In Poland, there lies a city called Nowa Huta. It was intended to be built as a utopian city. The people that were tasked with designing the city were not known as architects, but “engineers of the human soul”. Fancy term indeed for a fancy ideal!
Whether utopia was achieved therein is a moot point. However, more relevant to us – is South Africa in a state of utopia or dystopia? I usually steer clear from politics, but with May 29 looming large, I need to say something. The race is on. Party hopping is a new national dance as the general election day is in sight. But let us rewind in time.
Martin Luther King, American civil rights activist and Baptist minister, “had a dream” and said so in a speech in August 1963. Sadly, he was assassinated in 1968 at the age of 39. Former South African President Nelson Mandela had a dream “of an Africa which is in peace with itself”.
Both legends yearned for a better existence for their people. They say America is still the land of dreams and opportunity. Their election day, November 5, is also looming. The world is waiting to see whether that country is “Biden” its time or whether the Republicans come up “Trumps”?
For South Africa, Mandela’s dream came close, oh so close, to fulfilment. Along the way, sadly, an SA utopia got hijacked.
The ruling party has not satisfied the ideals and dreams of the late first president of a democratic SA. Corruption, cronyism and chaos have made it an unruly party in every aspect of the word. To quote Mandela: “If there are dreams of a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to that goal.”
Alas, I think the roadmap has been lost or conveniently mislaid.
As I write this piece, it was announced that Msholozi can now run for election to Parliament. He is back on the ball. I mean on the ballot.
There is no shortage of political parties that are vying for the throne in the next national election. Will they COPE? As one prominent leader leaves a party, he sets up his own one. With what reasoning? Well, let’s use former DA member and ex-JHB mayor Herman Mashaba, for example. In August 2020, he launched his own party, ActionSA.
In an interview with Times LIVE, Mashaba said he came to see how SA had fallen into the hands of evil people, who inflicted pain and suffering on the people through their greed and failure.
“Twenty-six years into our democracy, South Africans are suffering. We suffer from the highest levels of inequality. We suffer from an economy that does not grow, leaving 10 million people unemployed and families destroyed by the stress of hunger.
“We suffer from levels of crime that leave law-abiding citizens living in fear while criminals roam our streets with impunity,” said Mashaba.
Does the above sound even remotely like a utopia? Actually, it’s like a dictionary-perfect definition of dystopia. A dystopia is a community or society that is undesirable or frightening.
We see it all around us, daily. So, will the ruling party take the next election? The majority of South Africans still live in hope of a better life and as long as the carrot of President Mandela’s dream is dangled in front of them through skilful public relations blarney, they could win.
It’s a scary thing to contemplate. We are nationally so far down the sewer, and we don’t have a recovery plan. There is no credible Mr Fix-It in any political party. Utopia or dystopia?
The future is bleak. Enough to give one dyspepsia.
How can you and I help in this dire situation? Let us try by achieving utopia in our own families and households. Let that spirit infuse into our neighbourhoods and communities. Maybe that will slowly spill over into our towns, cities and further. Far-fetched it may sound; however, it is worth a try. After all, what is the other option? It is to do nothing but just accept what we have now. The latest international poll lists three cities in South Africa as being in the top 10 most violent and crime-ridden cities in the world.
Alas, Tata Madiba’s dream has become a nightmare!
Ravi Govender is a former POST columnist and sub-editor. He is a published author, a freelance editor and a film producer in training. He can be contacted at: [email protected]