LET’S ALL BE POLITICALLY INVOLVED

Sir,
 
I have chosen to kick-start 2019 by talking about the low level of participation in our nation’s political process, especially among our educated elite, professional class, young people, the clergy etc.

I remember the vibrancy and political activism of the then irrepressible Jan Sithole, Marwick’s Sibahle Sinje, Sibahle Simanikiniki, those days.
Which gets me wondering, what has happened to us that we have not only been cowered into political disengagement and apathy, but have allowed our political process to be hijacked by professional politicians and Lilliputians, not to mention their handicapped grandsons and criminal apprentices?

Consequent upon the abdication of our civic responsibility of political participation, we have ceded the political playing field to fake merchants of change whose notion to governance is one that is geared at perpetrating their political dominance and self-aggrandisement.

Silence

Ever since time immemorial, the governing elite who have straddled our political landscape have continued to be sustained by a culture of silence of both the likes of us and the disposed.

 Their grip to power has been strengthened by our silence. As a result of the self-imposed political disengagement by many of us, bad things in our polity keep getting worse. It was Pluto who said it all, ‘one of the penalties is that you end up being governed by your inferiors’.

A cursory look around the country, both governance and the staffing of our many institutions reveals the emergence of mediocrity, with the best and the brightest scared away, either by revulsion of our politics, the do or die nature of our electoral process or the lack of faith, confidence and trust in our political system and process.

It is unfortunate that in the face of such national malaise, many of us still choose to sit on the guidelines or are ensconced in our silos of political aspiration and indifference.
The reality of our national predicament today is that never in the history of this country’s national and governance, has there been on display for everyone to witness.

 Such a degree of profound incompetence, moral bankruptcy, visionary blindness and governance ineptitude is not of this world.  It is time to make a clear distinction between political engagement and political participation. It is time to get involved in activities that shape,  and affect the political process and outcomes such as attending conventions, registering as a member of a political party; in a sense, just do something. Belong somewhere nje studies in Political Science inform us that one of the basic civic responsibilities of any citizenry is the extent to which they take part in the political system, or simply making their opinions and beliefs known.

Question

My question then, why the political apathy when as a country we are blessed with so much concentrations of intelligentsia, experienced technocrats and articulate social commentators?

The political disengagement in the face of glaring governing mediocrity and incompetence is a shame. Why this public silence when we can raise our voices in protest against mismanagement, malfeasance and lack of accountability? Why fall victim to intimidation, political harassment and threats by criminal political elements?

Resolve

It is honest belief that there is so much we as citizens can do to exchange the trajectory in this country, if only we can all resolve to actively get involved rather than leave the political process to crafters and political charlatans.

It is time to face the reality that we are in trouble here. It is our duty as good citizens to stop political by-standing but to get involved, build a new era of politics, where we can disagree with one another and still remain friends as we search for common ground and compromise. So I want to use this opportunity to urge every political bystander, endeavour to get policy involved, otherwise what you are running from, you may run into.

And those who feel the wall of our political process and practice are too thick to crack, let me remind them that even the strongest wall can come crashing down since all is needed is to find a crack on its surface. To those who think it’s too late to get involved, I will say, the ship hasn’t sailed yet, but is about to leave the dock, so it is not late to step on board.
I wish you all a happy new year.

Colleen Matsebula

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