Hollow Fraud

 

Last month I quoted a recent TIME magazine article called Africa Rising.  Here is another clip from that article about Africa’s once and future greatness, from which the title of this C4L Bulletin is taken:

“The ANC is reaping the reward for this sorry record. In mid-August, 3,000 miners at platinum producer Lonmin's Marikana mine in northern South Africa walked off the job, demanding a tripling of basic pay, from about $500 per month. On Aug. 16, after days of violence in which 10 people died, police shot dead 34 miners. The killings evoked the brutality of apartheid. Meanwhile, the militant antibusiness, antigovernment strikes that erupted at other mines, then in other industries, continue today.

“These have exposed as nothing more than a hollow fraud the claims by the ANC's ruling alliance that it represents the poor. With such a disconnect between government and people, Tutu says, the potential for upheaval in South Africa is "very great ... When the big eruption happens," he says, "it's going to be very, very disturbing."

I have received a lot of feedback about Tutu’s more recent comments in the press – that he can no longer vote for the ANC.  One comment he made in his article to this effect in the Mail & Guardian is that the ANC has not managed to make the difficult transition from freedom-fighting unit to political party.  I have heard this analysis in more than one country, on more than one occasion.  But for the first time I connected the dots with my favorite theme comparing the Constitutionalists with the Triumphalists.

I will try to explain.  Tutu paid high compliments to the ANC for its historic role.  "The ANC was very good at leading us in the struggle to be free from oppression," he wrote.  But let’s face it, at that time the ANC was banned, so its was acting illegally even if it held the high moral ground.  Emblematic of this was that Nelson Mandela was in jail.  Whereas he is now revered as father of the nation – Tata.  (Better known by the name of his clan – Madiba.)

It’s hard to switch modes from breaking the law to upholding it.  Especially when for over 40 years, you were kept out by Afrikaner triumphalism.  The Boers were behaving that way after almost 50 years of Triumphalist behaviour by the British after the Anglo-Boer war.  Who would expect them to suddenly become law-abiding Constitutionalists overnight?

A quick digression here, to recall that the ANC was founded to unite diverse black tribes that had each been fighting the European settlers on their own (e.g the Zulu wars).  The vision was – united we stand, divided we fall.  A century later, sure enough, there is majority rule at last and it is dominated by blacks.  Within this Democracy, blacks are beginning to diverge – but not along tribal lines.  For one thing, class ranks are forming.  The huge disparities in South Africa are no longer just black and white – there are now hugely wealthy blacks and a rising middle class.  Although the black population is predominantly poor.  The ranks of the unemployed are mainly young blacks.

For several years their voice was the populist leader of the Youth league, Julius Malema.  He has been discredited in the past few months as an opportunist, and the ANCYL came within inches of being disbanded altogether.  Here are some quotes from a may 9^th editorial in The Times called: There are a lot more like Malema - but they get away with it

“Malema must pay his dues, but he is not alone in owing them. There are many in this country who wine and dine in luxury, thanks to their corrupt activities - but they are protected by their political connections.

“It seems that, as long as you are flying with the right crowd, your safety is guaranteed.

“Malema's troubles started the day he moved outside the ANC tent and started throwing stones at it.

“Malema is but one of the fish in the sea.

“Many other members of the political elite enrich themselves at the expense of the taxpayers.

“Before we celebrate the fact that another nail is being hammered into Malema's coffin, we should not lose sight of the many tenderpreneurs and their corrupt business partners who live a life of unearned opulence without consequence.”

But the coup de grace came for me in an open letter written to The Star this week by a young woman who cannot find work in spite of good qualifications and experience as a journalist.  This appeared as an editorial called What happened to the dream of 1994?  Here again are some excerpts:

“I remember the excitement that filled my home when Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the first democratically elected president. I knew things could only get better and my children would never experience what I went through. At last, we were living in a free country, one filled with hope and freedom.

“Upon graduating from Rhodes University, I had no doubt I was destined for the city of gold. South Africa was full of hope and it would have been dim-witted of me not to seize the boundless opportunities provided by our democratic government.

“After a few years in the private sector, I yearned to make a positive contribution in the public sector. Even when my job applications were unsuccessful, I wasn’t discouraged. I guess I was in denial of the stark reality. A friend once joked about my commendable persistence, but added that I’d “never get a job in the ANC government because I am not politically connected”. But I am black, young, educated, and I am from a previously disadvantaged background, I thought to myself. Is that the true nature of my government? Impossible. How did we get here? What happened? Is it greed? What happened to the idea of unity and “A Better Life For All”? This is not the reality my teen mind imagined back in 1994.

“I’m baffled by the contrast between skills and political connectedness. Why should I be politically connected when I qualify for a position and have the necessary experience? Why are people not employed on merit?

“It has become clear that I am living in a confusing country – one that provides few answers and solutions to its people, especially the young. Where did it all go wrong?”

These are the most poignant words that I have read in a long time!  On them, I rest my case.  Triumphalism reigns.  Constitutionalism is down, but not out.  Disparity is the enemy now, not racism.  The ANC is not the champion of the poor, it never was.  It led another Struggle.