By: Colleen Makhubele
We got that weird creepy sensation down the spine; a grip of unshakable fear when you know something is about to go terribly wrong. It felt as if the country was subjected to a horror movie that just clogged our media space for five days.
With badly cast horror characters that would not leave the scene and kept bartering and exchanging for votes in desperation to cling to power and fight factional battles.
We also saw “Lesilo Rula” walking in to disrupt the opening speech of President Phala Phala who, to date, still retains the Presidential Sofa, thanks to the fancy highly organised and deeply powered battering and exchange footwork.
What a horrific drama to watch this once captivating liberation movement come out of the election conference that was supposed to set a policy tone for the next five years, and the trending headlines are “Man of the Match Mathabane” and “Nearly TG Pule Mabe”. What happened to the “Policy Agenda for the country?”.
Against our own better judgment, we had tuned in to hear the outcomes of policy debates and the policies adopted that will impact the lives of ordinary South Africans and address the plethora of socio-economic issues; plague of lawlessness; poverty; unemployment and nationalisation of key industries.
When the votes were announced, the entire party was over. But there we were, still left aghast looking at the newly elected president addressing almost empty chairs.
The liberation movement that advanced policies that shook the apartheid government and the world has now degraded to a party of positions. We are still wondering about this economic recovery plan? Where is the country heading? What policies will this nation be pursuing?
The ANC has dropped the bar very low. To add insult to its already soiled image, the newly-elected SG’s first address is to blatantly and publicly go against the Constitution of the land threatening members who did not vote along party lines.
If you can imagine that this is the ruling party in government, deploying illegal ruthless tactics where the end justifies the means, comparing itself to other political parties not measuring itself with what the Constitution is saying. It is this arrogant attitude of party leaders that makes them oblivious to the resentment of people on the ground, including their own comrades.
I truly believe that many, in this time, who joined ANC or vote for the ANC have had a light bulb moment in their own little corner, deciding indeed that their cause was mistaken and their hope mistakenly placed in the ANC.
Perhaps I can say this was the biggest takeaway for me from the “Position Conference”, a big debate of the country is certainly brewing!
And the ANC is in for huge surprise, because what the country needs is a modern political party with fresh quality minds that put the needs of voters ahead of branches and 4 500 delegates bartering and exchanging, gambling with the future of our country and of our children.
The genesis of corruption was the day public representatives, members of Parliament and other political office bearers were unconstitutionally turned into voting cows and “the yes men and women” acting against their oath of office.
The ANC failed to transform to a modern political party; they are truly a liberation movement, and we owe them and the freedom fighters a lifetime debt of gratitude and honour.
But their current crop of leadership dismally failed to transform the party and cannot balance internal branch battles, personal agendas of comrades and broader voters needs. These are two schools of thought which we as politicians must ponder upon ultimately choose a path.
4 500 members and bags of money will make you win internal positions in the elective conference versus policies, programmes and integrity which will bring you voters to win the national elections.
Real strength and value of the modern political party is moral leadership, well-educated, dedicated humble servants informed by voters and opinions of the voters roll; not the 4 500 comrades or branch members jockeying about in a state of drunkenness for five days!
Now we are left trying to get these horrible images of a ghost liberation party out of our minds, system and importantly out of our national coffers.
It seems ANC lost its ability to change course as far back as 2008 when the Congress of the People (COPE) was formed and the key driver was that Luthuli House took away the oath, rights and judgment of MPs and replaced them with centralised control of public servants and members of parliament out of fear and greed. This is unlawful, unethical and irresponsible as the stance of a desperate liberation movement that offers no value in modern politics.
*COPE Cllr Colleen Makhubele is the Speaker of the City of Johannesburg.
The Star