Similarities in US and SA polls — but we’re ahead on race
The 2024 elections in South Africa and the US have interesting similarities and differences.
In both cases discredited former presidents and law dodgers, Jacob Zuma and Donald Trump, are trying to regain power. Their followers have committed acts of public violence, directly or indirectly inspired by their leaders.
Both countries are still struggling with the legacies of past policies that classified people according to race.
In South Africa the previously disadvantaged obtained real political power, but inequality and huge sociopolitical challenges remain, direct or indirect legacies of the past.
People here are nevertheless reaching out across historic and racial divides — coalitions between different parties exist on local and provincial levels and the road has been prepared for coalitions at national level.
In the US, the struggle of the previously disadvantaged to obtain real political power is still ongoing.
South Africa is further advanced than the US in terms of race relations and nation building but the struggle in the US over these issues is now only starting in earnest. Up to now, the election in our young democracy looks more like an election of the First World than that of Trump’s MAGA land.
Filling stadiums won’t fix SA
Three of the big five political parties, the ANC, EFF and IFP, have launched their election manifestos at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
The reason is twofold: one is the narrative that filling a stadium to capacity will win you elections, and the second is the battle to capture KwaZulu-Natal voters. The party that wins in the province will play a critical role in shaping our national politics. KwaZulu-Natal has played a significant role in shaping South African history and politics but now the politics of the province have shifted from being only about two dominant parties. The new kid on the block, MK Party, poses a threat to both the ANC and IFP. The MK Party is endorsed by former president Jacob Zuma, a decision that came as a surprise and betrayal to many within the ruling party. It is the first time that a former president of the ANC has publicly endorsed an opposition party.
Our politics in the last 30 years have been dominated by the ANC, in what can be called a single-party dominant system, while KwaZulu-Natal politics have been dominated by Zulu nationalism.
Jacob Zuma played a critical role in brokering peace between rival parties, the ANC and IFP, before the 1994 elections.
The EFF wants a share of the KwaZuluNatal votes as it also launched its manifesto at the stadium and has deployed its deputy president, Floyd Shivambu, to head the election machine in the province.
With all these political noises and chaos, we as voters are struggling to choose which political party to vote for. As political parties are busy trying to fill up stadiums, we face service delivery issues and load-shedding. Filling up a stadium will not change the many problems our country faces. There is also the possibility of a coalition government in the province. Will the IFP be willing to work with the ANC or will the IFP ditch it for the MK Party as it seems to he getting more popularity on the ground. What role can the EFF play as kingmakers, a role they played well in the last few elections? Only May 29 will give us the real picture.
Khanya Ndabankulu, Auckland Park.
ANC ignores Hamas aggression
October 7. A day as raw, brutal, and gutwrenching as 9/11 for many. It was the day that saw 1,200 civilians murdered, and over 250 taken hostage. Thousands more were injured.
Jews across the world have been further injured by the allegations that women had not been raped and mutilated; babies had not been beheaded; children had not been shot in cold blood; that young men and women were not mowed down by armed paragliders; and that infants and grandmothers alike were not stolen away by the same terrorists that had just murdered their families in front of them.
And yet, the testimonies, the footage, and what’s transpired since October 7 speaks to the horrific truth. It all happened.
The ANC has demanded a ceasefire and an end to the violence supporting the Palestinian “plight” without any acknowledgment of the aggression and terror meted out by Hamas.
Speaking after the ICJ ruling in an interview with eNCA, Naledi Pandor, international relations minister, claimed the case was brought to “highlight the plight of the innocent in Palestine” as a result of “Israeli action”. The thrust of the ANC’s case was to demand an immediate ceasefire. As a throwaway comment,
Pandor acknowledged that she agrees “entirely with the judges that Hamas should release the hostages that they’re currently holding”.
The ANC and the minister have, on the whole, been remarkably silent about the ICJ’s ruling calling for the “immediate and unconditional release” of all Israeli hostages.
The ANC has made clear that it is fighting for the innocent, joining antiSemitic chants, but refusing to join the chorus of “bring them home now”.
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