No signs Mbete’s worthy to speak as SA president

IN RECENT media reports, Baleka Mbete, the speaker of the National Assembly and the chairwoman of the ANC, indicated that she believes she is ready for the top job: being president of South Africa.

Interestingly this skill was tested together with that of being ANC chair at the memorial events marking the passing of Nelson Mandela. Here she was, unfortunately, among a list of high ranking South African leaders who failed to distinguish themselves. We were outclassed by US President Barack Obama at our own function, on our own soil. Many started calling for former president Thabo Mbeki to be given the stage to make a respectable, intelligent and notable response in light of Obama’s captivating oration.

Mbete certainly did not fit this measure, nor does she measure up in many other areas.

Her ANC chairmanship lacks the audacious tough authority of a Steve Tshwete, the organisational skill and intellectual depth of Mbeki, and it doesn’t even have the eager spiritedness of Mosioua Lekota. The only sure thing to say about her is that she is the incumbent.

As speaker of parliament, her first term was a fairly dignified sonorous affair, verging on conviviality at the opening of parliament, and during the presidential question and response period, the finance minister’s budget vote speech, and the various departmental budget votes.

But things have gone steadily downhill. Her second term is characterised by misplaced loyalty to our embattled president and injudicious expressions directed at the public protector.

She failed dismally to contain an imploding parliament, tempting some to call for the return of the retired Dr Frene Ginwala, whose command and gravitas made our national parliament a wonder to behold.

Lately Mbete escaped a parliamentary vote of no confidence by the skin of her teeth. It’s clear from recent events that only her party members still see her worthy of her parliamentary chair. In fact, one could go as far as positing that most ANC parliamentarians backed Mbete out of loyalty to the ANC, rather than because of any faith in her.

With all this in mind, is it not too much of a leap to even allow one’s eyes to wonder the prize of being our first citizen? Are we not supposed to excel in minor responsibilities before we ask for major ones? Is it not logical that if we fail at managing Julius Malema and his red brigade, we might drown under the weight of frequent service delivery protests, labour strikes, escalating crime, high unemployment, and an economy in the doldrums?

Who asks for a second serving while having a plate that is barely touched?

Kids who look at other people’s plates before finishing their own are said to be greedy. I’m not sure how adults who behave in similar fashion are best described.

Being a poet, the verse lines of Douglas Mallock should strike home:

If you can’t be a pine on top of the hill

Be a scrub in the valley – but be

The best little scrub by the side of the hill,

Be a bush if you can’t be a tree.

If you can’t be a highway just be a trail

If you can’t be the sun be a star;

It isn’t by size that you win or fail –

Be the best of whatever you are.

Kanyo Gqulu is from Mthatha. He was an adviser and spokesman for former deputy-president Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka