9/24/08

OPINION

"Knock-knock, anybody home!" You're welcome, President Kgalema Motlanthe in the Hizza for Shizzle my Nizzle

September 25 will go down in South Afrika as a very historic day. This is the day that this adolescent democracy got its third state president in just 14 years. I am here thinking that we are beginning to look like Israel and some Scandinavian countries which have governments' changes as regular as some countries have municipal elections.

What makes South Afrika's third presidency interesting is the nature of the man who has been chosen (not democratically elected) to lead the country for the next six months into elections April 2009. This is a man who horned his administrative skills in the labour movement before becoming secretary general of the ruling African National Congress. This is also the same man who some believe always harboured ambitions of being a president. Nobody knows if he had them when he was serving ten years on Robben Island.

I am most intrigued by ANC president Jacob Zuma pitching to usher him in, given that the same man will have to vacate the position for Zuma in less than a year, that's if Zuma doesn't end up spending more of his time fighting the National Prosecutions Authority and faceless forces.

Also intriguing is the man who inaugurated Kgalema Motlanthe as president, the same man Motlanthe's party accuses of being a counter-revolutionary.
This is the highest accusation anyone can ge levelled against in South Afrika, in some despotic countries it is as good as treason and capital punishiment.

Interesting times indeed, they first label Judge President Pius Langa and his deputy Dikgang Moseneke of the Constitutional Court a counter-revolutionary because, according to ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe he is becoming a stumbling block to what is called the National Democratic Revolution.

Now this is the part that has always fascinated me; how do you claim to be leading a revolution when you are the guy in power, the guy who should be facing revolt? Who the fuck are you revolting against when your ass in in gravy and crayfish? My history teacher, who took me through my 1789 French Revolution module always taught me that revolutions all over the world are between the poor revolting against the rich, or the weak revolting against the strong,the oppressed against the oppressor. 'it's never the other way round my child' she told me.


And now when I hear the ANC leadership talking about a revolution I wonder how can people who are now in privileged positions claim to be leading a revolution. Against who? Don't patronise me and say poverty and capitalism because most of the bunch are sleeping partners with capitalists in empowerment deals.

Okay, the issue is president Motlanthe. Uhuru wrote in her Facebook that 'Kgalema o tla kgalemela lenyatjo'. Simply translated it means that Kgalema will reprimand those who disrespect since his name means 'reprimand' in Sepedi. But here we are talking about a man who has for some time been tipped to be a shadow president during Zuma's reign. And now you have folks who are saying if the ANC decides on the 50-50 gender representation next year Kgalema might lose out at being a deputy president of the country which will be some serious demotion to become a minister after serving as a president. Demotion might mean disgruntlement on his part and those who are already betting their last dimes that they will benefit from the next big arms deal. This sets the scene for the next ANC Elective Conference.

Okay, I'm just being cocky I guess, I'm just being skeptical while at the same time wishing President Kgalema Motlanthe a fruitful six months at the helm, with his polished second hand cabinet. (Sorry Ntate you don't get a new cabinet this time?) I'm thinking he will now be flying around the world in the presidential jet like his predecessor and taking with him large delegations of businesspeople on his networking travels. Nice one!

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