Crossing the Jordaan

SAFA president Danny Jordaan is the new mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. What might have prompted the ANC to choose a candidate out of the left field, so to speak? Is it because they feel that, as he is classified as a coloured, it will help bring back the lost vote from that community? Have they hit rock bottom in the metro and, as a result, lost faith in the present political leadership to steer the metro to calmer waters?

Can this be the masterstroke that the ANC needs to push back the main opposition and is it a sign that the party is willing to select from many of its capable members who may not necessarily be part of the leadership core?

Will the leadership in the metro structures accept the parachuting in of someone who has not been active in its structures or will they see it as a slap in the face and make them feel that being active in ANC structures counts for nothing when plum deployments become available? Will these members help Jordaan navigate through the minefield or will they sabotage him – and does Jordaan have what it takes to withstand such efforts? Let us look back at how leaders from outside the inner core deployed to top positions have fared in similar circumstances. Former president Thabo Mbeki did it with Nosimo Balindlela as pre- mier of the Eastern Cape, Zuma did the same with Nomvula Mokonyane as Gauteng premier ahead of provincial chairman Paul Mashatile. For years Mbeki ignored Ace Magashule in the Free State who was the provincial chairman. Is it a coincidence that since provincial chairmen were deployed as premiers a lot of political problems were alleviated in these provinces? Jordaan is a capable sport administrator. Will he be able to play the political game successfully and pull together the warring factions?

I doubt it. The rot is too deep and he may lack the political clout to drag them to where he wants them. Many of them probably know that he is a stop-gap measure and that normality will return after the elections next year. All they will do is to bide their time and pretend to help him while plotting so as to secure positions for themselves after the elections. That is, if the ANC wins the elections. Even though I support the move, I think it will fail. It is a pity that this experiment has been undertaken in a volatile environment as I believe it has its merits. The ANC does possess capable people and it might help to extend this experiment to other areas. Best people for the job, nothing else, as long as that person is a party member. I am not holding my breath, though.