Problem is, our leaders want to live like kings, whites
Every internal battle for power in the ruling party is basically not about the people, but who will be in a position to eat either by the ministerial handbook or by the tender
We need to end the privileges that comes with political office
- City Managers rake it in
- DA wants performance contracts for city managers
- Very bad news - Departments waste billions
- War on graft
- Poor town hires luxury car for mayor
- 'Move to curb pay of municipal bosses'
- Poor performance = Bonus cheque
- Stop waste!
- ANCYL dismisses talk of Malema arrest
- 'Malema-inspired land grab'
- State warns illegal house occupiers
- Limpopo sacks 40 officials
- A mega-wedding - Malema's pal ties knot in style in Mauritius
- Malema parties in Mauritius
- More young people in SA should be inspired by Sankara
- We're still living in a country that fosters black inferiority
HUGH Masekela told the Sunday Times recently that as far as leadership is concerned, he loved the Scandinavian model.
In those successful Nordic countries such as Sweden, Denmark and Norway, Masekela says: "You never read about the head of state in the newspapers. They go to work on the bus or even walk and the country functions well."
Masekela says the problem in South Africa is that our leaders confuse inauguration with coronation. They think they are kings.
This idea of thinking one is a king leads to our leaders to regard the state and government as being there to serve them and that the people are mere servants who are used for votes and other battles for the crown.
Today the crown is the tender, because he who can influence the tender is king.
Because of our racist past, the idea of being a king or living like one is also linked to white privileges.
It was therefore not surprising that Julius Malema told the "economic freedom" marchers: "When they ask you why you are marching, you must say you are marching because you want to be like whites.
"Everything whites have, we also want it," Malema told the marchers.
The media then reported that Mr Malema was whisked away like a real king in a government blue light motorcade to the airport to fly to the romantic Island of Mauritius to enjoy an all-expense paid for wedding party that is estimated to have cost more than R10-million.
Kings normally see themselves as the representative of the people. They overeat while the people suffer. Historically, democracy was achieved only when people got rid of their kings, often violently.
In South Africa, politicians want their king-like lives by hook or by crook. The tender or the ministerial handbook guarantees our leaders the good life of whites. We must not forget that our ministers can buy up to two cars that cost up to a million rand among the good things that come with political office.
Every internal battle for power in the ruling party is basically not about the people, but who will be in a position to eat either by the ministerial handbook or by the tender.
The disciplinary hearing against Malema and the "economic freedom" march must be seen within this context.
Someone must explain to Malema that white privileges were obtained through massive oppression of blacks, from land dispossession to forced labour.
To live like whites means to exclude and exploit blacks.
Now we hear Malema might soon be arrested for money laundering and corruption.
The defence that state institutions are used to settle political scores maybe true, but it is also true that Malema is a big beneficiary of dodgy tenders. In this game, all are tainted, the accused and the accusers.
We need to end the privileges that comes with political office.
A good example of such an effort is the September National Imbizo's people manifesto, which calls for "politicians and public servants to use public services". Our leaders are not kings, they are mere servants of the people. Time they acted like servants.
Mngxitama is the author of Is Malema a Mugabe? a short political biography of Julius Malema. Get a copy at newfranktalk1@gmail.com
Sandile84
I fully agree. Malema once told Debra Patta that it is not wrong for him to drive fancy cars because that is what white people are doing. What he forgets is that most white people now make their money through business while he makes his money through political connections. White businessmen are only concerned about profit and they exploit workers as much as possible to make money, the Malema's make money through tenders and politics. Politicians serve the poor and businessmen serve shareholders and other rich people, those 2 do not mix. So it is time that politicians start getting it into their heads that their job is to serve the poor and uplift communities while businessmen serve shareholders.Report Abuse
Socrates
Malema is a confused person with inferiority complex and he thinks being white is the ideal humanity, shame what lack of education can do to people.Report Abuse
lucky7
Why, in a so-called democracy, do people who have nothing to do with the vote get to influence who will be president? Something stinks in this constitution of ours - not such a good model. Methinks that's the problem with a centralised multi-party democracy. And so it shall always be, what stops uneducated and unemployed from voting Malema into power?Report Abuse
Fred55
Good article Andile. Black leaders want to live and act like kings and unfortunately a majority of poor and uneducated black people want to be ruled by kings.It is this willingness by black people to be ruled like lowly subjects and to be told what to do that has allowed the existence of dictators like Mugabe and why people in this country still admire Gaddafi, even though his own people revolted against him. They love the "big" men of Africa. They bow and scrape and hero worship them while they are getting kicked in the teeth.
It is like the abused and beaten wife who can't bring herself to leave her husband.
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Jamangile
Great article Andile - as usual you do not disappoint!!!I must agree with Fred55 to the extent that indeed Black People are their own worst enemy! The majority of them keep voting for the ANC, election after election - surely they must also take blame as they allow the ANC to get away with murder, literally.
How tragic!!!
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Lepulane
The sad part is that all those unemployed youth who brazenly marched in that heat believe in him(Malema).Their grievances are genuine, but the person leading march is flawed, therefore, the youth need to elect a credible leader amongst themselves and fight for their economic freedom in their lifetime.
Malema's days are numbered because of many skeletons in his closet and the net is closing on him.
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Decibels
I like Andile's views but these days he is using Malema to raise his "Revolutionary" profile. Even on facebook ALL his status updates are about Malema. Mr SNI you have a serious problem which alternates between Malemaphobia and MalemaMania.Report Abuse
RobinH
Great article. If only more thought as you do. Here leaders seem more concerned about posturing than in actually providing leadership. The latter is too much like hard work, and hey, kings don't work.Report Abuse
dre10
Andile u look like a walking Zombie. U are jealous because u have nothing. All u do is talk and write bullshitt like this. Get yourself a proper job.Report Abuse
RobinH
Decibels, that may be so, but let's get real here, despite his verbal vilification of the media, I think there is no-one in the current political arena who courts media attention as our limping walker with a van.Report Abuse