About 10 years ago, I remember Zimbabwean friends of mine saying that South Africa was headed the same way as their Mugabe-run mess.

Not a chance, myself and most South Africans said, and we got back to the business of drinking excessively.

Well, here we are, at the point where Adriaan Basson, News24’s editor-in-chief, can’t be sure that’s not the road we’re going down.

In his column, titled “Is SA the next Zim? I can no longer confidently say no“, Basson spells out exactly how we have come to this point.

Buckle up:

I never used to struggle answering the question, “Is South Africa going down the road of Zimbabwe?”

My stock answer, until recently, was: “No, of course not. We have a strong judiciary and a fearless media. We have free and fair elections. The rule of law reigns supreme.”

After reading my colleague Mondli Makhanya’s seminal opinion piece in City Press on Sunday, I am no longer sure I can answer those questions with absolute conviction.

Quick aside – you can read Mondli’s opinion piece here, but back to Basson:

…president Cyril Ramaphosa must choose between populist land expropriation policies or the Constitution.

He cannot have it both ways.

If he chooses the former, we may well wake up in a Mugabe-esque nightmare…

It is increasingly clear to me that the ANC is completely out of its depth in the way the party is handling this sensitive matter. This is not a matter of organising the office Christmas party; this decision is central to the future of South Africa’s economy and wellbeing…

Without any detailed policy on how the party would achieve this if all land belongs to the state, the EFF has done enough to convince Ramaphosa, and some of his ANC colleagues, to amend the Constitution, albeit only for sentimental reasons.

Cyril and the ANC are scared of Julius Malema, to put it bluntly, and the remaining pro-Zuma ANC faction will do anything to cling to power, knowing that their removal would end the gravy train and spell potential criminal prosecution.

David Mabuza, anyone?

Here’s a kick in the teeth:

I am reliably told that the ANC’s own internal research shows land is not one of the top three, even five, issues that worries the electorate most.

Crime, unemployment/poverty and corruption are the three issues ANC supporters – by far most of them are black – feel most strongly about.

Ramaphosa’s announcement that the ANC would support amending the Constitution has been defended by party members on the grounds that it wouldn’t hurt the economy and food security.

OK, sure, but where is the planning on that front, and how can we trust the ANC to implement any plan effectively?

Ramaphosa and the ANC are providing absolutely no guidance or detail on how they would give all black people “our land back”. Incredibly, unpacking the failure of the past 24 years’ land redress and redistribution programs are nowhere on the agenda.

The voices of Derek Hanekom [below], Thoko Didiza, Lulu Xingwana, Gugile Nkwinti and Tina Joemat-Pettersson – respective ministers of agriculture and land affairs since 1994 – are completely missing from the debate.

No former directors-general of these departments or land claims commissioners have been grilled by the parliamentary hearings on where the billions went that were spent on buying up farms over the past 24 years.

Oops, we stuffed up the past 24 years, but this time we’ll deliver the goods.

Here’s how Basson finishes his column:

I can think of only two groups who are licking their lips at the unfolding land shambles Ramaphosa is spearheading: lawyers, who will build their careers on a series of land cases, and the DA, who couldn’t have dreamt of a better cause to campaign on in next year’s elections.

If only the DA could get its house in order, because they’ve done severe damage to their reputation over the past 12 months or so.

Still, I’m reminded of that popular saying every time I hear people talking about their ongoing allegiance to the ANC. Insanity – doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

[source:news24]