LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS - WHY USE THE RACE CARD 22 YEARS INTO OUR NEW DEMOCRACY?

By Subry Govender

The use of the race card in the run-up to the local government elections on Wednesday, August 3 (2016), has marred South Africa’s values and principles as enunciated by Nelson Mandela and other freedom leaders. Mandela and his fellow leaders such as Govan Mbeki, Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo, and Ahmed Kathrada sacrificed their lives for a South Africa that would be free of racism and racial domination. But during the run-up to the elections, the campaigns were characterised by the leader of the ruling ANC, Jacob Zuma, who is also president of the country, resorting to blatant racist tactics in order to garner the votes of the people. Zuma and his fellow party leaders have criss-crossed the country with their fellow leaders in order to convince the people that the ANC and its candidates were the only real solution for the country. Like – leaders of all the other parties – Zuma stressed the importance of continuing to improve the quality of lives of the people by providing decent housing, drinking water, electricity, public health services and education for the vast masses of the poor living on the margins of society. The campaigns were not only affected by political killings and wanton destruction of property in Zuma’s home province of KwaZulu-Natal, the capital of Pretoria and the rural area of Vuwani – north of Pretoria – but also took on controversial and robust overtones.

(MMUSI MAIMANE) This after the leader of the DA opposition – Mmusi Maimane – began using the name of freedom icon and first democratic president – Nelson Mandela – in his party’s electioneering campaigns. This is how he used Mandela’s name at one of his campaign rallies: “Wu Tata even warned us – he said the ANC would one day turn its back on the people of this country and Tata once said and I quote: ‘if the ANC does to you what the apartheid government did to you, then do to the ANC what you did to the apartheid government…..”

(President Jacob Zuma) Zuma and his fellow leaders countered this electioneering by also using the legacy of Mandela and resorting to the race card to appeal to his mostly black supporters. In direct contrast to Mandela and other freedom leaders – this is the extent to which Zuma went during his party’s campaigns in order to counter Maimane and the DA. This is how he used the race card during an ANC rally: He said: “You think the DA is a wonderful organisation. It’s the only one of all the opposition which has the people who oppressed us. They still sit in parliament today. Now if you are a black person, you join that party – really.. really…. is worse when you lead it. “No white party can run this country no matter how they cover up by getting a few black stooges. They – the whites – remain the bosses. They remain a white party.”

(EFF leader – Julius Malema) The use of the race card also affected another serious political player – Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (or EFF). One of Malema’s local government candidates caused a storm when on Facebook he called for white people to be hacked and killed. He was removed as a candidate by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and Malema had to withdraw his party’s support of their candidate. He said in an interview that the EFF would not accept anyone who transgressed the code of conduct of the Independent Electoral Commission. “We are not going to get involved and anyone who contradicts the electoral act in the name of the EFF that person is on his own,” he said. “We are not going to the court, we are not going to defend anyone. You undermine the electoral code of conduct you are on your own. We are happy that the IEC is taking action. We hope it will not end with the EFF. Everybody else who under the electoral code of conduct must be taken to task.” MARGINALISED PEOPLE But while the main party leaders and their parties have been using all kinds of tactics to garner votes, prospective voters have expressed their concerns about the lack of proper delivery of services, lack of security for people in their residential areas and wide-scale corruption. They consider corruption to be the most serious issue at local government levels. “I WILL VOTE” Deywizo Mazimulo, a security guard in Durban, said he was going to vote because he wanted to see changes in his and his family’s life. “I need a house, RDP, and electricity also. They are promising us a lot but we are still waiting. I think there is corruption because they are not giving us what we want,” said Mazimulo. MADIBA BROUGHT US FREEDOM A 26-year-old clerk at a petrol filling station, Mazwe Shezi, said he would vote because “Madiba told us that the only change we got is to vote for the party we believe in”. “Scarces of water, electricity, these problems are very very sad. Corruption is a big issue, I don’t even to think we have the power to change the corruption.” “ALL ARE THE SAME – THEY HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT US” Mr Trevor Mazibuko, who is a labourer for a construction company, said he would not be voting because “there ‘s too much corruption in this country and in this government”. He said: “No, all the political parties are the same, all crooks, they want the money only, they don’t care about us.” “I NEED SECURITY WHERE WE STAY” Mr Mondli Khanyile, a self-employed professional, said what he wanted most was security in the residential areas. “It is very sad that criminals are causing havoc in our residential areas. The local authorities must do something because it seems the police cannot cope with the problem.” He said what the people were also looking for were efficiency in service deliveries. “If they don’t deliver, then people will obviously will start toiy toiying. Looking for electricity, water, schools and housing and also employment.” MAJOR DEPARTURE FROM 1994 When most South Africans first went to the polls in 1994 to cast their ballots they looked forward to a future that would be free of poverty, unemployment, corruption and racial divisions. But, unfortunately, in the run-up to the local government elections scheduled for Wednesday (August 3 2016), race has become one of the main campaign slogans. This strategy was sadly used even by the President of the country - who political analysts say - betrayed the vision and dreams of Mandela and other freedom leaders who sacrificed their lives for a non-racial and democratic society. Political analysts say Zuma’s use of the race card will only further drive a wedge among the people and further entrench racial enclaves. They also say the hunger to retain and obtain power at any cost has become the norm among some of the political leaders.