With
the DA-Agang 'game-changer' gone if not forgotten, a key remaining interest in
the elections is how far the ‘millions’ of voters for the Economic Freedom Fighters prove to be a
reality, not just media hype.
There
is no dodging an answer now for Mr Malema and his team: SA’s
neo-neo-Marxist-Leninists have made themselves hostages to fortune by competing in
neo-liberal polls. Sorry to stir, guys, but Lenin did not allow that and Stalin
would have had you shot.
If
the EFF underperforms in such difficult times as these (what would you say underperforms means? - under 10%?), it would suggest SA has no significant constituency, young or
otherwise, for political radicalism at any time.
But even if dissidents
show up in some numbers, the result will be further splits as major
power-brokers opt to stay on board. That is what Cosatu, representing the
workers as a federation, wish to do. Whatever their rhetoric, trades unions are
part of the system. The last thing the leaders want is revolution. In a liberal
or social democracy, they want representation.
As
for the South African Communist Party, it has always known which side its bread is buttered.
The
upshot may well be the ANC gets re-elected with comfortably over 60% once more,
as it pulls out all the stops in the election fight. Obviously that would be
bad news for the DA, who will just have to soldier on again, maybe beyond 2019.
Helen
Zille, as she freely admits, is in a hurry for change. Delivery protests notwithstanding, it still
seems unlikely South African society is.
Featured letter in Business Day February 11 2014
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