Sure, it’s a actual phrase. It’s a factor. Wiki and the dictionary describe it as: “A system of presidency run by the worst, least certified or most unscrupulous residents.”
Sound acquainted? S’Africa…?
Though, right here in our beloved ailing, flailing banana-republic-in-the-making, I feel it’s pronounced with high-pressure emphasis on the primary three letters…
As a result of it seems that’s precisely what we’re devolving into. Simply one other clichéd, basket-case, failed African state.
How the hell did we get right here? (As if we didn’t know…)
It’s not like we weren’t warned. There have been many…MANY indicators alongside the best way, over the previous 30 years or so. (Most likely preaching to the choir right here once more.)
Some indicators had been much less apparent than others. Some acquired buried within the barrage of endemic authorities corruption, rampant violent crime, the pandemic of GBV and youngster abuse, xenophobic assaults, failed parastatals, bankrupt municipalities, CIT heists changing into as widespread as load shedding, and so on, and so on, and so on…
Listed below are only a few of what had been, for me, a few of the lesser-noticed early warning indicators {that a} kakistocracy was coming. Indicators that we had taken a unsuitable flip someplace again there, and had been now on the offramp to Banana Republic Boulevard…and Failed-State Central.
THREATENING NANDOS TO PULL A COMMERCIAL
Round early April 2009, one among SA’s favorite hen franchises Nando’s launched a satirical TV business that includes a caricature puppet that resembled, spoofed and lampooned then ANC Youth League chief, Julius Malema.
How did Malema and the ANCYL reply to the wonderful, artistic, satirical advert? With maniacal frothing-at-the-mouth “disgust“.
They accused Nando’s of utilizing “low cost satire” to undermine electoral politics in South Africa. Additionally they threatened Nando’s with “militant motion” if the advert was not withdrawn. “If Nando’s doesn’t withdraw the adverts, the ANCYL will mobilise the folks of South Africa to take militant motion in opposition to Nando’s and something related to Nando’s”, they mentioned.
Beneath strain, Nando’s in the end withdrew the business.
Take into consideration that. In what is meant to be a “subtle” constitutional democracy, a fast-food franchise could be threatened by a faction of the ruling get together into withdrawing a playful satiric business.
Nando’s instantly adopted up with a cheeky response advert.
Good for Nando’s for standing up and hitting again. However for me, the “militant” backlash by the ANCYL, to one thing as frivolous as company artwork, was a disturbing signal of issues to return. That was the second I felt I had simply watched political satire, dramatic irony and true, unabated freedom of speech and inventive expression come underneath menace on this nation.
However Nando’s was not the one sufferer of this type of cold-war period communist or Gestapo techniques…
ILLEGALLY EVICTING A JOURNALIST FROM A PRESS BRIEFING
On 8 April 2010, Malema discovered himself again within the unsavoury international limelight when he verbally attacked, insulted and ejected a BBC journalist from a press briefing. He did it as a result of the journalist, John Fisher, identified that Malema, a supposed Marxist-socialist and self-proclaimed champion “for the poor”, lives in an opulent, swanky, Sandton mansion.
Addressing reporters at Luthuli Home, Malema was mocking members of Zimbabwe’s Motion for Democratic Change for utilizing workplaces within the rich suburb of Sandton, when Fisher interjected with, “You reside in Sandton.”
That’s all he mentioned. “You reside in Sandton.” What got here subsequent was straight out of Idi Amin’s Uganda.
Clearly embarrassed at being caught out, this triggered Malema and an change with Fisher that culminated in Malema calling for safety to eject the journo. Malema accused Fisher of “that white tendency” and ” undermining blacks”. He added, “This isn’t a newsroom, it’s a revolutionary home.”
As Fisher packed up Malema threw a slew of extra slurs that included insults like ” Garbage is what you may have coated in that trouser. You’re a small boy, you possibly can’t do something.” As Fisher headed out the door, Malema shouted “Exit, Bastard! Exit. Bloody agent!”
The entire nation and world noticed that embarrassing debacle of a “press convention” degenerate right into a shameful, disgraceful, assault on media freedom and expression – that you simply’d solely anticipate from some Japanese Bloc communist nation or African dictatorship.
Not one single journo in that room protested or joined Fisher in strolling out. Not one took Malema to job for it.
That very same afternoon, the Nationwide Press Membership launched an announcement slamming the actions of Malema. Yusuf Abramjee, chairperson of the Nationwide Press Membership, mentioned: “Such behaviour in opposition to the media is unacceptable in a democratic nation the place media freedom is a part of the Structure.”
He additionally mentioned, “Everybody ought to have walked out in solidarity with the BBC reporter. Journalists want to stay collectively. It’s fully applicable to stroll out ought to a information convention degenerate into journalists being sworn at and insulted.”
