Thembile Ndabani
CAPE TOWN - Politics are central in our lives as human beings therefore politicians must deal with issues affecting people and not irrelevant issues.
Everyone has got a right of joining a political party of his/her choice regardless of colour, class, creed, gender. Then, how relevant are petty issues like appearance, shape, size/weight, and outlook generally?
Screening of people for appearance, shape, size/weight and outlook for participation in politics has never been there. Maybe during the Iron/ Victorian Age. From a long time ago, leaders and members of political parties in parliament were human beings of different weight and other issues and differed politically too. Some did not just differ but were enemies but did not humiliate each other over the negative issues highlighted above. That would happen in politics outside parliament by the oppressed. Over and above, it was because of master-race supremacism versus challenge from the oppressed below. As a result, out of oppression the oppressed were fighting “by all means necessary”.
After the 1990s especially after 1994 our politics became more formal, and free because of a new political landscape. Be that as it is, pre and post 1994, political formations/parties had people of different appearance, shape, size/weight and outlook.
If these (appearance, shape, size/weight and outlook) matter why were not mentioned during and after negotiations/election? Why are they not stated in the policies or constitution, that they matter?
Vulgar language is the worst. Rudeness on one hand, versus challenging and engaging on the other, are not synonymous. Rudeness is synonymous with vulgarity, and challenging is synonymous with engaging. “The misuse and abuse of language is a serious and dangerous offence” (Kay Lawson, 1989:50)
Challenging and engaging are like rules in a constitutional democracy like ours. This is because challenging and engaging breathes life into democracy, while rudeness and vulgarity is spitting at our democracy.
It is worrying to see politicians argue over petty issues or be reckless in addressing issues, especially those of fundamental importance.
What is interesting is to hear people laughing while watching television. Then when you go to find out, they are entertained by politicians mocking and degrading each other during a debate in parliament. The worst part is the approach; it is low.
They waste taxpayer’s money by focusing on petty issues or provoking each other when dealing with matters of national interest. Yet the country is still confronted by inequality, poverty and unemployment, and with crime, corruption and racism on top of that.
South Africa is a democracy in progress and not in stagnation and we must always remember that we are regarded as a good example of democracy.
At times we are respected more than the most respected powers of the world. Therefore we must uphold that position/honour. That kind of honour makes us a country to be asked to help the newest democracies and fragile ones and others in-making. Our constitution is held in high esteem around the world because it is regarded as one of the best.
That constitution is the very same one which obliges or should oblige our politicians to behave in a certain manner. It guides/directs politicians in government/parliament/state in their duties to the country and gives them a code of conduct or behaviour.
A democracy in progress needs to move forward and not backwards, especially as a result of petty/childish bad behaviour. This bad behaviour need not happen and not be part of our assessment of the 28 years of democracy and even beyond. There is still a lot to be done and we do have potential, and therefore unnecessary issues cannot be tolerated.
A creation of an unbecoming scenario, a defensive mechanism for the defeatist must never be accepted. Some of the things people are attacked/humiliated about are not their own choice. They might end-up leading to a person feeling ashamed and withdrawing, even though they have potential. Politics are more about the electorate (people) than the elected (politicians). Therefore, when they play, they are playing with people’s lives and not theirs.
The worst was when a young politician referred to the president as a weak small boy. Some members of the public responded by saying, it was disrespectful and that she was young enough to be the president’s child. Is disrespect a tenet of democracy? No morons can run the country. They spend time in dictionaries and other books, memorising how to attack, humiliate, insult and degrade each other. Yet people are dying from poverty, crime, and racism, with land and the economy still in the hands of a few.
Are they comedians, satirists, or political leaders charged with the duty to address issues affecting the country? The debate is a platform to outline and challenge issues, rather than bickering. Did they debate or watch debate at school, where there are rules or values?
SONA (state of the nation address) is disastrous, like the recent Judicial Service Commission chief justice interviews. Using government or state platforms for scoring political points is opportunism at the expense of the country, putting party first. Accusing someone of something you also do is not honest. By the way, honesty is very rare in politics. A reminder, politics are neither soccer, where weight matters, nor a beauty contest where outlook counts. A warning to politicians “Anything unreflective will deprive itself of that light” (Marcus Aurelius, 2014: xxvi).
Ndabani is a former history tutor at the University of the Western Cape and a former educator at Bulumko Senior Secondary in Khayelitsha.
Cape Times