Grappling with South Africa’s left-wing infantile disorder
By Reneva Fourie
A fundamental competence of most ideologically left-aligned organisations resides in their capacity to analyse international and domestic material conditions and formulate appropriate tactics to promote their strategic objectives effectively.
In South Africa, the political aim of the left is to shape the policy landscape in a manner that optimally serves the interests of the working class and communities grappling with poverty.
In the recent South African election, the left-leaning political parties, including the African National Congress (ANC), Umkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP), and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), garnered a significant majority of the vote.
However, the decision by the South African Communist Party not to contest the election separately from the ANC and the infantile conduct currently being displayed by the MKP and EFF is negatively impacting on South Africa’s political landscape.
Accordingly, the ANC is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Right-leaning political parties such as the DA and IFP demonstrate a deep understanding of the gravity of political power and exhibit adeptness in leveraging it to promote their ideological agendas.
Their approach is characterised by precision, organisation, clarity of purpose, and unwavering focus on its advancement. Conversely, the left struggles to rise to similar levels of strategic dexterity.
Both the MKP and the EFF frequently display disruptive behaviour instead of exemplifying the qualities expected of leaders by the South African populace. In the words of Lenin, they are demonstrating ‘reactionary’ tendencies and promoting the ‘worst kind of opportunism and social treachery’.
The MKP consistently uses the threat of violence as a means of coercion.
Instead of offering constructive solutions to the current quagmire, it continuously presents obstacles in an immature manner.
Its actions aim to destabilise the functioning of the Parliament and the government, as evidenced by its decision to abstain from participating in the first session of Parliament.
The EFF has failed to rise above projecting itself as the ANC’s kindergarten.
Despite gaining significant support from South African voters, they have often struggled to transcend the perception of being a disruptive force rather than a constructive political entity.
This has been exemplified by instances in which the party has resorted to tactics resembling those of a petulant child when faced with adversity.
The effective functioning of leadership and governance is imperative.
The ANC cannot afford to delay its responsibilities while awaiting the MKP and EFF to assume their roles as serious leaders of the nation.
In the absence of a timely display of maturity on their part, the ANC may have no alternative but to form a governance alliance with right-leaning political entities.
If South Africa were to be governed by a right-wing coalition, the left would have no one to blame but itself.
Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security.