LETTER: A shift in thinking is needed to dislodge the ANC

Reading Peter Bruce’s latest column I was struck with a rather unpleasant thought (“In the smarts we trust to get us out of the hole politicians dug”, August 31). 

While at face value it would appear that the ANC losing its majority is the desperately welcome change SA needs, there is an elephant in the room nobody seems to talk about. The likelihood of the EFF playing kingmaker and going into a coalition with the ANC, subject to it embracing even more destructive, radical, left-wing policies (and bringing EFF members aboard the gravy train, of course) is very high.

It is automatically assumed (incorrectly) that if the ANC loses its majority, other major opposition parties will go into coalitions with each other. The reality is that the ANC will do everything it can to retain whatever power it can, and the EFF and other ANC offshoot parties coming to its rescue — with conditions attached — is highly likely.

The ANC will dangle the carrot, that you can be sure of. And it will be difficult to resist. What is needed is not merely a material drop in ANC voter support but a fundamental change in the thinking of voters in general, whereby they shun snake oil salesman politicians and embrace common sense.

The broader issue is that the political landscape in SA is utterly toxic, and gullible voters are prone to believing the quick-fix fantasies peddled by deceptive populists, of which there is sadly no shortage.

Mark Khoury
Umhlanga Rocks

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