Editorial: Zuma and Mbete miss the moment

Parliament would have lost nothing by agreeing to a DA request on Thursday night for a moment of silence in memory of the 94 people who died as a result of the government's handling of the Life Esidimeni debacle.

National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete's refusal to pay respects to the 94 exposed how short-sighted and self-centred those in power have become.

Maybe President Jacob Zuma should not have bothered reading his speech because by the time he was allowed to do so, the abhorrent actions of politicians and state officials inside the house had already spoken volumes about the troubled state we are in as a nation.

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A country whose political leaders do not see the death of 94 patients in the state's care as more important than pomp and ceremony is a country in deep crisis.

Mbete, who believes she should be the next head of state, again demonstrated that all she cares about is being in the president's good books.

Zuma has in the past criticised her for being soft on the opposition and of not giving him enough protection as president. Clearly Mbete had that in mind when she rejected a moment of silence.

The unjustified deployment of the army and riot police within the parliamentary precinct was made possible by a National Assembly speaker who sees the institution - whose independence is guaranteed by the constitution - as subservient to the president, the executive and the security forces.

However credible the "intelligence" the government claims to have received about plans to disrupt the event, there was no justification for the high-handed security approach when 441 soldiers were deployed against those who oppose Zuma.

Ours is a vibrant democracy with a parliamentary system that is often messy, noisy and even irritating. But that does not justify attempts to close down space for debate and contestation.

Lest we forget, the chaos that has come to characterise every state of the nation address has its roots in a political problem that can be resolved only through dialogue and persuasion.

No amount of beating is going to make the EFF accept Zuma as the country's legitimate president. Equally, ANC MPs are not going to recall Zuma just because the EFF disrupts his major speeches.

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But to avoid the conflict from escalating into widespread violence, the parties in parliament need to agree on the rules of engagement that would give space to protest inside the house without interfering with the right of others.

For this to happen, there is an urgent need for cool heads on both sides of the political divide. But that would not be possible if security agencies, some acting on suspect intelligence, are allowed to drive the agenda and set the tone.

Thursday's chaos played into Zuma's hands as it distracted many from interrogating what he had to say about his government's delivery record.

A closer look at his speech would have left many disappointed because he seemed to cover the same ground he has done for the past eight years.

The speech had no bold new plans to respond to the deepening crises of rising unemployment, growing poverty levels and the widening inequality gap.

When Zuma next delivers his state of the nation address, he will be doing so not as ANC president.

Maybe - just maybe - with someone else as his political principal at Luthuli House, he will no longer be free to deploy soldiers to intimidate opponents in parliament. Who knows, maybe his new principals will even force him to deliver a speech that speaks to our realities as a people.