The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
In The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare wrote, “The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose”.
I have written before and will write again, “politics is the art of deception”. That is why it is tough but not impossible to remain ethical or dignified in a milieu that attracts the deceitful and corrupt.
After university, I spent 10 years steeped in community politics before another 20 years in formal politics. Direct experience has taught that, like the quote from The Merchant of Venice, politicians generally cannot be trusted as many will say and do almost anything when the situation requires.
Why am I stating the obvious?
Since both ruling parties (ANC and DA) are caught within a leadership mess entirely of their own creation, voters must consider if this is healthy for our democracy. Ironically I think the mess is good.
Internal party conflicts allow a reality-check distant from the slogans of “One South Africa for all” or “A better life for all”. Claims of racism and corruption and counter claims is needed as it stirs a vital narrative and a required debate that politicians ignore, until they need to use it when it serves them.
Example, the former Mayor of Cape Town like the former Mayor of Johannesburg defended the DA with great fury for many years until things did not go their way and then came the claims of racism.
Internal party conflict also allows for the realignment of political thought as new parties are born and voters have choices. Ironically some politicians can reinvent themselves as required. Example some folk think that all politicians who served Apartheid have gone. That is untrue as many have reinvented themselves and hold high office but voters have simply forgot their political history.
So what, if the ANC serves the black elite or the DA serves the white elite or the IFP serves the Zulu’s as alleged? So what if Patricia De Lille of “Good” and Ganief Hendricks of Al-Jamaah “may decide” to covertly work with the ANC to take-over Cape Town? In 2021 the voter will ultimately decide.
Also, if you are genuine and serious, you can develop a fresh, ethical, value based alternative political outlook like I am struggling to do. If gangsters and the uneducated sit in parliament, then a faithful, thinking person who wants to see genuine social justice, must be able to achieve.
People will insult and ridicule you, then again, democracy is not free or cheap or easy to achieve.
So, make an ethical choice or not, but do something.
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress