SONA 2015: DEMOCRACY IN ACTION OR FADING?
The Mel Gibsons, Shona Fergusons and the Bruce Willies of this world can make exceptional, adorable honorable members of parliament! On the flip side, our MPs can make awesome film actors, with Baleka Mbete as both the script director and a leading actress. Hey, is this a joke? No, we just had a glimpse of a horror movie last night, live from the National Assembly.
The 2015 State of the Nation Address was decorated by mixed festivities, of joy and sorrow with the Democratic Alliance boycotting the red carpet and arriving in 'black', the media being denied cellular signals, the Speaker Baleka Mbete failing to lead the house (seeminly reading from a well prepared script), the EFF MPs ejected from the house and some of them reportedly injured, the ANC MPs erupting into celebratory songs amid the EFF's removal , the DA MPs walking out after raising a security concern, Bantu Holomisa also following, the chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Thandi Modise indirectly maintaining that two wrongs can make a right and the jubilee songs and dances by the ANC MPs outside the house. These are some of the scenes seen last night, in their order.
This horrific and suicidal drama happened in clear view of millions in South Africa if not billions in the world.
Though it was what one could call a predicted chaos given what transpired in previous parliamentary seatings and of course the EFF's stern promise to disrupt the proceedings, it was clearly an unwarranted, unbridled disorder no country should experience. All being said and analyzed even in the next weeks or so the question would be asked: does this reflect a maturing democracy or democracy in decline?
It is unfortunate that a political party would aim to disrupt the parliamentary proceedings (whether with or without plausible reasons) on the other hand it is dumbfounding for another party to erupt into ululations, clapping of hands and singing instead of mourning the attack on the hard earned democracy. Mourn the fact that the armed forces were called into the national assembly, mourn that communication devices were jammed. Mourn that the chairperson of the NCOP maintained two wrongs can make a right. What is there to celebrate with victory songs even through to the early hours of the morning? When will the ANC begin to see 'wrong' things and be concerned? No one can, in his highest or lowest form of reasoning, dispute the fact that our democracy is plunging into a defunct stage. The ANC should ask themselves a question: why is the EFF behaving like this? Why is the DA walking out? Deal with the cause rather than the effects...this is a psychologically tested golden rule. It was embarrassing to hear some of the ANC leaders like the ever-fuming Blade Nzimamnde singing "it is democracy in action''.
I am in no way suggesting the EFF was right, no. I am saying it is the ANC who must provide reasonable, constitutional and wise solutions as a leader of this democratic government. Twisting the rules because they are in the majority wont help this nation. Why am I saying this? We all know that there will be a litany of investigations (the culture of our government) into why was there a communication scramble (because both the presiding executives claims innocence), why the police were involved (as per the Minister in the Presidency, Jeff Gadebe admittance), and most notably the EFF's conduct. All these shall be conducted through committees wherein the ANC is predominant, and then the voting, and the courts and more tussles.
Make no mistake, no one even the ANC's know-it-all members will dare ask why didn't Mbete ask the President whether he was willing to answer EFF's questions or not.They will also not ask why there was a jamming of communication devices. Neither will they ask why the police were ordered in. Remeber, these are the MPs whom when the journalists chanted 'Bring back the signal', they sang back 'ANC, ANC'. They saw nothing wrong with the signals being cut, this is the type of democracy they ''see being put into action''. And what will they do? They will slam the EFF and the DA on every micophoned platform (free marketing). And then they will oppose every motion put by the opposition parties, defense tactics and then voting. Zuma already told the media that the 'EFF had an agenda'' to disrupt the parliament, but even a pre-school child knew this! Why cant someone in the ANC thinking camp say "Stop, lets find out why such a dark cloud of discontentment, why has the national assembly become a war zone. Cant we stop using the majority and our powerful position and get down and for a moment LISTEN? Why cant we view the oppositions as exactly that, oppositions to enact democracy, and not as nemesis?"
The ANC seems to ignore the most pivotal point of order: the majority of the citizens of this country are deeply concerned and want answers...most of them are much wiser and know even better. The majority of the citizens are not interested in politicking and point scoring and endless spinning of issues, no, they are interested in seeing the country being really moved forward, as a real good story to tell and not just a phrase to doll up the president's speech. The majority of the citizens know that 'evil is evil and good is good', they cant be made to believe otherwise. They are not the politicians and are not interested in becoming presidents. The journalists in the media bay proved these by raising the first point of order, bravo comrades! Although it is unacceptable for journalists to draw attention to themselves, this situation was unbearable and demanded immediate attention otherwise their being there would be nullified.
It is unfortunate that the country would be divided over these issues: Some will see democracy in action while some will mourn the fading of it.
An irresponsible millionaire stops thinking of how to make more money the moment he realizes he is rich, in the same way a politician or a political party with endless defense mechanisms, banking on its voting powers has the propensity of losing its intellectual powers. It is the political intelligence and not the majority which makes a formidable political organization.
No comments:
Post a Comment