South Africa first, but I’m voting ANC: My Response

Michael Trapido, a well-known blogger on Thoughtleader.co.za’s Mail & Guardian Online recently wrote that: South Africa first, but I’m [Mike] voting ANC.

His assertion [I’m voting ANC] received some positive response (from what one could call “African National Congress’s followers, voters or members”) while a negative feedback came from what I would call “anti-ANC and pro-whatever”.

One reader questioned Mike’s voting (if not misleading) for the ANC: “Such a sad, sad piece from someone who should know better”.

Another said concurred with Traps “I agree with much of what you say”, he continued, “but I don’t think I’ll vote for the ANC this time around”.

I was, however, taken aback by some of the responses which one could read as if they (readers’ response) were against Trapido’s “voting ANC” (that’s if he’s not misleading his followers just so he can get “high ratings in his blogs” as one reader, Siphiwe Siphiwe who’s responses to most, if not all blog posts sound Pro-ANC, claimed).

First Siphiwe Siphiwe said:

“one has to wonder why you criticize ANC (read ANCphobia) more than you do to other small molecules in South Africa…as one of the readers once said, “traps is lying, he’s not supporting ANC, he just wants high ratings in his blogs”…perhaps that cynical reader was correct, you just want to have high readership & ratings…”

My response:

“Isn’t it because it’s on the forefront as a ruling party in SA? And shouldn’t we be judging them (and other small “alternative parties?)”

My response to Trapido’s South Africa first, but I’m voting ANC:

“I must say that I’m more confused now that I were [sic] in 2004 when I first cast my vote. Maybe it’s got something to do with the Zille and COPE(ing), who knows, maybe you do coz you seem to have made up you mind about voting already, (That’s if you are not trying to misleader us as your blog followers and just want “high ratings in his blogs”… as has been claimed/reported”

To the entire response, I said:

“Most reasponses [sic] read as if Traps’s not supposed to Vote (or for the ANC), doesn’t he have a right to exercise his choice, or lack thereof, as a result of the diverse political parties we have in SA? What’s it yo [to] you and me whether he votes for (whatever party he may have decided to vote for after publishing his post in order to mislead us and make us believe he will vote for the ANC) or whether he will not vote at all? If you wanna vote, go and do it, and still if you don’t - then leave voting to the voters!”

My support and vote will go to the ANC, wrote Trapido, [and] not the Zuma National Congress.

Trapido continued:

“As I have said previously, it is not in the interests of this country for the leader of the party to be up on charges of corruption. Whether the pro-Zuma faction like it or not, it is not in the best interests of South Africa to be seen to giving the presidency to a man who is being charged with a crime involving dishonesty. If regard is had to the so-called intention to clean up crime and corruption it actually becomes nothing short of ridiculous. JZ has said that if it is in the interests of the country he will step down. What is he waiting for? A nuclear bomb?

In addition, one of the major reasons why the ANC has not delivered to the masses is because of the criminal element, negligence and cronyism within the party. If just the arms deal money, the leakage and theft from social grants and the prop-up-Mugabe funds had found their way to our poorer communities instead of lining the back pockets of the fat cats then I have no doubt that their plight would be infinitely better right now.

It is in this area that I expect Cosatu and the SACP to play a vital watchdog role over the short term. If regard is to be had to the fact that it was them together with the left wing of the ANC and the ANCYL who led the fight against the centrists at Polokwane then I would expect accountability and oversight of the wealth of this country to be uppermost in their thinking.

In terms of corruption and cronyism, I expect the left wing to set about addressing
the issue of deploying cadres in state institutions, ensuring that BEE applies to the masses and not a few elite fat cats, that theft of social grants and feeding scheme money — like in the Eastern Cape — becomes a hanging offence and
that all the slimeball middle men get cut out of government tenders”.

He concluded without missing a word or two:
“Overall, I am of the view that the policies proposed by the ANC are the closest to my thinking on what South Africa requires for the medium term. Accordingly I will be giving them my vote. I will also continue to give them the biggest kick up the backside every time they fall short”.

As I have said in one of my posts “Tips for “Opposition” Political Parties in SA before:

"Most importantly, as much as the Constitution of South Africa given all the right to vote – then, respect others’ decision not to exercise that “right to vote” because it still remains their right and their right to choice!".

Therefore, whatever choices, or lack thereof and how misleading it may seem, like all South Africans, we need to respect Michael Trapido’s choice and live with it!

And if one feels one’s choice (politically) is not another’s – then create one that suites your (political, social and economical) needs by exercising one’s democratic right to vote as is recognized by the Constitution of the Land.

More importantly, especially for “those who prefer not to exercise they right to vote” – as I beautifully said in Mike’s South Africa first, but I’m voting ANC – “then leave voting to the voters!” that’s why they vote and are called voters!