South Africa Votes for a Better Life
By Vusi Moloi © 2009
The people of South Africa cast their votes today [April 22, 2009] for a new Government to lead them another five years. The iconic legend of Nelson Mandela injected new levels of energy among those waiting in long lines to cast their vote. The President of the African National Congress and the potential President of the Republic of South Africa Mr. Jacob Zuma enjoyed a cult-like personality when he cast his vote at his home village of Nkandla. Mr. Zuma is a worshipful figure at his home village and has energized people of all backgrounds. He has extended that natural charisma beyond his village to the entire Province of KwaZulu Natal and far and beyond throughout South Africa.
Big Turnout
It is estimated that the voter turnout is nearly 80% (or over 18 million of 23 million registered voters), an unheard of record in Canada. Unlike the Canadians who remain subdued during the polls, the South Africans are both expressive and energized to exercise their right in what is likely to be a new chapter in the great struggle for economic emancipation from the crushing shackles of economic apartheid. People have been economically disenfranchised for fifteen years in what is seemingly an unusual misnomer whereby the African natives make do with a razor thin slice of the cheese pie while the colonial descendents have the entire pie to themselves without any qualms about it. The African natives were disinherited by a system of apartheid that has since mutated into a modern gated system of economic exclusion.
South Africa votes in general election - from itnnews of Youtube
Former Presidents Vote
The former President of South Africa Mr. Thabo Mbeki also cast his vote. Responding to a question about whom he was voting for Mr. Mbeki replied by saying that only God knew. Mr. Mbeki remains the member of the ANC although he didn’t assist his organization during the political campaign despite being expected to do so. In a letter he wrote to the ANC on this question, he was non-committal. On the other hand Mr. Mandela remains a self-declared loyal cadre of the ANC and has come out, despite frail health, to support his party and leverage support for Mr. Zuma boosting the fortunes of the ANC.
Impressive Threat From COPE
Many observers say the ANC, which has ruled South Africa since 1994 is facing an impressive threat from the Congress of the People commonly known as COPE, a political breakaway from the ANC led by the former Defense Minister Mr. Terror Lekota. Mr. Lekota has since lost the leadership contest to the Methodist Minister Hamilton Dandala who largely remains an unknown quantity on the campaign trail. COPE had hoped that Reverend Dandala’s impressive credentials would prove instrumental in setting the leadership of COPE apart from the leadership of Mr. Zuma considering the polygamist way of life of Mr. Zuma. This has not worked as intended largely because Reverend Dandala spent a fair amount of energy on Zuma and the ANC instead of articulating the issues, which voters care about. Moreover some have observed that jumping ship [defecting from the ANC] to form a breakaway party is a historical baggage that voters could use to punish COPE.
In a traditional African society a messenger who is sent out on a mission must report back to the village in order to attract good fortune in existential activities going forward. Political parties that have been formed out of jumping ship have seen their fortunes progressively shrink overtime. The great Chinese philosopher Sun Tsu once observed in his book The Art of War that providence is on the side of big battalions. The ANC, with so many ground troops of volunteers on the ground, is strongly favoured to win big in this election.
Strident Foe of Zuma
Ms. Helen Zille, a strident opponent of Mr. Zuma and the ANC, is a leader of the Democratic Alliance a political party that protects the economic interests of the White South Africans and vehemently defends the apartheid economy which remains a unique feature of what is otherwise a wealthy country. This divisive economy has had the effect of squandering the peace and reconciliation goodwill of the African natives while shredding the fabric of that country’s morals.
Ms. Zille has doggedly pursued, with a one-track mind, the strategy of focusing nefarious attention on Zuma and the ANC as opposed to what the DA would do for the voters. She has even gone to the extent of threatening litigation against Zuma and his defense team and has demanded the resignation of the Chief of the NPA Professor Mokotedi Mpshe S.C.
About the Author
A former South African Television Journalist, Vusi Moloi is a published author of a contextual poetry book, A Goodbye To My Little Troubles, and maintains a blog, Zulumathabo on the Internet.
