The Democratic Alliance as a Majority Political Party in South Africa

The Return of Apartheid.

This is the scenario most proposed by the current ANC hegemony in regard to a possible DA victory over them in the polls. The most disturbing aspect of this opinion is that so many South Africans actually believe this drivel. This is pure propaganda and scare tactics by a corrupt regime, willing to do anything including murdering striking miners to stay in power. They react to a possible DA majority in the future by utilizing the same old racist segregation tactics they have used for the last 18 years, simply because they’ve worked so well on a widely unsophisticated electorate before. Even well-educated professional people have expressed this same opinion to me. To all of the DA apartheid doomsayers, trendy white apologists, black racist haters and even the remaining Woolworths shoppers, there are some vital points that need to be taken into account in a functional democracy, which should the DA win the next election, South Africans will in all probability experience for the first time in 18 years.

Apartheid was an abomination inflicted by on a majority by a militant minority intent on remaining in power. Its demise was brought about by a majority no longer willing to be racially discriminated against.

Apartheid today is an abomination inflicted on a majority by a corrupt ruling elite intent in remaining in power for as long as possible, with a purpose to strip all wealth from the country and divert it to their own pockets.  Its demise will be brought about by a discontented electorate tired of watching the favored elite get fabulously rich and flaunt their wealth in the face of the 40% functionally unemployed people in South Africa, who by now have realized that all their vote did was to ratify the decision of the approximately 2800 corrupt delegates at Polokwane who voted for the current president. The people have for their vote received very little in return, living conditions are at an all-time low, the widely documented deterioration in basic services does not have to be enumerated here, it’s a an accepted fact.

So, what exactly in my opinion would a DA (or any other political party that is prepared to serve the people) mean to the majority of the people of South Africa? Dealing first of all with the return of apartheid; is there logic is assuming that the electorate which is some 80% black, would render a majority to a party, which by demographics is likewise racially structured, so that a return to the previous apartheid regime can be effected?  I don’t think so either, because no electorate would stand for that, and there would be an immediate bloody uprising against such a fallacious policy. So clearly the scaremongering and outright lies are easily exposed by applying a little common sense.

What will it mean for South Africa?

The brand South Africa is depending on whom you believe, or not, at an all-time low. Never before as a people have South Africans been embarrassed and humiliated by the leadership of the country as they are at the moment. Without rehashing recent political events, and the ongoing as well as publically visible battle for succession within the ANC, mass corruption within government and the blatant looting of the public coffers by what has clearly become an out control administration. This fact or scenario is clearly visible to the rest of the world. No amount of devious calculated spin doctoring by an increasingly desperate regime can hide the facts from the rest of the world anymore.

Under a democratically elected government, that does not embrace corruption and wanton self-enrichment as some sort of State Religion, the people of South Africa no doubt could expect a radical improvement to the value of the brand South Africa. With that would doubtlessly come renewed foreign interest, selfish as it may be perhaps, but bringing with it also new investment, to replace the investment lost by the current ANC government’s policy of crony capitalism, tender corruption and racist business models. Which have seen Foreign Direct Investment dry to a trickle comprised only of rigged tenders and corrupt principals willing to pay the massive bribes needed to do business in the current environment. Quite frankly I believe we have enough jets, submarines, corvettes and failed toll road systems. I also believe we need projects that stimulate basic employment of the largely uneducated, unskilled workforce.

Economic Benefits

Estimations vary on the amount of GDP lost to mostly government corruption, from 25% of GDP up to 30% of GDP depending which reports you believe. The bleed in government spending could be effectively used to provide many things such a free schooling for all at world class level. Free healthcare for all at world class level, are these exaggerations? I don’t know, because the numbers are staggeringly large, I’m proposing an alternate use for the funds which are looted now by the current administration. I have no way of knowing if with cessation of looting, could come a national free rail network. I can only hypothesise on the possibilities. What I can state with certainty is that none of the hypothetical improvements can occur under the current corrupt regime. Their addiction to looting and squandering funds appears to be for moment incurable. It must also be pointed out that if the improvements mentioned possible were to come about, unemployment would without doubt be radically reduced in the short to medium term.

Capital projects require extensive labour, which in return provides employment. More importantly it increases the economic cycle and injects money into the first tier economy immediately. The ripple effect is felt throughout the economy both local and neighboring. A radical improvement in the general as opposed to specific population could be reasonably expected to follow as a result of that.

What will it mean for the current regime?

Not very good news I’m afraid, the current regime has built a reputation of a rampant kleptocracy, some have labeled it an ineptocracy, semantics aside, a legitimately run government would not be good news for the current regime. Ironically, in building additional correctional facilities to house those found guilty of corruption and criminal conduct could provide an additional temporary burst of employment in the civil engineering industry.  The government tax revenue generated by these operations could well be put to good use elsewhere at a later stage. That aside, a properly functioning society has to, of necessity deal with all criminal elements in a fair and just manner, if in the course of doing that, the previous victims of the criminal elements are afforded the opportunity to enter into gainful employment, all the better. A successful country, like a successful business, should have accountability as one of its cornerstones; the current regime should accept that its past behavior will, at some point be assessed and if found lacking, appropriate steps be taken against offenders using evidentiary principles in law.

What can the Majority Expect from their Party?

It’s a very open ended question, isn’t it? The temptation to insert rainbows and unicorn symbols does seem strong. Reality or realistic hypothesis for the purposes of this has to prevail, we have as people paid for and watched the current regime concoct their own rainbows and unicorns, and have not seen the benefit to the majority of the people.

In economic terms an economy that is not bleeding money through corruption, can heal itself rather quickly. That raises several interesting possibilities, the least of which is a leveling out of the secondary and invisible taxes the current regime is so adept at inflicting on the taxpayer base. The next important aspect of a rapidly healing economy and a tax body that is not a slave to the corrupt foibles of a morally bereft government, would be increased efficiency not only in the collection, but in the utilization of public funds, which would no doubt lead to a medium term reduction in taxes which would further stimulate the economy.  Clearly the wages of corruption are stagnation and higher taxes. A realistic positive jump in the living standards of all South Africans could be expected, further confirming the correct choice of government in the minds of the voters, instead of the current race-scare economic disaster model employed, increasingly less effective by the kleptocracy.

What will the people get out of it?

Again a difficult point, but besides the obviously advantageous economic rewards, the benefits to be had on a societal level are considerable. The long term damage done to national psyche by sustained abusive administrations is best left to sociologists and the like to quantify if that is at all possible. But a start can be made on telling people that their colour or race is just that, nothing else, and that it in no way influences their standing in the community, or their chances of success in society, be the catalyst that starts and sustains real Ubuntu, instead of the current racist view of that held by the ANC government, who failed miserably to learn from the past and have spent the last 18 years repeating it.

Setting South Africans free may be far easier than sawing through some chains, or prison bars, it may well be as simple as telling them that they are all worthy of the same rights and freedoms as people and that they don’t have to be a particular colour to get them, or support a specific kleptocrat to ensure their uninterrupted enjoyment.  The temptation at this point to insert a relevant quote from people I admire the most is strong. But I will not quote Steve Biko or Martin Luther King Jnr or Abraham Lincoln for that matter. I will instead say this to every South African: Your potential as people and as nation is far greater than anyone wants to allow you to believe.

If you believe that you are prisoner, or will become a prisoner because someone with devious motivation for telling you, told you these things, then you will remain a prisoner of your own irrational fears.