Not Without Hope.

Hannes Wessels,

I’m in touch with an old friend who departed South Africa soon after the transfer of power to the African National Congress (ANC) under Nelson Mandela and relocated to New York City. He has prospered abroad and wrote to me recently lamenting what has become of Johannesburg, his old home, and the country in general.

This distressing missive got me thinking. My youngest daughter, recently graduated in law in London, has decided she would rather try and build a future in Africa than the UK. I, as a father, wish I knew more and found myself better placed to offer her advice; but I find myself in a quandary when trying to understand what the future offers in the volatile world we find ourselves in. 

But, despondent as I am, not only about Africa, but the world in general and well aware of all that is wrong with South Africa, I watch with interest and not a little hope how the truly multi-racial, sensibly led, Democratic Alliance (DA) appears to be on the cusp of becoming the country’s most popular party. (It must be noted this is according to the polls which are often wrong but I don’t think many believe the numbers being published are too wide of the mark.)

This reversal of political fortunes, which leaves the once all-powerful ANC floundering, tells me many South Africans, mostly black, have come to understand that their ongoing hardships and the challenges they face in pursuit of a better life are not simply the fault of the white minority. After over 30 years of grossly incompetent, and chronically corrupt misrule, they have identified the culprits. Now they are looking more searchingly for answers and alternatives and being more cerebral in who they believe will provide them with better representation in the all-important positions of power.

This seismic shift in perceptions is presently crystallising in the big race for the mayoralty of the most important city in southern Africa; my pal’s old hometown of Johannesburg where the DA’s redoubtable Helen Zille, looks to be the likely winner. Which got me thinking a little more about where he is now and where these two cities might be going.

The popularly elected mayor of New York is Zohran Kwame Mamdami, Ugandan born, of Indian descent, a Muslim and a Member of the Democratic Socialists of America. His father Mahmood, a liberal academic, named him ‘Kwame’ in honour of Kwame Nkrumah who led Ghana to independence in 1957 making it the first British colony to leave what was then still the ‘Empire’.

Nkrumah soon destroyed the productive sector and the colonial infrastructure, impoverished his countrymen, made himself ‘president for life’ and was eventually deposed in a coup leaving a wrecked country in his wake.  Mr. Mamdami appears to be trying to emulate his namesake. Appealing to a growing majority who see rich whites as the root of the problem, he has promised to tax them hard to pay for free public transport, free medical care for children, state-owned grocery stores, rent-control, free housing and a minimum wage.

Helen Zille on the other hand, a political pragmatist rather than an idealogue, with an impeccable record, was born in the city she seeks to make a better place and is acutely aware that impoverishing the wealthy will not enrich the poor. And this is where I see light; a growing number of South Africans understand this; in the US it appears, a growing number, led by opportunists like Mandami, either do not understand this, or if they do, they reject it.

Mrs. Zille, a former journalist and anti-apartheid activist was at one time arrested and given a suspended prison sentence under the segregation laws then in place. She rose to prominence after exposing the cover-up relating to the death of Black Consciousness leader Steve Biko while working for the ‘Rand Daily Mail’. She celebrated the accession to power of the ANC in 1994 but soon grew disillusioned and showed typical courage in her convictions by making her sentiments widely known, much to the fury of her erstwhile political allies. She went on to play a critical role in the formation of the DA, becoming a highly successful mayor of Cape Town before taking over the leadership of the party.

At 75, this incredible woman, has decided to devote the rest of her working life to saving the city she loves. Her sincerity, devotion to duty, and probably most importantly, her understanding of the country’s political, social and economic dynamics, make her unquestionably the country’s premier politician and, in my view, (not shared by NEWS 24 and most of the English-language media), South Africa is extremely fortunate to have her.

Similarly my daughter has noticed the rapid deterioration of London under Mr. Sadiq Khan who differs little from his New York counterpart in his approach to governing this once great capital city where today only 33% of the city-folk are of English descent. She thinks Cape Town under Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis looks like a brighter place to be and I think she might be right.

God bless Helen Zille and all those people, of all races, who follow and assist her, in their efforts to save South Africa.