‘It feels as if public representatives are selected for South Africans, bought and bossed by the elite.’
“Why do the rich sitting abroad think they can pick and fund public representatives like Jardine, to determine our future in South Africa?”
This is the question preoccupying Colleen Makhubele, the President of the South African Rainbow Alliance (SARA), who tore into former executive and ANC member Roger Jardine.
Jardine launched a new political party in Riverlea, Johannesburg on Sunday, leading Makhubele to express concern about the funding of political parties by rich people who want to influence the country’s democracy from behind the scenes.
“I am really concerned about the wealthy owning our democracy. It feels as if public representatives are selected for South Africans, bought and bossed by the elite.
“The horror of watching Roger Jardine attempt to convince us that he is a candid authentic servant of the people, left such a deep sad hole in my gut. Our democracy is hijacked by the rich and influential. It is no longer the government of the people, by the people, for the people in South Africa.
“We can safely say that it’s the government by the monied and powerful overseas, overseeing the affairs of the country through the Roger Jardine’s of this world,“ the former City of Joburg speaker said in a statement on Monday.
Jardine, a Riverlea-born activist and former FirstRand executive, was scathing of the ANC when he launched his new political home on Sunday.
Jardine no longer sees himself as part of the ANC which he said had become “a shadow of its glorious self” over the past 29 years of democracy.
“In 2024, we will be faced with a choice to continue down the path we’re on, either by continuing to place faith in a party that has abandoned its principles, its mission and our people or by standing on the sidelines,” he said.
Jardine indicated that his new political platform aimed change to the fortunes of South Africans.
Makhubela’s comments came hot on the heels of ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s comment in an address at the Wedela Community Hall on the West Rand.
“Roger Jardine’s family played a big part in the liberation Struggle, not him.
“He is a beneficiary of BEE, he was made by capital and capital has chosen him. So he’s a puppet of capital. We know a number of veterans like Murphy Morobe are being approached, one by one,” said Mbalula.
Makhubele, on the otherhand, lamented the formation of the party, saying public representatives were no longer elected by the people.
“Public representatives are no longer selected by the people, but it’s a decision of the privileged few in ‘smoke-filled-rooms’ behind the democracy scenes, where wealthy cigar-smoking bosses make political decisions for the poor masses. Leaders-to-be are bought and bossed in the champagne rooms.
“There are very real efforts and plans under way to disable our democracy. Between the way voters have been lulled into despondency and the way leaders are hand-picked by the big bosses themselves and funded with billions of rands, is truly a great cause for great concern.
“As SARA, we really think that if young people don't show up in these elections, we would have potentially missed our last opportunity to bring back real leadership to courageously change the daily lives of our people in this country,“ she said.
Attempts to get comment from the new party, Change Starts Now, were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
The Star