South Africa’s ANC shows Africa the way forward
Mr. Jacob Zuma who until February 14 was President of the Republic of South Africa was regarded as a “big man”. He had regarded himself as immovable. On many occasions, attempts were made in the parliament to push him out of power, but he survived the moves. But, about one year to the end of his second term in office, he had to bow out. He has since been replaced by his deputy, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa.
One reason the West has very little respect for Africa and its leaders is that when a man is placed on the horse, he refuses every entreaty to move according to direction. He begins to see himself as the state. Mr. Zuma who had a very humble background belonged in this category. On many occasions he was accused of corrupt enrichment and consequently dragged before the law courts. With impunity, he disregarded the charges and continued to pilot the affairs of state. Attempts to pervert the course of justice by blocking any judicial inquiry, let alone indictment, were rejected up to the Supreme Court. Were he in any of the Western countries, he would have been brought down from the honourable seat much earlier. He found a way round his rape charge even though no one was convinced he had a genuine defence.
There are many lessons to learn from the South African episode. In 2008, Mr. Zuma who was deputy to Mr. Thabo Mbeki moved the party to shove aside the urbane president. He emerged leader of the African National Congress (ANC), thus serving notice on the president that his time was up. Similarly, when Mr Zuma’s cup was full, he was replaced by his deputy, taking exactly the same route he had taken to get to power.
Nigerian politicians and the political elite, too, could learn that there is no substitute for an orderly system. The party system is near perfect. Unlike Nigeria where brigandage rules in the political parties, the ruling party in South Africa, the ANC, is known to be bigger and more important than any individual. The death knell on Mr. Zuma’s political career was sounded when the ANC issued the order that he had to quit the scene. He tried to buy time, but the party refused, and, if he had not resigned, he would have been defeated in a motion of confidence in parliament. Nigerian leaders and people must realise that the institutions have to work independent of politicians. The judiciary, legislature and party all rallied round to play their parts in supporting democracy in South Africa. The former president acknowledged this in his final address to the nation. He said: “no life should be lost in my name; and also the ANC should not be divided in my name”.
It has been argued that the Nigerian political scene could not be compared to South Africa’s in view of the age of the ANC, and the discipline it acquired during the anti-apartheid struggle. Many of the leaders served terms in the cruel prisons and thus learnt to submit to party supremacy. In contrast, the Nigerian independence struggle was less rigorous. There was no dominant party, nor was ideology the strong point of the political parties. In place of ideology, ethnicity that is a divisive concept prevailed. Thus, the first and second republics collapsed as the political parties and leaders fought selfishly. If Nigeria is to pull through the difficult times, institutions of state must be fortified. Security agencies, the electoral commission, Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the judiciary, legislature and the law must demonstrate their loyalty to the state, not any individual, at all times. The political parties that sell tickets to the highest bidders have to step up their game if Nigeria is to keep pace with the best in the world.
We hope Mr. Ramaphosa would live up to his pledge to fight corruption to a standstill and ensure that ‘state capture’ belonged in the past. He has been prepared for this moment by the roles he played in building the republic. He was ANC’s Chief Negotiator with Frederick de Clerk as the apartheid regime caved in to popular protests that rocked the country. Many times, as a lawyer and crack political activist, he shuttled between London and Johannesburg to ensure that the dream was not aborted. But, despite his dream of becoming the iconic Nelson Mandela’s deputy and consequently successor, he lost out. Ramaphosa has been leader of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU); a notable business man, and deputy president of the republic since 2014. Last December, he emerged ANC’s leader. These roles ought to have equipped him to rule the country.
We look forward to seeing a new South Africa. The economy at the moment is in dire straits and infrastructure keeps degenerating as Mr. Zuma in his nine years in power paid more attention to his personal comfort and bank accounts. Ramaphosa could learn from that.
A new wind is blowing across Africa. Only recently, Robert Mugabe was humbled out of power in Zimbabwe, and a day after the resignation of Zuma, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Halemariam Desalegn, too, announced his resignation to allow for political and economic development of his country. The developments on the continent point to the end of whimsical leadership by big men who see themselves as synonymous with the state.
As the 2019 general elections approach, notice is being served the Nigerian political elite that it is time for the giant of Africa to wake up from its slumber.