The challenge for new SA leadership

Even though the lack of service delivery is the old regime's legacy, which promoted the policies of inequality through laws such as the Group Areas Act, the Population and Registration Act and the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act, whoever succeeds President Thabo Mbeki will ‘inherit' a huge set of challenges, Dr Slabbert warned.

The former MP and founding member of IDASA was speaking at Harrison's in Rivonia, Johannesburg, during a presentation organised by the Media Shop in conjunction with the Newspapers Advertising Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday, 10 July 2007.

Analysts say that the euphoria that accompanied the 1994 ‘independence' of SA, which has been hailed as a ‘miracle' of democracy and stability all over the world, has all but slumped and paved the way to a vast sea of unhappiness and violent uprisings and protests, marking a turning point in the country's history and threatening social stability.

“First signs of anarchy”

“We are beginning to see the first signs of anarchy and we are getting the sense that things are not working properly.

“It is better to prevent this social stability transform into something more severe by addressing issues of service delivery and restoring the rule of law,” he advised.

Some say that the ANC's post-apartheid slogan ‘A better Life for All' – free houses, jobs, education for all – misled people into raising their expectations, and at the end forced disgruntled voters to turn against their own leaders, whom they accuse of failing to deliver the goods.

And with the ANC, out of breath and wounded by in-fighting, and at odds with its alliance partners Cosatu and SACP – seen as anti-Mbeki and Jacob Zuma backers – over economic policies and Mbeki's third term as the party president, a major political overcast threatens the skies of the ‘rainbow nation'.

The next few months could prove decisive and ‘make-or-break' for the country's future.

But despite their popularity among the poor and ‘working class', Dr Slabbert said that Cosatu and SACP are nothing but financially-constraint organisations that must partner with the ANC for survival.

“Cosatu and SACP would like to be independent but they have no money. As a result, they have no choice but to cling to the ANC for dear life,” he said.

Seen as populist

Although seen as a populist, Zuma is being fervently supported by both Zwelinzima Vavi (Cosatu) and Blade Nzimande (SACP), who consider him as close to the poor, compared to business and elite-friendly Mbeki, Tokyo Sexwale and other ‘faceless' contenders.
But Dr Slabbert believes becoming a president involves more than just toyi-toying and singing revolutionary songs.

“The next president is not going to ‘toyi-toyi' into that position. Zuma will not be president by ‘toyi-toying' to ask for a machine gun. He knows it and that is why he is uncomfortable with the SACP-Cosatu support.”

He emphasised that the party branches' support will play a critical role in this process. “We are talking about thousands of members here and you need big money to ‘penetrate' these branches and make them work more effectively in your favour. That is why Tokyo has started to give a few pennies away,” he added.

“Nevertheless, it should be borne in mind that the Government alone will not solve this myriad of problems,” Dr Slabbert stressed, adding that it needs to team up with civil society and private sector to build the ‘social conscription' such as basic skills and training, education and fight crime.

Concerns about media

Lastly, some observers have expressed concerns about the media's free-thinking and overly outspoken reporting, which they believe is creating panic and fury among the population.

But Dr Slabbert dismissed these ‘baseless' concerns, saying: “Too many bad things were done by the old regime but were unreported. And many did not understand the extent of those acts.

“It is better to have freedom of expression, to report the truth that will upset me and make me angry but aware than to remain ignorant.”