recalled

Monday morning dawned and it was business as usual. there were staff in my office who didn't even know that the president of our country had been recalled/fired. isn't it amazing, we cook, eat, sleep, make love, shop. do what people all over the world are doing at some time or another, but we don't read a newspaper or watch the news. life continuous while the political landscape of a country changes.

life went on, despite the momentous happenings this weekend.
our president made the most dignified resignation speech of any i have had occasion to witness, admittedly i was moved to tears, and might i add pride in the manner in which he acquitted himself in his address to the nation.

This was the president we had voted in, this was the man who has steered south Africa, towards economic growth, put us on the map internationally, who was instrumental in negotiating our peaceful transition to democracy. where was this man in the last couple of years, when opposing voices were baying for his blood. this was the man, who should have had his feet firmly planted on south African soil. i cannot help but feel, had he been or appeared to be a hands on president, who had spent more time addressing the concerns of his citizens, rather than sorting out the problems of Africa, he might have served his full term.

he is an ANC stalwart who has given his life to the organisation and to the freedom of the people of this country, while i have lamented ad nauseum, on the failings of the MBEKI government, to address issues of crime, aids,unemployment,rising taxes etc. it has been the axing of jacob zuma, that has been instrumental in bringing down the mbeki government.to his credit mr Mbeki, was gracious in defeat, a man who had the best interests of this country and his political party at heart.

it was good to see democratic processes win the day, as opposed to anarchy and violence, unlike most countries on this continent, the rule of law, and respect of our constitution are what emerged from this fiasco. this is politics, the dog eat dog world of power and behind the scenes machinations. politics is a dirty game, and those in power are loathe to relinquish it, once they enjoy the fruits of high office. much to his credit, Thabo Mbeki addressed his detractors and supporters alike, with a call to work towards a better future for all.

my fear is that the men who have come out in support of jacob zuma, our future president after the next election, are a bunch of uneducated ill informed noise makers, in this i refer to the president of the ANC youth league malema, and those that are fond of violent rhetoric. it remains to be seen, how Jacob zuma will acquit himself and the type of leadership he aligns himself with. the axing of thabo mbeki, and previously the election of Jacob zuma as president of the ANC in polokwane, highlighted the schisms in a seemingly invincible political party.

but even politicians are human, and once the fight for freedom had been won, the fight for control, would inevitably rear it's ugly head. Thabo Mbeki pissed of a few of his comrades, in trying to achieve his vision of a free democratic Africa, and those pissed off comrades, who are now very rich because of BEE placement, have gone for the jugular.tit for tat so to speak.

all it took, was a lone judge (nicholson, a name that will be remembered in the anals of history) in the non descript town of pietermareitzburg, to rule that jacob zuma had been unfairly prejudiced, that the president behaved immorally in firing his deputy president, and the death knell was rung. our president was recalled in the same manner in which jacob zuma had lost his post. the presidential advisers were short sighted in their assessment of the zuma issue, and extremely shortsighted when they assumed that his popularity was not great enough to orchestrate a take over. well hahaha to you.

two strikes, and it is game over for the mbeki camp. or is it? as south Africans we should be proud, that changes like these can take place without prejudicing safety and security, as long as the likes of malema, are not put in charge, i have great hope, that the economy will tick over, that i will continue to bitch about high taxation, crime, and lack of delivery. fully well knowing that things will be business as usual, and that we will have democracy work for us.

to mr mbeki, i wish you every happiness and success in the future, and it is my fervent hope that you will always be a part of steering this country towards achieving it's greatest potential.
i thank you, for the last 52 years, and most especially for being the great mind, that negotiated and still negotiates the peaceful and successful rise of our fledgling democracy. i wish that the man who represented himself last night, had been the man that we saw in the last decade, a leader of great skill, intelligence, loyalty and dedication. hopefully you will not leave us to suffer the malema's of this world alone....but then it is the price of democracy.