Remember Gaddafi, remember Saddam

‘My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.” These were the words of Gerald Ford when he was sworn in as the 38th president of the US following the resignation of Richard Nixon in August 1974.

Moments before, Nixon had left the White House in disgrace over his role in the Watergate scandal.

A few days before that, the House judiciary committee adopted three articles of impeachment against Nixon: obstruction of justice, abuse of presidential powers, and hindrance of the impeachment process.

After an elaborate process to cover up White House-sanctioned illegal activities, Nixon knew the game was up and quit.

Luckily for him, Ford granted him a full and unconditional pardon for any crimes he might have committed while president. In South Africa, our long national nightmare continues.

Another motion of no confidence is scheduled against President Jacob Zuma this month, the process for impeachment proceedings is being set in place, the national director of public prosecutions has to decide on Zuma’s corruption case, and a judicial commission of inquiry on state capture will expose the extent of his collusion with the Gupta family.

In the ANC, there is a growing realisation that Zuma is a dead weight and will negatively affect the party’s 2019 election campaign.

Yet, astoundingly, he remains president. The writing might be on the wall but he is not interested in reading it.

The president is still peddling bizarre conspiracies about why people want him gone and now has a ragtag army mobilising under the banner “Hands off Zuma” to keep him in office.

The group is threatening civil war if Zuma is removed from office before his term is up.

“We know that he is under attack because of the implementation of radical economic transformation,” said Jabu Ntusi‚ president of the South African Unemployed Workers’ Union, which is part of the campaign.

The prospect that another president might work to boost economic growth and create jobs to make his members progress to the ranks of the employed has apparently not occurred to Ntusi.

Zuma is clinging to the presidency because, unlike Nixon, there is no chance of him receiving a pre-prosecution pardon and he will not be able to fade away quietly.

He is playing a dangerous game, believing that his supporters will stick by him through thick and thin, and that he is indomitable for as long as he remains president.

People who seemed invincible when they were in power have met gruesome and tragic ends because they failed to read the mood in their countries.

Saddam Hussein was the head of a dictatorial regime in Iraq for 24 years before his government was overthrown during the US invasion. Who could forget the rejoicing on the streets of Baghdad when his statue was toppled?

After he was captured, his followers deserted him. He had no support when he stood trial and was eventually hanged.

Even “Comical Ali”, the Iraqi information minister who claimed that US troops were surrendering and committing suicide “by the hundreds”, fled and wanted nothing to do with Saddam.

He lived happily ever after in the United Arab Emirates, distancing himself from Saddam’s regime.

Former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi believed that the world, and particularly the people of his country, loved him.

Before being killed by rebels in October 2011 during the Arab Spring, he asked them: “What did I do to you?”

He died not understanding why his people turned on him.

Closer to home, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe stubbornly clung to power and eroded all semblance of democracy even though it brought his country to its knees. He too had resolute support around him until the tide turned and he was forced to resign.

As obstinate as Mugabe was, he knew his time was up when he saw footage of thousands of Zimbabweans in the streets telling him to go.

South Africa’s situation is unlike all these in that Zuma is democratically elected and within his term limit. He is not accused of the heinous acts perpetrated by Saddam, Gaddafi or Mugabe.

Our country will not be invaded by foreign forces, or taken over by rebels or the military.

But we are in a dilemma as the ANC dithers about how to get rid of a leader who has sold his presidency and caused untold damage to our country.

Nelson Mandela was an iconic and exemplary leader, and left the presidency after one term.

Thabo Mbeki resigned immediately when the ANC said it no longer wanted him to be president.

Kgalema Motlanthe served eight months as president and stepped aside willingly to become deputy president.

Yet Zuma is determined to hang on. He wants to deliver the state of the nation address, knowing the fiasco that will ensue in parliament.

He has said nothing to denounce those threatening civil war in his name and seems to want to provoke a torrid turn in our history.

The ANC and Zuma cannot continue to push our country to the brink.

Our long national nightmare must come to an end.