Letter: ANC caucus fails to understand

THE recent vote of no confidence debate in parliament has only reinforced my belief that the majority of ANC parliamentarians did not actually understand the real issue.

It was a simple question about the fitness of the “giggling one” to govern our country. It was not about how many toilets had been erected or houses now having electricity etc.

These achievements would have been made in any event as the momentum of governance lumbers on. Jacob Zuma made very little difference to the amounts of RDP houses or road repairs.

What he is personally responsible for is ignoring the findings of a Chapter 10 institution, the public protector, and making an irrational decision in firing Nhlanhla Nene because he wouldn’t let the SAA head play with more toys, among other things.

Add to this his infamous shower episode after having unprotected sex with a friend and then having a love child with the daughter of a fairly influential soccer boss. Does this all make him fit to be the final arbiter in the lives of all South Africans?

Apparently the caucus of the ANC in parliament seems to think it does.

I guess you can forgive them, when to stand up for what is right for the country could lead to their early removal. Just ask Mr Nene. To give up that comfortable chair in the back benches, all the free air travel and generous car allowances, not to mention the salary and the very generous pension at the end of the day.

Should people who follow a leader blindly like sheep be rewarded thus?

I would like to think not, but it is not going to change soon, although one would expect that, given the current rumblings in the ANC, there will be a few less in the back benches after the next general election.

We are all keenly awaiting the outcome of the Constitutional Court on the Nkandla matter as well as the spy tapes issue. Both of these have Zuma at their core and it will be interesting to see how the ANC will react to findings that are embarrassing to their party.

Meantime Zuma is involved in a UN group looking at ways to create employment and small business in Africa. Kind of funny really, when he can’t get it right in his own country.