ANC will purify itself

THE romance of South African politics is over.

A party can no longer grow on the popularity of past founder leaders. The South African electorate was tolerant with slow progress for the sake of loyalty to the sacrifices of stalwarts and heroes of history. The political eye at the tip of Africa will still respect the past, but focus increasingly on the future.

As leaders with no Struggle record step forward their popularity will be determined by their performance. There is only one way for a politician to perform on any tier of government and that is by delivering service to the constituents.

The solution will not be found in new dynamic leaders with the likes of Mamphela Ramphele to form a new party or similar grouping. The answer lies in the unification of parties, and that is very un- likely to happen.

South African politics may be a monster, but will not exist as a creature with eight or 10 heads. What many politicians do not realise is that, to be a successful leader, you must know what it is to be an effective follower. People want the real thing, leaders who are authentic by being themselves and not imitating other leaders like Julius Malema tried to do.

Endeavouring to attract other cultures by staging will not do the trick either. For Ms Zille to attempt a dance foreign to her own tradition, respectfully I say, makes her appear that she was holding back a huge wee.

A confederation of opposition parties would probably make an impact if leaders are not only faithful to themselves but willing to step back and sometimes play second fiddle in the power game. A page out of the book of Cope must be taken to learn how not to do it.

If only one of the gentlemen, Mosiuoa Lekota or Mbhazima Shilowa, showed true leadership Cope could well have been the official opposition today or at least so in 2014. I believe these two politicians did opposition politics in South Africa the biggest disservice ever.

Until the opposition parties strategise power gain instead of striving for those few warm seats for a privileged few in government, the best party to be in to do something constructive is the ANC. This is irrespective of the warts the ruling party has still to deal with, if they will do so. It is always said in ANC circles that the party is big like the ocean and will always purify itself in its own time just like the ocean does. FRANK HORN

Kingsburgh