Ghosts of past will struggle with ANC

We wonder what the ghosts of Sharpeville – those of the more than 60 people gunned down 64 years ago tomorrow for protesting the inequity and iniquity of apartheid – would think about the South Africa of 2024. Perhaps they might cast a spectral eye over two of our stories today and wonder: so, this is freedom?

In the Protea South area of Soweto, liberation from apartheid has meant shack houses, no running water and sewage flowing down between the settlements. Its people have heard more promises than National Party ministers made threats in the bad old days…

In a more affluent area of Johannesburg, favoured by the bigwigs of the ruling ANC, police investigators spent five hours combing through the house of the speaker of the National Assembly, the parliament of our freedom.

Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is alleged to have received and solicited at least R2.3m in cash during her time as defence minister. Some of that money was handed over in paper bags.

That money would go a long way in Protea South – although, obviously not far enough to deliver the promised “better life for all.”

When it comes to money, there is never enough. According to some estimates, more than R1 trillion was looted during state capture years and no doubt much of that would have been spirited out of the country by the Guptas and their criminal associates.

It’s no wonder, then, that people are still living in penury and some of the ghosts may ruefully recall the existence of piped water in Sharpeville’s matchbox houses back in 1960…

One thing is certain, though: were the ghosts able to materialise now, they wouldn’t vote for the ANC. Sharpeville’s memory has been appropriated by the ruling party, but it was a campaign initiated by the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC).

Something else to ponder tomorrow…