David Gant writes that the ATM's motion of no confidence in the president is a waste of time, but adds that perhaps a motion to set up a government of national unity will be a better option.
The ATM's motion of no confidence in the president will be nothing more than an opportunity for self-serving, grandstanding MPs to again indulge themselves in the circus that has become our Parliament and even further waste taxpayers' money.
It has no chance of passing and, even if it did, the prospect of an alternative president from the current ranks of the corrupt and incompetent ANC is too grotesque to contemplate.
On the face of it, President Ramaphosa is trying to do the right things albeit, not entirely through his fault, not always getting things right.
In the matters of Covid, GBV, corruption, crime, seeking investment for SA and the role of private enterprise in the recovery of our economy, he has spoken out strongly and sincerely. His attempts to restore some efficacy to our Zuma-gutted institutions, such as the NPA, SARS, etc, are slowly bearing fruit.
However his weakness, and indeed it might be one that is fatal for our country, lies in his inability to deal decisively with and extricate himself from the backstabbing factions in his own party, the contradictory views within his own Cabinet, our militant and uncompromising trade unions and the sheer dishonesty and rampant corruption that pervade throughout the depth, length and breadth of the ANC and its appointees.
History teaches us that these political environments can cause leaders to fall, and the president needs all the courage and support that he can muster, if he is to rise above the mess beneath him and not sink into it.
Nevertheless, it has become patently obvious that our nation cannot survive and prosper under a government that is hobbled and hamstrung by the very party that put it in place - and, in the absence of any current political establishment that can realistically remove the ANC, a government of national unity, made up of the best of our country's political, civil society and business leaders, appears to be the only solution if we are to avoid becoming yet another failed African state.
Perhaps a motion towards this end, rather than against the person of the president, might have been more constructive and respectful to our fatigued, disillusioned citizens.
- David Gant, Kenilworth
