South Africa: A Crisis of Leadership, or Corruption as Usual?

A grouping of opposition parties in the South African parliament led by the official opposition the Democratic Alliance recently proposed a debate to pass a vote of no confidence in the leadership of current South African President Jacob Zuma in terms of Section 102 of the Constitution. The mere proposal of this debate has sent shockwaves through the African National Congress.

All indications show that South Africa is at a cross roads in its parliamentary democracy, with Jacob Zuma as the 4^th Democratically elected President of Africa’s largest economy. This means he commands an economy with a respectable GDP, a well functioning economy and fragile socio-economic stability, massive inequality and a high unemployment rate. South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world. As a country it boasts first world trains that gets you from OR Tambo International Airport to Sandton City center in 15 minutes. It is also a country that boasts the one of the highest unemployment rates amongst young people. The National Planning Commission notes that the country has multiple poverty lines, and media reports of the looming time bomb in South Africa; youth unemployment.

This is a rosy picture if we take into account the amount of service delivery protest that have taken place. The country made international headlines when miners in the country entered into one of the most violent strikes since apartheid. These miners were asking for better living conditions, more time to visit their families and a living wage. A fair demand if we consider that the Lonmin Platinum Mine in Marikana in the North West Province provides 75% of the worlds platinum and its CEO’s annual salary is more than that of the President of the country. This violent strike turned into what is now being investigated as the Marikana Massacre. In response to the violent provocations of miners armed with weapons, “knob kierreis” (walking sticks), stones and hungry stomachs, a poorly trained police force responded with the most deadly force imaginable. Shooting at miners from their armored enclaves they responded with assault riffles and recreated scenes from the apartheid era. This tragedy shocked the nation already paralyzed by recurring violent strikes. We woke up to the news that this police brutality and the shoot to kill orders resulted in the death of over 34 miners. This is excluding police fatalities. Scenes were captured on camera and flashed on Al Jazeera for days on end. What made the violence more puzzling is that during the Marikana Commission it appears that Mine shareholder (former apartheid era National Union of Mineworkers leader) Cyril Rhamaphosa sent e-mails to the National Police Minister requesting urgent action be taken against protesters. The commission is also uncovering that the unions meant to represent the workers played a role in escalating the violence in a bid for control. The commission is sifting through the testimonies and accounts with the families of the dead, feeling déjà vu from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The blood of the Marikana victims had barely dried when news of strikes on the wine farms of the Western Cape reached us. Farm workers were asking for the same things, decent living conditions and a living wage of R150 a day ($16) a day, compared to the R70 ($8) they are being paid. This again at the backdrop of a thriving wine export business. Farms are making millions a year on export sales but they cannot provide adequate housing and a decent living wage to those who slave in the Cape sun.  Like most service delivery protests, political parties wanted to score political points on the back of the desperate calls for help by the workers. The Democratic Alliance leader and Premier of the Western Cape Helen Zille lamented how her government has its hands tied; the national ANC minister of labour sets the minimum wage. This minister could not respond as she was out of the country. The national government accused Zille of siding with the farmers. The largest trade union federation the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) declared that workers should turn the Western Cape farms into another Marikana, a move clearly seen to be inciting violence.

These are some of the latest issues facing a fragile South Africa. Issues where the President has shown very little leadership. To be fair to President Zuma he has been busy defending himself in court, suing cartoonist and defending the renovations at his private home costing South African tax payers R 260 million ($30 million).

In response to questions from civil society, political parties and the public protector, the South African government has cited the National Key Points Act of 1980, an apartheid-era piece of legislation left over from the security state as its reason for not being able to divulge details of the extensive and elaborate alterations to the President’s private home. The President has insisted that his family is paying for the “bulk of the costs” but no one has been able to ascertain what the “bulk of the cost” actually is. The President stood in the National Assembly asserting that he has a bond on his home – a fact disputed by the banks as the land is owned in a tribal trust. In response to the growing public outrage, the Presidents spin-doctor Maj Maharaj accused the opposition and South Africans of being racist for question the expenditure. Maharaj asserted that by calling the large collection of buildings, guard houses, helipad, private clinic, gym and other undisclosed structures a compound it recreates apartheid and racist notions of black people having lived in hostels on mines. The South African Broadcast Corporation (SABC) has also issued a warning to all news editors not to refer to the Nkandla development as a “compound” or to sensationalise the story as Nkandlagate.

As a young South African I ask myself how does one reflect on the challenges facing my country but also providing some solutions. One of the only solutions I have been able to provide is leadership. I am going to share my thoughts on the current leadership.

In a constitutional democracy, with parliament operating as an oversight institution, the judiciary operating independently and the executive sphere of government responsible for running the country. President Zuma is the head of the executive branch of government and has a cabinet in excess of 64 individuals. With so many developmental challenges facing the richest country in Africa you would expect a government that is capable of leading the country. This does not seem to be the reality. The country is at a cross roads in terms of the leadership displayed by the political elite meeting in Mangaung this week to claim their positions for the next 5 years.

Big challenges require enlightened leadership to pioneer big solutions and effective leadership over many generations to build sustainable capacity for its execution. I believe we need effective leaders in Africa who are able to build a solid foundation from the seeds of democracy, and extend the benefits of economic development to those most vulnerable in our society. That is what was done for us in South Africa and we need to ensure we share the fruits of democracy with all those in the land. But the time has come for the South African political leaders start sharing the fruits of liberation with all of those who live in this land.

The media has been reporting on the “leadership vacuum” in South Africa for a while now. The recent events, growing inequality and the  inability of a government to provide basic services after being in power for nearly 20 years post apartheid is inexcusable. As a country we need to require greater accountability from our leaders, we need to set up parameters to the levels of power we give leaders to prevent abuse. South Africans need to engage in a process of evaluating leaders and punishing them for not performing. This punishment can only be meted out at the ballot box. The aims of elections are to elect people that are able to represent our voices and provide the changes we desire. It is my sincere hope that South Africans will start using their right to vote to start holding this government to account.

As I am writing this at the dawn of 2013 the leaders of my nation were reelected at the African National Congress (ANC) elective conference, setting the stage for how our democracy will play out over the next 5 years. An interesting change to the leadership of the ANC is the election of Cyril Ramaphosa as deputy president of the ANC, replacing Kgalema Mothlante in what is retribution for Mothlante taking on Zuma for the leadership of the party.  The lobbying to elect leaders and discussing the countries plans have now concluded with a stronger Zuma emerging. These plans are unlikely to create “ the better life for all” they promised so earnestly in the elections. The outcome of the Mangaung conference is likely to be the status quo, a soft approach to corruption and a lack of leadership.