10 August 2008
We all know about all the the things that have gone wrong and rotten under the ANC government [in alliance with Cosatu and the SA Communist Party] . The president himself has admitted some of the failures and has apologised for it too. Why the ANC government nevertheless retains ministers of failed departments, such as Education, Home Affairs, Health, Justice and Police and disbands a highly successful unit such as the Scorpions, is beyond logic. Therefore I am not going to repeat the well documented failures and abuses of ANC governance, nor the negative effects thereof on all the people of South Africa, including the poor and the people who voted the ANC into power. The basic problem has been identified. It is the ANC/Cosatu/Communist leadership of the ANC.
Complaining is necessary as it brings problems to the surface for all to take note of, but under this heading I want South Africans to contribute towards rectifying the problems.
There are many success stories in South Africa, in business and even successful departments of the civil service under the ANC government itself. SARS, for instance, is a shining example of a world class government revenue service. This means that under effective leadership, such as Minister Trevor Manuel's, and CEO's of world class South African corporates, South Africa already has the ability, namely the people [of all races] who are, and who can continue becoming competent to staff the civil service and business.
As a non racial democracy every 18 year and older citizen, all races, the poor and the uneducated, all South Africans, have the power to stop the problem, namely the ANC leadership, at the ballot box in the 2009 election.
With the last election in 2004 there were about 27 million citizens eligible to register as voters. Of the 27 million only 10.8 million [40%] voted for the ANC. The other 16.2 million [60%] voted for other parties against the ANC, or did not bother to vote, or did not bother to register as voters. Roughly speaking, out of every 5 eligible voters [in 2004]:
2 voted for the ANC
1 voted against the ANC
2 did not vote
In this way only 3 out of 5 South Africans are taking part in governing the country and because 2 out of those 3 are ANC, those 2 govern all 5. The power lies with the 3 out of 5 who did not vote for the ANC but the country is run by the 2 out of 5 minority who voted for the ANC.
The ANC had the opportunity to perform well since it inherited an excellent, first world infra-structure in 1994 and took control of the wealthiest country in Africa, but it failed soon after Nelson Mandela retired. It had the opportunity to set the example for the whole of Africa. It was therefore in its grasp to extend its support base. However, even a much smaller minority than the 2 out of 5 actually benefited [and some benefited outrageously] by the ANC being allowed to govern the affairs of South Africa. Therefore the ANC's failure to eradicate poverty and crime and its failure to improve education and health, to name only four of the failings to its own support base, places it at risk of a smaller majority in parliament.
They can, however, even lose the election if every eligible voter registers and votes for any of the parties opposing the ANC. For this to happen the following message must reach the masses -
[a] that the ANC leadership has taken and is continuing on a different route which is detrimental to all South Africans, including ANC supporters themselves, as millions can testify first hand;
[b] that the ANC/Cosatu/Communist alliance leadership does not represent the majority;
[c] that the ANC leadership can and must be voted out of government by supporting any of the other opposing political parties;
[d] that by ridding themselves of an incompetent government, South Africans will immediately draw business confidence, therefore work opportunity, and income;
[e] that for this to happen every eligible voter must register and must vote.The only way how this message can reach and influence the masses convincingly and effectively, is if an influential person can send it out. Ex President Nelson Mandela is that person. Pik Botha became an ANC supporter a while after Nelson Mandela became president. Desmond Tutu was always supportive of the ANC. But after retirement both those gentlemen spoke out against the route taken by the ANC or against its obvious failings and abuses. They can, however, speak up another thousand times, so can other world leaders or local political leaders and none will have the effect that Mr Mandela will immediately have. He does not need to come out of retirement or join the political arena again either. All he needs to do is to speak up against support of a leadership that is obviously detrimental to the people, along the lines of [a] to [e] above, in a 20 minute speech on a video that can be broadcast in the media in South Africa and across the world, from now on, right up to the night before the next election in 2009. After all, he has the respect of all South Africans and he has the well being of the people of South Africa at heart. Not the ANC above all, no matter how the leadership abuses its position and allowes SA resources, including human resources, to go to waste.
Are there support for these ideas out there and anyone with the connections to reach and deliberate with Nelson Mandela about this crucial matter?
La Vie
