In his first major speech since leaving office, former US president Barack Obama lamented the “politics of fear and strongmen”. Obama’s scathing critique of the global political crisis, delivered during his lecture to a crowd commemorating the 100th birth of former president Nelson Mandela, was overtly aimed at his successor and tyrants worldwide.
The US’s 44th and first black president’s remarks were just as relevant to some of the prominent invitees neatly ensconced in the VIP rows at a freezing Wanderers cricket oval on Tuesday.
Let me explain.
At times it was impossible, listening to the eloquent remarks delivered at the lecture, not to be moved by the historical significance of the occasion and its relevance during these strange and uncertain times facing us.
At other times as the event progressed, it became exacting and almost too painful to take in the piercing truth eloquently delivered by Professor Njabulo Ndebele, the chairman of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, as he opined on the current state of affairs in our body politic.
Ndebele, in a soft but forthright tone, decried wanton corruption and lack of shame - including apparent fear - by culprits. Ndebele shared a travel anecdote in which Mandela’s calmness, and ability to mask personal fear and anxiety helped a fellow passenger endure a stressful incident when a propeller of the plane they were travelling in stopped in mid-air.
Ndebele castigated those public officials who, “by wilful intent, cause the propeller of the state to stop spinning in mid-air”. These individuals would “go on to read the newspaper, see themselves in it, and pretend to be innocent”.
In a veiled reference to embattled Sars strongman Tom Moyane, Ndebele lamented: “Some will even call press conferences at which they say nothing.”
Midway through his speech Obama remarked that some, “when caught lying, opt to double-down and continue to lie some more”.
One of the recommendations from former president Kgalema Motlanthe’s High-Level Panel report criticises the manner in which the Ingonyama Trust administers the land under its jurisdiction.
Legal pundits assert that the act that gave rise to the trust is unconstitutional in that the intended beneficiaries of the trust are deprived of their constitutional right to security of tenure, reduced to perpetual land tenants.
Motlanthe’s panel recommends that Parliament ameliorate this anomaly. Parliament is still to consider the recommendations of the Motlanthe panel and pronounce thereon.
Mischief-making and political bluster took advantage of the fluid political environment in KZN. This entailed misrepresenting the recommendations of the panel and fear mongering, and spreading falsehoods in regards to modalities pertaining to the implementation of the ANC’s resolution to expropriate land without compensation.
Tribal strongmen, including King Goodwill Zwelithini and IFP leader Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, threatened to scorch the land or secede from this unitary democratic state, should “their land” be expropriated.
Fearing the prospect of widening internal chasm within the ANC and the certainty of losing rural KZN support, President Cyril Ramaphosa must’ve tripped over himself as he hurried to Nongoma to appease a frothing King Zwelithini. Evidently, the king believes that he is above the constitution, and the president is his subject.
In the process, Ramaphosa tacitly threw Motlanthe under the bus as he unilaterally rubbished the panel’s report before it was even duly processed by Parliament.
Thus, the strongmen of the kingdom of amaZulu were appeased, and South Africa was spared the violence from Buthelezi, with the tacit approval of the king, reminiscent to that endured in the early 1990s. Ramaphosa’s haste in pursuing another politically expedient outcome may later prove to be an Achilles heel for the ANC, as this does not address land hunger, including rights to security of tenure, in rural KZN.
Ramaphosa’s failure to tackle tribal strongmen and political megalomaniacs head-on over the land discord, reflects badly on and is likely to damage his presidency.
Of course, and with respect, it would be an extreme measure to call the king out on his excesses and exaggerated ego. But in these gravely strange and uncertain times South Africa needs bold and equally responsive leadership.
Obviously, it has become a common cliché to call those we disagree with politically names, including armchair revolutionaries.
But, when Obama decried the “politics of fear and strongmen”, he may not have been aware that seated a few paces away from him were strongmen who still use the politics of fear and threats of violence long after the dawn of constitutional democracy in this land.
Indeed, Obama may have been oblivious to the fact that South Africans are disposed to placate those leaders with tyrannical tendencies with whatever they may desire, so that peace can reign.
Call me anything you desire, but a spade shall remain but a spade.
* Khaas is a political commentator and trustee of the SA Institute of Public Interest. Follow him on Twitter @tebogokhaas