Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba says if President Ramaphosa loses the political support of his party, South Africa should be ruled until the next election by a respected elder leading a government of national unity.
In a statement issued in Cape Town today, he said the ANC "seems to be in meltdown". Most South Africans wanted to see their political leaders dealing with problems such as loadshedding and joblessness urgently, and were probably getting impatient with seeing a governing party "at war with itself."
No one should be above the law, he added, "but to pass final judgement on a person based on what is in effect a board of preliminary investigation, which has not made a final determination of the facts, could lead to lawlessness..."
Nevertheless, "if the President loses the political support of his party before a final determination of his conduct is made, I call for the establishment of a government of national unity under a respected elder to stabilise the country until the next election."
He also called for an "economic Codesa" to address the country's real crisis – "the scandalous gap between those who benefit from intergenerational wealth and those who are locked out of the economy."
The full text of his statement follows and a sound clip can be downloaded here.
"The country is in crisis and our governing party seems to be in meltdown.
"It is correct that no one should be above the law, but to pass final judgement on a person based on what is in effect a board of preliminary investigation, which has not made a final determination of the facts, could lead to lawlessness in South Africa.
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"The church is observing the season of Advent, which is a time of alertness as we wait to celebrate at Christmas the arrival of the Incarnate Son. Our focus as we prepare for Christmas should be to give voice to the "ordinary" people of the country.
"The vast majority of South Africans want to see our political leaders dealing with their problems such as loadshedding and joblessness urgently, and are probably getting impatient with seeing a governing party at war with itself.
"If the President loses the political support of his party before a final determination of his conduct is made, I call for the establishment of a government of national unity under a respected elder to stabilise the country until the next election. And during the next year we need to hold an economic Codesa to address the real crisis facing the country, which is the scandalous gap between those who benefit from intergenerational wealth and those who are locked out of the economy."
ISSUED BY THE OFFICE OF THE ANGLICAN ARCHBISHOP OF CAPE TOWN