The next day, the Committee to Shield Journalists (CPJ) additionally launched an announcement condemning the expulsion. CPJ Africa programme coordinator Tom Rhodes mentioned. “We hope that journalists will be capable to cowl future press conferences for the ANC with out being insulted and expelled.”
The ANC, to their credit score, additionally launched an announcement condemning Malema’s unlawful expulsion of Fisher.
DESTROYING CONTROVERSIAL ART: THE SPEAR
On 10 Could 2012, Cape City-based South African artist Brett Murray opened his Hail to the Thief II exhibition within the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg.
Considered one of his items, titled The Spear depicted then South African President Jacob Zuma – in a standing pose harking back to Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin – along with his genitals uncovered. The colors and elegance of the portray had been impressed by the works of Soviet-era poster artist, Viktor Semyonovich Ivanov.
The ANC’s response to The Spear portray was nothing wanting rabid, calling it an “abuse of freedom of inventive expression”, and threatening to sue the artist.
Sure ANC ministers denounced the portray as ‘obscene’, ‘vulgar’ and ‘insulting’. Secretary Common, Gwede Mantashe went on public TV and branded it as “impolite, disrespectful and racist.” He demanded that native newspaper, Metropolis Press, take away the portray from its web site. They buckled and did. He then known as for a march on the gallery to threaten and bully them into eradicating the portray.
(Is it me…or don’t you assume our authorities ought to have higher, extra productive issues to do, extra pressing urgent issues, than spending time, vitality and taxpayer cash intimidating artists and banning their works?)
The Spear saga didn’t cease there.
Wally Serote, a number one poet and author, prompt the portray was no totally different to labelling black folks “(the k-word)”. Across the identical time, a pastor of the Nazareth Baptist Church known as for the artist to be stoned to dying.
Actual “subtle” constitutional democracy, huh?
On 17 Could 2012, the ANC issued a press launch expressing their intention to use to the Excessive Courtroom to have the portray eliminated.
On the morning of twenty-two Could 2012, while courtroom proceedings round the precise to ban the picture had been underway, two males entered the Goodman gallery throughout visiting hours, and defaced the portray – on digital camera. The boys – Barend la Grange and Lowie Mabokela – had been arrested by safety officers.
The ANC’s threats, bullying and anti-art intimidation marketing campaign labored. As with the Metropolis Press web site, the portray was finally faraway from the gallery.
One other blow struck by the federal government in opposition to our constitutional democracy – and its safety of our proper to artistic political expression.
And, because it turned out, was to not be the final time…
STRONG-ARMING FNB TO PULL A COMMERCIAL
In January 2013, First Nationwide Financial institution (FNB) launched an anti-corruption advert marketing campaign. Predictably, it instantly got here underneath heavy criticism from the ANC who instantly intervened and strong-armed the financial institution into withdrawing the advert – to the disgust of the important and free-thinking, democratic, SA public.
The ANCYL (once more), as with the Nando’s business, branded FNB and their advert marketing campaign as “treacherous.” The ANC – who weren’t talked about within the marketing campaign in any respect – interpreted this as an assault on the get together and authorities as a result of the business talked about the phrase “corruption” within the narrative.
Clearly, the advert was too near the nerve.
There once more, as with the Nando’s business and The Spear portray, freedom of artistic expression, rule of regulation and our constitutional democracy got here underneath menace by these in energy – who imagine they’re above the regulation and our structure.
The ANC demanded the advert be eliminated and FNB spinelessly and stupidly agreed – and even went on to apologize to the semi-lit, boastful, overreaching bullies in energy. Once more.
MAYBE, THEY JUST DON’T “GET IT”
And that’s simply 4 little indicators on the lengthy winding highway to kakistocracy illustrating that perhaps…simply perhaps…a few of our “leaders” in energy simply don’t “get” it. They don’t “get” this freedom of speech, political satire and inventive expression…factor.
Similar to they didn’t “get” the DA’s “Unite” (“burning flag”) business.
They don’t “get” that in a supposed free and truthful democracy like ours, criticising our authorities and holding them to account – by means of artwork, commercials, media or different means – is the constitutional proper and obligation of each citizen and organisation.
And in the event that they don’t “get it”, in the event that they don’t get nice artwork, or a subversive piece of economic political satire, then…NOBODY is allowed to get it. As a result of it makes them really feel SILLY…that others get it they usually don’t. And so…they need to destroy it. That’s the tinpot, despot, banana-republic approach.
They only don’t appear to know, recognize, nor deserve this fancy-schmancy “subtle” constitutional democracy of ours…that so many fought and died for.
ARE WE TRULY A ‘SOPHISTICATED’ CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY? OR MERELY A KAKISTOCRACY?
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