The curious case of divine intervention when running for high office

As the youth put it, South Africa is a movie. 

I laughed some weeks ago as former health minister and corruption implicated Zweli Mkhize announced he would heed the call from the people to run for ANC president.

Dressed in the finest of leopard skin and wielding a sjambok, Mkhize said he has heard from the people and will humbly contest for a position that leads to the country’s highest office. Mkhize did this during his son’s wedding ceremony. One wonders if his son was not getting married on that day, when would he have announced his inclination to run? Perhaps this was the world conspiring for him and orchestrating a perfect situation for his heavenly endorsed ascension to the union buildings.

Since vacating the health department after being fingered for corruption relating to Digital Vibes, the communication company that received a R150m tender which was later found to be unlawfully awarded, Mkhize has had numerous encounters with religious and traditional leaders who all seemingly want to see him as president of the ANC and the country.

In February Mkhize received a healthy number of congregants who prayed for him to get strength and blessed the tough road ahead.

These events are no doubt the first of many to come.

It is shocking the number of politicians who themselves hear from the lord, or followers on their behalf, whenever they run for leadership positions or face public scrutiny.

In 2017 at the ANC’s 105th birthday celebration, Jacob Zuma declared before thousands that the ANC will rule until Jesus returns and likened the ANC’s existence to that of Jesus coming to deliver us from our sins.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2015 declared that God has made him a perfect leader who is not capable of making mistakes and after his presidency he will never have regrets.

Donald Trump in 2020 attributed the economic fallout from the coronavirus as God intervening in his office and giving him a challenge only he, Trump, can solve.

Uganda's First Lady, Janet Museveni, said in 2019 that elections are not what was keeping her husband in high office, but it was God who blessed his 30-year rule.

Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa too claimed heavenly intervention during his coup in 2017 when he ousted Robert Mugabe, who also once claimed only God could remove him from presidency.

Clearly, history is filled with divine intervention and God, according to all these politicians, is very concerned with the affairs of national high offices.

The book of Galatians chapter 5, verses 22 and 23 lists the fruits of the holy spirit, one of them being "long-suffering". I am of the opinion that many politicians who have been found in the wrong and are not fit to stand for public office see public outrage and concern regarding them as personal attack. They adopt a "me against the world" complex and see their bid for public office as one with divine endorsement while they endure "long-suffering".

Many have called Mkhize’s chances of heading to high office laughable. But I would not discount the chances of him unseating Cyril Ramaphosa later this year. When you follow South African politics, you will realise that nothing about it is rational. Things happen with unexpected plot twists, with villains who come and go.

If God really has a hand in choosing the people who lead us, he is a very unpredictable scriptwriter in this movie called South African politics.

• Mokoena is the community manager for TimesLIVE and Sunday Times. He writes in his personal capacity. @JustLebo