Perhaps if we declared looting economic terrorism and imposed mandatory long jail sentences, comrades’ attitudes would change.
Chinese general, military strategist and philosopher Sun Tzu once said: “The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands.”
It’s an aphorism the ANC needs to take on board immediately – and with alacrity.
Electoral defeat is coming as sure as political night follows day – it is only the detail which time will determine: will it receive its final death blow in the upcoming local government elections at the end of this year, or will the last rites only be read when the results of the 2029 national polls are in?
The ANC’s veterans – perhaps dismayed at the rampant looting and incompetence of their colleagues – have seen this coming for a while now. And they know what this means.
Party stalwart Mathews Phosa predicted recently that the ANC support could fall to as low as 26% in the coming vote, down from the already catastrophic 40% it garnered in the 2024 national elections.
Political analyst Moeletsi Mbeki put his finger on exactly what will happen as that implosion continues.
In a 2023 interview, he predicted that corruption and looting would kick into top gear as party functionaries realise they have little time left at the taxpayer trough.
Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse chief executive Wayne Duvenage believes the surge in corruption complaints is directly linked to the 4 November polls, with councillors and mayors scrambling to enrich themselves before voters show them the door.
That fact that everyone can see this coming and yet we all know that it is like an unavoidable tsunami which will overcome us, shows how ineffective the ANC has been at containing illegal behaviour.
In an atmosphere of little consequence for such theft, it is a green light to continue.
Perhaps if we declared looting economic terrorism and imposed mandatory long jail sentences, comrades’ attitudes would change.
