Can South Africa ever have a White President?
By Steve Paterno
April 21, 2009 — Prior to Obama’s phenomenon shocking the world and before South Africa ruling party ANC suffered split, a question was posted to me on whether South Africa will ever have a White President. With both South Africa and America gripped in bitterness of racial prejudice and history of discriminations based on majority versus minority, this question is similar to asking—at that time—whether America could ever have a Black president in our lifetime. My theory, which is yet to be proven, can help in answering this question.
The theory goes like this: ANC, like any political party born out of mass struggle can only dominate politics until certain period when the issues, which once glued it together may no longer exist, hence, resulting into mass withdrawal from the party membership. This will in turn provides opportunities of fair competition for other parties. And, individuals within those parties, together with Whites, will rise to prominent positions, including the presidency.
Though South Africa has over 100 national registered political parties, about five can seriously contest elections. Adding the Congress of the People (Cope), a splinter of ANC into the equation, South African electoral landscape is changed for eternity. Currently, there is still room for ANC to wiggle for dominance but not for so long.
I have to admit that at the moment, South Africans are not ready yet to elect a White president. Nonetheless, it is entirely possible in the near future; they will elect a White president. The mechanisms of a competitive system are place with leveled playing field for the parties to bring their best. Fearful of getting unseated, African dictators oppose multiparty system on the pretext that it promotes tribalism and sectionalism. This charge is hard to label against emerging South African political parties. For example, the ANC rift is largely along left-right ideological split on economic policies and on personalities, with ethnicity and regionalism playing subtle roles. The evolving trends will eventually lead into a mature foundation of political parties and healthy democratic transformation.
South Africa may be long shot from electing a White president and America might have come long way to elect their Black president. But speaking of multipartism, can Americans elect a no-party or an independent president? I am already tempted to answer this question.
*Steve Paterno is the author of The Rev. Fr. Saturnino Lohure, A Roman Catholic Priest Turned Rebel. He can be reached at [email protected]
Akol Liai Mager
Can South Africa ever have a White President?
The answer of No, will prove that African are more racist than White people [Say American if you like].
My answer will be yes, and the news of assassination of a break away ANC leader today in South Africa justifies that black African can be more brutal than White Ones.
Can I refer this paragraph to what has just happened today in South Africa election a ppart from what is taking place in Zimbabwe Mugabi? Very few people will be followers of Jesus if he return via Africa.
Yakulota
Can South Africa ever have a White President?
It feels real and truly to challenge one’s self with a distant reflection of things and compare it with what is happening in one’s own environment!
I mean to say how interesting it becomes to compare ANC in this context with our own SPLM liberation political movement!
Some will argue that this kind of discussion should not take place because it might disrupt ‘masterminded’ efforts to liberation of a people!
In the Sudan, there is a similar situation of dilemma! In South Sudan, it seems as if anyone who does not fully support SPLM is a traitor of the liberation struggle! While on the contrary, I do see a lot of constructive criticism on the SPLM which are disregarded before even being analyzed! I believe if the SPLM rather use the content of these constructive criticisms as a mirror to look herself (SPLM) into, the SPLM might become a party that’s true to her people.
Many Southern Sudanese joined the SPLM for the self-determination of South Sudan. And this group will not want to dare to extend the suffering of the people of South Sudan by pursuing the vision of New Sudan. Others just see how impractical it is with the fact that the SPLM at the moment lacks the capacity and vigor to achieve the vision of New Sudan.
I believe the dilemma of the people has resulted in the rampant invalid reactions or well-informed but wrongly directed opinions on this website. I also attribute the many times I hear “Only if Dr. Garang was still around…” to confirm this dilemma.
Luckily enough Dr. Garang left a CPA which is a more valuable inheritance than a shaky SPLM/A with a leadership gap!
God bless South Sudan and Sudan at large!