"Zuma, Zuma, Zuma, we want Zuma" chanted thousands and thousands of ANC supporters in Limpopo during the recent visit by the ANC President, Cde Jacob Zuma, accompanied by amongst others, Cde Treasurer, Matthews Phosa.
Obviously, the NEC had a prepared speech for Cde Zuma but sometimes we struggle to wait for the part where Cde Zuma will speak to us in a way where understand best; that is when he sings his heart out, winning our hearts and minds.
No one gets to the people like Cde JZ does with "mshini wami". Except for the reason that the Congress of the People (COPE) can't reverse a history of close to 100 years in a few months, the ANC will win the 2009 general elections hands down, with a third third majority as Cde JZ puts it.
The songs that Cde JZ sings communicates so sharply his struggle pains, post-apartheid frustrations and his vision for the country. For this reason, and the way the songs bring close to the heart memories of the struggle for freedom, COPE will not cope with the immediate task to win voters in such a short space of time.
The history of breakaways is not easy in politics. In soccer, something that ordinary people understand and relate to easier than the high politics which only a few of us can follow, Kaizer Chiefs successfully broke away from Orlando Pirates, a team that, at the time, represented black pride as rugby represent 'white' pride today. The hype and momentum which was immediately created when Chiefs was initiated could be carried over a long period by the fact that in soccer you always have the immediate opportunity to play and win games against your rivals, in that manner affirming the correctness of your decision to cut ties.
In politics, the time requred to build yourself up is long and to keep your party and its relevance dominant in the public mind may be a formidable task to accomplish.
People are very forgiving and inexplicably strange. Whatever shortcomings and political blunders the ANC might have committed, collectively and as individual leaders, will be forgiven before the 2011 municipal and 2014 general elections unless COPE manages to, in a credible way and consistently, the dirty laundry of the ANC hang all out.
But you have a resilient and tested leader, who must still emerge clearly within COPE, such a Zuma, who notwithstanding everything thrown at him, sings it away as did freedom fighters and activits during the dark days of apartheid.
But some observers assert that elections are by their nature popularity contests but simply not "you think you can sing" talent search shows. You win them on the basis of substance. The challenge lies right here, Cde JZ sings very well but what he sings is not simply a song, a seemingly violent one at that, it is a war cry, a deeper means of communication that has not being found by others parties. The DA when it launched its new logo recently delved into song and dance, a clear sign and new appreciation that songs defines who you are and are better records of history, especially in a way that is sentimental.
COPE will be overwhelmed by the sheer history of the ANC. COPE will need songs, values, tradition and culture. This, it is possible, they can have better ones over the ANC. But it will take them forever to catch up merely because it takes long to develop those.
But the people are better placed to determine what is in their best interests, marching forward to 2012, which is the centenary of the ANC or we trace our steps back to 1955 and forge forward afresh into the 21 century.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Shifting currents in youth development
Masethe Tshepo
Many ANCYL presidents, from Cde Lembede to Cde Malema, led and continue to lead the cause of youth at different times involving different conditions.
What used to keep many of us, including those leaders, awake at night is the nightmare of a growing sense, amongst young people, of hopelessness, lack of self-exertion, self-reliance and general enthusiasm about the future. Earlier leaders, however, prevailed over conditions that militated against their progress to deliver political freedom.
I often asked myself how economic citizenship is ever going to dawn from a nightmare that interrupts our sleep in these times of political freedom. After many false dawns, South Africa has, however, over the past few years changed for the better and it is surprising and a bit disturbing to hear calls from some political youth wings insisting that institutions of youth, such as the Youth Commission, be disestablished instead of having their efficiency and effectiveness increased.
Working closely with various institutions such as SALGA, which itself is a voluntary association of municipalities, we have over the years developed various important strategies to take youth development forward. Such strategies are outcomes of over years of discussion, consultation and debate with various interested stakeholders, a concerted struggle and meeting of people’s energies and love to produce hope.
I have travelled across hundreds of communities in the Capricorn district municipal area with Executive Mayor Motalane Dewet Monakedi. What many young people need is these institutions to implement those strategies.
At municipal level, Capricorn District municipality in Limpopo is a possible national benchmark in the implementation of youth development. What many young people need is such simple, yet powerful things as development of confidence, respect of time, appreciating the centrality of good interpersonal relationships to success. Life-skills, talent development, work ethics, problem solving and decision-making skills are also impossible to succeed without even in spaces where opportunities are there for the picking.
There is perhaps hidden sense in calls to disband this and that structure but some of our decisions may proved a strategic mistake for our country’s youth, hurting their chances to swing us safely into the 21st century.
