Scapegoating is blame game politicians play

PRAGMATISM is dead, the truth has been destroyed, facts are so yesterday… today everyone has an opinion often rooted in conspiracy theories and half-truths.

The ability to deal with issues realistically and practically focusing on facts has become a rarity in South Africa when it comes to politics.

Instead of admitting to the ANC’s failings that largely led us to the precipice we face, we blame white monopoly capital. To blame external forces and not accept accountability for mistakes and failures is a recipe for disaster. I am amazed at how ANC apologists indulge in all kinds of conspiracy theories but never admit mistakes.

The ANC had a land redistribution plan but this came to a virtual standstill when Zuma came to power. This strategy, within the current constitutional framework is adequate to address land reform. But policy is driven by populism. And populism concessions will destroy this country.

Today people even blame (former president) Nelson Mandela as a sell out, while many of them were not even around during the Struggle days.

They just blurt out rubbish devoid of facts – all hearsay and fairy tales. Nelson Mandela achieved the near impossible – avoiding a civil war and bring about a new political dispensation.

A civil war was never and still is not the answer – are you, and your children prepared to die in a civil war? This country will never recover from a civil war so it is out of the question. Nelson Mandela had to make concessions – this is a fact. But it was the leadership that came after Mandela that failed. Instead of strategising around economic emancipation, they created a rich elite from the politically connected and handed out a pittance to the masses via social grants. Today SOEs are bankrupt; most municipalities are bankrupt and our national debt is a staggering R2.7 trillion. The country is in serious financial distress. Our social construct is more polarised along racial lines than it’s ever been. In apartheid it was institutionalised racism. Today it is manipulated racism perpetuated by political parties for their own agendas. So-called “black people” put up shacks virtually anywhere in their thousands but as soon as so-called “coloured people” try to do the same, they are met with brutal force.

What these unprincipled politicians don’t realise is that what is unfolding is “cause and effect”. But the political leadership is devoid of any wisdom; our last wise leader is now a scapegoat.

MADINY DARRIES Pinelands