South African Politics - Is it worth your Vote?

I have said before that I am not particularly a fan on talking about our government and its issues. Politics is littered with too much ridicule and contradiction and much more people who have something intelligent to say about it. I however have been following the news and all the political drama lately.

Considering that we started 2016 with racial comments of people on Durban's beaches, nonsensical changes within the finance ministry, President Zuma being taken to task for his role in the 'Nkandla Saga' and also his relationship with the Gupta family, Julius Malema and his red clown circus at the SONA last week and now the Sona Debate, I have to have something to say at this point about those who feel they speak for the people of this country, but actually just speak for themselves.

Our government has dealt with a lot of controversy over the years, and even when they do something right, the opposition knows just how to take it apart. They are intellectual and strategic even when they are interviewed in the media and I wonder how much of what they are saying is really understood by the so called poor of his country. Talk is obviously cheap as the ANC so aptly portrayed within these last few years. Actions are blocked by a mirage of red tape, corruption and unnecessary motorcades that push the very people who support this countries foundation, out of the way to protect those who are supposed to have the well being of those same people at the forefront of their political campaigns, but fail miserably.

Image Courtesy of Timeslive.co.za

I read Mmusi Maimane's speech at the Sona Debate yesterday, and must say that I am very impressed
with the words that came out of his mouth. My first thought was that he seemed to understand the needs of the people who forage for a living everyday. But once I came back to reality, It hit me that that was probably the way most South Africans felt when the ANC first came into power. Given a few short years, with Mmusi as president and the DA running the country, will the pressures of the privileged in this country change his ideals too? We all know that the future is unpredictable, and since the DA, Cope or the EFF have never actually run a country, who is to say that they may not take that same dark road once the money and the people supplying it have something to say.


The movies and series on politicians all portray the truth. Politics is riddled by bribery, greed and steered by those who have enough zeros after their names to forcibly make minds change. Its a sad fact that every South African affected by racial slurs, drought, the economy, no education and no jobs has to stare in the face daily. Not one of these politicians who have so much to say about change, growth etc have actually done anything real to prove it. Yes the DA has made strides in changing things where they have municipal rule, but since they are calling for cutting of cabinet which includes cutting jobs to so many people connected to those cabinet members, have they ever considered what there position would be if they were on the other side of that fence. Re- investing into the economy will not create the jobs needed right now.

Image Courtesy of Ryaanonafrica.com

Don't get me wrong, I don't agree at all with what was said in President Zuma's state of the nations address, mostly because he said much of nothing at all. But as was said at the debate, it was to be expected. He was not going to make any real changes to anything because he knows fare well, no matter how much he tries to convince us otherwise, that a call for his resignation is surely on its way by most if this countries residents. He also had to take into consideration that every decision he has made in the last while has had a very negative impact on our economy. This thing of state owned enterprises also boggles my brain. Why would the state want to own anything that is rumoured to be engraved in corruption and further more, their duty is to the people, not to making more money for the wealthy.

Image Courtesy of DavidIcke.com

Democracy has truly lost its meaning, our politics has completely redefined its true meaning. Freedom of speech is not the same thing. If Julias could take all the energy he had and actually invested his strengths and influence in the people he claims to defend, he would not be treated like the class fool by the entire parliament and the rest of the county in fact. If he focused his energy in investing in the people, moving away from lying about his salary and his fights with SARS, how much impact could he have?

Mmusi on the other hand, as a Preacher, should be taking the road less travelled. Beating up the president for his wrong doings and the ills he has contributed to does not make him the better man. It simply makes him the man who had to use someone else's weaknesses to make himself look good. Thats not better, thats just sad, even though thats apparently how politics is done.


Change means, stopping the antics, the parades and the #ZUPTAMUSTFALL protests. It means being around the people you want to help everyday and being present at the point of their need. When President Zuma, Mmusi and Julius all go the their mansions at night, eat at their grand tables laughing with their privately schooled children and Stay at home wives; go to their queen sized Egyptian cotton sheets, what are they thinking about? How happy they are? How to beat the opposition? Or of the man who was so grateful to have finally found a cardboard to sleep under to protect him from the rain that night.

So much has been and is being said from both the ANC the DA and the EFF respectively, but i honestly don't believe any of it anymore. The saying goes, 'Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me'

South Africa, how many times will we be fooled into believe the same old magic tricks, they are illusions after all.