BBSA
Honorary Master
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2005
- Messages
- 30,227
- Reaction score
- 28,804
- Location
- People's Republic of South Africa
Politically South Africa is in a bad place
Zuma has not proved an outright disaster and that's a relief. But what kind of presidency is taking shape? The signs are ominous.
Zuma is rewarding his cronies, such as Mo Shaik - the man who made the disgraceful claim that Bulelani Ngcuka was an apartheid spy - with positions in the government. He believes that Julius Malema is a future leader of the ANC. He visited the despotic Equatorial Guinea on one of his first official trips abroad. He is forming an alliance with religious organisations that want to roll back aspects of the constitution.
He has appointed Menzi Simelane, a man who openly believes prosecutions ought to be directed by politicians, as the head of the National Prosecuting Authority. The only possible reason for this is that Zuma wants, either directly or by proxy, to head off the prosecution of his political cronies.
All of these are ill portents. They suggest that there is no prospect that the decline of the state into a vehicle for the enrichment of the political elite will be arrested. Nowhere is this more apparent than when it comes to making policy. The focus ought to be on making South Africa a globally competitive investment destination, with policies that will build our industrial capacity and press home our dimming strategic advantages. Instead, we are doomed to have no policy, or a policy that is expressed in a myriad hues to appease the constituencies from which the elite derives its power, without signifying anything.
It is fair to say that the economic policy "debate" has hit an all-time low. We are expected to discuss enthusiastically nationalising the mines.
We are, frankly, the laughing stock of the world as we pretend to ourselves that state-driven social engineering is still a serious option.
There must be more to life than choosing between the naked populism of Malema and the quaint statism of the SACP's Jeremy Cronin.
Our best hope for leadership out of the morass, Trevor Manuel, has been turned into a producer of green papers that he is forced to defend at every turn without any assistance from what is referred to as "the leadership".
Hopes that the anachronistic statist industrial policy driven by Alec Erwin will be replaced by an acknowledgement that we are now in the 21st century have faded.
The gap between rich and poor grows, and the middle classes find themselves squeezed for every penny as the cost of providing private alternatives to the state's failing education, health and security services outstrips growth in salaries.
Yes, let's celebrate the World Cup, let's welcome our guests and show them a good time, let's have a big football party.
But let's not forget that we are way behind the global eight-ball.
Link
Zuma has not proved an outright disaster and that's a relief. But what kind of presidency is taking shape? The signs are ominous.
Zuma is rewarding his cronies, such as Mo Shaik - the man who made the disgraceful claim that Bulelani Ngcuka was an apartheid spy - with positions in the government. He believes that Julius Malema is a future leader of the ANC. He visited the despotic Equatorial Guinea on one of his first official trips abroad. He is forming an alliance with religious organisations that want to roll back aspects of the constitution.
He has appointed Menzi Simelane, a man who openly believes prosecutions ought to be directed by politicians, as the head of the National Prosecuting Authority. The only possible reason for this is that Zuma wants, either directly or by proxy, to head off the prosecution of his political cronies.
All of these are ill portents. They suggest that there is no prospect that the decline of the state into a vehicle for the enrichment of the political elite will be arrested. Nowhere is this more apparent than when it comes to making policy. The focus ought to be on making South Africa a globally competitive investment destination, with policies that will build our industrial capacity and press home our dimming strategic advantages. Instead, we are doomed to have no policy, or a policy that is expressed in a myriad hues to appease the constituencies from which the elite derives its power, without signifying anything.
It is fair to say that the economic policy "debate" has hit an all-time low. We are expected to discuss enthusiastically nationalising the mines.
We are, frankly, the laughing stock of the world as we pretend to ourselves that state-driven social engineering is still a serious option.
There must be more to life than choosing between the naked populism of Malema and the quaint statism of the SACP's Jeremy Cronin.
Our best hope for leadership out of the morass, Trevor Manuel, has been turned into a producer of green papers that he is forced to defend at every turn without any assistance from what is referred to as "the leadership".
Hopes that the anachronistic statist industrial policy driven by Alec Erwin will be replaced by an acknowledgement that we are now in the 21st century have faded.
The gap between rich and poor grows, and the middle classes find themselves squeezed for every penny as the cost of providing private alternatives to the state's failing education, health and security services outstrips growth in salaries.
Yes, let's celebrate the World Cup, let's welcome our guests and show them a good time, let's have a big football party.
But let's not forget that we are way behind the global eight-ball.
Link
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