Weekly SA Mirror
NO TO USING BLACKS AS VOTING FODDER

‘NO TO USING BLACKS AS VOTING FODDER’

PROSPECTS: Liberals defending, tooth and nail, one of the last barriers to true black liberation – economic emancipation…

By Sekola Sello

MY TAKE

With the national and provincial elections looming large in less than 18 months, the question that is being asked in some circles is, “what is the matter with black South African voters”.

This is because, although the ruling African National Congress has literally brought the country to its knees through misgovernance and corruption, it will still emerge with the biggest electoral support.

The opposition parties are cock-a-hoop that the ANC will poll below 50 percent. Some are even claiming that the party faces the real prospect of going below 40 percent. Other pundits believe this is more wishful thinking than anything else.

Given the magnitude of the ANC destruction of the country, it is still a surprise that the ANC is still a party that commands the overall support of the voters. Take Emfuleni municipality in the Vaal Triangle\Lekoa for instance.

At some areas such as Small Farms, Evaton, there are households that are inaccessible by car – because of the collapsed road infrastructure. In many Emfuleni townships raw sewerage running through residential areas is a common sight. Yet, this is a problem found in many black areas country wide.

Apart from corruption, violent crime – including murder – is out of control, and many criminals are rarely arrested; unemployment especially among the young is threatening the stability of the country; poverty is worsening; loadshedding is now a daily feature and a number of small businesses are closing shop as a result; many households often go without water for several days. These are some of the woes facing the people.

Only a dyed in the wool ideologue or simply a moron can still believe the ANC can change for the better. Look at the 2022 Nasrec conference and some of the people elected into its most senior structures. The Top Seven is composed of the likes of Paul Mashatile, Gwede Mantashe and Nomvula Mokonyane. The national executive committee is made up of such luminaries as Andile Lungisa. Need we say more?

Why are black voters still continuing to vote for a political party that has demonstrated beyond any shadow of doubt that it lacks the capacity to change their lives for the better? The question what is the matter with South African black voters applies with equal force to those black voters of the DA or those who are not necessarily members but come election time vote for this party.

The DA states proudly and boldly that it is a party committed to liberal ideals. Any black South African knows what this means. The removal of what came to be known as petty apartheid such as black and white dining in the same restaurants, as if our parents, and, indeed, a majority of our people could afford prices at these establishments. Using the same beaches; attending the same schools again if you can afford the fees; opening sporting facilities to all; even allowing black and white to marry each other.

But when it comes to issues that truly matter to black people even that Grand Dame of liberalism in South Africa and the DA, one Hellen Suzman – giving blacks the vote – it was a big NO.  This is on record to her eternal shame.

Now that blacks have an unqualified franchise, the liberals are defending tooth and nail one of the last barriers to true black liberation – economic emancipation.

Liberals believe in a small state; the privatisation of state-owned enterprises and are also opposed to interventionist measures like affirmative action. Opposing these measures despite all the talk to the contrary by the DA simply means that black people in this country may now have the vote, but will remain permanently trapped in poverty. It is retention of white privilege or crudely put apartheid in another form.

Let the truth be told. The DA is a party fully committed to preserving the interests of white people in this country. White interests means Ill-gotten white privileges over the decades.

Recently, DA leader John Steenhuisen announced the intention to launch what he calls a “ Moonshot Pact”, this being the bringing together a coalition of political parties and other formations to defeat the ANC in the 2024 elections.

Indeed, the ANC has destroyed the country, and must be defeated, but I do not believe the DA and the Moonshot Pact are the vehicle to bring about the much-needed change in the country. The leader of African Christian Democratic Party Kenneth Meshoe has already sounded a warning about Steenhuisen and the Moonshot Pact.

He says, by unilaterally launching this initiative, Steenhuisen is behaving like a headmaster towards his pupils.

Meshoe says United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa recently proposed that parties wanting to end ANC rule must come together to discuss how to go about the initiative. Instead, Steenhuisen, acting like a headmaster who knows what’s good for his pupils, steals the idea and then invites the other parties to join him. As we would say in the townships,”has se tsona”.

The DA is committed to retaining white privilege, and yet there are black people who are its members and voters. Here are a few unpalatable facts about the racism of the DA and their leaders. The party’s former leader, Tony Leon, claiming black youth will be decimated by Aids while their white counterparts will emigrate abroad. So, only blacks can be afflicted with Aids.

Then there is Dianne Kohler Barnard complaining about blacks from outside the Western Province flooding the area. Then you have Hellen Zille praising the benefits of colonialism. Imagine the never-ending howls of antisemitism if any Economic Freedom Fighters leader were to talk about the benefit to mankind made by those Nazi scientists on research they made on Jews held in places such as Auschwitz?

It is common knowledge that the DA in recent years has swelled its ranks with known rightwing elements who were opposed to the ANC rule on the basis of ideology and pure racism. Some of these elements have deserted the DA and probably joined the Freedom Front Plus. To stem this tide, the party embarked on policies which have forced out some of the black leaders like Mmusi Maimane, Herman Mashaba, Bongani Baloyi, Lindiwe Mazibuko, among other former leaders of the party who were all forced out because of the racism within the party. What more proof do people need to see the DA for what it is.

Come 2024 black voters must stop being used as voting fodder. They must vote for those who champion their interests with deeds – not empty rhetoric. It is that simple.

*Sello is a political commentator and journalist of many years, who worked various publications including The World, Post, Sowetan and City Press

Comment

MANGAUNG PRIVATE PRISON WOES WORSENS   

Poor working conditions and breaches of labour laws  have added  to the woes surrounding  corruption at the Mangaung Correctional Centre  that resulted in the daring escape of  convicted serial rapist  and murderer, Thabo Bester after he faked his death in a cell last year.

After exposing the incompetence of security personnel and widespread claims of corruption involving certain officials at the privately-owned G4S managed facility that led to Bester’s escape and his recent subsequent capture in Tanzania, damning claims have now been revealed by Zizamele Cebekhulu-Makhaza, President of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) that the prison to warder ratio at the facility was 1- 60.

This serious irregularity is in stark contrast to the international standards  of  the ratio of a single warder to  three  prisoners. This is also according to the Report of The National Prisons Project of the South African Human Rights Commission which was compiled in 1998. The 1-60 warder- prisoner ratio is not only irregular. It is also puts the lives of warders in jeopardy. This also reveals the uncaring attitude of the G4S management regarding the safety of their security officers.

The latest damning revelations have confirmed claims by POPCRU that the  G4S management  did not care about the proper administration of the  facility and were more interested in the huge financial profits they were raking in at the expense of  South Africa’s taxpayers.

The G4S delegation which was  recently summoned to appear before the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, was evasive in their responses relating to how Bester had managed to escape. All they were trying to do was to exonerate themselves from accountability. They could not even explain how the fire that broke in Bester’s cell at 2.30am last year, was only detected at around 4am.

Various opposition political parties  have since called  on  the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services of South Africa, Ronald Lamola to resign  because of the embarrassment at the  privately-owned facility. POPCRU, however, has also put the blame squarely at the hands of  the Portfolio Committee for failing to visit these facilities on a regular basis as it is their responsibility to perform oversight responsibilities.     

While the G4S management continues to conceal and evade to answer relevant questions that could help the authorities with their investigations into the Bester saga, we also support the call by the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, that the G4S management must be slapped with a hefty fine for their negligence and incompetence. Their  contract with the Department of Correctional Services must also be terminated without any delay.

South Africa cannot afford to pay millions of rands a month to a company that has dismally failed to perform its duties. 

Published on the 95th Edition

Get E-Copy 

WeeklySA_Admin