A vote with no home...

27/05/94 poignant day in South Africa’s history. I found myself looking at my life and pondering how life would have turned out had it not been for some brave relentless folk who even in the face of death, were willing to stand up so we could all be counted. The recognizable face of this collective is I guess the ANC, but there were many Biko, Suzman, Sibukwe, Leon Sullivan, Tutu, First, etc. who played an equally prominent role. It’s quite poetic that almost at my ponderous moment, I read a post on Facebook that listed some of the ridiculously insane laws that the apartheid government and instituted against the majority who just accepted it. Imagine you come into my house and you tell me what I can eat, wear, say or do! WOW! But to the anti-apartheid heroes, I thank you….we thank you

A direct result of this day was this very robust constitution we have which was visible in its full glory on the 31^st March 2016, when the Constitutional Court of South Africa declared that Mr. Jacob Zuma had been errant in not adhering to the findings of a chapter 9 institution (the Public Protector, Human Rights Commission, Commission for the promotion and protection of rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities, Commission for Gender Equality, the Auditor General and the Independent Electoral Commission). These institutions were established in chapter 9 of our constitution to guard democracy.

Many people believe that it wasn’t such a big deal…but let me paint a picture for you.

1)    A sitting president,

2)    Taken to court,

3)    The court rules AGAINST him

4)    IN AFRICA

Not often do such scenes play out on this continent, and I had to savour that moment and let it all sink in, people tried to steal my glee by asking me to think beyond the consequences of the ruling, but I just wanted to bask in freedom and the power of a solid constitution for at least 24 hours.

As expected 24hrs later reality set in and Nkandla part 3 played out. Part 1 was a long drawn out series in parliament made up mainly of denials and interesting versions of the truth. Part 2 was so theatrical, a grownass sweaty man, with some willing puppets, on live tv, to try and demonstrate to me that a SWIMMING POOL is a FIRE POOL, ‘ni**a please’!! Then there was part 3 where sanity prevailed (court case). But now instead of accepting fault and begging our pardon, it was…but he said, and I didn’t know and blaaaah, and that was most disappointing for me. I was taught at a very young age to try my best not to do any wrong, but if I did, I should own it, ask forgiveness and work my way back into the good books but not you Mr. Jacob, nothing is ever your fault, reminds me of a song by James titled “Out to get you”.

You see I don’t entirely blame Mr. Zuma for his actions. Would I do such things, I think not, but there are many people that will get away with what they can get away with. The corruption charges, rape charges etc. many of them COULD have been fabricated and some of these have been defended in court, but this one wasn’t, own it! But then he is but a man, who is fighting to maintain his position under the sun, this is all he knows and has known, what will he do when he leaves office? Cough jail cough…

My biggest gripe/disappointment lies at the feet at the ANC, not that they really care, but I truly do. How can a liberation movement that managed to catch the imagination of the whole world allow this to be its new reality….my reality?! And I am not dismissing any of the good it has done, because it has done plenty good, but most of the memory of the good that has been done is being eroded at a supersonic rate, by the status quo. Are failing state owned entities, run seemingly by inept individuals, collapsing education systems, reported mismanagement of public funds…is this the freedom you fought for? Is this the freedom, Tambo, Sisulu, Sobukwe, fought for? How can it be that you allow this to be our reality, how can it be that you allow the respect and admiration I once had for you to wane? How can you leave my vote that you fought so hard for with no home? There are so many good people within your structures, why is your silence so deafening?

WHY?