We need to work as a team
Thobile Mange, Khayelitsha
On Sunday the ANC turned 111. That’s a milestone. Many political organisations don’t live to that age. In fact, many fizzle out before they reach 30 years. Happy birthday to the governing party.
The ANC is central to our lives because it is the governing party. Whatever decision it takes, it affects us. The decision not to build more power stations is a classic example.
It has been in power for more than 28 years uninterrupted. That is a good record. However, it has failed to take the nation to the Promised Land. Instead its leaders are the ones who are living in the country of milk and honey. They have forgotten about the poor masses, though they claim otherwise.
The truth is: our democratic government has abandoned us as a nation. We as citizens are on our own. Therefore, we need to work together to succeed as a nation. Otherwise, things will stay the same – or get worse.
According to political pundits, the ANC is unlikely to win the forthcoming elections. It may govern through a coalition or be an official opposition. And the governing party is aware of that. So, we must start thinking about the future of the country without the ANC.
The Pakistanis have been here in SA for 10 years or so. And they don’t have political power. Yet they own the township economy. I’m talking about billions. How do they do it? By working as a collective. The Pakistanis are a small community. And they have managed to build a successful business in the form of spaza shops in the townships. They don’t have MBAs or management qualifications but are doing very well running their business.
Our challenge as South Africans is that we work in silos. Yet we need each other. In addition, we are also poor as a collective and as individuals. Therefore, we cannot afford to continue working as individuals. We either work as a team or remain poor.