Life is a series of victories and losses. Nothing is ever permanently won. Ramaphosa’s speech showed he knows that. South Africa has not won perfect democracy. It has won a place on the next ladder towards it.
Ah” someone will say, “but didn’t you hear Zuma’s speech the day before?” True, he claimed there should be a recount and made vague threats should his demand be ignored. So what? The results are clear; quite a lot of Zulus support him, but IFP is also strong and there is no evidence that any significant number of non-Zulus want to be led by him. A recount won’t make him president. Wouldn’t it be interesting if it cost him one or two seats?
There always will be Zumas and Donald Trumps. That is not the end of democracy. The question is whether the institutions of a democracy can keep them on the straight and narrow path of respect for everyone who did not vote for them and respect for the courts which defend democratic institutions.
South Africa has outgrown the period of the liberation party. At the start, that party was the whole environment. It will have done its job if its ideas and principles have spread beyond the bounds of its membership. An ANC, however true it is to its principles, ruling the country on a majority of 55% would be just another party. Let’s see how it follows those principles, restated by Ramaphosa’s last night, with 40% of voters behind it. His speech set high aims for it to follow.
Nothing is ever permanently won.
That is the meaning of a luta continua.
Post published in: Featured