Hardly 20 years after the Constitution was signed into aw, the ANC, led by its current president, are leading the country into a perpetual constitutional crisis which may result into more complex socio-economic problems for the whole nation.
The intransigence and arrogance of the ANC meted against the Constitution and the citizens in defence of a president who has since, occupying the highest office, lost his moral authority, is plugging South Africa into an unprecedented constitutional crisis.
Instead of leading society into celebrating the 20th anniversary of the signing into law of the Constitution, we have to focus on defending it against the ruling party, the very sponsors of this beautiful law, because Mr Zuma and his travellers in the National Executive of the ANC have decided to attack it from all angles.
The national focus has moved away from addressing the quadruple challenges of poverty, unemployment, inequality and corruption.
Their actions are in fact dividing the nation, the civil society and citizens in general. Religious groupings are being attacked from every corner where you find ANC activists. This division is very dangerous for the nation and should not be allowed.
Divisions among citizens may result in small scale lawlessness which may in turn invite the brutal use of security apparatus, as we have seen with many other public protests. The sole intention of activating security apparatus will be to suppress the popular voice and create fear among the people. This type of divide and rule was experienced during the darkest yet dying days of the apartheid system.
The ANC has a responsibility to do an immediate self-introspection for the sake of South Africa and its future. It has to stop its arrogance and listen to all citizens, including the opposition parties. Their abuse of majority in the name of democracy has to come to an end and respect the fact that South Africa chose constitutional democracy, not majoritarianism.
Citizens from all walks of life must continue to unite in defence of the Constitution and reclaim their freedom which is currently made the private property of the dominant faction within the ruling party.
We are certain that the only sustainable solution to this arrogance of power is for citizens to fight for their right to directly elect their public representatives so that they are accountable to the people not to a faction within a ruling party. Electoral reforms must indeed be included as one of the demands that citizens must fight for and win.
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) support all initiatives intended to ensure that the rule of law is the order of the day in our constitutional democracy. We shall participate in all planned activities and do everything possible to make them successful.
Let voice of the people be heard. DM
