The ANC really is just like Manchester United: iLIVE

19 January 2015 - 14:54 By Michael Shackleton, DA Councillor, Tshwane Metro
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An ANC supporter wave an ANC flag during the ANC birthday celebrations at Cape Town Stadium.
An ANC supporter wave an ANC flag during the ANC birthday celebrations at Cape Town Stadium.
Image: ESA ALEXANDER/SUNDAY TIMES

Former leader of the Democratic Alliance, Tony Leon, famously wrote in a Business Day column years ago that the African National Congress is similar to Manchester United.

He went on to explain that people support the ANC in the same way that they would support the famous soccer team; in the sense that supporters stand behind the logo and constantly forgive the faults of their team regardless of circumstances.

What he would not have in mind at the time of writing his piece, is Manchester United’s spectacular fall from grace in 2014 under manager David Moyes, which has continued under current manager Louis van Gaal into 2015. In fact, the club have the same points tally under the current manager that they had at the some point in the season under the previous one; despite a record breaking transfer outlay in which they signed players to a combined value of over R1 billion.

Teams are no longer afraid to attack Manchester United since the departure of club legend Sir Alex Ferguson.

This happens to coincide with a period in our history where no one is afraid to criticise the ANC, and in particular, President Jacob Zuma.

It is encouraging for our democracy that when I tune into radio stations such as Power FM, the presenter asks ANC representatives tough questions which, quite often, absolutely obliterates the ANC argument on several matters.

At the ANC’s 103rd birthday celebrations, the DA flew a plane around the City of Cape Town carrying a banner emblazoned with the words, “pay back the money.”

The contempt shown towards the ANC by the Economic Freedom Fighters is already well documented.

We have reached a stage in our young and maturing democracy where the ANC is no longer feared. It has become usual to criticise the ANC and more often, the ANC has no defence to constant criticism against them, because it is totally legitimate.

In the days of former President Thabo Mbeki, if one critiqued government policy and the state of the nation, one was met with harsh rebuke by the President himself.

In 2014, Anton Rupert intimated that the country is essentially a sinking ship. No response was heard from the ANC or the President.

The ANC is at their worst since 1994. Their moral compass has been on the wane for some time and everybody knows it.

The so-called “ruling party”, as they call themselves is easily exposed, moving from scandal to scandal on a daily basis. They are not a “ruling” party by any means; they are a governing party. President Jacob Zuma is not a king. He was elected; not born into his position and he remains accountable to numerous institutions.

It would be politically prudent to sack President Jacob Zuma. He is giving the ANC a bad name. His rise to power has seen the ANC become associated with corruption; national surveys confirm this.

President Jacob Zuma’s failure to answer questions in Parliament as well as his failure to adhere to the recommendations in the Public Protector’s Report on Nkandla, leave the ANC exposed.

I’m actually giving the ANC free advice here: opposition parties benefit in terms of growth because of how damaged the ANC’s brand has become under its current leadership.

Just as soccer teams remove their managers for failure to meet certain standards, and companies do the same thing, President Jacob Zuma should be removed if the ANC want to arrest their slide and constant reduced support.

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