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The chaos man, Jacob Zuma, will always choose self-interest over that of SA and its people

Andrew Ihsaan Gasnolar
By Andrew Ihsaan Gasnolar
19 Jun 2024
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Ultimately, we must remember that Jacob Zuma remains true to his wrecking-ball nature, but he remains a small man. This is not the agenda of a former president or statesman but rather about a man who will always put his own interests above those of others.

The outcomes of South Africa’s elections continue to shape not only the future of the seventh administration, but also the pathway that South Africa will have to chart given the need for coalition partnerships across a number of provinces and around how public power will be exercised out of the Union Buildings for the next five years.

There may be some disappointment with the outcomes of the election, but the outcomes are simply the will of the people. On election day itself, the voter turnout may have been disappointing, and the technical issues that extended voting queues may have proved avoidable, but the will of the people has been expressed and in a free and fair election.

On Wednesday this week, Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa was inaugurated at the Union Buildings after the coalition principles were agreed between parties representing 68% of the electoral outcome, and what has been framed as a government of national unity (GNU).

In this moment, we must be assured that our democratic institutions held true, and largely, political parties accepted the outcomes of the election. South Africa’s democratic institutions have been tested in part due to the political contestation and desire for power before, and those institutions held true after 30 years following the founding of our constitutional order.

However, the agitation and desire for an alternative reality to take hold of South Africans will not pause, but intensify, and the battle for the soul of the Republic will begin with great urgency. After all, this is the playbook and nature of one of the Republic’s former presidents.

The force and nature of Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma inevitably means that he will always choose his own interest over that of the Republic and its people. Inevitably, the decisions and events surrounding the establishment of uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK), his new political party and home, were the inevitable outcomes for a man who continues to crave relevance and power.

The real thrust of coalition politics will need to be assessed in the coming weeks and months, especially when confronted with the continued agitation that will be mounted by those on the outside of the broad coalition that is anchored by the DA, the IFP and the ANC.

The only pathway for self-interest and the desire to hold court is rooted in the MK party’s founding, but we must not forget that the desire for chaos plays an important role in its political power, and its violent undertones.

Ultimately, we must remember that Zuma remains true to his wrecking-ball nature, but he remains a small man. This is not the agenda of a former president or statesman, but rather of a man who wishes to continue playing an oversized role in the country’s future.

A man who will always put his own interests above those of others, with a greed and hunger for power that simply will eat away at him, continuing to propel him forward with fear and a lingering propensity for violence. 

The lesson here for all of us is that our democratic institutions and their wherewithal are critical to safeguarding our constitutional order, but ultimately, our democracy is dependent on people, and the principles and personality of those people.

The GNU will be burdened by the varied personalities, diverging political ideologies and the complexity of navigating South Africa through national coalition politics, but it will also be navigating what appears to be 100 parliamentarians who wish to collapse the coalition and stifle the GNU’s legislative and executive agenda.
The seventh Parliament will be the convergence of these forces, and we cannot romanticise or idealise what the GNU is, nor should we accept the chaos man’s theory that this is some ‘unholy alliance’.

In this moment, South Africans need politicians who are willing to compromise, leaders who are willing to defend our constitutional order, politicians who are able to reform not only their own caucuses but also their own worldview. This is a tall order, but the moment and threat to our constitutional order demands more from our elected representatives.

The real thrust of coalition politics will need to be assessed in the coming weeks and months, especially when confronted with the continued agitation that will be mounted by those on the outside of the broad coalition that is anchored by the DA, the IFP and the ANC.

The principles and underlying arrangements of the GNU will be reflected in Ramaphosa’s Cabinet in the coming days, but the challenge against its legitimacy and moral authority will not abate. The game of politics that plunged South Africa and its people into a lost decade, riddled our institutions with morass and self-interest, and collapsed state and democratic institutions, will continue to be pervasive.

The chaos man and wrecking ball may no longer have the entire machinery of the ANC and its parliamentary caucus available for his bidding, but he will have a sizeable voice in Parliament and in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature. The agitation and continued threats against our constitutional democracy will not subside, as the only goal will be to protect the agenda of greed and hero worshipping.

The seventh Parliament will be the convergence of these forces, and we cannot romanticise or idealise what the GNU is, nor should we accept the chaos man’s theory that this is some “unholy alliance”.

The nature of politics in South Africa is that participation and engagement in our democracy must be the focus of all South Africans, and we simply cannot leave this to chance. We must all remain vigilant to the activities of the Union Buildings and broader executive, and seek more from our elected representatives. But our broad focus as a society must be on safeguarding our constitutional order and confronting the real issues facing South Africans.

The larger question confronting civil society, organised labour and business must be about how we address our societal and socioeconomic issues with greater urgency and clarity of thought.

South Africa requires the real convening of more South Africans into the centre and into the decision-making that will be required to confront the very real and existential threats to not only the livelihood of South Africans, but the very fabric of our society.

Our focus cannot be distracted by the chaos man and his narrow agenda, but rather the consequential outcome of this election will require much more from each of us if we are going to survive the nature of party politics and the complexity of coalition politics. DM

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