OPINION: Second revolution or third wave?

Are we facing the coming of a second revolution or is there a third wave?

A few months ago I advocated, in this newspaper, that we, as the ANC, needed to “elect leaders into the NEC who can recapture and harness the spirit and values that made the ANC great” in order to draw back members who are so disillusioned by the current stumbling into oblivion that some have joined other political parties, while others are simply stymied into lethargy.

Almost a ye

ar earlier, in May 2016, I predicted that the outcome of the August 2016 local general election would be disastrous for the party and advised that if we really wanted a favourable result at those polls, the ANC needed to humble herself and apologise to the people of South Africa for the blind-folded support we continued to give our errant President Jacob Zuma.

As expected the President Zuma has since stumbled from one more political blunder to the next. In the meanwhile, ANC members are falling off the bandwagon fast and furiously.

The problem of an unrepentant President is now further compounded by a rigid ANC that brooks no dissenting voice – an antithesis of democracy. “You toe the party line or else you get the hell out of the way!”

We are supposed to be a mature democracy that should by now embrace the axiom: agreeable people must always agree to disagree agreeably. And go further to declare: I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to death your right to say it.

Nay, not my ANC! Twice since August last year, segments of the ANC have prevented protest formations from going to picket at Luthuli House. This is a bigger problem than Zuma’s inadequacies. For how else do you determine the swell of your opposition than by allowing people to nail their colours to the mast?

How long, as Gibson Kente would cry, shall we, the ANC bury our heads in sand like ostriches while Rome is burning?

Monarchs have spoken – to wit King Mpendulo Sigcawu (Ah Zwelonke!).

Clerics have spoken – to wit the South African Council of Churches.

You still remember Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s forthright: “You and your government do not represent me. You represent your own interests.”

ANC veterans have spoken – only to be advised not to speak truth publicly.

The Save SA formation has been born and thrown in their lot.

Zuma’s pathetic response? Only the ANC can remove me.

Now alliance partners have not only spoken but thrown out Zuma from their celebrations! A president of a country rejected, not only by his subjects but by his partners, confidantes, if you like? That’s too close a call.

If Zuma was a chief, we would be saying, udliwa zizinja zakhe (he is bitten by his own dogs).

Or, as Chief Ngangomhlaba Matanzima (Ah Ngangomhlaba!) would say, udliwa ziintwala zengubo yakhe (he is fleeced by the lice of his own blanket).

Still indications are that my President is turning a deaf ear to those appeals.

Other political tendencies are beginning to emerge. Incredible as this may sound – President Zuma is ready to preside over the liquidation of the ANC.

And, even more incredible as this may sound, the remaining cohorts of Zuma are pleased to see so many upright ANC members bowing out as this increases their chance of gaining ground and holding onto the structures as competition for positions becomes less fierce.

Beware, as Wordsworth warned, “The world is too much with us; late or soon; getting and spending; we lay waste our powers.”

How then can we salvage the ANC?

The top six and the national working committee, in my view, have let us down. terribly.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa who appeared to take Francis Carey Slater’s great glad adventure by openly disassociating himself with the recent cabinet reshuffle, took a U-turn. With tail between the legs, he reversed his political gain.

ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe who initially took the same stand, came back faster than lightning, to reprimand himself for having gone public on the unsanctioned reshuffle.

ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize who also distanced himself, was mum on advancing his call. These are members of the inner circle.

The intermediate circle, the national executive committee, apparently is the organ that compelled these three to eat their words.

And this past weekend, with the nation pregnant with what Charles Dickens described as Great Expectations, the NEC came out loud and clear: you shall not have Zuma’s head!

They are therefore, birds of the same feather.

How can we ever again take these leaders seriously? When will they ever speak truth to power (assuming Zuma is their power)? When can we trust that they will stick to what they say, come hell or high water?

Surely the solution lies in opening up the outer circle, that is, those outside the intermediate circle to campaign freely and choose representatives of their own.

Mondli Gungubele, Mayor of Ekurhuleni District Municipality supports this strategy.

Dividends will accrue to the ANC with this approach, chief among them being that the ANC will regain its status as the movement of the people (umbutho wabantiu) and more importantly, the people – who I predicted before the local government elections would leave – will surely return to participate in true democratic processes within the ANC.

One position must be held sacrosanct – those who support the current NEC and those who do not must be agreeable enough to agree to disagree agreeably.

Professor Mncedisi Jordan was on the staff of the University of Fort Hare and Walter Sisulu University teaching accountancy. He now researches indigenous cultures