Taking to the streets is often the last resort, says William Gumede, and the community protests against poor service delivery sweeping across South Africa are evidence that 'democratic institutions within the ANC' and 'broader society' have failed the country's poorest. ANC leaders whipped up expectations of immediate pro-poor reforms under a Zuma administration, which the current recession has put out of reach. If Zuma is to retain the support of the people, Gumede tells Pambazuka News, he must curb the lavish lifestyles of government officials, weed out corruption and provide emergency packages in the most depressed municipalities across the country. Most importantly though, says Gumede, the renewal of the ANC's internal democratic processes must be made real now.
The 'third force' behind the community protests against poor service delivery, mismanagement and indifferent local authorities that is sweeping the country is poverty. Blaming 'third force' elements, 'criminal elements', closet supporters of former President Thabo Mbeki, and other conspiracies, for the wave of service protests are irresponsible.
Under the Mbeki administration, the preferred solution was to blame a 'third force', send in the police in a show of force, dispatched a few agents of the National Intelligence Services, then arrest so-called 'ring-leaders'. To repeat the Mbeki approach, would not only inflame grassroots passions even more, but it would be patently dishonest, when the new administration under President Jacob Zuma came to power precisely because it campaigned to end such strong-arm tactics, and be more pro-poor, pro-democracy and to speed up service delivery.
The reality also is that many ANC leaders during and before the April national elections irresponsibly whipped up expectations of immediate delivery, if only the Mbeki cliché is pushed out. The protesters are mostly ANC supporters, sympathisers and voters. They are protesting because the democracy has failed them in two ways. It is more likely that many have already approached local elected representatives over slow service delivery, mismanagement and corruption, and were then arrogantly rebuffed. Others have most probably also approached local branch leaders of the ANC to complain, but have found their complaints falling on stony ground.
In such circumstances, taking to the streets is often the last resort. This means that both the democratic institutions within the ANC and within the broader society have failed them. This must be fixed. It is going to be very difficult for the president to send senior ANC leaders to protesting communities to tell to them to be patient - they have been patient for 15 years now. It is also likely that any message to protestors that the global financial crisis will make it harder to create jobs, deliver houses and roll-out social services faster will be rejected.
Given that South Africa is in a recession, but leaders splash out in conspicuous consumption frenzies, buying cars of R1.5m, and having large 'blue-light' entourages, with armies of bodyguards, drivers, assistants, and then for good measure regularly throwing huge parties on taxpayers' money, has enraged many ordinary long-suffering citizens. To ask communities to tighten their belts, moral authority is necessary. But conspicuous consumption and extravagant expenses erode the moral authority of leaders.
President Zuma must call an emergency - as part of a broader emergency package to fight off the devastating effects of the recession - in the 20 most depressed municipalities across the country. He then needs to fire those who prove to be corrupt, mismanaged or run patronage machines, whether on ethnic or political grounds, or political allies - especially if these are close political allies. Where possible, national government must take over these municipalities, for a restricted period, until capacity is restored. The president must then nationally and internationally call for applications to all vacant jobs. He must then personally make it a priority to oversee the appointment of only the best candidates. The process should finally cut out political, ethnic patronage appointments, and then let the new appointees sign performance contracts - which should be enforced.
The recession has made it urgent that the president must now roll out a universal basic income grant to the poorest. Then the president must ban all ministers from buying expensive cars. He must also cut down official 'blue-light' entourages to one car, and demand en route ministers must sit it out in snail-pace traffic like any other ordinary citizen. Then the president must ban all official government parties, junkets and lunches.
But the promises of Polokwane, which promised the renewal of the ANC's internal democratic processes, must also be made real now. Democratic ways of elections, decision and policy-making and participation within the ANC, from branch level upwards, must now be enforced. Poorer black South Africans, want both the democratic and economic fruits of the post-apartheid dispensation - they deserve that, and it's long overdue.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY PAMBAZUKA NEWS
* This article previously appeared in The Sowetan.
* William Gumede is author of Thabo Mbeki and the Battle for the Soul of the ANC.
