Opinion: in need of a new hope
Nelson Mandela once said: “If the ANC does to you what the Apartheid government did to you, then you must do to the ANC what you did to the Apartheid government.”
With the eradication of apartheid beginning in the early 90’s, now more than 30 years later, things are not getting better. The ANC are known to be the main culprits of corruption in South Africa.
“If you are corrupt, an ANC member representing the party in any arm of the state, and protect those accused of corruption within the governing party, your political prospects look bright,” former ANC MP, Makhosi Khoza said in a news article written by TimesLive.
In 2019, News24 published a list of controversial ANC members which includes former minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba, former Minister of Environmental Affairs, Nomvula Nokonyane, and former Minister of Women in the Presidency, Bathabile Dlamnini. Although these members respectively resigned from their positions, it still makes one wonder who else was affected by the ‘corrupt virus’.
The Mail and Guardian recently reported that ANC secretary general Ace Magashule was amongst 15 others charged with 74 counts of fraud, theft, corruption, money laundering and asbestos contraventions.
They however, are not alone. We should not for a second think of the DA as a second option. In fact, they are more dangerous than their corrupt counterparts.
With everything looking rosey for the more ‘privileged’, we are forced to be pessimistic and point out that the cup is not half full, but emptier than the dams were during the water crisis Cape Town was faced with not too long ago.
Inequality is rife as the gap between the rich and poor is visible from the sky.
The DA’s holier than thou comparison between the Western Cape and the rest of the country is nauseating. Credit thief and ward councillor for the DA, Angus Mckenzie is a prime example of this. In fact, it did not come as a surprise when he, on behalf of the City of Cape Town sponged from the ‘apparent drop’ in the murder rate in Bishop Lavis. One would assume that the community itself should take credit for that. Or even the police.
Mckenzie himself admitted that his party is not responsible for improving the living conditions of the people in our communities. However, now that a positive statistic was released, he chooses to be in the limelight? How does one take credit for a drop in the murder rate if their definition of working on the ground is handing out soup?
It is pointless to boast about increasing pass rates and cleaner streets when you are amongst the cronies executing unlawful evictions, enabling extortioners and giving tenders to criminals.
How is it possible that these types of people are getting into power after every election?
We need politicians who will take control and use funds given to them to initiate change. We need ward councillors who have a passion to understand that our communities are deeply rooted in poverty and that it will take more than just group activities in community halls and painted parks to make a difference.
In addition to this, there are the ‘campaign parties’ who only show up around election time. Yes, there are people who make use of the opportunity to get a plate of food, but nobody cares about the image being put up. Our people are tired of voting for people whose only goal is to get a seat in parliament and a salary at the end of the month (ACDP, if the shoe fits, wear it).
GOOD, EFF, FFP, the list goes on – What are they going to do differently? Nothing.
Now, to the citizens of our beautiful country: What are you going to do about the dire straits our country finds itself in? Let’s be more conscious of the power of our votes so that we can get to where we need to be quicker.
Our people deserve better, they deserve change.