Pyrrhic victory celebrated

The jubilant scenes that followed the defeat of the DA’s motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma could easily lead a foreigner to conclude that the victory represented the triumph of good over evil. The way Bathabile Dlamini and all the president’s supporters have been so emboldened by the triumph of a faction of the ruling party over the interests of the country goes to show how deep the rot goes into the excesses of the ruling party. Those dancing were celebrating a hollow and Pyrrhic victory that shouldn’t have been.

SA has indeed received a dispiriting lesson in the workings of the democratic model chosen for this country – and it is tempting to want to examine the very fabric of the machinery that has allowed this sort of misrule to continue legally in a democratic state.

It is no wonder that the DA rushed into an ill-conceived proposal to dissolve parliament and force an early election. The situation is dire, but perhaps the suggested solution smacks more of desperation than a need to find a solution to the crisis we find ourselves in.

It does not help that day after day new evidence emerges showing that the tentacles of the state capture machinery extend far beyond just the presidency. Reputable private sector institutions such as McKinsey, cooperate software giants SAP and auditing giants KPMG have been left shame-faced by evidence that they all played a role in aiding the looting of state-owned resources through state-owned enterprises with which they did business.

The 198 members of the National Assembly that voted to gift the government of thieves a further lifeline have perhaps orchestrated the most legal act to perpetuate corruption that this country will ever see. And to rub salt into the wounds of all right-thinking South Africans they celebrated their defence of one man as though it was a victory at the polls. But this is one victory the electorate will not forget.

The electorate will remember that the man the ruling party chose over our democracy is the man who chose to move Minister Faith Muthambi from communications to public administration when she is clearly ineffective. Worse still, she has shown a complete and utter disregard for the rules of dealing with public funds by flying her extended family to parliament at our expense.

The electorate will not forget that the Minister of Social Services, Bathabile Dlamini, has been at the forefront of defending the president while her own department has been embroiled in a social grants debacle that should have seen heads roll, including hers.

The writing remains on the wall for the president and the fact that 30 of his own party’s MPs chose to use the secret ballot to indicate that they are fed up with his leadership should serve as clear warning bells to him and those that continue to prop him up.

The margin of victory is actually smaller than they realise. Had the nine misguided abstentions been used to defend the democracy it would have required only seven votes to have brought parity to those wanting the president out and those saying he must stay.

Only the very guilty and shortsighted would celebrate that.

The ruling party will rue this Pyrrhic victory.