Comments 1 to 5 of 5 Post a comment
William, that's it. Everything you say is incontestable, it's not rocket science. Until the people are looked after a government of the people must tighten its belt not askthe people to.
If you want to drive a big car and throw big parties, fine it's a democracy. Get a job in capitalism, earn the big bucks becaues you've earned them not on affirmative appointments, pay your tax and splurge on what's left over.
But government cars must come out of the government garage and must be deccided in parliament how much can be SPARED for transporting civil servants after the people's needs have been met.
Otherwise it's machine guns (as the President likes saying) and matches as comrade Winnie has said) time. Thes words must come back to hang around the necks of the promisers. The Struggle Continues!
The problem with SA is that it's not a democracy like many people want to call it. This is a country that allows the people to vote for a party and the party that wins the election appoints the president, members of parliament, the mayors of the cities and all local officials. In the last election the ANC won the national election but the WC was won by DA party. The people have no voice in the day to day decision making in that country on the local level. The ANC has been taken over by a small elite group of people and the people on the local level are treated like nothing by these people. Since there is no direct election in that country the people have no choice but to take to the streets to be heard. Many of these top government officials are riding around in high price luxury cars with bodyguards and living in high price homes. Corruption is wide spread and if you are a member of the ANC the legal system can't do nothing to you. When members of the ANC are caught and sent to jail, the ANC will forgive them and restore them to their rank when they are let out of prison. This country is the richest country in Africa but, it's being run like France of 1789 under Louis 16th.
What the President should do is to nationalize all natural resources that whitefolks presently have at their disposal. The fact is not one white Person in South Afrika or Afrika for that matter can show a title for land that was legally acquired from an Afrikan seller. A Land retake program must be implemented to fix the poverty of Afrikans in South Afrika. Joining with Zimbabwe to become a bigger front is the most feasible start. Mambolo
The land and natural resources will not go to the poor but, to the elite in the ANC. Since the black african elite doesn't have the capital to invest in the land and natural resources this country will become like Zim. Most of the people who got those white own farms were Mugabe's cronies. By the way Mugabe got two of these farms. In Angola everything is own by the state but the people are poor as hell and the largest investor in Brazil is the family of the president of the Angolan government. There are millions of acres of land in SA going to waste because the black farmers have walked away from the land. I say like Moelsti says in his book"architects of poverty" this country needs to create a culture of black entrepreneurship. Russia and China both tried that state own industries and failed so you think that SA is going to do better?
'Gumede's claim that taking to the street is the last resort in some circumstances is true, but it is not also all true that it is a sign of a failed democracy. Protest could happen as a means of effective communication of intent in a classical top-down administrative structure, protest can occour if ones need is blocked, it could be an excercise of democratic right in as state which democratic principles and institutions maintain, protest can occur when asymetrical relationship is lackin some balance, Protest can occur when one knows that one will get what one wants from a particular individual or group if one protests. so in my thinking, the spiral of protests that have run virtually across the nine provinces is founded on the last option. That President Zuma will listen and grant the respective heart desires as such it is a necessity now. it is not riddiculous that some members who requested an 11% increase was granted and they rung to 15% few seconds after the 11% increase request was granted. In my thinking, evry organised labour unit who have not demonstrated so far will will follow suit in no distance time. The idea is that the increament is a national cake that every body will enjoy under Zuma's administration. with the prevailing circumstances, non-organised labour bodies and non productive units like citizens of SOCIAL GRANTS will also climb the protestation podium. reason is never to cripple of dwarf present regime but let's get it when we can! Medical doctors have disappeared from the screen, although they started it, and in the same spirit one by one they will all disappear, after receiving their negotiated percentages. it is important that the government cut down on spendings made towards the upkeep of the top officials as gumede indicated. it is funny to create artifial 800 stomachs for a person only because she is a senior officer in the sate. what is one person who is a public servant doing with more than two vehicles where people and crying, caling their mothers and mentioning hunger? President Zuma, get tough because the going is getting tough! ...NANSSA presidency South Africa.