From Umrabulo Number 36 The problem of slates: One such challenge is the practice of slates, which is particularly pronounced during elective conference of the ANC. Slates are a form of open factionalism, whereby comrades line up behind a particular candidate. What this means is that the organisation is split in two, with each side owing allegiance to itself in such a way that it elevates its interests above those of the organisation, at least at that time. What is worse about this particular practice is that slates have the tendency to take on a life of their own. Long after the elective conference is gone comrades still see themselves through the prism of slates, and act accordingly. While the winning faction indulges in triumphalist euphoria, the losing side, smarting, begins to prepare itself for the next elective conference, and acts in a manner consistent with this intention. No matter how injurious a deed is to the integrity of the organisation, it will still come to pass for as long as the one side thinks it gives it an edge over the other. This way all principles of the organisation are defenestrated, leaving us all the poorer. In practical terms, even service delivery will suffer, since suitable comrades for certain work in local government will never realise their ambitions for as long as they are deemed loyal to the other side. This becomes a vicious cycle, infesting all the nooks and crannies of the ANC in a way that is harmful to the longterm interests of our movement. Ultimately the practice of slates weakens the ANC by sawing deep divisions that never heal. More pessimistically, such continued internal fractiousness finally hobbles our efforts to govern, undermining the electoral mandate of the ANC. This scenario, essentially, translates into gross selfishness where the interests of a few within the ruling party override the interest of society in whose name we are purportedly governing. This explains the quantium lip reschuffling by our own president
Posted on: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 08:55:38 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015