The theatrics at SONA 2015 showed exactly what kind of opposition the ANC is dealing with, says Marius Fransman.
Cape Town - During World War II, it was often said by members of the British royal family to its subjects “keep calm and carry on”.
In the aftermath of the 2015 State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered by President Jacob Zuma and fiasco led by the EFF, with the DA in tow, some hysterical commentators have gone on record calling South Africa “a police state” and “on the brink of dictatorship”.
What utter rubbish, once again not dealing with content and structure, but rather hysterics… and, it was fuelled by elements of the media. Yes, the jamming of networks was a blunder.
It is rather shameful that some in the media have purely viewed the latest skulduggery by the EFF in isolation from their theatrics since entering Parliament in June last year. It must be recalled that the EFF, as a political player, consists of the very same individuals that could not find a voice for its bullying tactics in the ANC and were summarily booted out.
Now in the political wilderness it needs to claim its place with the same level of bullying and skollie-like mentality in Parliament. But, what happened at SONA 2015 is important for all South Africans to see first-hand what kind of opposition we are dealing with, in both the DA and EFF.
The latter a new breed of schoolyard bullies and the former playing to the gallery at every opportunity to score a political point. The DA is quick to point fingers at the ANC for its failure to separate party and state roles. It is my understanding that when premiers attend SONA, they attend in their capacity as premiers and not leaders of the parties.
Yet Helen Zille toed the party line and walked out of SONA 2015. This level of hypocrisy is prevalent to Zille, her forked tongue on racism, transformation, employment equity and black business in the Western Cape government is startling.
State events like SONA through the world are moments of great observance as the head of state addresses the nation.
Never mind what the political agenda is, the head of state has the moment to address the nation. As the president in our country, he is a direct reflection of the will of the majority of South Africans.
Since June 2014 the EFF has been baiting for a fight with the ANC in Parliament, and in particular with Speaker Baleka Mbete. It turned the rules and procedure of Parliament into a mockery… all at the expense of earning the title of schoolyard bully.
And, yet some in the media are blinded by this gross violation of our constitution – all in an attempt to bring Zuma to account for the Nkandla scandal.
Yet, the latter is being administered by the rules of the constitution and the procedures of Parliament… but the EFF can act with impunity! This leads to another matter, namely the call by the DA for Mbete to be removed as the Speaker of the National Assembly on the basis of a supposed conflict of interest with her role as national chairperson of the ANC. To borrow the phrase from IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, “What poppycock!”.
Speakers all over the world are appointed on the back of their seniority in the party. The US congress is the best illustration of this. Republican Speaker John Boehner is generally regarded as the second most powerful politician in the US after President Obama.
The problem with the DA is that Speaker Mbete does not tolerate their premeditated attempt to turn Parliament into a circus, with the sole objective of undermining Parliament and the ANC in particular.
If there is any notion of a police state, I welcome commentators to review the nanny state of Zille and (Patricia) de Lille in the Western Cape, where their respective administrations want to control everything from how long a dog may bark to spitting in public.
So where does this end?
Will the EFF continue with its campaign of ungovernability in the institutions of our constitution? The ANC believes the EFF will continue, as it knows no other form of political engagement.
It is politically bankrupt – no ideology, no philosophy and no credentials of deep struggle. They lack political maturity to understand the seriousness of their actions.
The EFF will have to convince the electorate in 12 months’ time that South Africans need this type of theatrics, as opposed to political dialogue and debating ideas with greater political ideas. I guess this wish is a bit premature for a premature political party like the EFF.
The ANC can become arrogant about this situation, but it chooses not to. The EFF and its hanger-on, the DA, want and need this debacle to become a crisis. As it is, only crises keeps the opposition relevant or going. No longer is the DA interested in debate on policies and governance.
It now wants to emulate the “rebellious” EFF and begin the shake off its liberal past, to “join the masses...”.
The ANC has earned its majority in Parliament. The electorate has affirmed President Zuma. But, our practice has never been to flagrantly abuse our majority for self-gratification.
Other than the implementation of party policies, we remain conscience of the enormous challenge and burdens on the shoulders of ordinary South Africans. It is this tradition that kept the ANC alive, relevant and fighting after more than 100 years.
* Marius Fransman is the ANC Western Cape leader.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
Cape Times