The August 8 vote of no confidence in Jacob Zuma was not a routine popularity exercise. It was part of an ongoing series of protests against Zuma countrywide. In dismissing the outcome of that vote, as simply part of the democratic process which we must accept, you are dead wrong, Mr Editor (editorial, August 10).
The debate concerning Zuma goes far beyond him as a person and his position as President. The whole thrust of opposition and protest against him is about his role in fostering corruption and looting the state – from his R246 million abode in Nkandla to how his cronies and connections are abusing state enterprises and engaged in every form of deceit and dishonesty. As such, it was a vote that liberated South Africa – and indeed, the ANC – from the clutches of destruction and failure.
Claiming that the democratic process won the day on August 8 is, therefore, very shallow thinking. As the DA’s John Steenhuizen has remarked before Zuma set out to capture the state he first had to capture the ANC. The fact that Zuma survived the vote of no confidence shows to what extent the ANC has become putty in his hands. The 198 ANC MPs who supported Zuma do not represent the best interests of South Africa. Beholden to Zuma through patronage, they are a disgrace to their parliamentary oath and principles the ANC claims to hold of which ANC stalwarts have repeatedly reminded Zuma and his ilk.
Thus, Mr Editor, it is very short-sighted of you to state that we simply have to soldier on to 2019. The crisis South Africa faces is not something that can be deferred to an election year. Daily your paper and its sister publications report fresh evidence of looting and corruption by those associated with the Zuma regime. Already there are reports that those ANC MPs who voted against Zuma will be subject to a witch-hunt. So autocracy rules – not democracy.
The situation we face is similar to what has engulfed Venezuela. Despite massive popular protests and opposition to the Chavez/Maduro regime which has destroyed that country’s economy, dictatorship by that elite persists.
The political reality in South Africa today is that the democratic process like every other aspect of government under the ANC has been hijacked by and for the interests of the Zuma oligarchy. The reality is that democracy under the ANC as led by Zuma has come to represent nothing more than a doormat to seize control of the state and abuse it for benefit of the few. Under Zuma, all claims by the ANC to have brought freedom and, an open society have been exposed as worthless.
Finally, Mr Editor, your view that it is a virtual fait accompli that Zuma’s ex-wife, Dlamini-Zuma will succeed him as President is very disappointing. Napoleon regarded newspaper editors as more to be feared than a thousand cavalrymen. Where is your voice to speak out against the rot which the Zuma-controlled ANC is intent on perpetuating?
Sent into The Daily News and published, 15 August 2017.
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