The long walk continues...

Reflecting on #SONA2017 too many people are laughing and describing our parliament as a circus – and that is not because we take the cue from the president, who was laughing…

During the events I had a moment where I had to ask do we still have a democracy and democratic Parliament. 

Like 13 January 2015, the morning after, I lower my head in shame as a South African – this is not the democracy that hundreds of men and woman gave up their lives for us to enjoy.

Facial expressions one got from Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng and former President Thabo Mbeki summed up that the undemocratic events during a Joint Sitting of the two houses of Parliament and should be of grave concern for each and every voter.

Our 490 members of Parliament have privileges on the chamber floor, or so I thought. How many times will we have to view the force removal of democratically elected members? They do represent a percentage of voters – whether it’s 0.8%, 6% or 30%.

 

Julius Malema and his caucus might have valid points, but as pointed out by the Leader of the Official Opposition, Mmusi Maimane, and Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Thandi Modise: the joint sitting was not the platform for them. 

Will there ever be a platform? ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu’s point of order sounded like he was heading that way and then he made a u-turn. The former ANC spindoctor left a window open when he mention about “the ability of Parliament to remove the president”.

Given the few failed No Confidence and Impeachment motions I doubt it will happen in Jacob Zuma’s tenure. That makes me wonder do we really have to go through two more SONA’s that has more action than the Action Movie channel.

Whether you like or agree with him or not, Jacob Zuma is President of the Republic – duly elected by the democratically elected 400 members of the National Assembly.

The honourable members might have valid points of order, but until the President – irrespective of the person holding the office – is impeach, citizens have a right to hear (and not view) the State of our Nation.

As citizen and more particularly registered voter my hope and dream now is that our leaders – the Presiding Officers of Parliament will reach a point where they sit with leaders and Chief Whips of all parties represented in the house, along with the Leader of Government Business and the Parliamentary Counsellor to the President and – act in the interest of the country they meant to serve.

There is a dark cloud hanging over our democracy. If I read the last address, our first democratically elected president, the late Nelson Mandela delivered to Parliament [26 March 1999] I cannot wonder if Madiba knew that we would have to cross this bridge.

Tata warned us “the long walk continues. Mooi loop!”