The tragedy of the unfinished republic

LIKE our current Parliament buildings, we are stuck with the unfinished work of building a great country.

- LORENZO A DAVIDS

That's what South Africa has finally bumped its stubborn head onto. Those on the outside who have been screaming this for decades can only weep at the stupidity and stubbornness of an ANC that is now confronted with what is its imminent demise.Its recent 5th National General Council (NGC) meeting gave the sense that the ANC was sending its early resignation letter to the country, despite all the bravado.

One can only wonder what FW de Klerk, Pik Botha, Kraai van Niekerk, Derek Keys, Abe Williams and Dawie Botha said to the ANC during those early 1994 Cabinet meetings about how to take this newly born state forward. What were the risks and rewards the ANC contemplated? How did these two groups - former oppressors and former oppressed - conduct healthy discussions without destroying the table they were meeting around?

I can only imagine the smug smiles of Thabo Mbeki and Stella Sigcau, who couldn't wait to drop their Herod-like insights at Mandela's feet later, after the Cabinet meeting ended. Or a De Klerk who perhaps saw the need to caution Keys and Botha to curb their enthusiasm for the cigar-smoking moments of wisdom with the ANC's inner circle. How did any of them know how to govern?