Paranoia grips president
President Jacob Zuma’s authorisation of the deployment of more than 400 defence force soldiers to ‘maintain law and order’ ahead of and during his State of the Nation address today is indicative of a weak state inundated with fear, political analysts say.
‘It shows the ANC has largely lost the capacity to engage with the people of South Africa.’
President Jacob Zuma’s authorisation to deploy more than 400 members of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) to “maintain law and order” ahead and during his State of the Nation address (Sona) today is indicative of a weak state, which is surrounded by paranoia.
According to analysts, a military presence at Sona would only further aggravate the situation should there be any forms of protests planned around the parliamentary precinct.
Over the past two years since the presence of the EFF in parliament, the House has seen its fair share of disruptions – some physical, resulting in injuries.
Moreover, the presidency’s statement, just two days ahead of the address, that 441 SANDF members would be deployed “for service in cooperation with the South African Police Service (Saps)”, gave no explanation to the public of how it would carry out its duties, according to the Institute for Security Studies (ISS).
“Are they going to deploy under the supervision of the police? If so, then government must indicate that,” ISS’s head of conflict management and peace-building, Annette Leijenaar, said.
“Through proactive communication with citizens, this can be communicated properly to prevent anxiety and so forth.”
Leijenaar added that protesters could also further aggravate the situation.
“The man in the street should feel safe with police – now you deploy police and military. What should they think? You aggravate people when you put the military in place.”
She said the military could be deployed in support and under the command of the police when government had a potential security situation.
“But this is never a pleasant thing to see, especially with what we see in the rest of Africa.
“The military cannot be deployed here if they don’t come under command of the police.”
Political analyst Daniel Silke said this move showed the ruling ANC to be “frustrated and tired of what should be a showpiece without it being disrupted”.
“For three years, it has been overshadowed by protests. This is a heavy-handed attempt to restore decorum along to the classic rituals.”
Silke said “the heavy-handed manner in which this was being accomplished was indicative of the rising competitiveness in our politics”.
By virtue of needing the army to protect it, it was an admission by government of its disappointment. “It’s indicative of a weak state and it’s ironic that whatever the contents of his speech, it will be characterised by militarised events outside,” he added.
“It would seem to be paranoid and politically motivated for justification of protection of the president. Its politically motivated paranoia. It shows the ANC has largely lost the capacity to engage with the people of South Africa.”
Military analyst Helmoed Heitman said the key question pointed to the real need for the military employment.
“Is it that they are expecting someone to assassinate the president, or have they invited friends who are not really popular here?”
He agreed this could also show paranoia. “So let’s rather overreact than underreact.”
He added that police were more than able to do the job in restoring calm and order.
But Leijenaar took another view. “By deploying military in support of police, parliament and the president admits that the police are not capable. They must be concerned police aren’t able to maintain control.” –
It is indicative of the rising competitiveness in our politics