Reclaim your power and be active citizens

OUR COUNTRY’S problems are not finance, a poor education system and lack of ideas. Our major problem is politics. There is no political will to fix our problems. If we can get our politics right, everything else will follow.

Since the dawn of our democracy, South Africans have surrendered their civic duty to politicians. The performance of our political leaders is dismal. They are arrogant and corrupt. And there is no accountability.

Political leaders who are involved in corruption and mismanagement are continuing with their lives. Some remain Cabinet ministers, MPs, MPLs and councillors. It’s only senior managers in the government and stateowned enterprises who are implicated in corrupt activities who are facing the wrath of the law.

In April, South Africa will celebrate its 26th year of democracy. For the past 25 years, its citizens have been spectators in the game they are supposed to be playing. They have watched politicians loot public coffers.

I hope they will reclaim their power and be active citizens in 2020. I also hope civic organisations will work together to challenge the status quo. There is power in unity.

In 2021, the country will hold its sixth democratic municipal elections.

For a long time, political parties have been fielding incompetent individuals to be councillors. As soon as they are elected, they focus on enriching themselves using public funds.

It’s time citizens identify individuals with potential within their communities and nominate them to stand as councillor candidates. This will challenge the power of political parties. The ball is in our court.

THABILE MANGE | Johannesburg