Johannesburg - Former black consciousness leader Saths Cooper, has called for calm as South Africa’s political landscape rests on volatile ground with the imminent arrest of former president Jacob Zuma.
Cooper a struggle veteran and professor of psychology said Zuma played a critical role in quelling the black-on-black violence of the early 90s. He said there was no surprise with the support the former president was getting among supporters in KwaZulu-Natal but he said cool heads were important at this time.
The has been talks of war and weapons being brandished by those who were in support of the former president. IFP leaders had to even call Zulu warriors into order after they went and sang war cries outside Zuma’s homestead.
“Its ironic that someone who played a role who unified the province should now be seen to be the cause of disunity and war cries in a democratic period where individuals should be putting themselves last after the countries intrests and interests of ordinary people,” Cooper said.
Cooper said no one had imagined that the smell of political violence on a large scale could resurface years after the birth of democracy and the rainbow nation.
“The signs were there but we ignored them because we chose to think that there would be better judgement and better leadership, we are seeing is resurrection of things in our history we should not forget that there was a break away within the ANC in 1960 with ANC yase Natal we have seen identity politics and those that certain war lords had problems with in the black-on-black period wreaking havoc and causing great uncertainty.”
Cooper said Kwa Zulu Natal, president Zuma’s home province was a problematic province in terms of the sprouting of political violence. He said it was Zuma’s responsibility to call those who were defending him with war cries to order.
“Supporters would not act this way if we had strong leaders. The president got poor legal advice that cause the Concourt to make such an unprecedented ruling,” Cooper said.
Cooper said the South African politics had past wounds which were not healed. He said the ANC had to clean up its backyard before it causes instability in the country.
“We get the kinds of rhetoric where we blame each other. Younger people are getting socialized with the baggage of their elders.”
The Star