As the ANC's image continued to sink, its leaders kept on banging drums about the National Development Plan (NDP). In the process, millions of South Africans continued to sink deeper into poverty and unemployment. Thus the NDP acquired the image of a propaganda tool used by corrupt leaders to fool the masses.
As the mess continued, the ANC in Gauteng continued to position itself as the hope of the party. All this came to nil when Life Esidimeni proved, once and for all, that David Makhura and Qedani Mahlangu's hands are as bloody as those of the Buffalo implicated in Marikana.
This is why many 'clever blacks' don't buy the myth of renewal.
The ANC is not the only party with a steep mountain to climb. Opposition parties too have a lot to prove.
Even though the complexion of its rallies is now visibly blacker than before, the DA must still do something to prove it is not a party of white leaders manipulating black followers.
Black South Africans are beginning to warm up to Mmusi Maimane, but the perception of him as a black head of a fundamentally white party can only be denied by quixotic white schemers.
Given our history of colonialism and apartheid, it is understandable why race remains a sensitive issue in our politics. The fact that the DA was formed by whites explains why black people want to see real evidence that the party is truly changing.
To have a black leader in parliament sitting in front of a white caucus will not convince blacks that the DA is a truly South African party.
Just like whites, blacks want to see themselves represented at all levels of our political parties.
Black people would rather stick to a corrupt party that looks like them than vote for a party that looks lily-white. This is exactly what white people did under apartheid; they stuck to a corrupt white party rather than vote for Nelson Mandela's party that did not look like them.
The greatest challenge for the DA, therefore, is to ensure that the party looks truly black and white - meaning genuinely South African.
Our third largest party, the EFF, also has something to prove. It is a party of young, educated black radicals who appeal to angry and hopeless black youth.
The core of the EFF's approach is to take from rich white people and give to poor black people. The intent is unambiguous: nationalise white mines and banks for the benefit of black people.
Robert Mugabe has already done what the EFF is promising; the result is more poverty and joblessness among black people. This is why many black people in South Africa fear the EFF. In a nutshell, the EFF must shake off its image of chaos and destruction.
When it is all said and done, all our political parties know one thing: none of them will win next year's elections if they don't convince millions of poor black people to vote for them.
With 2019 polls on the horizon, expect all the parties to step up their charm drives
This year will be a very important political year. Everything political parties do will be done to convince us they deserve our votes next year.
When you see Cyril Ramaphosa talking about renewing vows, or when you see the EFF vandalising racist stores, you must know elections are coming. A party like the DA, battling to remove a mayor in an important metro, is shooting itself in the foot.
As they position themselves, our political parties know what is at stake. For the first time since 1994, the ANC faces the real possibility of not winning.
Even as it projects a confident face, the ANC is very scared. Members of the party know how damaged the image of their party is.
If you were to run a poll asking "is the ANC corrupt?" very few honest South Africans would say, "no".
The idea that you can get a job in a local municipality without political connections is as naive as the expectation of a tender by a black entrepreneur who is not a member of the so-called "Progressive Business Forum". Every South African now knows tenders and jobs have political eyes.
Given the broken promises of the past, few South Africans now believe the ANC can create jobs. In the early days of his government, Jacob Zuma used to promise five million jobs. When this did not happen, he introduced new shams called "job opportunities".
Campaign season has begun in earnest and the main parties are playing politics
As the ANC's image continued to sink, its leaders kept on banging drums about the National Development Plan (NDP). In the process, millions of South Africans continued to sink deeper into poverty and unemployment. Thus the NDP acquired the image of a propaganda tool used by corrupt leaders to fool the masses.
As the mess continued, the ANC in Gauteng continued to position itself as the hope of the party. All this came to nil when Life Esidimeni proved, once and for all, that David Makhura and Qedani Mahlangu's hands are as bloody as those of the Buffalo implicated in Marikana.
This is why many 'clever blacks' don't buy the myth of renewal.
The ANC is not the only party with a steep mountain to climb. Opposition parties too have a lot to prove.
Even though the complexion of its rallies is now visibly blacker than before, the DA must still do something to prove it is not a party of white leaders manipulating black followers.
Black South Africans are beginning to warm up to Mmusi Maimane, but the perception of him as a black head of a fundamentally white party can only be denied by quixotic white schemers.
Given our history of colonialism and apartheid, it is understandable why race remains a sensitive issue in our politics. The fact that the DA was formed by whites explains why black people want to see real evidence that the party is truly changing.
To have a black leader in parliament sitting in front of a white caucus will not convince blacks that the DA is a truly South African party.
Just like whites, blacks want to see themselves represented at all levels of our political parties.
Black people would rather stick to a corrupt party that looks like them than vote for a party that looks lily-white. This is exactly what white people did under apartheid; they stuck to a corrupt white party rather than vote for Nelson Mandela's party that did not look like them.
The greatest challenge for the DA, therefore, is to ensure that the party looks truly black and white - meaning genuinely South African.
Our third largest party, the EFF, also has something to prove. It is a party of young, educated black radicals who appeal to angry and hopeless black youth.
The core of the EFF's approach is to take from rich white people and give to poor black people. The intent is unambiguous: nationalise white mines and banks for the benefit of black people.
Robert Mugabe has already done what the EFF is promising; the result is more poverty and joblessness among black people. This is why many black people in South Africa fear the EFF. In a nutshell, the EFF must shake off its image of chaos and destruction.
When it is all said and done, all our political parties know one thing: none of them will win next year's elections if they don't convince millions of poor black people to vote for them.
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