No one likes to admit it when they are wrong. Most hate it even more at having to use those often-dreaded 5 letters - S-O-R--R-Y, when confronted with moments of regret. So, when in one week, not one, not two, but three high-profile political figures, possibly confronted with attacks of conscience or simply desperate for survival, resorted to apologies to dig themselves out of their deep holes, then you must know, either something is wrong, or right, with the universe.
DA leader and Western Cape premier, Helen Zille, did the unthinkable (at least in political circles) and admitted she erred in referring to learners streaming into the province from the battered Eastern Cape seeking education, as refugees. Indeed it was a gaffe of note and it took the Iron Lady weeks to suck up the courage and show her contriteness; on national television nogal! I almost choked on my tongue! Was this woman of steel really apologising... sincerely? Well, that's another question altogether. The fact she admitted she went too far is something for a politician, if you take into account the levels of arrogance we see in political leaders these days.
Floyd Shivambu, that now out-of-work ANCYL spin sangoma, also had to swallow generous doses of his ailing pride recently. He settled his long-standing hate speech case involving journo, Carien du Plessis, amid a tangible atmosphere of reluctance on his part. For this bigmouth to apologise unconditionally (even though you got the distinct sense he was doing it simply out of desperation) to a journalist, given the Leagues hatred of the media, is also no small feat. If I were du Plessis I'd include this Pyrrhic victory on my CV, that's how important it is for me, at least, to see any one of the merry bunch of wannabe ANCYL revolutionaries-cum-idiots show even an inkling of repentance.
Even the beret-donning, former league boss, Julius Malema, had to tuck his tail in between his legs. He reportedly begged for his ANC membership at Luthuli House after learning his expulsion is official and final. Oh to have been a fly on the wall, watching Jules grovel and plead, his usual belligerent attitude wounded beside him. As nasty as it sounds, I took great joy in this trio of political 'celebrities' having to show some humanity and display that they too are imperfect, like the rest of us, and are capable of making mistakes.
Should we see this as the latest political fad - showing some regret, uttering an apology, even putting on your best puppy dog face? Don't hold your breath. I'd love nothing more than President Jacob Zuma to address the country and admit he's wrong or he's failed in some areas of his leadership. Wouldn't it be pleasantly sobering to see more political leaders acknowledge, they too can err, often in a big way. I do fear, however, we may never see such displays of apologising for some time as entitlement, greed, wanton power lust and a detachment from reality seem to pervade South African politics, so much so these supposed holier-than-thou politicians have drifted away from reality into their worlds of selectivity and delusions.
No comments:
Post a Comment