After 8 years, still blaming

THIS is the year the governing – some might say “misgoverning ”– ANC holds its elective conference.

True to form a lot of hot air has been released into the atmosphere as powermongers jostle for position in the race for the top job in the party, which is most likely to be followed by the highest job in the land.

So what should ordinarily have been cut-and-dried matters of simple governance and people taking responsibility become mired in politicking that should ideally have no bearing on matters such as service delivery.

Unfortunately, as politicians play their game of power, there is collateral damage that might take some doing to repair.

We urge those who find themselves in positions of responsibility in government and in the ANC not to take their eyes off the ball in matters of governance and service delivery.

We hope Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande takes this message to heart.

Nzimande was one of the key players in the ascendency of Jacob Zuma to power in 2007 when the president unseated his former boss Thabo Mbeki in Polokwane.

Nzimande was no fan of Mbeki and he and his party, along with ANC ally Cosatu, were often at odds with him, particularly around the former president’s Growth, Employment and Redistribution (Gear) policy.

Since his ousting as party tsar and his sacking from the Union Buildings, Mbeki has, in the words of his nemesis Zuma, been a “dead snake”, politically speaking.

So for anyone in government to blame their failures on Mbeki is rather rich – and uncalled for. That is precisely what Nzimande did last week, blaming the failings of a section of higher education on Gear.

Governance and economic performance have been in quite a mess, especially since Mbeki was put out to pasture.

Nzimande has been in government as the minister of higher education since Zuma took over in 2009 and therefore has had almost eight years to sort out the mess in his sphere of influence.

He may argue that he is doing all he can, especially around the fees issue at universities. His handling of the matter, though, has not been decisive, hence its stormy presence two years after #FeesMustFall grabbed the attention of the nation.

What we need from whoever is in charge is solutions, not shifting blame – the hallmark of this administration, which has found in Mbeki and his policies a ready-made excuse when blaming apartheid doesn’t wash.

The danger is that while we focus on who we blame we are wasting energy that could be put to good use finding solutions.

As we speak, whatever solution Nzimande is advocating is lost in the noise he has made against Mbeki, while supposedly taking “collective responsibility” for the mess.