Daily Dispatch

State practising democracide

IF it is correct that democracy rests on four pillars – the legislature, executive, judiciary and a free press, South Africa is in deep trouble. The word “democracide” – loosely meaning the killing of democracy – has crept into the global lexicon as politicians worldwide sacrifice common good on the altar of greed and self-interest. South Africa is no exception – increasingly the pillars upholding our democracy are being undermined by the powerful and the greedy through word, deed and inaction. Consider:

We have a deeply compromised legislature with a majority party that protects its shady president at all costs. The Constitutional Court found last year that MPs violated the constitution and their oath of office by failing to hold President Jacob Zuma accountable over the spending of public money to upgrade his private home in Nkandla;

Similarly Zuma, as head of an unaccountable executive, was also found by the highest court of the land to have failed in his primary duty to “uphold, defend and respect” the constitution when he refused to comply with then public protector Thuli Madonsela’s remedial action in the Nkandla affair. In October he began obstructing her recommendation that a judge be appointed within 30 days by the chief justice to conduct a judicial inquiry into state capture;

We have a public broadcaster that has long given up even a pretence of independence and journalists that are being spied on, harassed and under constant threat from various parties for daring to report the truth around issues of state abuse, including state capture;

The judiciary is arguably a last independent holdout in a largely compromised state. But it too is increasingly targeted. A recent burglary at the supposed secure office of the chief justice was as ominous as Zuma’s political loading of the Judicial Services Commission.

To make matters worse, subsidiary “pillars” of our constitutional democracy, including Chapter 9 institutions – supposedly independent and subject only to the constitution and the law – also show serious signs of decay.

Our current public protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, head of one of the most important Chapter 9 institutions, created a crisis with a bizarre finding undermining the constitutional independence of the Reserve Bank – another Chaper 9 institution. Legal experts say she stepped outside the boundaries of her office when she directed an amendment to the bank’s constitutional mandate.

Then there are those in the cabinet, including Police Minister Fikile Mbalula, who make no pretence of respecting or promoting our democracy or the independence of MPs. This weekend he said it would be political suicide for any ANC member to support the motion of no confidence in Zuma.

Even his defence of members of the media who are directly threatened by the Black First, Land First organisation – that police would “suffocate” or strike those threatening journalists or politicians – was ominous in tone, not befitting a minister of police in a constitutional democracy.

All is however, not lost. The executive and legislature pillars may be wobbly, the media and judiciary under threat and some Chapter 9 institutions may be acting contrary to their constitutional mandate, but a fifth pillar of democracy stands strong. It is our citizenry whose voice will be heard at the polls in 2019. It will be up to citizens to take the opportunity to speak loudly in defence of our hard-won democracy.