As long as we build, destroy and rebuild for invalid reasons, no future institution(s) will have either the clout or credibility to translate existing strategies into substantive economic power shift towards in the main the black youth.
Many ANCYL presidents, from Cde Lembede to Cde Malema, led and continue to lead the cause of youth at different times involving different conditions.
What used to keep many of us, including those leaders, awake at night is the nightmare of a growing sense, amongst young people, of hopelessness, lack of self-exertion, self-reliance and general enthusiasm about the future. Earlier leaders, however, prevailed over conditions that militated against their progress to deliver political freedom.
I often asked myself how economic citizenship is ever going to dawn from a nightmare that interrupts our sleep in these times of political freedom. After many false dawns, South Africa has, however, over the past few years changed for the better and it is surprising and a bit disturbing to hear calls from some political youth wings insisting that institutions of youth, such as the Youth Commission, be disestablished instead of having their efficiency and effectiveness increased.
Working closely with various institutions such as SALGA, which itself is a voluntary association of municipalities, we have over the years developed various important strategies to take youth development forward. Such strategies are outcomes of over years of discussion, consultation and debate with various interested stakeholders, a concerted struggle and meeting of people’s energies and love to produce hope.
I have travelled across hundreds of communities in the Capricorn district municipal area with Executive Mayor Motalane Dewet Monakedi. What many young people need is these institutions to implement those strategies.
At municipal level, Capricorn District municipality in Limpopo is a possible national benchmark in the implementation of youth development. What many young people need is such simple, yet powerful things as development of confidence, respect of time, appreciating the centrality of good interpersonal relationships to success. Life-skills, talent development, work ethics, problem solving and decision-making skills are also impossible to succeed without even in spaces where opportunities are there for the picking.
There is perhaps hidden sense in calls to disband this and that structure but some of our decisions may proved a strategic mistake for our country’s youth, hurting their chances to swing us safely into the 21st century.
As long as we build, destroy and rebuild for invalid reasons, no future institution(s) will have either the clout or credibility to translate existing strategies into substantive economic power shift towards in the main the black youth.
Monday, November 17, 2008
It is a tricky thing, diplomacy
The art of diplomacy is really tricky in a world full of loved leaders like Nelson Mandela and elements such as Abacha. Others may add George Bush, Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden, Jonas Savimbi, Mobutu Sese Seko, Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson, Robert Mugabe, Thabo Mbeki, Jacob Zuma, Kgalema Mothlante, Barack Obama, Nicolas Sarkozy, Vladimir Putin, Mikheil Saakashvili and many others to either side of the line.
All manner of decisions were taken that these leaders consider to be in the best interests of the nations they lead. Saddam was hanged. Putin was seemingly associated in the press with words such a “hang him by the balls”. The terrain is not very level. Chief diplomatic advisers are correct to initiate alternatives such as silent diplomacy in an arena where many leaders were brutally condemned for preferring careful engagement instead of verbal assault of erring leaders.
It is for this reason that I agreed with Cosatu when, in the mid 1990s, said that it is a wrong assumption to think that if President Mandela had said strong words to the Abacha regime that would have stopped the culprits from hanging Saro-Wiwa and other fellow fighters for democracy in Nigeria.
From his involvement against Abacha, Mandela was a recipient of harsh attacks when descriptions such as sex-starved were reported. From this, I really never had a problem with Thabo Mbeki’s policy of silent diplomacy when handling Robert Mugabe. This policy saved us a lot of time that could have been lost in the resolution of the Zimbabwean question if we had to ensure accommodation of such trivia as name calling instead of focusing on hard questions that needed to be answered to restore the pride of Zimbabwe, Southern Africa and the continent.
As we continue to deal with our world as it is, I wish it on Kgalema Mothlante and whoever becomes the future President of South Africa to tread very carefully in this, the world of diplomacy. If however popularity is the preferred outcome or being shot down advances the agenda, one should definitely not delay to put their foot in it and tackle rough.
All manner of decisions were taken that these leaders consider to be in the best interests of the nations they lead. Saddam was hanged. Putin was seemingly associated in the press with words such a “hang him by the balls”. The terrain is not very level. Chief diplomatic advisers are correct to initiate alternatives such as silent diplomacy in an arena where many leaders were brutally condemned for preferring careful engagement instead of verbal assault of erring leaders.
It is for this reason that I agreed with Cosatu when, in the mid 1990s, said that it is a wrong assumption to think that if President Mandela had said strong words to the Abacha regime that would have stopped the culprits from hanging Saro-Wiwa and other fellow fighters for democracy in Nigeria.
