Day 38 – My Dancing Shoes

I suppose that since our local elections are now only two sleeps away I should probably add my two cents worth. Everyone, from respected political commentators to Joe Blogs (get it?) seems to have an opinion about what might happen, or is most likely to happen, or what is definitely going to happen.

It amuses me that since we live in what is essentially a one party state that people honestly think they or their minority party actually stands a chance in the bigger picture. Yes they, their party, may win an extra seat or two but the ruling party will be in power by a vast majority come the 19^th May. And that is not going to change in my lifetime or yours.

I am not well versed in politics but I have a view that the minority parties should unite and concentrate on being a credible opposition. Like the Democrats vs the Republicans, the Tories vs Labour and so on. Now is the time to do it I think, because if they can establish a tradition of opposition in South African politics now it will bode well when, in the future, Malema and those of his ilk decide to go all Mugabe on us. It will be most uncomfortable for us plebs if we are used to having a choice of who to vote for and all of a sudden don’t have that choice. It will be good even for the ruling government considering what is happening north of the Sahara. And it will be the savior of an economy that hardly beats in the world scale. Having an energetic opposition will give us credibility in more sophisticated lands and markets. Having political credibility and stability will ensure that our much maligned currency maintains some dignity at least. Having an opposition that is free to question the workings of government means that corruption will be controlled (this is Africa so this is in relative terms). Or at the very least exposed.

But what will happen on Wednesday is this. In African politics the man with the biggest stick wins. Minority parties will lose overall, because their stick is smaller, and there will be considerable teeth gnashing after the event. Dancing shoes Zille and her cronies will celebrate winning the crumbs and maybe a few choice areas – like hopefully Durban, and promise that the tide is turning and next time things will be better. Teeth gnashing will also take place in the yellow “Together We Can Do More” (crime) camp. They will blame the colonialists for leaving them with this legacy – funny how you never hear them blame these same colonialists for the road infrastructure, banking system, economy, mines, bridges and of course schools – the exhausted promises of homes, sanitation and jobs will be put to rest until the next posters for votes drive. And nothing will change. The existing government will lay siege to all those who spoke against them, reports of vote rigging will surface, the people will continue to grind out a living and every news channel or media will analyse this ‘watershed’ moment in SA politics. And nothing will change.

Each to their own. I just can’t help wondering about the motives of these politicians are. In ‘texas, we have a white man standing for the ANC seat, we have another who holds two different party memberships and thinks no one knows about this, another who hands out exclusively Afrikaans language pamphlets (I suppose it makes a change from receiving the Sangomas grow your penis bigger and get old lover back pamphlets that are the usual fare at the traffic lights these days), and another who is a colleague of the second one but is also running for leadership. Is politics different in first world countries? Do they also hold rallies in stadiums where in one party the leader dances around like he’s on acid singing “bring me my machine gun”? Does politicking have to be so obviously fake and contrived to get a vote? Surely Zille’s record in Cape Town would say it all. To even the most ardent sufferer of persevering stupidity.

Surely the fact that she won best mayor in the world says something to the voters. Surely the fact that millions of tourists flock to Cape Town every year suggest that this DA, who run this area might just be doing something right.

Surely the fact that Durban is so fucked as to be almost beyond repairable is a signal to the unwashed that perhaps voting for the ruling party might not be a good idea. Surely anyone with a brain can figure this out. It seems not. Just my two cents worth.

Until tomorrow.