporate governance vs moral decay, and contradictions between high moral standards of Dr AB Xuma, Chief Albert Luthuli, Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, and immoral standards of Cde Bathingenzeni.
While we understand the balance of forces between CR17and NDZ, Ramaphosa has overwhelming support from the masses, even Zulus in KZN.
To “walk the talk, some of the things he has to do and say include making a call that the ANC will not accompany anyone to court, no one will insult and demonise the judiciary, elements such as Cde Bathingenzeni Zuma, Bathabile Dlamini, Mosebenzi Zwane, Malusi Gigaba, Ndaweni Mahlangu, Dudu Myeni, Ben Ngubane, Brian Molefe, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, Adriano Mazzotti, Roy Moodley, Nomvula Mokonyane and those who have disgraced Madiba, Tambo, Solomon Mahlangu, Kathrada, Joe Slovo, Dullar Omar, Steve Biko, Onkgopotso Tiro, Neil Aggett, Robert Sobukwe and Beyers Naude take a back seat.
South Africans, including Zulus, are not political morons, we are patient, but for CR to embrace the likes of Zuma and Mahlangu, Dlamini, Mdu Manana, is unacceptable.
I expect CR to be guided by ANC documents Thorough The Eye of the Needle, Revolutionary, Morality and Ethics and The RDP of the Soul.
To put the Marikana tragedy behind him, CR must go to victims and smoke the peace pipe with them, with or without Madikizela Mandela – unless the ANC no longer places the “working class” as its primary motive force. Siyanda Mhlongo KwaDukuza