The people of South Africa cast their votes today [April 22, 2009] for a new Government to lead them another five years. The iconic legend of Nelson Mandela injected new levels of energy among those waiting in long lines to cast their vote. The President of the African National Congress and the potential President of the Republic of South Africa Mr. Jacob Zuma enjoyed a cult-like personality when he cast his vote at his home village of Nkandla. Mr. Zuma is a worshipful figure at his home village and has energized people of all backgrounds. He has extended that natural charisma beyond his village to the entire Province of KwaZulu Natal and far and beyond throughout South Africa.
Big Turnout
It is estimated that the voter turnout is nearly 80% (or over 18 million of 23 million registered voters), an unheard of record in Canada. Unlike the Canadians who remain subdued during the polls, the South Africans are both expressive and energized to exercise their right in what is likely to be a new chapter in the great struggle for economic emancipation from the crushing shackles of economic apartheid. People have been economically disenfranchised for fifteen years in what is seemingly an unusual misnomer whereby the African natives make do with a razor thin slice of the cheese pie while the colonial descendents have the entire pie to themselves without any qualms about it. The African natives were disinherited by a system of apartheid that has since mutated into a modern gated system of economic exclusion.
South Africa votes in general election - from itnnews of Youtube
Former Presidents Vote
The former President of South Africa Mr. Thabo Mbeki also cast his vote. Responding to a question about whom he was voting for Mr. Mbeki replied by saying that only God knew. Mr. Mbeki remains the member of the ANC although he didn’t assist his organization during the political campaign despite being expected to do so. In a letter he wrote to the ANC on this question, he was non-committal. On the other hand Mr. Mandela remains a self-declared loyal cadre of the ANC and has come out, despite frail health, to support his party and leverage support for Mr. Zuma boosting the fortunes of the ANC.
Impressive Threat From COPE
Many observers say the ANC, which has ruled South Africa since 1994 is facing an impressive threat from the Congress of the People commonly known as COPE, a political breakaway from the ANC led by the former Defense Minister Mr. Terror Lekota. Mr. Lekota has since lost the leadership contest to the Methodist Minister Hamilton Dandala who largely remains an unknown quantity on the campaign trail. COPE had hoped that Reverend Dandala’s impressive credentials would prove instrumental in setting the leadership of COPE apart from the leadership of Mr. Zuma considering the polygamist way of life of Mr. Zuma. This has not worked as intended largely because Reverend Dandala spent a fair amount of energy on Zuma and the ANC instead of articulating the issues, which voters care about. Moreover some have observed that jumping ship [defecting from the ANC] to form a breakaway party is a historical baggage that voters could use to punish COPE.
In a traditional African society a messenger who is sent out on a mission must report back to the village in order to attract good fortune in existential activities going forward. Political parties that have been formed out of jumping ship have seen their fortunes progressively shrink overtime. The great Chinese philosopher Sun Tsu once observed in his book The Art of War that providence is on the side of big battalions. The ANC, with so many ground troops of volunteers on the ground, is strongly favoured to win big in this election.
Strident Foe of Zuma
Ms. Helen Zille, a strident opponent of Mr. Zuma and the ANC, is a leader of the Democratic Alliance a political party that protects the economic interests of the White South Africans and vehemently defends the apartheid economy which remains a unique feature of what is otherwise a wealthy country. This divisive economy has had the effect of squandering the peace and reconciliation goodwill of the African natives while shredding the fabric of that country’s morals.
Ms. Zille has doggedly pursued, with a one-track mind, the strategy of focusing nefarious attention on Zuma and the ANC as opposed to what the DA would do for the voters. She has even gone to the extent of threatening litigation against Zuma and his defense team and has demanded the resignation of the Chief of the NPA Professor Mokotedi Mpshe S.C.
About the Author
A former South African Television Journalist, Vusi Moloi is a published author of a contextual poetry book, A Goodbye To My Little Troubles, and maintains a blog, Zulumathabo on the Internet.
posted by Vusi Moloi at
9:47 PM
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