President is a hypocrite
I AM sure running a country is no child's play. As South Africans, history has touched us all in different ways and our needs are therefore different and complex.
President Jacob Zuma and his administration have a mammoth task ahead.
Governing a country as tumultuous as ours is no task for the faint-hearted.
I may not know much about the intricacies of government and providing the elusive "better life for all", but I am convinced that certain behaviour by our leaders is the antithesis of this ideal.
Take the president's recent door-to-door tour of Western Cape.
While at the Franschoek Valley in the Cape Winelands, Zuma told members of the community that those who live in appalling conditions are to blame for their own plight if they do not use their vote to remove governing parties that are not delivering services to them.
Very cogent and wise words indeed, but he spoilt it all by implying that the Democratic Alliance, which is the governing party in the province and the city of Cape Town was responsible for the poverty.
In expressing his "shock" at the squalor at the Langrecht informal settlement, Zuma said: "When a government is not doing well, you don't exercise your constitutional right to take out that government and put a government you want.
"What you do is you complain, when you have the vote to exercise to help people to help you from that situation. It's a two-way street."
The hypocrisy of his statement cannot go unchallenged.
The essence of the president's message is true and valid, but then he must not just stop at DA-led constituencies, but preach the same message to ANC-led provinces and municipalities where service delivery protests against his government and party have flared up over the years.
Does he condemn the voting pattern there as well?
The president demonstrates jaw-dropping ignorance of events in Western Cape.
Unlike voters elsewhere, residents of the Western Cape and the city of Cape Town have exercised their "constitutional right to take out that government and put in a government" they "want".
Does Zuma need to be reminded that the ANC was in charge of the province for five years until the last national polls and ran the city, also for five years, until the last local government elections in 2006?
And before that, the ANC ran the province in coalition with the now defunct NNP.
The poverty and squalor continued under his party's watch and hence at the last national and local government elections, the people of that province and city did exactly what Zuma advised. They voted for - to use Zuma's words - "people to help you from that situation".
If only Zuma had given voters this advice when the ANC was in power there, and if only he would be even more consistent and take this same message to Balfour, Diepsloot, Orange Farm, Free State, North West - every corner of this country that has had major delivery protests should hear this message.
It would seem Zuma's message is only relevant in DA-led municipalities.
I bet some lazy minds are already calling me a DA sympathiser. My comments are not in support of any party, but rather a condemnation of hypocrisy.
I actually think all DA, ANC and former NNP politicians in the Western Cape must take collective responsibility for the state of affairs in the province because they have all, at various stages in our recent history, had an opportunity to change the lives of citizens there.
Zuma has obviously taken a leaf out of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs minister Sicelo Shiceka's book.
Shiceka arrogantly stated that unenclosed toilets would never appear under ANC rule, yet when it was revealed that the same situation exists in ANC-led Kwadebeka in KwaZulu-Natal and the Samora Machel settlement, he did not utter a word.
Using people's sad plight for political point-scoring is childish, cruel and insensitive.
This hypocrisy that has become so pervasive in our politics has to stop.
And Mr President, enough of you and your ministers being "shocked' at the poverty you see when you occasionally visit the poor. It has been there for ages. Where have you been?
Sisters
why was he shocked? realy he knows how the poor people live whether its a DA or ANC led municipality its the same around SA...people are suffering while he is busy enriching himself and his family members.Report Abuse
CheeseBoy
Good article Reddy and straight to the pointZuma is not only a hypocrite, he is also a spineless leader who has allowed the party to basically run like a headless chicken. We always said it and were called "counter revolutionaries" dogs and all sorts of names.
what notable "achievements" have taken place under his watch since he took over?
His Direct line to the President is yet to actually work for the poor.
Corruption withing Govt has almost doubled. every week we hear of an expose yet zero convictions.
He has accumulated one more wife in his collection and impregnated his buddy's daughter.
His immediate family have found themselves instant millionaires and billionaires
The alliance is about to break.No-one one knows if its the tail wagging the dog or which direction the boat is going.
More ministries have been added the fruits of which we are yet to see. So far they have cost us the tax payers billions, much of which could have been given to the civil slaves currently on strike. ( What the hell is the Ministry of Women... supposed to do?)
We cannot give him credit for the S.W.C. , that was Mbeki's work.
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VOICEOFREASON
Does the President's comments mean his government has forsaken that area simply because they did not vote for his party?My understanding, correct me if I am wrong, is that if you win elections and become the government, the whole country becomes your constituency, it becomes immaterial who voted or who did not vote for you. You have a mandate to govern the entire country and not to serve only those who voted for you.
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MAMIKI
I agree with Redi ,Zuma is de worst mistake de voters ever made in this country.He is all talk but no action , he only knows how 2 collect wives like some art collection what a disgrace .4 de 1st time in my life im ashamed to call this man my president.I really pray he does not get de second term he seem 2 b hugry 4.his family members r getting deal all round but he cant afford 2 pay de civil servants i just wonder how many deals that obese Khulubuse en de rest have with some chinese companies.Report Abuse
PHIWE
Spot on Redi, we are tired of Zumas ignorence. His public comments sometimes makes one qustion his intelligence. 8 provinces voted for the ANC and are they any better than what he saw ko western cape?? nopeReport Abuse
Vukarhi
I was just wondering if Redi feels pround and getting paid to write such a low level and recycle article? You’re part of sloppy gutter journalism in South Africa that doesn’t not go out to research what they write.With respect, I read many of your articles on this site. Like most of model C journalists, you are an average journalist who rarely comes up with something pertinent or insightful. In my opinion you are not a journalist deserving of your own defined column. In other words, you’ll only survive because your readers are LSM 1 – 6. But in the meantime please spare the rest of us who can read between the lines what is you agenda.
Your “colleague” Eric miyeni was spot on: “I like 702's Redi Direko, but she's often preachy. That's frustrating. One must never treat radio like a classroom and act like a teacher. It leaves the listener feeling moronic”
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ZEM
Spot on Redi. He is not only a hipocrite but spineless as cheeseboy indicated, he runs away from the current state of affairs to go and form allies with your china to come here and further cripple our local textile industry. He literally fights for issues that in the end will benefit him and his cronies. i made a mistake and i regret, "i voted for him" i will not make such a mistake again as they seem hell bent on destroying our democracy (freedom)Report Abuse
CheeseBoy
@Vukarhi You have done nothing but waffle and launch a personal attack on Redi (I mispelt her name earlier, my bad).At least she has facts in her article, your post says absolutely nothing to refute what she has so eloquently written.
Shame on you, typical of Jacob Zuma supporters.
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Cope
Why is Redi always defending the DA? She is abusing her position as a journalist. Let DA defends itself. I listen to her all the time on 702, she must be a spokeperson of DA.Report Abuse
Cope
What Zuma was actually doing was just Electioneering, all parties do that and Redi do it all the time on 702 for DA.Report Abuse