Progressive left must rise above schisms and ideological purism

Decline of the ANC presents both a crisis and an opportunity

- RENEVA FOURIE

THE state of politics in South Africa today reflects profound disillusionment.

As the next local government elections approach, the prevailing mood is one of fatigue and withdrawal. Voter apathy has deepened due to a growing perception that political participation has failed to yield tangible improvements in the quality of daily life.

South Africans are not asking for grand transformations or utopian projects. We want running water, reliable electricity, punctual public transportation, clean streets, safe communities, a criminal justice system that is effective and incorruptible, and an economy that favours the poor and marginalised. These are the most fundamental functions of government. Yet, despite the significant increase in access to basic services over the past three decades, efficiency remains elusive in many areas.

Increasingly, the African National Congress, which once embodied the aspirations of liberation, is becoming synonymous with failure in service delivery and persistent corruption. This erosion of trust is causing a vacuum. The Democratic Alliance has marketed itself as a party of competent governance. However, the DA's history of defending privilege and the persistence of racialised undertones in its discourse and practice continue to alienate a large section of the electorate.

The other political alternatives do not inspire much greater confidence. The Economic Freedom Fighters and other radical economic transformation spin-offs are perceived as erratic and destructive in their approaches to governance.

The MK Party, the Inkatha Freedom Party, the United Democratic Movement, the Freedom Front Plus, and the Patriotic Alliance have largely anchored themselves in ethnic, sectional, or narrow populist platforms, which weaken the possibility of building a united democratic society. Religious parties such as the African Christian Democratic Party and Al Jama-ah primarily speak to specific faith-based constituencies.