LETTER: The many and varied rules those in charge play by
When politicians overstay their welcome they are sometimes forced to resign, sometimes not
Chapters were added to the history books this week in the section, “Politicians who play by different rules to the people”. Many in Boris Johnson's Conservative Party turned on him and he was forced to resign; Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was forced to resign after his residence was stormed.
When the Arab spring led many to turn on their self-serving leaders in North Africa, down south only Swaziland saw some rumblings that echoed the mood. ANC politicians — some with fire pools (which will be swum in by the masses one day) and expensively upholstered furniture — may have survived Marikana, Life Esidimeni, the July Riots, state capture, the Zondo report, rising unemployment, declining levels of service delivery and lowering living standards, with only hundreds of service delivery protests to show for it.
However, when politicians overstay their welcome they are sometimes forced to resign, sometimes not: Ben Ali, the former president of Tunisia, resigned after fleeing Tunisia, while Libya's Muammar Gaddafi died at the hands of freedom fighters. Either way, different characters contested the next elections. I wonder if our presidents will go to Russia?
Greg Becker
Via email
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