I wish to respond to the Article by Professor Sipho Seepe in the Cape Argus on June 25, titled: “GNU code word for bloodless coup by the DA”.
The initial three points made to justify the rather sensationalist heading only describe the normal jostling of political leaders prior to the finalisation of positions in a coalition government.
Helen Zille is just doing what we have seen others do in similar cases right across the western world.
The “GNU” is a figment of the collective imagination of ANC leaders who have difficulty in accepting the idea of coalition politics. It is what it is, to call a spade a spade. If 70% of the seats in Parliament are involved in the coalition government, then mathematically the DA qualifies for 30% of the Cabinet positions.
To demand this can hardly be called a bloodless coup. I am surprised that the DA did not demand 40% of the Cabinet positions.
They could have got this with hard bargaining, considering the enormous power they wield in the current setup. I think that they slipped up here owing to a lack of real maturity in the leadership corps.
Younger leaders (in the DA especially) tend to be very dynamic, but real maturity comes with years of life experience.
I would support the DA in wanting to move ahead briskly instead of expending energy by turning back to old failures like Phala Phala. The country is burning, the voters have spoken, and now is the time for action.
The hard reality is that Cosatu and the Communist Party retarded economic growth with their policies. I would say: good riddance. Cosatu’s demands protect the working population at the expense of the unemployed. What this country desperately needs is job creation, and a true entrepreneur at the helm of economic development. We had unionists in those portfolios with disastrous results.
Entrepreneurs, and there are plenty of those amongst DA supporters and members, are the only ones who create jobs. Unions cannot create jobs. Period. This is also calling a spade a spade.
The good professor may be wrong in predicting that the formation of this coalition government will ultimately lead to a revolution. He should seriously consider that this country may just be on the path to emulate the Asian Tigers in economic growth, and increased employment and productivity, with decreased crime levels and service delivery protests.
I think we need to remind Prof Seepe that the biggest socialist countries in the world have turned their back on economic socialism, and embraced capitalism enthusiastically instead.
China have encouraged and loosened the shackles on their entrepreneurs for the past 40 years. Between the best brains in the ANC, and the economic drivers amongst the DA leaders, I predict that with the ideological shackles taken off, we could easily emulate what we have seen in the Far East .
Prof Seepe must look to the north of us to see the result of what he is promoting. The hard reality is that the employers in our country are mostly DA supporters and/or members.
Wisdom should dictate that we change our attitude towards this group. Stop kicking them in the teeth by calling them nasty names. Value them, encourage them, create environments where they want to grow their businesses and employ more people.
If there are racists among them, make a noise about it, but do not kill the only goose that may lay the golden eggs. Racism will be with us for the next five hundred years, but we can grow our country successfully in spite of the presence of a few racists.
Do not look at the few bad points, rather see the multitude of positive and good points.
The re-alignment of political forces is a long time in the coming. Our people have sensed this, and they have voted to achieve this. Prof Seepe must be careful not to misread the signs of the times. The glass is rather halffull and not half-empty.
The checks and balances, the horse trading and overseeing each other, along with the challenges of meeting the expectations of our people make for exciting times ahead. I hope and pray that Prof Seepe, and those who may agree with him, see the light sooner rather than later.
* Johan Visser, Silvertown, Athlone.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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