SOUTH AFRICA IS IN TROUBLE – AND PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA JUST PROVED IT.

THE EDITORS OF THE RADIO FREEDOM WEBSITE HAVE TAKEN THE DECISION TO POST THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO BY MS. BOATENG. WE ARE ALSO POSTING COMMENTS BY DR. PERCY MAHLATHI AND HIS REACTIONS TO THE VIDEO.

THE REASON IS SIMPLE – THE QUESTION OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS IN SOUTH AFRICA HAS PROVOKED A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND VARIOUS ANALYSTS, POLITICAL COMMENTATORS AND THE PRESIDENT ALSO ISSUED A STATEMENT. IT OUR CONSIDERED OPINION THAT THE RADIO FREEDOM PLATFORM CANNOT AVOID PARTICIPATING IN THIS NARRATIVE AND EXPRESSSING THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS OF THOSE WHO CARE TO COMMENT.

COMMENTS ON THE VIDEO BY DR. PERCY MAHLATHI

I have read through and listened to the video by Ms Boateng. I have the following short remarks to make:

1. There is no doubt that our country is facing many intractable problems – internally and externally generated.
2. Nobody can deny that ordinary South Africans are under tremendous strain from a variety of factors – high cost of living, excessive crimes, daily murders, unemployment, unbridled corruption and many others.
3. Failure to govern propelled by the weakest ANC leadership the country has ever experienced.
4. Ordinary citizens have decided to take it upon themselves to address matters.
   

There are many other observations that one could mention. The blame for the country’s deterioration must be placed largely at the door of our Movement. This is simply because, as Dr Endress says, it is the same governing party that was in charge over the two contrasting phases.

1. Instead of addressing the country’s problems, the broad Movement is now focusing on its disintegration (cf. SACP-ANC rift)
2. The important ANC organs have either been weakened or destroyed e.g. Women’s and Youth Leagues
3. The cries by ordinary citizens, including ordinary ANC members, have been falling on deaf ears for a very long time.
4. Even the poor election results seem not to bother most of the very senior leaders of the ANC.
5. The Madlanga Commission is unearthing more rot than we thought exists. And unfortunately, these scandals have taken place under the watch and participation of some cadres of the Movement.

Coming back to Ms Sandra Boateng’s video, one part that she misses or fails to deal with is the culpability of the leaders of African countries in the whole migration saga. Whilst SA is on the news, there is an increasing number of countries within the Continent and outside that are declaring Nigerians undesirable. There are number of Nigerian and Zimbabwean nationals who are now self-reflecting and pushing back on the narrative that South Africans are unfair to them and the cause of their worldwide problems.

I do not believe once that South Africans are xenophobic or Afro phobic. Last week, we had a general membership meeting of the STRATEGIC DIALOGUE GROUP (SDG) where we discussed a number of matters including the urgent need for this nation to create a new society using the national dialogue as the anchor programme despite it being weakened in the eyes of the public. Afterwards, one comrade called me and we had a lengthy debate where, among others, he raised the following issues:

1. Poor citizens being berated when they raised issues that affect them on a daily basis.
2. ANC leaders displaying a non-caring attitude despite the organisation relying on their votes during elections
3. Failure of the ANC leaders to revive the organisation – in this instance he acknowledged that very few of them are authentic ANC leaders
4. The terms Xenophobia and Afrophobia being associated with SA only when the rest of the Continent participates in such practices
5. The massive negative PR exercise against SA when all protests by March & March have been peaceful compared to what is happening in Belfast against foreigners.
6. The global anti-migration phenomena happening in the US, Germany etc. It is not a South African phenomenon.
7. The poor prospects that the ANC can mend its relationship with society which it used to lead.
8. The deep scars left by corruption whose impact is on poor communities than anyone else.
9. The constitutionally entrenched rule of law being severely under threat.

There are many other issues we debated for over one hour – agreeing on some while vehemently disagreeing on others. In the quest by many in the Continent to criticise SA, there are exaggerated generalisations that are made e.g. that foreigners get blamed for poor service delivery! I have never come across that accusation before. About jobs, yes.

The question that swells in my mind is: When ordinary citizens lose faith and trust in their democratic structures, organisations and government, what must they do? They do not possess the sophisticated tools of analysis that the educated utilise. The failure therefore lies with the leadership in all respects. This is what I raised in a discussion we had with some religious leaders last week. I said that it is easy to condemn the poor but fail to practice what the Kairos document referred as Prophetic Theology (not in terms of the abused prophesies we are subjected to nowadays).

Many people called foreigners are actually economic migrants. I believe that very few are what President Mugabe once called “social outcasts that have no place in Zimbabwe”. So, whilst this country must deal with the problems of its making, there needs to be a call for other leaders in the Continent to ensure the stability of their countries. Namibia has shown the way in protecting certain economic spaces for their vulnerable sectors e.g., only Namibians drive buses and trucks whilst opening other spaces e.g., professional fields to others from outside the country. 

The decline of Pan Africanism is caused by the decline of the current crop of leaders in the Continent; unlike the collective of grounded leaders. The counter-revolution has not only won, but it also seems to be firmly in charge. What this then means is that the task we have does not only relate to the renewal of the ANC and the rebirth of our country but also to the question of leadership rebirth in the Continent. It is an uphill battle.

Already, because the leaders of March & March feel attacked by their own government, they openly say they do not care what names they are called, they are fixing their country. Unfortunately, I have not heard of any attempts from Luthuli House to engage these groups except Cde Mdumiseni Ntuli the ANC Chief Whip lending them an ear.

My concern is that if they continue to feel rejected, despised or labelled as outcasts, they will open up to whoever displays sympathy towards them. The Counter-Revolution strategists continue to plan and exploit the weaknesses and problems created by our government and the ANC. The COUNTER REVOLUTION will not fail to provide massive financial resources to ensure the success of its project – the failure of the country’s democratisation and eradication of the ANC.

I have listened intently to many interviews by Ms. Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, and I find a number of patriotic utterances in her answers.