Its almost time! The 2024 National Elections are around the corner and for most South Africans the real challenge isn’t “who do I vote for?” as much as it is “should I even bother?” 041culture columnist Mvume Ndimba shares his views.
I’ve only been alive for 30 years so I personally only know one ruling party. I’ve only ever lived in a country governed by the current regime. It becomes really difficult to consider a different party when you factor in the fact that all the opposition parties have done little to nothing to try to absorb the fence-sitting voters like myself.
Our democracy is very much in its infancy. We have had only 6 elections since 1994 and in many ways we are miles behind our older examples but somehow… Somehow we still seem to be having the same narratives play out in parallel to our overseas counterparts.
We have boisterous loud figures who speak to the labourers and everymen in our country. We have figures who lean on intellect and project a level of intelligence that speaks to the higher earning indiviudals, we also have female career politicians who seem to do everything right but cant get to the highest of heights purely based on how hard they are to like.
But I have always felt like our democracy is cool, buts its all just pomp at the end of the day, a popularity contest that doesn’t really reflect the general feeling of us as citizens of this great country, So politics all the way to the side, let me talk to you about the greatest part of being a South African.
In our lifetime we have witnessed an ex-convict from a small town in the Eastern Cape rise to the highest office in the land after serving 27 years in prison and coming home to forgive everybody who wronged him like he was Jesus or J Cole or something.
We saw a gentleman who spent almost 30 years in political exile return home and oversee one of the brightest and most successful eras of our country’s history before being deposed by the greatest superstar we’ve ever seen.
We’ve seen a billionaire leave the private sector and try his hand at politics with interesting results…
But all of these stories are Paw Patrol next to the real one. The man, the myth, the legend, Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma!
Now I know this is a divisive individual, much like Marmite. You either love him or you can’t stand him, but walk with me quickly.
We live in a unique economic situation. We live in a capitalist democracy that encourages excellence and self determination. A land where anybody can be anything at any time and former president Zuma embodies that ethos with everything he’s done. The established play-book is quite simple. Go to school, get a job, work, retire. But exceptional individuals are not satisfied with just that. Exceptional individuals strive for change, exceptional individuals grow beyond their expected limits and bring their friends and family with them.
Jacob Zuma is the South African dream. A man who, on paper, had no business achieving the things he’s achieved. Unseating the “chosen one” , the man who was earmarked to take after the greatest humanitarian in our country’s history.
Zuma, the man who is made of Teflon, who cannot be touched in a court of law. Who till this day, in his 82nd year of life, continues to outpace and outrun our court system by getting the newly reformed Mkhonto Wesizwe party to ballot paper this year. The man who’s “fire pool” set the country alight in its time but since simmered out into a smokey memory of where we come from.
Say what you want about the man. Say what you want about his career, but the story of president Zuma is a shining example of what this country can do for any one of us. Its not about where you’re from. Its about what you do with what you have. And if we look at that man objectively, there is little emotion to feel but inspiration when you look at his story.
On the back of Zuma’s meteoric rise we were introduced to a young man from Johannesburg. The son of a Xhosa woman and a Swiss man, who’s unique comedic style and timing allowed him to conquer the comedy world! I’m speaking, of course, about the Emmy award winning former host of The Daily Show, Mr. Trevor Noah!
Many of us remember the days where the internet was a rare thing to have in your home. We remember having DVD’s and watching Mr. Noah’s first taped special, we remember his jokes about former president Zuma, jokes that elevated him to a level no other local comedian has ever reached since or before him.
These people have not just opened the door for South Africans in the international sphere, they broke the door down, chopped it into chunks and started a braai for the next generation to come grab a seat and share their stories.
Our baby sister Tyla Seethal (The Grammy winning “Water” hun) Blxckie (if you know you know) and to a far lesser extent Dricus Du Plessis are all the children of these original trail-blazers, people who saw how loud and how dominant a South African can be in spite of where they come from. And that is the spirit I hope we bring into voting stations come May 29th.
Whether your favourite party wins or loses you come from a country where an ex convict is remembered as a saviour. A primary school drop out is gunning for another term as commander in chief (somehow) a mixed race kid who was “born a crime” crossed the ocean to conquer his chosen art form…
We live in a country with no limitations besides the limitations you put on yourself!
So when the inevitable results come from our elections, and you are inevitably disappointed with the way the majority of the country voted, remember that you are no different from the people mentioned earlier. You might be prettier, smarter, cooler or more charismatic. So what’s stopping you from outdoing their achievements when you’re already born with more to offer than any of them?
(Honourable mentions incudes Black Coffee, Elon Musk, Charlize Theron. Thabo Sefolosha (kinda) Doja Cat (kinda) etc. etc.)
Long story short, the world is grateful for our existence as South Africans. You owe the world your talent!
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