ANC record rules out my vote

"But select capable men from all the people - men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain - and appoint them as officials..." Exodus 18:21

by David Kettles - a resident of East London

I AM dismayed that there seem to be many who still intend to cast a vote in favour of the ANC. Consider the ANC's achievements over the last 15 years in those aspects of life that affect each of us daily.

Education: teachers trying to teach have to cope with the legendary incompetence of local officials. Schools that are still functional only remain so because they employ a large proportion of their staff with monies paid by parents. Employers or university lecturers will tell you that the graduates of our school system are in many cases only semi-literate, whilst international surveys of mathematics literacy tell the unvarnished truth.

Health care: A generation ago the sickest of the sick in our country, black or white, would head towards State institutions for outstanding care. Now the staff has gone – perhaps unwilling to participate in the systematic destruction of centres of excellence. But primary healthcare suffers, too. Incompetence and maladministration ensure that clinics run out of essential medicines: even basic primary care is not afforded to the majority of our population. Not content with having nearly destroyed State health facilities, the ruling party is now turning its attention to the private sector.

Infrastructure: Our roads are falling apart. The money is there, but no one can spend it. It will take billions and many years to recover from 15 years of neglect. Rolling blackouts threaten development and investment, not because of a loose bolt at Koeberg, but because of a nut in charge, lack of foresight and planning, and mismanagement. Many municipalities can no longer provide clean and safe drinking water.

Civil service: 15 years of affirmative action, jobs for pals, and the employment of legions of incompetents have left us where we are now. Fraud is endemic. Drivers licences are fraudulent while the road carnage is terrifying. Every long trip is laced with trepidation. As for passports, ask UK officials why we now need visas. ID books are yours for the asking, unless you happen to be a desperate, honest SA citizen. Then you’ll wait months.

Housing: Our politicians have not yet found a way to spend the money that gets thrown at them to build houses, and will again return vast quantities to Treasury unspent. They cannot deliver on this recurrent election promise. The housing waiting lists remain endless and the houses that are built are frequently so bad that real contractors must be brought in to make them habitable.

Emigration: the ANC has been unable to convince many skilled people to stay in South Africa and contribute. Reasons to flee usually include fear for physical safety, discontent regarding the application of affirmative action , the quality and availability of education and quiet desperation as good people observe the rise of incompetence. Who would not be frightened when people of the ilk of Jacob Zuma and Julius Malema are considered leaders of stature and revered?

Crime: Under the ANC, crime has been glamorised. The police chief has embarrassed us internationally, and awaits trial at home. Politicians are criminals, too, but that doesn’t stop the ANC redeploying them. Commitment to fighting crime is a joke. If the prosecuting authorities are too effective they are fired. Non-governmental criminals are having a field day, too. Murder, robbery and rape make daily headlines, and make for very scared citizens.

Morals, morale, and reputation are apparently not concepts understood in the ANC. We wish, as President, to have a man who has five or so wives at last count, but finds that number insufficient to cater for his needs, and so will resort to the “use” of youngsters half his age. This is not sufficiently frowned upon as to disqualify a man from high office. He wants, but desperately does not want, his day in court. And the ANC has the temerity to offer this man as a candidate for President. This is a slap in the face of every right thinking South African. And an international embarrassment.

If you were a property owner, (and not trying to feather your own nest), would you want to rent your property to one of our politicians?

I doubt our country has the resources and resolve to survive another five years of ANC rule. Fortunately, we do have a vote. Things must change. Right Now. We can do it!