BENNIE VAN ZYL: The truth behind words

Language is a beautiful experience of discovery and the accompanying enrichment of one’s ability. Listening to someone speaking a language in its purest form is always delightful.

Today’s sadness is that the words we grew up with have been hijacked in the political environment. Here, the red lights flash, and everyone must carefully consider what they mean when they use a word — and what the ANC means when it uses words in the political arena. Examples include “reform”, “transformation”, “affirmative action” and “empowerment”. 

Building on a particular faith perspective as my foundation for the future according to my cultural mandate, the concept of reform holds a deeper meaning. Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg in 1517, marking the beginning of a revolution to place the word of God central as the source of truth and life — which brings us the gospel message, with the understanding that all glory must be given to God alone as the creator of all good things: soli deo gloria. 

In general, and throughout my life, the concept of reform has also meant to change something, or switch to something better. However, the ANC government has contaminated and hijacked the word by starting to talk about land reform. By their own admission, a year or so ago more than 90% of the land it had “reformed” or transferred had gone out of production. Certainly not a case of improving something, but rather destroying it.  A beautiful word with a good meaning has been shifted to the other end of the scale by a political agenda. 

We must realise that what we mean by a word will no longer have the same meaning in today’s political environment. Therefore, we cannot use well-intentioned words without qualification, and think we are committed to something beautiful. Practice should have taught that we must explain what we say and mean. If we don’t, we commit ourselves to something likely to burst in our faces. 

Each of these words and many others should be put into perspective when we use them. Perhaps the best example of transforming a good word into a destructive ideology is the concept of “transformation”. Within the ANC’s transformation policy is packaged a variety of ideologically driven aspects, such as cadre deployment, BEE and more. Regrettably, individuals and organisations that should know better endorse such policies without qualification. 

We can explain the danger that started in 1994. At that time, the ANC government received a gamut of institutions in working condition, all contributing to SA’s effective functioning in their own way. SAA, Denel, the Post Office, passenger and freight rail, Eskom, Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, and municipalities that delivered essential services. Which of these institutions is still functionally efficient? Across the board they have all become dysfunctional. The reason? They were transformed to failure. 

Food security is certainly a critical component in avoiding a descent into anarchy does not erupt in our country. It starts with a commercial farmer producing food for the market. That is why we regret that, despite warnings, some organisations in the agricultural environment continue to endorse without qualification an agricultural plan that primarily focuses on “transformation”. The reality is that no-one who signed up for this will have the privilege of giving meaning to the ANC’s ideological “transformation”. That has been the practice since 1994 and the latest iteration will add to the other destroyed institutions. 

The ANC’s “transformation” agenda is increasingly coming to the fore in the run-up to next year's general election. The party has reached a dead end and it is desperately making ridiculous announcements to see if they can still convince voters of a better life for all. The latest draft regulations on water licences can be added to the “transformation” list that includes legislation on equal employment and expropriation without compensation. 

SA is not in a good place at present. Despite a policy environment strongly focused on breaking down trust (to “transform”), the private sector perseveres despite the chaos in every sphere of life, trying to achieve success. We have become accustomed to continuously seeking solutions to myriad problems. However, the problems are merely symptoms or consequences of a policy environment that has caused poverty and much sadness worldwide. If the cause of our country’s legion of problems is not corrected we will continue to experience the same symptoms. 

As long as South Africans are swept along this path of destruction, which currently denigrates every institution, we move further away from a future for our country and its people. The pity is that people who should know better commit themselves to this ideological path of destruction and even participate in implementing it. 

South Africans will have to choose: will we continue to support the ANC’s ideological path of destruction, or will we pursue economic sustainability, where opportunities will be created to grow the economy and reverse our politically-created socioeconomic unemployment crisis? 

Each person will have to decide what their legacy will be. The choice will have consequences for future generations, and history will judge us accordingly.

• Van Zyl is general manager of farming organisation TLU SA.