The mantra “Jacob Zuma must go” is powerfully expressed by opposition parties, religious bodies, key individuals in business and the professions, a growing number of ANC members and even some cabinet ministers.
President Zuma must go, but the recent decision by the ANC’s NEC not to demand his resignation suggests Zuma is the Houdini of South African politics, the escape artist supreme. So when he goes - and he will go - the manner of his going is far from clear.
But “when Zuma goes” it is not the end of the travail within the ruling party, nor the real socio-political and economic challenges facing South Africa. It is worrying so much emphasis is placed on his resignation and so many seem to imagine that when Zuma is out of the way all our problems will disappear. Yes, Zuma is the elephant in the room, but he is surrounded by ANC leaders who have their noses firmly in the trough.
The malaise in the ANC is not merely to be found in the inept leadership and corruption of the president.
There is a sickness in the soul of the ANC which will not be healed until the party shifts decisively from entitlement, nepotism and corruption. The tragedy is the ANC was not always divided, misdirected and greedy. There is plenty of evidence members once proudly embraced a moral code which gave them direction.
The Freedom Charter adopted by the Congress of the People in Kliptown in 1955 inspired thousands, and for a very long time was venerated by the ANC. The opening statement remains powerful.
“We the people declare for all our country and the world to know: South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white, and no government can justly claim authority unless it is based on the will of the people.”
More recently, Nelson Mandela stated: “Four daily deeds must produce an actual South African reality that will reinforce humanity’s belief in justice, strengthen its confidence in the nobility of the human soul and sustain all our hopes for a glorious life for all.
“Let there be justice for all, let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread and salt for all.”
Thabo Mbeki included in his inaugural address in 2004 powerful words of liberation and declared: “When these risen masses acted to end what was ugly and repulsive in our country, they also made a statement that we are now free, have an obligation to honour the trust they bestowed on us. We must choose the path of national unity and reconciliation.”
Remarkably Zuma’s inauguration speech in 2009 speaks eloquently and movingly about the need for a moral code to guide the nation. He concluded: “For as long as there are South Africans who die from a preventable disease, for as long there are workers who struggle to feed their families, for as long as there are communities without clean water, decent shelter or proper sanitation, so as long as there are rural dwellers who cannot make a decent living from the land on which they live, for as long as there women who are subjected to discrimination, exploitation or abuse, for as long as there are children who do not have means or the opportunities to receive decent education, for as long as there are people who cannot find work, we shall not rest, and we dare not falter.”
Fine and noble sentiments, but how far has South Africa come since they were first uttered? It is utterly shameful and disgraceful that Zuma has observed most of these words in the breach.
To his undying credit Mandela realised very early on that his government was departing from the vision he had described. To meet the challenge he called together faith based organisations to work with the state to overcome the spiritual malaise underpinning social shortcomings.
In 1998, Mandela started the Moral Regeneration Movement, but it was destined to fail badly because its first chairman was none other than Zuma. lt was like putting the fox amongst the hens.
It is no wonder the ANC has thrown the moral compass out of the window. Thus the failure of the state to effectively tackle the problems of abject poverty. It has ignored the ogre of unemployment and neglected the poorest of the poor. The unemployed rightly feel they have been left behind. They have no future and are hungry and angry and by demonstrating their feelings often turn violent.
The ANC once had a vision of providing clean water, housing, electricity and other improvements. But the vision has faded and South Africa is perilously close to a failed state.
Two questions demand answers: not only when will Zuma will leave office, but what will happen in the ANC when he does go? This is the question we should focus on rather than continually calling for his resignation.
The second question is more important. Are there sufficient members of integrity in the ANC leadership? Those who will fight against corruption, cronyism, ineptitude and greed? The fact that some cabinet ministers bravely called for Zuma’s resignation means there are, and there may be many more. Now is the time to lay the groundwork for a renewed ANC once Zuma goes. Hopefully numbers will grow and significant change will take place.
The jury is still out, but in the meantime we must not surrender to the twin devils of hopelessness and despair which leave us paralysed. Everyone, inside and outside the ANC who dreams of a decent, efficient and honest government must fight on.
Naive? Perhaps, but hopelessness and despair lead to paralysis. We must never forget our opposition to an apartheid government which sought to dehumanise the majority of South Africans. We fought that fight and we won and we must fight again to restore democracy, fairness, honesty and equality for all.
Boraine, a Progressive MP until the mid-1980s, was co-chair with Archbishop Desmond Tutu of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the 1990s.