The South African political project is in transition. The language and reality of state capture; Bell Pottinger’s sinister involvement in directing the political trajectory; the at times fascist and totalitarian language used by key political figures; and the contradictory and seemingly paranoid messages from party and state indicate that reality and truth are being subverted. Hannah Arendt observed several features of totalitarianism in her 1966 landmark study. Dogma by a party or movement is held to be the only truthful reality and any contradictory experience is viewed as heresy, with multiple layers shielding the movement’s centre from having a meaningful relationship with reality. SA’s political language has steadily moved towards a state of mind that can be described as psychotic. Psychosis is a rupture with that which is real. Reality is attacked and subverted. There is an internal and external reality. People cannot live purely in the realm of fantasy (internal) but have to ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.