Time-bomb has exploded already
State of our nation
COMMENTATOR Moeletsi Mbeki once noted it was only a matter of time before the bomb exploded in South Africa. He then unpacked some of his predictions.
Our beloved motherland is no longer a ticking time-bomb. The bomb has exploded already.
To unpack the state of South Africa one has to look at the events that have led to the current state of our country. What were some of the events that have left South Africans wondering and questioning the credibility of the government of the day?
More than 20 years into “democracy” we have more issues to resolve than any other country. When democracy was born in 1994, South African citizens had high hopes.
Our people believed in the ANC. Policies introduced to empower the country were seen as positive factors to take the country forward.
Yes, there were hiccups, but there’s no perfect democracy. Our constitution has been under a progressive leadership, from the time of the late Chief Justice Pius Langa and other intellectuals in the judiciary.
To take a country forward it is neither about the decisions nor the leadership of the day. Any country functions under its constitution.
If we start to undermine our constitution, there’s going to be a huge problem. Leaders must start by respecting and recognising the jurisdiction of the country’s democratic institutions.
People must distinguish between government and party politics.
To explore some of the events that have unfolded since December last year, the president announced the most shocking news about the removal of Nhlanhla Nene as finance minister. I feel the president doesn’t understand how the country functions in terms of its finances.
Yes, we might produce goods and services, and export them abroad and sell some of them in South Africa. But the president forgets that we need foreign investors.
We need investors who have the interest of the country at heart. We don’t mind the president’s “friends”, but if it affects the functioning of the country’s day-to-day running then it’s going to be a problem.
It’s within the president’s right to appoint and dismiss members of the cabinet, but at whose cost? A country/state shouldn’t be regarded as a family business.
The most interesting part of Nene’s removal was the president’s announcement that Nene was going to work for the Brics bank. What bank?
Why is the president allowed to take us for a ride? Shortly after the removal of Nene, he appointed Des van Rooyen and the country lost many billions in share value.
The president then re-appointed Pravin Gordhan as head of the Treasury and so bought the investors’ confidence. Who stands to gain from all of this reshuffling and who stands to lose?
Come this year, South Africans were still in shock and expressed their dissatisfaction with the government.
The problem we are faced with in South Africa is that our leaders don’t listen to the people on the ground.
For example, prior to the election, people in Tshwane expressed their dissatisfaction with their mayoral candidate.
The ruling party didn’t pay attention up until the results came out.
The Constitutional Court ordered President Jacob Zuma to pay for some of the security upgrades in his homestead.
Now the question is: where do we draw the line between politicians delivering services to our people and delivering services for themselves?
We are now “captured” by this group of people from India. The public protector’s report needs to be debated among us as South Africans.
Zamuxolo Nduna, BA honours student in politics (NMMU)