Ruling party had enough time

During the early years of our hard-earned democracy, South Africa was the beacon of hope in the continent. It also won the Rugby World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations. Now our beautiful country is regarded as “one of the African countries”. Thanks to the ANC.

Not long ago, the ANC first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane, pictured, talked to the international news agency Reuters. According to Mokonyane, “30 years is not enough to turn things around”. We have tried but we couldn’t. Things such as high unemployment are stubborn, she added.

The curious questions are: how many more years does the governing party need “to turn things around”? An extra 20 years? Let’s say it is afforded another opportunity to govern, what guarantee do the masses have that the former liberation movement will deliver? No guarantee at all.

Interestingly, 30 years was enough for the ANC led government to wreck our economy, destroy our infrastructure and social fabric, contribute to high unemployment, allow corruption and crime to spiral out of control. Mokonyane did not mention that.

The truth is that ANC members have – and continue to – benefited from our democracy at the expense of the poor masses. They live in posh suburbs, drive flashy cars, occupy top positions in government departments, irrespective of their skill and competency.

Yet they want another chance to govern so that they can continue to do what they have been doing in the past 30 years. They have no shame; they are drunk with power. In fact, they don’t take the masses seriously.

Mokonyane further said there are people who are not comfortable with the party being in power. She was just politicking. The real issue here is the failure of the governing party to deliver. Nothing else.

The masses have trusted Cyril Ramaphosa’s party with their votes, hoping that it will better their lives. Instead, cadres have bettered their lives at the expense of the poor people. Now they are saying, “give us another chance to govern”. For what?

The fact is that the governing party was given enough time to take the country to the Promised Land.

Thabile Mange