One man does not have the power to destroy a country.
No wait... except for Mugabe, one man cannot single handedly destroy the country.
That special ability to actually regress an industrialised nation to its ‘African roots’ through tribalism, populism, factionalism ...ism ...ism ...ism (you get the point) requires an entire cabinet to be completely incompetent, together with its president.
Let’s face it, with the exception of one or two ministers, the rest have been completely useless.
Imagine the awkward stares at Union Building parties when the Education Minister and Trevor Manuel are seated next to one another... ten bucks to the one that doesn’t look away first...
I am not against the ANC as a political party or liberation movement... not in principle anyway, although they aren’t my cup of tea in terms of politics.
However, at this stage, they have overstayed their usefulness, simply because they’ve liberated, and became the family member who visited for Christmas and stayed for New Years.
Zuma, as a president, simply lived up to his expectations. Few people expected fireworks, others expected catastrophe, both groups were proven right.
But the mistake we’re all making is overestimating his power and influence. The best thing a president can do is inspire, in fact that’s pretty much all you expect of him.
Most presidents in democratic countries have very limited powers on their own, and if they don’t inspire, then few people in parliament would back them in anything, essentially rendering the presidency as impotent as Zuma had become now, and as Mbeki was in his last months.
It is around this time of year we should boldly be speculating as to the next street name to be erected in five years.
Tokyo has showed some interest, whilst Mothlanthe casually and nonchalantly dismisses his chances in hopeful glee.
Personally, I would love to see old JZ make the grade again, and retain the presidency for another term... for a couple of reasons;
Firstly, that should slam a very long and very shiny nail in the Malema coffin, which means more to me than Man-imitating-mole hearing Mbeki chanting that “irony is a bitch!”
Secondly, there is no chance of the ANC winning back their two thirds majority under Zuma, due to his...erm... ‘inspirational qualities’.
Obviously the list could carry on for much longer, but at the risk of overstating the obvious and becoming boring I’ll leave it there.
At this stage, the most important thing for this country is rapid and definite decline of the ANC’s support.
Their leaders, at the moment, are the jackals that feed off the underbelly of the poor, and it just goes to show that ill gotten power always corrupts.
As long as they can’t touch the Constitution, the ANC can have all the Zuma’s they want, and I simply view his re-election as sacrificing your queen to gain check mate in a couple of moves.
Politicians, like lawyers, will always be unpopular with people and even Nelson Mandela would have taken flack, had he remained for another term. Irony then, that the lawyer turned politician made the more sensible move and turned away when he did.
I prefer other candidates in the ANC as replacements for Zuma, but I don’t think the rift in the ANC is strong enough... yet, to bring about its decline.
Give old JZ another five years, and I bet you a midweek break away that support will drop under 60% in two elections.
So Mr. Zuma, if you should read this, which I sorely trust you won’t, I’ll back you to win in Mangaung, not because I think you will, but because I hope you do... and surely not because I think you’re doing a bang up job.
You go Jacob, bring it home and do your thing by being the greatest asset the opposition has in government!
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