From his involvement against Abacha, Mandela was a recipient of harsh attacks when descriptions such as sex-starved were reported. From this, I really never had a problem with Thabo Mbeki’s policy of silent diplomacy when handling Robert Mugabe. This policy saved us a lot of time that could have been lost in the resolution of the Zimbabwean question if we had to ensure accommodation of such trivia as name calling instead of focusing on hard questions that needed to be answered to restore the pride of Zimbabwe, Southern Africa and the continent.
As we continue to deal with our world as it is, I wish it on Kgalema Mothlante and whoever becomes the future President of South Africa to tread very carefully in this, the world of diplomacy. If however popularity is the preferred outcome or being shot down advances the agenda, one should definitely not delay to put their foot in it and tackle rough.
Friday, November 14, 2008
GOING FOR THE “KILL” OR “BE KILLED”
MALEMA AND “KETHIWE” SPEAKS TRUTH TO POWER
Masethe Tshepo
People of all backgrounds said a lot about the newly elected President of the ANC, Cde Julius Malema. “Julius Malema is disrespectful”. “Julius Malema is not fit to lead”. “Julius Malema does not represent the views of youth.“ “Julius Malema speaks out of turn.” “Malema is a mouthpiece of others. If you kick Malema his handlers will appear”. “Cde Zuma should reprimand militant Malema ”
This, in the main, intensified after Cde Malema spoke of “killing for Cde Zuma” during a recent Youth Rally addressed jointly with the ANC President, Cde JZ.
Now see this against the IFP-“Khethiwe” debacle, the position of the IFP on the matter and make up your own conclusion in answer to questions such as what really prompted or gave Ms. Ntshaba the confidence to say what she said in front of the IFP leadership and why her.
The ANC said in a statement:
“The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal is outraged by spurious utterances attributed to the actress of SABC's Generations soapie.”
“Ms Winnie Ntshaba known as Khethiwe in the soapie, told an IFP gathering in Durban that "the ANC tried to get rid of IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi."
She was further quoted as having said "We know what the ruling party does to people who oppose them. They kill them"
“The ANC rejects these utterances in strongest terms. We regard this statement as an indictment to the ANC since it portrays the party as thriving on killing its opponents. Ms Ntshaba must urgently produce the list of people who have been killed by the ANC since the birth of democracy in 1994.”
“The ANC wants to know the position of the IFP on this statement by Ntshaba since it coincides with the letter written by the IFP to the ANC late last year. In the letter the IFP alleged that there was a senior leader of the ANC that was co-ordinating the pending assassinations of IFP leaders.”
“Since Ntshaba is a prominent actress in the national SABC television soapie, Generations, the ANC wants to know the view of the public broadcaster and the producer of the soapie on this damaging statement by their staff member.”
“The ANC will be consulting its lawyers with an aim of suing Ms Ntshaba for her outrageous utterances defaming the ANC”.
MALEMA AND “KETHIWE” SPEAKS TRUTH TO POWER
Masethe Tshepo
People of all backgrounds said a lot about the newly elected President of the ANC, Cde Julius Malema. “Julius Malema is disrespectful”. “Julius Malema is not fit to lead”. “Julius Malema does not represent the views of youth.“ “Julius Malema speaks out of turn.” “Malema is a mouthpiece of others. If you kick Malema his handlers will appear”. “Cde Zuma should reprimand militant Malema ”
This, in the main, intensified after Cde Malema spoke of “killing for Cde Zuma” during a recent Youth Rally addressed jointly with the ANC President, Cde JZ.
Now see this against the IFP-“Khethiwe” debacle, the position of the IFP on the matter and make up your own conclusion in answer to questions such as what really prompted or gave Ms. Ntshaba the confidence to say what she said in front of the IFP leadership and why her.
The ANC said in a statement:
“The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal is outraged by spurious utterances attributed to the actress of SABC's Generations soapie.”
“Ms Winnie Ntshaba known as Khethiwe in the soapie, told an IFP gathering in Durban that "the ANC tried to get rid of IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi."
She was further quoted as having said "We know what the ruling party does to people who oppose them. They kill them"
“The ANC rejects these utterances in strongest terms. We regard this statement as an indictment to the ANC since it portrays the party as thriving on killing its opponents. Ms Ntshaba must urgently produce the list of people who have been killed by the ANC since the birth of democracy in 1994.”
“The ANC wants to know the position of the IFP on this statement by Ntshaba since it coincides with the letter written by the IFP to the ANC late last year. In the letter the IFP alleged that there was a senior leader of the ANC that was co-ordinating the pending assassinations of IFP leaders.”
“Since Ntshaba is a prominent actress in the national SABC television soapie, Generations, the ANC wants to know the view of the public broadcaster and the producer of the soapie on this damaging statement by their staff member.”
“The ANC will be consulting its lawyers with an aim of suing Ms Ntshaba for her outrageous utterances defaming the ANC”.
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