It is close to the municipal elections in South Africa. Like peacocks the plumage of politics is in front of us at every corner.
With the use of sensory and mental cues the programming of human minds is underway. A means to get as many people to make an X next to the political parties.
I am really challenged by the way that politics work. As a a community (ward/municipality/province/country) our ideas about utopia seem the same. Unless of course we are not working towards utopia.
In my view, and according to our constitution political leaders are custodians. They are employed to administer over the advancement of this country. All campaigns should be based on that one thing.
The preamble to our constitution reads like our country is in therapy and by the looks of things, will be there for a while;
“We, the people of South Africa,
Recognise the injustices of our past;
Honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land;
Respect those who have worked to build and develop our country;
and Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity.
We therefore, through our freely elected representatives, adopt this Constitution as the supreme law of the Republic so as to
- Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights;
- Lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law;
- Improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person;
- and Build a united and democratic South Africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations.
May God protect our people.
Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika.
Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso.
God seën Suid-Afrika.
God bless South Africa.
Mudzimu fhatutshedza Afurika.
Hosi katekisa Afrika.”
We might need someone without the baggage of the past or ambitions of a future to manage the present process of governing a functional society.
It is not all doom and gloom, everything that has a beginning has an end. Life has a way of bringing balance to every situation. It may take a few more cycles of trickery and ignorance but we will get there.
P.S.
I challenge us to send an equal number of representatives of each ideology (party), to be a part of a set number of parliamentarians. More of a council. None of this disproportionate “representation”. No leader, no president, no undue power over each other. – A government of national unity. That sounds familiar!