In 1947 addressing the House of Commons, Winston Churchill stated “Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time”. Years later Churchill stated that “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter”.
Recent election result must have traumatised the Pan African Congress (PAC) who nearly became extinct. The Congress of the People (Cope) practically disappeared and AGANG got lost in confusion long before the contest to parliament began. The ACDP hung onto parliament by the tips of its fingers.
As a supporter of multiparty democracy I hoped that smaller parties would fare better as this could safeguard our political future against autocratic tendencies which always exists. In retrospect, some reflection may explain why our multiparty system may be in greater danger than formally assumed.
For example, the difficulty with the PAC was that it displayed structural fatigue long before elections. Persistent infighting and utter inanity on the part of there leadership had become a hallmark of its history. Picking an unknown black African as a premier candidate in a Coloured majority Western Cape was another classic error. After many years of resolute failure, perhaps the PAC should do everyone, including themselves a favour and return to the ANC, join the EFF or just stop talking. The PAC is an historical anathema that mirrors everything that is classically wrong with Pan Africanism.
The primordial strife within COPE reflected exactly what COPE fought against while inside the ANC. COPE’s leaders were relentless in its critique of the ANC’s infighting and corruption. Yet, when they had the chance to display leadership, COPE revealed their own limitless ineptitude. Cope should do the honourable thing and disband into the DA or return to the ANC. COPE was a short lived, emotionally driven failed experiment that wasted the resources and hopes of millions of voters.
Al-Jamaa the only Muslim party on the national and provincial ballot failed to secure the support of Muslim voters. In two national and provincial elections, Al-Jamaa has failed to secure any success at a national level. Even Jew baiting local Muslims, did not help at the polls. Al-Jamaa has been given the opportunity to be weighed, measured and was found to be inadequate. Since the Cape Muslim Congress (CMC) recused itself from this recent election, it is time that Al-Jamaa stands aside in the upcoming elections in Cape Town and allows the CMC the prospect to display its capability.
In the words of the wise, limited success in almost any field depends more on energy and drive than it does on intelligence. This explains why we have so many stupid people leading political parties.
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress