Only remedy is to cross racial gap

DEAR SIR — Much ink has been spilled about President Jacob Zuma’s state of the nation address and the shenanigans around it. It got me thinking of an old adage: every nation gets the government it deserves.

While it is easy and gratifying to throw stones at the hapless Mr Zuma (pictured) and his similarly clueless party, it does not solve the problem. Mr Zuma came to power doing what he does.

While one or two leopards may change spots midterm (such as former president FW de Klerk), these are the very rare exceptions.

The real question is how we are going to be more deserving of a good government, in which case we will surely get it. While people still largely vote along racial lines, the status quo will hold.

Last year, I went to the Transkei funeral of a colleague who had died in a work-related accident.

To my surprise, the community in Maclear was gobsmacked that someone would drive from Cape Town to their funeral. They said not even local employers pitched for their funerals. Much of the rhetoric at the funeral (as translated to me) also had an “us” and “them” flavour to it: “We are the poor exploited workers, but at least here is a company with a CEO who notices us.”

As long as that sentiment holds, we are in for more cadre deployment, more grabbing as much as possible of the little that there is (à la Zimbabwe), more lights out, and even more votes for the Economic Freedom Fighters.

But, perhaps, if more of the “haves” reach out to the “have-nots” and start to break down the racial barriers that still divide us, we have a chance. Don’t just pay your taxes and donate to worthy causes. Go out there and get involved in the communities. That way, people get to know the person behind the face and the fancy car and the high walls. They will respect you, and with a bit of luck they will even like you.

Eventually, hopefully, we can reach a political consensus based on shared values and not shared skin colours. Then we can go about slowly rebuilding our emaciated democratic institutions, our education and health systems, and our economy, to start creating a bigger cake for all of us to share.

Now wouldn’t that be awesome? And it starts with you and me!