The fifth democratic administration, with its socio-economic-political ebbs and flows, has not only laid bare the extent to which the “sins of the incumbency” can paralyse the governing party as a shadow of its former self, but it has also presented an opportunity for South Africans to see the true character of the opposition parties.

Thus, the Zuma administration, which saw the rise of public outcry about moral decadence within the ranks of the African National Congress and the concomitant downward spiral of its electoral fortunes, deserves to be regarded as a political litmus test for what South Africa and its citizenry would be subjected to, in the absence of the highly esteemed and united ANC with its tried and tested prestige as the leader of society.

Quite frankly, there is overwhelming signal that, in the absence of the ANC of Pixley ka Isaka Seme, Charlotte Makgomo Maxeke, Alfred Bitini Xuma, Lillian Matabane Ngoyi, Govan Mvuyelwa Mbeki, Oliver Reginald “OR” Tambo, Nontsikelelo Albertina Sisulu, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela and all other heroes and heroines of our glorious movement, the aftermath would be disastrous for the development of our country.

South Africans would be vulnerable to the Democratic Alliance, with its shameful agenda to maintain the status quo of black poverty and white privilege and the Economic Freedom Fighters, with its anarchy and brinkmanship. There is nothing that could bear testimony to this better than the extent to which the DA is prepared to wage lawfare against land expropriation without compensation and the aftermath of the August 2016 local government elections.

During local government elections, DA snake oil masquerading as values of “freedom, fairness and opportunity” enticed a significant number of voters for it to garner enough support over the ANC in order to form coalition governments with other political parties. Indeed, after the elections, irrespective of dialectical ideologies, the opportunistic EFF and other smaller parties have used their political power to install a DA hegemony in the City of Tshwane, Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Metro.

But soon, as early as 2017, the house of cards, propelled by hatred for the ANC and a foundational principle of the “enemy of my enemy is my friend”, started to show cracks when the United Democratic Movement (UDM) threatened to pull out of the coalition agreement over the removal of its councillor, Mongameli Bobani, as the deputy mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay.

This DA house of cards finally crumbled in August 2018, exactly two years after its concoction, after EFF leader Julius Malema could not hide his party’s politics of identity and pronounced that his party’s greatest urge was to remove the DA’s illiberal Athol Trollip as the mayor, by virtue of the pigment of his skin. All this has created political instability and a leadership crisis, which only the gullible and illogical would think has not hamstrung the capacity of the local municipality to render service delivery citizens.

While the DA-led coalitions in Tshwane and Johannesburg metropolitan councils were not as chaotic as Nelson Mandela Bay, there are emerging allegations of corruption cover-ups between the DA and EFF in the City of Johannesburg.

This could be the logical explanation for why the EFF has not yet sponsored a vote of no confidence on the insipid Mayor Herman Mashaba and has indulged in its politics of spectacle and chaos at this municipal council.

Ordinarily, if it does not go its way, the EFF is notorious for brinkmanship. This much was evident when the self-proclaimed corruption busters threatened to remove Mayor of Tshwane Solly Msimanga after he declared the City’s intention to suspend Moeketsi Mosola over alleged supply chain management irregularities which saw the awarding of a R12-billion tender to GladAfrica for infrastructure roll-out.

It is alleged that Mosola is a member of the EFF. And if the self-styled corruption busters were so real about rooting out corruption, why would they defend a suspicious individual? Why would they attempt to distract and bastardise Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s State Capture commission of inquiry, which has been established by the ANC-led government to expose the much-talked-about corruption in the state? Bayasiqhatha (it’s all lies).

The fight between the DA and EFF was not only over these corruption allegations but also about the DA’s racist deployment policy. It was not long after Msimanga ascended to power as Mayor of Tshwane for the DA’s two-faced politics, contradictions, lies and myths about its values of “freedom, fairness, and opportunity”, were exposed. As in the Western Cape — where Hellen Zille, soon after her ascension to power as the Premier of the Western Cape in June 2009, placed highly qualified black professionals in excess through her “modernisation policy”, despite their qualifications — Msimanga’s office hired unqualified white members of the DA into lucrative senior executive positions. Remember Marietha Aucamp?

In what should be regarded as an insult to the intelligence of the public, Mr “I was not aware” Msimanga pleaded his innocence and ignorance for this blatant deployment strategy, and blamed it on the human resources department. There is no way that Msimanga would not be aware of the credentials of the executives in his political office. Uyasiqhatha (he is lying). He needs to be told: There is no amount of his balderdash that would obscure the fact that there is no fairness and equal opportunity in the DA, other than the self-preservation of white people.

But as Abraham Lincoln once said, “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time,” the latest poll, conducted by the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) in September, seems to suggest that, the citizens of this country are beginning to see these charlatans for what they are. The results place the ANC on an upward trajectory at 56% and DA and EFF on a downward spiral of 18% and 11% respectively.

And with President Cyril Ramaphosa at helm, who does not only talk but acts on corruption to restore the moral integrity of the ANC of our Martyrs, I anticipate significant electoral gains during 2019 general elections.

Zizojik’izinto! DM

Ka-Ndyalvan is an ANC member at Akaso Branch and he writes in his personal capacity.