Former Business Day editor Songezo Zibi's Rise Mzansi is proving to be a new home for young, black middle-class voters who are despondent over South African politics.
The party this weekend held its inaugural people’s convention, a platform for nearly 500 of its relatively young supporters from across the country to deliberate on its policy offering ahead of the 2024 polls.
The party, launched at Constitutional Hill, Johannesburg, in April, has spent the past five months on roadshows, canvassing citizens and debating the crises facing communities.
Rise Mzansi spokesperson Tebogo Moalusi said “the professional class of South Africa is a sleeping giant that needs to be awakened”.
“Professionals have given a very thorough articulation of what needs to be put in place. We have a responsibility to activate that base and for it to start serving South Africans. I know that we have been disillusioned, at some point we were even called ‘clever blacks’, so we retreated and decided we are not going to participate in this democracy.
“But now we must rise, because the cost of doing nothing is exactly where we find ourselves. It is absolutely important that all those who see themselves as professionals commit behind the solidarity of ensuring that the poor and the working class no longer are the only ones fighting for the rights of people who don’t have.”
The term “clever blacks” was coined by former president Jacob Zuma, who slammed black people “who become too clever”, saying “they become the most eloquent in criticising themselves about their own traditions and everything”. He called for a return to an African way of resolving disputes and a rejection of “the white man’s way”.
When I rise for Mzansi I don’t just rise for myself, I rise for those who don’t have the confidence to rise with issues that they are facing in their communities
— Bohlale Buzani, Rise Mzansi member
Such comments, rampant corruption in the ANC and service delivery failures isolated the middle class.
Zibi saw the gap and toured the country, meeting different sectors and civil society organisations. The party then developed a discussion framework outlining key policy themes: family, community, governance, economic recovery, justice, inclusivity, nation-building and climate change.
Zibi said the party’s goal was to hear directly from South Africans on issues they believe are important, how they affect their daily lives, and what kind of future they envision.
“Contrary to what old and traditional political parties do, we seek to unlock extensive dialogue on what it will take to build a safe, prosperous and united society, collectively. Our commitment is to remain open to being guided, convinced and open to working together to craft the future we all deserve.”
A delegate to the convention, Bohlale Buzani, 27, from Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape, said he was drawn to the party because it was born out of civil society.
“I was one of the people who were idle and didn’t have a political home as a young person who believes in integrity and accountability as core pillars of democracy. I joined Rise Mzansi to create a new governing system for the country.
“When I rise for Mzansi I don’t just rise for myself, I rise for those who don’t have the confidence to rise with issues that they are facing in their communities. Rise Mzansi is a political vehicle for us to achieve those objectives. We are united by a common goal to redeem South Africa and to restore its dignity.”
One core pillar stressed by Zibi is to improve the quality of life for South Africans so they have “long, healthy and safe lives where jobs, income and building wealth are possible because there are basic services and opportunities to prosper”.
“We believe that no nation can claim to believe in human rights when people die of hunger. We must make a powerful moral choice, that every family must have three full meals per day. Whatever fiscal constraints we have, we must feed children and their caregivers. Staying alive cannot depend on whether someone has work or not. Our unemployment is not the fault of those who are unemployed.”
Party national chair Vuyiswa Ramokgopa said: “What is important is that we are not alone in this process. We have been engaging sectors of society and today we are joined by our esteemed guest speakers who are individual representatives from business, civil society, politics, academia and community-based organisations.”
The three-day convention symbolised the party's family-orientated and fresh approach to politics by incorporating arts workshops, a sports tournament and a night market festival for delegates on the sidelines of policy discussions. It will end today with a “people's declaration” announced by Zibi on the manifesto for the general elections.
