The public space in South Africa today reflects a society in a state of critical disorientation.
The word "disorientation" implies that, as a country, we - particularly those once oppressed - had a shared knowledge of, and solemn commitment to, the nature of the democracy and society we established as the outcome of our votes in 1994. The spirit and letter of that consensus are captured in the South African constitution.
But that sense of consensus appears to be fracturing.
Further, there was a profound understanding that those once oppressed were custodians of our constitutional vision, that they would lead in the pursuit of that vision and that they would provide the future of South Africa with leadership on behalf of, and to the benefit of, all.
Since 1994, we have gone through a great deal as South Africans. The contours of our transformation in our first 17 years are vast and complex. But against many initial achievements, there have been increasingly visible signs of stress - emanating not from the larger society, but from the governing party and its government.
The sources of stress involved disturbing indications of corruption related to the purchase of new arms for the South African Defence Force; anxieties over the successor to president Thabo Mbeki and related news that he would try for a third term as either the country's president (which would be unconstitutional) or as president of the ANC, or both; fracture within the tripartite alliance over allegations of centralisation of power in the presidency; and the use of state agencies to fight intra-party conflicts.
Ndebele's essay continues on The Times Live, where it was sourced. You may click here to read further
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