The worst was a provincial MEC for safety and security, whose name I cannot remember but who wore a garish, shiny suit and pork-pie hat and calmly stood in the chaos and bodies with a smile on his face, claiming that there was nothing xenophobic about all the bloodshed but that it was nothing more than an IFP plot to score political points.
While one can understand someone like Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu simply saying, “Please stop” because he has little or no influence with the ruling party in terms of calling anything to action, one has to wonder at someone like Jacob Zuma also coming out with nothing more than a “stop it”.
Just looking at the mobs on television news, rampaging through the streets and making cut-throat gestures to the TV cameras, there is little doubt that any of them saw or cared that the ANC president was telling them to stop it. On the other hand, given the ANC leadership protocols, it is highly possible that Zuma has about as little influence with the presidency or incumbent ministers as Archbishop Tutu has.
But, the most pathetic attempt at communication has been from various cabinet ministers. First of all they all seemed to indulge in South Africa's newest national political pastime of denying there was any sort of crisis.
Then they all started telling those perpetrating the violence that attacking foreigners simply wasn't on. Talking to them via the media as though they were naughty kids throwing sweet wrappers on the playground. Not a word about consequences.
Then, when the mobs were seen to be taking absolutely no notice of all the toothless talk from parliamentary precinct, cabinet ministers started on what seemed to be a completely uncoordinated communications campaign of pointing out how many other countries had border problems and illegal immigrants. A political ploy that is becoming more and more common in South Africa - ducking the issue by pointing out that South Africa is not the only country in the world with crime, xenophobia, Aids, crooked politicians, stadia that look like they won't be ready for World Cups and soccer teams that lose all the time.
There is no question that, with a few exceptions, cabinet ministers are paying a heavy price for arrogantly believing that when it comes to communicating with constituencies and rampaging mobs, that they know it all. That they are experts.
They are not. And they demonstrate their complete lack of communications skills every time they open their mouths.
Hopefully next year, the new cabinet will not make the same mistake of believing that human beings are born with communications skills. And they will accept that, in fact, human beings are the worst of nature's communicators.
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