South Africa - How the Heck did We get to This?

So what did we expect?  How long can anarchy carry on without someone taking some action – dare I say, before someone shows some “leadership”?  I’m talking about the tragic situation at Lonmin mines where a number of people, including miners, security guards and policemen, have died over the past week.

And now there is a clamour for an independent enquiry – and the inevitable, predictable Julius Malema is jumping onto the bandwagon.  But will we get to the real truth?  Will we be asking the right questions?

For me the key question is “How did we get here?”  How the heck did we get to this situation?  It is not of concern to me as to which side fired the first shot.  That is an end result, not a cause.  We need to understand the cause.

In my opinion the real “cause” of this situation – and many other similar situations that are occurring daily somewhere in South Africa today – is total and complete lack of Leadership.  In the case of Lonmin, it is lack of Leadership on the part of Lonmin management, making unilateral decisions that impact so many people.  Surely there was an opportunity for compromise at some stage on the journey?  But that would have needed Leadership!

Then, it is lack of Leadership on the part of Union Management – BOTH unions concerned!  Surely it is the responsibility of union management to ensure that protests do not become violent!  Surely it is the responsibility of union management to guide and “lead” their members in a responsible manner!  And surely there was a time in the Lonmin situation, were union management could have prevented the anarchy.  Or maybe this was their strategy!

And finally, it is a lack of Leadership in Government.  Zuma rode to the presidency on the back of anarchy at Polokwane.  Have we forgotten the violent protests outside of the courts when he was to appear on corruption (and other) charges?  Have we forgotten the out-of-control scenes of Polokwane when ANC leaders at the time were appealing for calm and order?  Have we forgotten Malema’s “kill for Zuma” speech? Have we forgotten Malema’s “we put you there we’ll take you out” speech?  What we have experienced since Polokwane is increasing and more violent Anarchy!

And it’s time that someone took Leadership and said “so far and no further”.  It could not have been an easy decision for SAPS leadership to give the order for “maximum force”.  It could not have been easy for members of one union (Popcru) to open fire on members of another union.  It could not have been easy for police men and women to fire on other men and women – fellow citizens of this country.  When this happens you KNOW the consequences, and I’m not talking about public outcry and independent enquiries.  I mean you know that people are going to die.  That is just not an easy decision for anyone to take.  But having watched their colleagues being hacked to death earlier – what would your choice have been?

What is so sad is that this became virtually the only decision that could be made after a week of increasing violence and death – the merciless hacking to death of people whose only responsibility it was to protect lives.  SAPS leadership were left with no other choice – Leadership in all other areas, organisational, union and political, let them down!

I for one, give my thanks to SAPS.  Thanks for having the guts to do what no-one else had the guts to do.  And I’m so sorry that you were forced into taking this action.  And even more sorry that you are now taking flack because of it.

It is time for all of us to draw the line on anarchy in South Africa.  We need to stop this anarchistic behaviour that has been so prevalent - and growing - in all protest situations throughout our country.

The so-called “leaders” of this anarchy (and I include Malema) need to know that destroying property is NOT OK, threatening the lives of people, whether innocent bystanders or not, is NOT OK, threatening to take down a legal government by force (that is what “rendering ungovernable” is about) is NOT OK, and hacking and killing security guards and members of the police force is just NOT OK!!!!

If this situation draws a line in the sand that says “so far and no farther”, then those people did not lose their lives in vain.  We learned the lesson.  If, however, those in Leadership positions throughout South Africa remain ambivalent to this behaviour, then sadly we will sink still further, and more and more of these tragic situations will occur.  So ... what is it going to be?  The choice is ours in the next election.  Let's ensure that the people that we vote for are, in fact, "Leaders", in the real sense of the term.

South Africa's Second Miracle

The “legend” of South Africa’s first “miracle” is well known.  The peaceful transition from the apartheid era to the new democracy.

Those who have read Nelson Mandela’s “Long Walk to Freedom” – and maybe even those who have not, will know and acknowledge the huge part that this icon played in the miracle.  But the main part was played by the people of South Africa.

For days and hours we stood in long lines waiting for our opportunity to vote.  The voting process was not slick or elegant at that time.  Everything was so new.  We had never done this before – black and white, standing side-by-side.  Census information was not that reliable, and no-one knew exactly how many people would turn up where to cast their vote.

I personally stood in line for about 5 hours.  What was so amazing was the camaraderie that existed.  There was no frustration at the long wait, no “racial” tensions, no police presence – just South Africans getting on with it.  We were all unprepared for the long lines, we didn’t bring food, or water.  That was no problem, someone would go and fetch bottles of water from home, from the shop, and share it out with all around them.  Others would buy bread and make sandwiches for themselves and the people around them.  Those remaining in the line would “keep their place” in the line.  No fuss, no bother, just come back into your place in the line when you returned.  Calls of nature were treated with the same goodwill and co-operation.  How amazing is that?  Is that what anyone expected at the time - South Africans from all cultures and creeds mixing together for the first time?

Let me assure you, it was a time of immense pride in being a South African, and a time of incredible excitement at the prospects for South Africa in the future.  I had learned the new national anthem and stood proudly in front of my TV singing the words at the inauguration of our first democratically elected President.

Photo: Gail Sturgess

So, what is this about a “Second” miracle?  Well, one thing I discovered comparing the second miracle to the first is – it’s the PEOPLE of South African that make miracles.  Not politicians, not business leaders – the people!

The second miracle is the World Cup that took place in South Africa in June and July 2010.  There was so much questioning and Euro-pessimism leading up to the World Cup.  And even people in South Africa – the same people who still don’t understand the first miracle – were pessimistic about what would happen.

Stories of soaring crime because the police were all engaged in the World Cup.  Stories of attacks on tourists.  Stories of stadia not being ready.  Stories of not enough visitors coming to South Africa.  Stories of what would happen with “white” people going to Soweto, and “black” people going to Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.  The world abounded with these “stories”.

But, “cometh the hour, cometh the man” (John 4:23), in this case - cometh the people of South Africa.  Man – were those “doomsayers” knocked back in their socks!  The people of South Africa, as ONLY a South African can do, opened their cities, their restaurants, their parks, their homes, their vuvuzelas, and, most of all, their hearts to the visitors, the players – and yes, even to the FIFA officials and foreign dignitaries.

Oh, of course the politicians were there – the “blue light brigades and squandering our hard-earned taxes as only they know how best to do.  But they really didn’t matter.  They played no role in the magic and miracle of the South African World Cup.

I have the privilege of living in Cape Town.  I didn’t have tickets to any of the games, but “did” the Fan Walk for two of the major games that were played at Cape Town Stadium.  Between 120000 and 150000 people were on that Fan Walk – about 60000 (?) had tickets!!  What an experience!.  The friendship and solidarity of all, the mingling of supporters of all sides, the “side shows”, the stalls of memorabilia, the painted faces, the waving flags, the “fan gear” adorned by fans, the endless sound of the vuvuzelas, the fellowship of just enjoying each other’s company and the basking in the pride of just being a South African!

Photo: Gail Sturgess

My friend and I stopped along the Fan Walk for a drink.  We sat and watched the joyous cavalcade of humanity pour by.  No problems, no arguments, no incidents.  Just the most amazingly happy amity.

As I sat watching, I experienced, as I had experienced in 1994, the deep-down, gut-wrenching feeling of absolute and total pride in just being a South African.

So – I’ve experienced two South African miracles in my life-time.  Greedy or not, I can’t wait for the third one.  Until then, I refuse to give up on that feeling – my mirror socks are still on, my flag is still flying, and my scarf still adorns my neck.  I wait in excited anticipation.