Count me as a mischievous journo, possibly with too much time on his hands, prone to staring at my navel and fishing for issues, but Tokyo Sexwale's recent briefing to the Human Settlements parliamentary portfolio committee smacked of a mini-State of the Nation address (SONA) or, at the very least, a dry run of sorts. He held a boardroom in the palm of his hands as he gave his synopsis of the country.
Cynically his words became a quote-a-minute, replete with drama, dressed up in his characteristic baritone voice delivering scenes of future-case scenarios dripping in dystopianism, which, some would argue (most of them from within the belly of that beast the ANC) amount to nothing more than surreptitious campaigning. But cynicism (mine included) aside, his reflections on how dysfunctional government has become was refreshing.
"Something is simmering that we must be able to take action to address so that we don't have other Marikanas," warned Sexwale, a remark almost certain to be included in quotable quotes of the week. Soon his 'home truths' as he put it, started looking like a State of the Nation in reverse. I say this because when presidents usual deliver their (executive) summaries of the state of a country, excpect flowery quotes, saccharine obsequiousness, mangled rationality and mind0numding rhetoric. Want to hear some more of Sexwale's topsy-turvy SONA? He had loads more to say. "The Marikanas will keep on repeating themselves over and over until we crumble," the wannabe Commander-in Chief lamented. I scanned the braordroom for signs of life in MPs as Sexwale spilled over with uncomfortable honesty. A stifled cringe appeared on the face of one member (was it the tuna croissant which didn't sitting well?). Reporters smiled, excited by the quality of the quotes which could jostle and compete for paper space (if Julius Malema could keep his trap shut long enough not to steal the limelight). Most listened in genuine rapt attention. Sexwale had them. His 'home truths' were seeming more like a backdrop to a president in waiting, a leader (of sorts) flexing his muscles in the run up to (can you guess?) Mangaung.
From Marikana to the arms deal, Sexwale deftly drew parallels between how wrong the State can get it and how it needs to find direction. Was he the captain who was going to steer the ship back onto course? "It has come back to haunt us (the arms deal). It has caused such a lot of disquiet," he fretted. He added, "If you think it is disassociated from the problem (of sanitation provision problems) you'd be wrong." He went on to virtually wail if only a quarter of the money spent on the abortion of an arms deal was spent on things like housing for the poor we wouldn't have the problems we see today. Half an hour passed and Sexwale was still not done, sketching a country in distress. His intention was by that stage very clear - He was coming to save South Africa. "To Blame Apartheid is no longer wisdom," he said, "it's gone, the task now rests with us." Virtually everything he said could be applied to some aspect of the country's woes. From housing, and sanitation, to service protests and strikes Tokyo was laying it out - an uncomfortable scenario of government failures, set against the shading of a presidential campaign race.
His campaign for the heart, soul and small intestine of the ANC of course didn't start in that committee room in parliament last Friday. Tokyo has been eyeing the leadership of the ruling party and by proxy the country for years. I recall in the run up to the ANC's Polokwane conference Sexwale addressed students in Johannesburg, where he let rip with the usual politicking, complete with promises of delivery, assurances of not rocking the boat with radical policy changes and views on how things would be awesome and amazing if only he was the boss. We know how that turned out for him and now he's having another bite. Was it Tokyo's Mangaung Campaign Version 2.0 we witnessed in parliament last Friday? Methinks, absolutely!
As he hammered home 'home truths' as a backdrop to the release of the findings of a sanitation audit carried out my a ministerial task team. A more apt setting one would struggle to find! Like the provision of basic sanitation needs for the poor, which was itself in the poo (Forgive me this crude pun for I can't resist) too many other aspects of government delivery was going down the toilet (probably of the 'open air' persuation as seen in Makhaza). But is Sexwale truly, genuinely willing to get his hands dirty in fixing the problems, remains to be seen?
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