Political realinment - building and alternative opinion article by Bantu Holomisa (06 July 2008)

The United Democratic Movement welcomes the debate that has been started about political realignment, especially the comments by the leader of the Democratic Alliance, Helen Zille. It is a pity that her predecessor, Tony Leon, did not want to consider this option in 2000 when I proposed it to him, along with Mangosuthu Buthelezi of the IFP and Marthinus van Schalkwyk of the then NNP.

The impact of the social forces that transformed a totalitarian racist regime to a democratic social order, founded on the most progressive principles to be enshrined in a bill of rights in any country in modern times, shook the social foundations that had hitherto provided the basis and rationale for the alignment of political groupings which characterized our political landscape prior to 1994.

Our point of departure in nation building must not be an ideological paradigm predicated on our inclusive intolerant nationalism.  This would be an unfortunate repeat of the discredited and failed social orders such as apartheid and communism in the former eastern block countries.  This view has been propounded by Dr Van Zyl Slabbert in his book.

Our history demands an awareness and willingness form all South Africans to fight the resurgence of racial hostilities and conflicts.  It is in recognition of this historical legacy of our society that our party has committed itself to the vision of a new South Africa.

Our analysis of the changing socio–eco-political order in South Africa, and politics in South Africa indicates that there will be discernible political shifts along interest group divides, distinguished by common concerns and aspirations.  This process will move towards the crystallization of two major political streams, which express the ethos of the beneficiaries of the established order, on the one hand, and the aspirations of the emerging major social groupings that are marginalized at present on the other hand.  This will necessitate the emergence of two major political formations representing these interest groups.  Indications are that the ruling party is already catering for the elite and pursuing economic policies that benefit a few who share a common vision with the elite’s of the core world economies.

The possible realignment of political parties could well be the focus for an emerging political formation, which will articulate the concerns and aspirations of the vast marginalized people of all colours and races in South Africa, who belong with the periphery, hence there is a need for an economic policy which will centre on the need to invest in enterprise development, to alleviate unemployment among others, and narrow the gap between the haves and have-nots.

The levels of poverty are increasing and pervading all social and racial communities.  The emergence of this major political grouping representing the interest of the marginalized will remove the confusion created by an ambivalent Tripartite Alliance (ANC, Cosatu & SACP) ruling clique who preach elimination of unemployment in the streets and legislate retrenchments and greater unemployment in Parliament.

The current confusion has undermined investor confidence and eroded our currency.  The consequence of the current trend is social instability.  In this situation corruption and misrule abound.

The revolutionary firebrands of yesteryear have reneged on the struggle day’s promises to redistribute the national resources for the benefit of the disadvantaged.  Instead they have strategically positioned themselves in bogus workers empowerment projects, for their own benefit, without issuing even share certificates, let alone dividends to the workers they purport to empower.  The former champions of worker’s rights are now exploiting their traditional relationship with the workers to enrich themselves.  The erstwhile communists have abandoned their social programme and boarded the gravy train.

There is a need for South Africa to be led out of this quagmire of corruption and parasitic exploitation. The Tripartite Alliance partners seem to have forgotten their original agenda.  Their macro-economic policies have not delivered more jobs or more investments, instead billions of Rands are leaving this country on a daily basis without any hope of returning.

The social and political revolution which released the dynamic energy that had been trapped by the social engineering of the past regimes has created a new socio-political climate in South Africa wherein new political and social alignments can take place.

The current pattern of some opposition groupings in South Africa largely reflects the political and social divides of the apartheid and struggle days.  There is therefore a need to encourage these debates about realigning the political landscape in the country. We visualize a paradigm shift that will focus on the process that will lead to the establishment of alternative government.

In all our discussions in this debate our point of departure should be the recommitment to the principle of improving the quality of lives of the people of South Africa as a national objective agreed to by all parties during the negotiation process prior to 1994.

The UDM feels it will not be in the best interests of all South Africans if the debate is only about political alliances. If the DA is serious about this debate, it should be prepared to go the whole way, not just short-term alliances for the sake of ganging up against the ANC in the coming election. Any serious discussion about realigning the political landscape should not be confined only to political parties, but should also embrace stakeholders from civil society. The re-alignment phenomenon, it must be clearly understood, is not an alliance of political parties. It is a re-writing of the political map, a re-alignment of ideas, the regrouping of people around new concepts that have been thrown up by the changes that have taken place.

The UDM would propose the following steps to seriously advance this debate:
Engage in informal discussion with all stakeholders. If there is an emerging consensus to establish an alternative government, we should establish a Committee of Parties with equal status.
That Committee of Parties should, in consultation with their leaders, work out the following:
i.          a vision
ii.         a possible vehicle to drive the process, including the question of leadership
iii.        areas of agreement and disagreement on our values.
If there is consensus, the Committee should call a Summit of Leaders to send a message that we are serious about political realignment in South Africa.  It is at this Summit that the leaders may decide on what the next stage in the process will be.
The UDM view is that an appropriate format for discussions will be a National Indaba/Convention of Political Parties and sectors of society.
Such an Indaba/Convention can set up Commissions to deliberate on different policy areas.
The Commissions would report their findings to the Indaba/Convention, indicating differences and agreements on key areas and principles underlying party platforms.
It would be the responsibility of the Indaba/Convention to take resolutions, on the most important aspects of this process, which would be a commitment to an accepted common vision of an alternative government.

If consensus is reached during the course outlined above, it is conceivable that the situation could result in a new political formation that would pursue the objective of an alternative government.

We call upon South Africans in all political formations, civil society, the business sector, academic etc. to take stock and concede that we should leave the baggage of the past behind and embrace the opportunity to carry our society forward and write a new chapter in our history.