Jacob Zuma's Re-Election at Mangaung

The re-election of Jacob Zuma has made a clear statement to the world.  The ANC has decided to choose the way of nepotism and corruption, and the total disregard for governmental incompetence, that has been the hallmark of that association since the replacement of Nelson Mandela.

What does it mean for South Africa?

One clear outcome will certainly be the further decline of the country as a meaningful player in the world, and probably at an increasing rate.  The hope that democracy will bring an improvement in the lives of all its citizens, a hope that was held by all in the country, must at least be placed on the back burner.  The more realistic believe that this re-election marks the second tipping point in the economy – the first occurred when Thabo Mbeki and his Cabinet chose the path of corruption in approving the Arms Deal and then silencing any attempt to question it.  That act gave a clear signal to the politically-connected that there would be no consequences to acts of blatant corruption, and the blind willingness of the ANC delegates to Mangaung to vote in a leader who has proved conclusively that he is willing to plunder the State coffers for his own benefit is a logical continuation of that.

A second clear outcome is the almost certain continuation of the drift of the country towards Stalinist Communism, a system under which cadres who have very little interest in performing their work in the public interest continue to pursue their own financial benefit.  This cannot avoid a further downgrading of the economy on world financial markets, as the Stalinist policies increase the domination of the State in practically every aspect of the life of the citizen, as the level of incompetence in Government continues to increase without consequence for those involved.  It implies an increase in the pay-offs for those who put Zuma into power again, those pay-offs coming at the expense, not only of tax-payers, but also of the poor, who will become poorer as the opportunities are squandered.

A further consequence will be the departure for countries with more honest and more competent Governments of the skilled people, those who are attractive to the countries that desire total growth of the economy more than they desire the enrichment of a few politically-connected people and their cronies.  The months leading up to Mangaung have made it clear that the country’s capable and skilled people saw it as a make-or-break for the country.  Many have made preparations to leave in the event that the outcome at Mangaung was as bad as it could be – they did not expect it to be good, as the ANC has departed so far from its professed ideals that practically no conceivable set of Party election results could have been described as ‘least bad.  Their fears have been realised and the new wave of departures will start shortly.

One further result of Mangaung was visible in the charges laid against a group of people who have been accused of treason.  Their claim is that the ANC is not the legitimate Government of the country.  This is one instance, but it is certainly not the only one.  The ANC is certainly aware of this trend, and the citizens can now expect a slow slide into civil war conditions over the forthcoming years.

It is perhaps relevant to point out that the ANC will, eventually, be held to account for its depredations.  That accountability may take the form of a revolution, with the leaders of the ANC being hung from the lampposts, in the tradition of ‘African independence’, or it may take the form of a new Government replacing the Party that has done so much to bring South Africa down and commencing a forensic investigation into who did what, and then charging them in the Courts.  It is the hope of all true patriots that the latter will be the case.