Laughing... Something most people in South Africa haven’t been able to do when the recent political situation is considered.
However, I had to catch my breath a couple of times whilst letting out a thunderous roar, slapping my desk in uncontrollable fashion when I read of the ANC Youth League being “traumatised” by Zuma, according to Julius Malema.
Yes, it was and still is, gloriously funny when you consider that it was them who ousted a highly qualified Thabo Mbeki in favour of the current Commander in Chief, who has done nothing but attempt further measures to cement his place for another term...(possibly another thereafter?)
Barring the normal criticism on Mbeki, such as that he was detached from the country’s needs, and more focussed on developing Africa, rather than S.A, the one thing that towers above all is the fact that he never misused his two thirds majority for Constitutional “reform”, nor did he ever attack the Judiciary.
I suppose a fitting remembrance, if you consider he was a better president for that which he didn’t do, than that he did...
Like a stepfather raiding his stepchildren’s trust fund, Zuma has indeed sucked the power from the Youth League, after relying on it to empower himself, sending a powerful message to whoever Malema’s successor will be. “Hold the line...or else...”
But, I suppose that’s what you get when you play in the big league, Julius my boy. Politics is far more savage than war, simply because no rules or alliances are ever absolute. The only constant you can count on is the fact that you have to step on others to avoid becoming a stepping stone yourself.
To sit in a corner and cry that the person you backed has now turned on you, only shows weakness to your enemies (although I really couldn't give a damn).
“If you want to run with the big dogs...” well, you fill in the gaps from there...
Currently, some people are torn between the lesser of two evils, and do they maintain that Zuma’s political demise is vested in Malema’s successful challenge to his expulsion.
In my opinion, this is a fool’s tactic followed by fools, as both of them are equally bad for this country and its necessities over the coming years.
I suppose that this just once again illustrates the Youth League’s failure to learn from the situation, as it is them or their followers that illustrates the above as the two alternatives. Fatal flaw number 2....Julius! The definition of crazy, is doing the same thing more than once, and expecting a different result, and everyone experiences the deja vu of Polokwane 2007 before Mangaung 2012.
Zuma on the other hand, is a very cunning player of the political game, handling it like a pro at a high stakes poker championship in Vegas.
He always plays his cards at the right time, and always has another ace up the sleeve, should the situation call for it.
But, who can blame him?
I mean, for someone that bears no academic credentials, not even on secondary level, he’s done quite well to manage to become the President of a country. He didn’t achieve this with anything else than brutal cunningness, and the street smarts any mobster would be proud of.
So...who is Malema then, to outfox the political fox of S.A?
He never really stood a chance and it is abundantly clear that he arrived with a “knopkierie” at a gun fight when he challenged Zuma directly, which explains his emotional rant that the Youth League is traumatised by their apparent loss.
They just weren’t ready, because they are children with no experience in real politics that only know one trick in the political power book. The only answer they have to the shock and awe campaign they face with Zuma, is the coup d’etat style chanting and emotional sweeping at large gatherings, such as Polokwane and Mangaung...
The downside to that is, failed coup’s, end up in slaughter. The same applies to political ones, as you may find yourself in political hell, such as the position Julius and Co are in at the moment.
The only thing they do have going for them is the fact that they are backing a possible winning horse.
What I mean is the following; in the event that Kgalema Mothlanthe becomes the next candidate for the ANC, who would have to be credited for it?
On the one hand there’s the Youth League on the other, the rest of the ANC, fed up with Zuma’s power centralisation.
You would think that Julius may feel liberated, as he will probably be credited for this, even though all he did was back the obvious, reasoned alternative to Zuma.
Perhaps this is the step forward in political chess for the Youth League, or, in 5 years time, they sit in the same abyss they do now, with their Mangaung candidate giving them the thumbs down and everyone going through this all over again.
Bottom line... “legs up high Julius, especially if you want to run with the big dogs...”
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