SA floating like a rudderless, captainless ship in treacherous waters

Editor’s Note

Mazwi Xaba

Durban - Ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu argued that “in the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity”.

Centuries later, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill put it another way: “Never let a good crisis go to waste.”

As South Africa and the world wade and wander through the Covid-19 crisis, our leaders seem to be letting it all go to waste. Or are they using it in other ways less aligned with the good of society?

ANC stalwart Andrew Mlangeni’s special state funeral presented a humongous opportunity for our government - and the ANC - to lead by example, to send a strong and clear message and to rally everyone together against the pandemic.

The talk was fine, but there wasn’t enough walking the talk seen. What we saw instead was the flouting of lockdown regulations.

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. One of the powerful pictures telling this tragic story is the one tweeted by transport minister Fikile Mbalula.

The picture shows how big a “challenge” we face as a leaderless nation. It also speaks volumes about the blustering, bumbling minister.

Then there were the images of senior Sandf officials smoking in public.

In our beautiful land indeed “all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others”.

Our country is floating about like a rudderless, captainless ship in treacherous waters. With no leadership we can only look to God to save South Africa. Nkosi sikelela!

The Independent on Saturday