By Fulufhelo Netswera
Fulufhelo Netswera is the executive dean of the Faculty of Management Sciences at the Durban University of Technology. He writes in his personal capacity.
I’ve always wished I could get an opportunity to address the African Congress’ (ANC) National Executive Committee (NEC) openly, honestly, no holds barred. I’ve wished I could address President Cyril Ramaphosa the same way.
Well, I assume that fantasy will not materialise since “clever blacks” were declared persona non grata in the ANC by then-president Jacob Zuma. I’ve not heard any ANC leader revoke that decree, and therefore assume that the status quo holds.
And perhaps it is inconsequential now anyway because the ANC and President Ramaphosa himself have little to no power left and are at the door on the way out. But what would I have said to them anyway?
First, I would say that I’ve never seen such an assembly of thieves and criminals under one roof. And congratulations for bringing all the looters, corrupters and those who are accessories to murder and drug smuggling in our country together, because akin to the 1957 Apalachin gathering of the American Mafiosi in New York, if we were a functional country, it could make the work of the law enforcers easy.
Here at your NEC, I see gathered all the scammers, from Travelgate to the Arms Deal, Nkandlagate, State Capture, Phala Phala and the Mkhwanazi accused. Need I go further?
Second and importantly, I am extremely disappointed and so are all South Africans that over the past 30 years it has not dawned on you that you, the ANC NEC, were at the helm of the nation’s leadership.
Still talking in revolutionary tongues
Didn’t you demobilise yourselves since returning from Robben Island and from exile? Most of you continue to talk in revolutionary tongues as if you are still in the trenches or opposition benches. Most of you still blame apartheid for everything from unemployment to lack of housing, inequality and the poor progress with land reform.
Apartheid surely can’t be part of our DNA; it should be in our history. Do you realise that a moment presented itself and passed without you lifting a finger? Now you have unfortunately set black lives back generations, so far back that at this rate they have about 100 years to catch up — as if black lives don’t matter.
Third, those who lived in the homeland system now believe that those crony little states given life by apartheid South Africa performed far, far better than your municipalities today, which have destroyed the great works and work ethic inherited from Lucas Mangope, Patrick Mphephu and Tshekedi Sebe.
Visit Mahikeng, visit Bizana. In actual fact visit all towns outside the Western Cape to witness the true meaning of the terminology “dereliction and collapse”. Here, property abandonment, shanty towns, potholes, water shortages, poverty and hopelessness have become the norm and sewage rivers run down the streets.
Fourth, you have really embarrassed us among our fellow white South Africans. As Julius Malema once put it, “leri sheisa ka bana ba makgowa” – you make us a laughing stock among whites. You have made “black” a synonym with incompetence, thievery, tenderpreneurship, laziness and other adjectives.
You have confirmed the stereotype rightfully or wrongfully attributed to the apartheid leader PW Botha, suggesting that blacks would not be able to rule themselves. We are even embarrassed outside our borders because when we land in London or the US, they treat us with suspicion, lumping us together with Nigerian drug smugglers who use fake passports.
Fifth, wake up and smell the coffee, because the next local government elections might be the first from which you emerge with minority municipalities. Why? Because you have long parted ways with meritocratic governance. You think leaders are those who sing and dance the best among your comrades.
Losing streak
Will the time come in your losing streak when you appoint to our government and state-owned enterprises the most competent and capable among our people? Because of your association with the Chinese, we thought meritocracy and performance-based appointments would rub off.
Will you protect the honest, hardworking and competent people like Babita Deokaran, or is your mission ashes to ashes, dust to dust?
You have made our people lose faith in democracy because up there you put thugs who murder each other over tenders and positions. Former judge president Raymond Zondo was flabbergasted at having to swear in to government those who were identified in the State Capture commission of inquiry.
KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi had to plead with the public because he knows that you know about the corruption among your ranks and will do nothing about it.
Your appointment of the commission of inquiry is testament that you take neither him nor us, the South African public, seriously because we all know that the appointment of a commission is a convenient alternative to holding anyone accountable.
Sixth, have you realised that post-1994, we were the last beacon of hope on the African continent? Did you not realise how many highly skilled African professionals streamed down south, running away from their collapsed motherlands to come help build this, Madiba’s miracle?
Alas, do you see anyone who has worth still flocking down here? Only the destitute, the drug dealers, the izinkabi (hitmen) and zama zamas (illegal miners) see our potential, flowing through our open, unprotected borders where police bribes are the only visa they require.
Seven, where is the New Dawn? Like Americans listening to the promises of President Roosevelt’s New Deal after WW2, we were all renewed with hope that the corrupt would see the inside of prison gates. We were upbeat that the state-owned enterprises Prasa, SAA, Denel, Transnet and many others would be resuscitated, injecting a new lease on life for the masses of our unemployed youth. How do you sleep with more than 62% unemployed youth? Where is your promised smart city?
Eight, what do you do with all the millions and billions looted in tender corruption, from the Arms Deal to State Capture? R500-billion to the Covid-19 stimulus package? You feasted on the Covid-19 plight of our people and their fear of death. Will we ever see anyone in orange overalls?
Nine, when you meet like this at your regular NEC, what do you communicate to each other? Do you brag about the new Mercedes Benzes and BMWs that you have ordered for your ministerial positions or bought with corruption proceeds? Do you brag about the mansions you are buying in Camps Bay or even in Panama? We know you don’t want to invest in Polokwane and Mbombela any more since your own comrades can’t keep you safe, nor provide you with regular basic services.
Used to hardship
Last, because your sins are way too numerous to count, let me leave you with the following words of counsel — you are very lucky that South Africans are a peaceful people, and that they are so used to hardship. If these conditions of unemployment among the youth, the highest inequality in the world, were prevalent in any other country, I promise you that a coup, a civil war, or an uprising would have long ensued. Thanks to the social grant scams that you have used thus far to zombify our people, this hasn’t happened — they help to numb the pain, but for how long?
President Ramaphosa, please STOP the commissions of inquiry investigating thievery and corruption by your ministers and political appointees, and simply throw them in jail.
If you introduce a decree that corruption is a national disaster, only then may you become the darling of all South Africans, even if they never forgive the ANC itself. As the Chinese put it: “Now and again, you should sacrifice the most senior among you to set an example and reignite hope in society.”
My last plea, out of sheer desperation, is that you take all our boys and girls out of the nyaope and drug-infested townships and villages. Put them into the military, professionalise the military, and give these kids some skills, some discipline and some hope.
Without it, the simmering tensions will explode, and when they do they will consume us all.
Daily Maverick
