The Landslide to Come

Our Friday blog topic for this week is politics. Not a subject I have great familiarity with apart from reading the newspaper headlines posted on boards as I walk home or in my news24 rss feed at work. However, as the new election approaches things are becoming very interesting.

Since the end of Apartheid the ANC have ruled South Africa with a majority and near total control. There recent ousting of Mbeki, their own president and the fact that many members have now left the party to form their own new party, COPE, show the signs that the times are changing. The faith entrusted to our current leaders is slipping, maybe just a little for now, but the landslide could come.

This loss of faith does not come without good reason. The ANC are in all honestly a complete shambles. The recently ousted their own president and the president of South Africa, a man trusted with the job by the people of South Africa, in favour of Jacob Zuma, a man waiting to stand trial for corruption. Now in most democracies anyone associated with corruption would most likely stand down, since with such allegations surely no one would trust them enough to consider voting on them. Never mind the fact that he has been given charge of the ruling party, and will most likely be their presidential candidate in the upcoming election.

That alone should be enough to shake most people’s faith. A recent poll shows that many do in fact believe Zuma is guilty, more than half of the ANC’s supporters. Despite this Zuma still claims that he knows the ANC will win the election, but wants a majority so huge that they will have total control. Control which will allow them change the quality of life for the better.

They have had fifteen years since Apartheid to do this and yet they have not even managed to put a dent in the tasks. Now things seem to be getting worse. Food prices are rising uncontrollably and cholera outbreaks are killing people. Inaction against AIDS has led to thousands of deaths and thousands of houses promised to those desperate for somewhere to live stand incomplete.

COPE, the new party, formed because members of the ANC felt that the ruling party to which they belong were failing in their mission to improve South Africa. A failure clearly highlighted for me by the fact that the party leader is waiting to stand trial for corruption.

COPE still seems disorganised and not entirely ready to compete with the established dominance of the ANC but their formation provides a clear shift in the balance of power. In the past those who suffered under Apartheid had little option but the ANC. Sure there were plenty of other parties but none that really provided them with an option they would be willing to take.

Now COPE gives them an option. Those frustrated by the ANC’s repeated failures have an alternative. Not only that but the split within the ANC, with many members speaking out over their repeated failures has shown the people that there should be discontent, that just maybe the ANC are not the right people to lead them anymore. They may have won the war against Apartheid, but they are losing the battles that follow.

Don't forget to check out Brett's blog on the same topic. Get it here http://balthosabyss.blogspot.com