After the recent deadly blaze in Johannesburg, it was infuriating to hear politicians blame civil society organisations for a mess they created, or least presided over, for many years, doing little to resolve it.
In the past 29 years South Africa’s constitutional democracy has, arguably, largely relied on civil society — community and issue-based organisations, and other players such as the media — to steer the ship amid constant governance and constitutional impediments. Left unattended, these impediments could have had dire repercussions for a nation trying hard to recover from a horrible past.
Civil society organisations have, for three decades, under difficult circumstances and with scant financial resources, worked with the state when it has failed or independently for South Africa's betterment.
What we have seen, particularly since the fire in which 77 people died in a five-storey build in the CBD, is a government that refuses to take responsibility, argues against accountability, monumentally fails to address problems and spews reactionary comments.
The resultant blame game does not help. It demonstrates how leaders rush to scenes at which there are television cameras, taking to the air to make inflammatory, blame-driven remarks that divert attention from their lack of leadership.
A cabinet minister heading a prominent portfolio who rants about NGOs being the problem in a crisis should not go unchallenged.
There has been much confusion as occupiers of unsafe buildings are inaccurately referred to as hijackers. The real hijackers are free, still sending their stooges to collect illegal rent. What we need to ask is who are they and with whom do they work, then expose the politicians and government officials with whom they do. We cannot continue to allow CBD buildings to become slums while those responsible for this get off scot-free.
The governing ANC has repeatedly been told to take responsibility for its failures, even by its own. Dr Sydney Mufamadi’s high-level review panel on state security is one such example. Coalition governments in Tshwane and Johannesburg are a mess.
Perhaps government leaders should ask themselves how they got to a point where more than 1,200 state properties are illegally occupied. It would be interesting to see where the blame is apportioned -- civil society again?
Perhaps government leaders should ask themselves how they got to a point where more than 1,200 state properties are illegally occupied. It would be interesting to see where the blame is apportioned — civil society again? Government infrastructure continues to crumble, yet there seems to be little appetite to address this, with attention only paid thereto when more than 70 people die.
With provincial and national general elections less than a year away, South Africa is now in the silly season, one that is often, boringly, laced with populism that takes us nowhere. It’s the kind of populism that leaves voters and potential ones eerily uncomfortable about what lies ahead should these populists ascend to power.
Equally, we need to acknowledge that civil society does not always get it right. This happens in a democratic state with various role players — there are bound to be some who overstep their mandate. The state, with its powers, should do its job, but when it fails, it should be called to account.
When this happens, the motives and intentions of groups offering critiques will be questioned. In any constitutional democracy, particularly one as young as ours, civil society plays and will continue to play a critical and towering role in strengthening our democracy.
US president Barack Obama, once remarked that “change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we have been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
South Africans know the change they need — one where the goalposts are not moved to suit the narratives of politicians. Civil society is assertive when it says most young South Africans and the middle class realise they should occupy leadership roles as the country needs to be led. It needs to be rescued from the brink of collapse.
Civil society’s voice and actions have been heard, rightly, particularly by the government when it has been called upon to do its job or simply the right thing. Thanks to an independent and strong judiciary, it has only managed to achieve this by taking the state to court. Litigation is expensive and should, if possible, be avoided. In most instances, civil society has been left little choice but to take such action for the betterment of the citizenry.
State institutions tasked and mandated to deliver services have mostly failed. Such failures have largely been pointed out by civil society, which has called on these institutions to act. In some instances this has ended up being like flogging a dead horse.
Civil society, as an interested party in South Africa’s constitutional democracy, calls on the nation to look forward to the coming elections with the sole purpose of voting for those who are able to lead, account, learn, unlearn and relearn from mistakes, and put the country, not their political parties, first.
South Africans, with elections around the corner and politicians running amok with irresponsible comments, should not suffer fools. This country has been misgoverned for three decades and the rot cannot be allowed to rage on unabated, dissipating governance. We should not tire of calling for accountability from the government and civil society, which is also not beyond reproach.
* Tshenkeng is chair of the Rivonia Circle, South Africa’s newest political think-tank
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