What's in a name?

I had breakfast with a friend a few Sundays ago and over the conversation, I offered the notion that democracy in South Africa is a farce. It concerned me that he felt it fit to consider my opinions “conservative”. What went through my friend’s mind as he uttered it? Is it my attitude perhaps, that imagines South Africa could actually be better place if we had an operational democracy? But how is that conservative?

I realise that he was attempting to imply that I was being non-conformist, or perhaps even leaning to the right of that by suggesting that I have an opinion which criticises the system of abuse which is labeled democracy in South Africa. As was the case with the Afrikaner for so many years, being a conformist gives one a platform I suppose, which is driven by the support of the masses of mindless followers all beating the drum of righteousness for the cause. If one were to have argued a case for democracy during those times, would they have been called conservative as well? I think not! I think that political correctness today has so blinded the falsely proud sympathizers of the ethnic leadership in Africa, that they are unable to notice the effect that it is having on this continent. Almost without question, to criticize the ANC government in South Africa is synonymous with being conservative in the eyes of the politically correct.

 I tried my hardest to find a reason for my friend’s impression of my “conservative" stance.  I even came to the point of feeling that his interpretation of my opinions were being referenced to a system as I knew it in the past, therefore basing any comments I have on the way I remember life as it used to be. And of course, he may have a point! 

I was too immature to have been able to make any definitive statements on the political state of the nation while at school. While at university in the 70's, I joined the ranks of the non-conformists who demonstrated against the Nationalist Government in Wale street; got clobbered by tear gas while making the statement against what was in my opinion a rotten system of rule. I also worked for the Progressive Federal Party of the time. I guess I was referred to as a leftist "liberal" by the conservatives if we wish to play naming games… quite honestly, I didn’t understand what I was doing, I just knew that what was going on in the country, was wrong.

Through a series of events quite outside of any plans that I may have had, I ended up living in the true democracy of the United States of America for some nine years until just a few years ago after South Africa had supposedly cleaned up its act with Nelson Mandela at the helm. It was a lovely feeling – a feeling of such hope and joy for this country! There was finally a democracy in South Africa, a peaceful nation with a basis of fairness and equality amongst its people. Why would I have to continue to live in America when the same system of governance was in place in the land of my birth?

Yes, my friend who has branded me is probably correct if he thinks I’m basing my statements on past experience in my life: I have fond memories of a true democracy in which I lived for much of my adult life. 

The steady erosion of governance in South Africa has been going on for some time now and I don’t think it’s rocket science to realise that there really is something wrong with the picture of what is supposed to be a democracy in this country. It’s small wonder that anyone with an ounce of sense is making plans to leave this sinking ship that could so easily have been a flourishing success story. It’s likely that they too will be branded with labels for wanting to abandon their country, but it is hard to believe that anyone will willingly want to leave this lovely country of ours; in fact, I for one feel really privileged to have known the splendor and beauty that is South Africa. But it isn’t progressing positively, it’s sadly ending up as a laughable shambles like our neighbours before us – so much so that it seems we’ve taken lessons from them in how to do a really good job of it! And whereas during the days of apartheid when I was able to speak to people who had an interest in the welfare of this country about the state of the nation in critical terms for the good of the nation; today one is regarded as some kind of mental retard for even imagining that its not running like a well-oiled clock when conversing with the politically correct or those that are connected in any way to mainstream politics! It’s almost as though they are so hungry to join the gravy train, they will prostitute their very integrity to look as though they’re in support of the system.

The people on the ground who had some involvement in the making of the new South Africa – not the ones who ran away for handouts in Holland, Russia or other corners of the world while those left behind had to work for change - the people who stuck it out in this country, are becoming disillusioned with the way its lazy, incompetent leaders are running it into the ground today. Some objectors of the way in which it is being run are still around and trying to make some kind of a voice in opposition of the dreadful governance and I don't think we should go about giving them names like “conservative” that don’t apply to the way in which they think simply because it doesn’t follow the way in which the plastic politically correct would want. Remember that those who were able to leave South Africa because of their conservative reasons, most likely did so prior to 1994 already. Those of us that are able to leave but are still here would probably like to see the place improve.

Since its not, they’re leaving now as well.

There’s no telling for certain where this is going to go, but one thing is for certain: condoning the leaders of South Africa for what they’re doing to this nation can not earn any points on the scale of smartness! So where is the logic in branding people stereotypically for questioning the democratic state of the nation? That is the very indulgence supported by democracy! It’s surely meaningless when you consider this: During apartheid I was regarded as a dissident for requesting a democratic system in South Africa, and now I’m regarded as a conservative for requesting a democratic system in South Africa!

Trevor Kehl.