Something is rotten in the state of South Africa

We claim to be a democracy. We claim to cherish, above all else, the rights enshrined in our Constitution. But, when push comes to shove, no one, it would seem, is willing to stand up for those rights.

On 8 January 1985, Oliver Tambo advocated mass civil disobedience as a means to topple the illegitimate apartheid government.

"We must begin to use our accumulated strength to destroy the organs of government of the apartheid regime… we have now set out upon this path… towards rendering the country ungovernable."

He, together with those to whom he was speaking, knew that this disobedience wouldn't always be peaceful; that the highest price would have to be paid; that lives would be lost. And, in the interests of justice and the freedom of the country, this sacrifice was made.

But there is nothing illegitimate about the current government. It, including the government of the Western Cape, was democratically elected. The rules of engagement, therefore, are different.

Ignoring the Constitution

It is not acceptable to threaten violence if things are not going your way or if you happen to disagree with the decisions of the democratically-elected government. Not only is it not acceptable, it is unconstitutional.

Section 16 (2) of the Constitution states that freedom of expression does not extend to: "(1) propaganda for war; (2) incitement of imminent violence; or (3) advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion and that constitutes incitement to cause harm."

And yet, in the past fortnight, four different groups have done just that.

The most disturbing was the press statement delivered by the MK veterans outside Luthuli House.

"Should Helen Zille not refrain from this anti-African and racist behaviour, we are not going to hesitate, but craft and launch a political programme aimed at rendering the Western Cape ungovernable, " said MKMVA chairperson Kebby Maphatsoe.

Another MK veteran, Ramatuku Maphutha, then declared that soldiers would be mobilised to march on Helen Zille's office: "They are always ready. It's either she vacates the office, or cooperates. We are prepared to sleep there if need be until we get an impressive response… We can render the Western Cape ungovernable within 24 hours."

This is not empty rhetoric. Both the MK veterans and the South African public are aware of the role that the veterans played in rendering the country 'ungovernable' during the apartheid era. If the word 'ungovernable' comes in shades of grey, then the veterans have done very little to distinguish between their version of 'ungovernable' and that advocated by Oliver Tambo at the height of the fight against the apartheid government.

Add to this the fact that the statement was delivered outside Luthuli House — thus creating an impression of endorsement from the ruling party — and the fact that the veterans have recently been awarded a higher profile in the Ministry of Defence, and the picture is a very worrying one indeed. The Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans has not, as yet, condemned the statement or distanced itself from it.

Now imagine, if you will, that another paramilitary group — rightwing Afrikaners or a military wing of the IFP — threatened to make a province ungovernable. Would the silence be quite as deafening?

Jumping on the bandwagon

Slightly less concerning — but only because the frequency of their threats of violence has made them mundane — was the ANC Youth League's declaration of war.

"If the fake racist girl Zille continues to speak hogwash like she has been doing during elections, we will take militant action against her, and demonstrate to her that she does not have monopoly over the Western Cape."

Just in case there is any confusion, a definition of militant action: engaged in fighting or warfare.

Jumping on the threat bandwagon, were ANCYL-wannabe groups the Young Communist League and the student organisation Cosas. The latter vowed to embark upon violent uncontrollable protest if Helen Zille didn't fire her Education MEC Donald Grant, while the YCL has threatened to make Unisa 'ungovernable' if Barney Pityana is not fired.

The fact that the YCL and Cosas yield very little real power is of no consequence. South Africa is cultivating an environment in which threats of violence go unpunished. By failing to condemn such behaviour and bring the perpetrators to book, our democratically-elected government is failing the people of South Africa.

There is a reason why our Constitutionally-enshrined right to freedom of expression excludes incitement of violence. Incitement of violence very often leads to violence. Now, if only someone had the guts to do something about it.