*Lest we crucify core issues to build society for personality cults* The ANC has issued discussion documents and the most pertinent one, which evidently has instigated much discussion, is the Organisational renewal document. The subject of discussion in the document has not only attracted ANC opinion makers but the broader fraternity of analysts and the general public. This asserts the impact of the ANC within South Africa and that its renewal, destruction or success will be a determinant for the future not only for ANC members but fellow South Africans.
One can crudely conclude that this is purely because of the ANC being in government; however it’s beyond that; the ANC is still the largest mass mobilisation movement by far. The ANC further acknowledges the discontent from South Africans about issues of corruption and genuine problems of service delivery. It would be adolescent of the ANC if it thought such problems ceased to exist. The ANC is equally the first to admit its shortcomings; it acknowledges the dire need for a thorough introspection on how it’s perceived as an organisation and the party in government, bestowed with the mammoth task of governing a country. The organisational renewal document seeks to outline pertinent challenges, historical lessons and what we need to draw from history in order to take the ANC into the next 100 years. In recent times we have seen opportunistic attempts to elevate the leadership debate, super ceding all other pertinent matters to be discussed in the upcoming 53rd conference. The leadership question has become so perverse that even journalists or self proclaimed political analysts have resurrected their relevance through speculative debates on leadership. The Secretary General of the ANC, Comrade Gwede Mantashe made it very clear that the issue of leadership is not a foreign phenomenon in the ANC. Members will have an opportunity to debate the issue of leadership, however this should not cloud key policy directives that the congress needs to deliberate on. This must be done in order to ensure that the ANC continues to serve the people of the Republic and does so in line with its core values and founding principles. The unfortunate reality is that a toxic environment has been created in order to further give a perception that the leadership question is one inherently characterised with divisions, hatred and intolerance. However the immediate pre occupation for those who are interested in what happens in the ANC, analysts and members alike should be the policy conference. We have witnessed the sharp rise of the cost of living; conflicting views within the MDM structures labour broking inter alia. The land question has found its way back on the national agenda more vigorously and ailing poverty still characterises the living conditions of our people, the African majority. As people receive their momentarily spotlights trying to make analysis of individuals, we should be using this opportunity to harness the discussions on the policy direction of the ANC, how do we address the vast inequalities; analyst Aubrey Matshiqi once eloquently coined economic inequalities in times of the recession, that we are a society that privatises profits and socialises poverty. We should thoroughly assess the broader role that the private sector has played or failed to play to the detriment of the majority of our people. The private sector continues to largely benefit from infrastructural development, a conducive investor environment and economic stability but fails to synchronise its objectives with the broader economic transformation agenda and job creation objectives of government. The ANC has used the organisational renewal document to further penetrate on serious issues of which most people view as matters only discussed in corridors. The ANC has come out boldly to state what the crippling issues are, in order for the membership of the ANC to start the process of renewal. Which of course should be perpetual and ongoing, informed of the current juncture. If we fall into the trap of the “personality cult upheaval” and hold those tasked with the leadership responsibility at ransom, merely to anticipate failure and not first outline the task at hand-informed of the current challenges facing our people and the SA Economy,we will risk self defeatism, self destruction and worse self hate. The journey for each and every member of the ANC and broader members of society is to build a prosperous and united South Africa, acknowledging the complexities of diversity. Its quiet unfortunate that we have certain sectors in society, which are under the illusion that their only responsibility, is to cast aspersion when they feel that their interests are not protected or tampered with by government. A representative and player in this sector recently came to an incomprehensible conclusion, that the current government has a “strange breed of leadership”. He blatantly misses the point that as he points his virtuous finger to government using a very elite platform provided by major resistors of transformation and change in the economy, three fingers profusely point back to his “breed”. These are Black business achievers whom after benefiting directly or indirectly from the government (led by a “strange breed leaders”), use those very same platforms to promptly denounce government. Sadly they fail to point out evident short comings and injustices of the private sector. It would have been liberating if Dr Reuel Khoza had used the very same platform and exposed Nedbank for undermining capabilities and competencies of qualified black professionals, who’s powers remain restricted as evidenced in the appointment of the ”CFO”. He was further audacious enough to say that the current leaders in government can’t deal with 21st century complexities, when he fails to influence decisions in an evidently racially divided corporation. These are some of the substantive issues which should be thoroughly discussed and resolved upon at the policy conference. We should assess the unintended consequences of BBBEE, AA; has it produced black professionals who occupy strategic positions and take decisions at an operational level subsequently impacting on organisational transformation? Or have we produced Black professionals who have become the modern day black Police officer who accounts to the white officer and can only get praise and recognition and promotion based on how much he beats up and insults his own. The example risks being simplistic but it’s a blatant reality of how blacks in Corporate SA are still used as fronts and not agents of transformation, true co-opted black apologists who act as gate keepers of white corporate SA, maintaining the status quo at all cost, even selling their souls. We should therefore not lose the opportunity to discuss these pertinent issues at the policy conference, issues which touch the nerve of the SA Economy, due to narrow pre occupation of names and leaders. Otherwise we will lose the battle against the triple evils which still haunt our communities; unemployment, poverty and stark inequalities. Ordinary South Africans could careless who leads, in fact those obsessed with leadership contestations fail to advocate what ordinary South Africans say or wish to hear. South Africans want change, they want tangible deliverables and evident transformation. Let this, moving forward towards the policy conference and the elective conference, be our pre-occupation. Lets also encourage those with the privileges of accessing opinion spaces and platforms to speak out against racial segregation, issues affecting all South Africans and engage thoroughly, the discussions documents released by the ANC. Leadership, yes can’t be isolated, but its defeatist to discuss leadership when the mandate of what leaders should do, is not thoroughly unpacked *Gugu Ndima* *Writing in my personal capacity* -- Gugu Ndima +27 76 783 1516 -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. 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