One cannot state that one is a Christian because one’s parents are Christians. No, that is not satisfactory. One has to firstly state what Christianity is and what it entails. One has to state how one has seen God doing wonders in one’s life, why they still continue believing in the Lord.
The same applies to being a member or a voter for a certain political party. One has to know the history of the political party, what the party stands for, its manifesto and the key people in this party, past and present.
Yes, I may be a third generation ANC liberation activists from my maternal side. And yes, I may have been a card-carrying member of this precious party for half a decade. But all this entitles me to nothing.
The ANC were not the only political party that fought for our liberation and it was not the only political party that brought about our freedom. We also had organisations like the Azanian People’s Organisation, the Black Consciousness Movement, and the Pan Africanist Congress.
Our history and existence as South Africans doesn’t begin in 1652 when Jan van Riebeeck landed on the Cape of Good Hope. And our liberation does not start in 1990 when Nelson Mandela was released from prison. There were heroes and heroines before him who undoubtedly made greater strides.
These people were from various political organisations, not just the ANC. Yes, we thank the ANC for programmes such as social grants SASSA, RDP houses and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme. Observant people will tell you that school education is now free in South Africa and all thanks to our ANC-run government – but didn’t we put them there as our public servants?
Is the ANC the only political party in the governing of this country? No, the answer doesn’t require statistics or the number of seats it has in Parliament. Although the Democratic Alliance is promising us jobs and opportunities, both these being justifiable, it is apparent that the DA has made the Western Cape a very racially segregated province, so one is bound to be skeptical about their assertions.
As for the EFF, although they say they fight for economic freedom and land, they haven’t shown or explained how they’re going to go about implementing their promises.
All I personally want is justice. No jobs or land but justice, because we cannot all go to work and we cannot all possess land. Justice in all spheres, as ours should aim to be a communitarian and egalitarian society, because capitalism has proven to be a dismal fail, both socially and morally.
The rich are becoming richer at the expense of the poorest, who are also ever becoming worse off.
Jacob Zuma has taken our taxes to upgrade his home. Where’s the justice in that? His predecessor Thabo Mbeki, is no better because [his government’s policies] killed thousands HIV-positive people by instructing them to eat vegetables instead of providing antiretroviral medication.
Come August 3, I will not vote for the DA, EFF or any other political organisation. I will always be an ANC supporter, but this time around they will be one vote short. I will not vote for a party that undermines my intelligence, a party that invites the likes of Khanyi Mbau and Pearl Thusi to address me about my precious party. Have they run out of efficient and intelligent leaders?
***
Tell us: Do you think yourself a political person? Why? Why not?