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South Africa needs a solid long-term marriage

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Credit: Katlego Mokubyane
Credit: Katlego Mokubyane

It’s good to be back on SA shores. I just got back from a cruise with my other job from Durban to the Portuguese Islands. It was a tumultuous trip and even as I’m sitting here on solid ground, I’m still rocking and reeling from the experience.

As I catch up on news this morning and trawl for reactions to last night’s reshuffle I see that the whole country is also reeling and rocking itself into some sort of comfort as we try and process this ‘ceremonial reshuffle’, and a supposed revelation of the long-game of politics (like we didn’t know). 

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Much like any divorce, it seems there have been concessions that were made in exchange for the role of president. “You get the kids, as long as you hire the nanny we’ve always used.” (Even though the kids don’t like that nanny, for some reason she’s got a hold on your mother in law – who, much to your chagrin, low key runs your home).

I mean, we’ve had 2 bad break ups, 2 vat and sit situations...

I started watching The Crown recently, and there’s a moment when Sir Winston Churchill mentions that what [England] needs is several years of strong, steady, experienced administration.

All I kept thinking is – yes John Lithgow, that’s exactly what we need… South Africa needs a solid, long-term marriage. 

I mean, we’ve had 2 bad break ups, 2 vat and sit situations (a new VAT situation), 12 cabinet reshuffles in the Zuma administration and a reshuffle with the birth of this new administration that still has a whiff of capture in the air. 

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Now we’re in a rebound relationship, where we have inherited the same systemic issues from the previous one.

We’ve had no therapy, no mediated discourse. We’re simply moving our issues into positions where they can do less damage, kind of like putting your delinquent child in the naughty corner and hoping for the best. 

Then the news of Bathabile Dlamini taking up the position of the Minister of the Women in the Presidency broke.

When I researched it, it comes up with a link to a site being down due to maintenance and on further attempts to find out the actual purpose of the ministry I have come to the following conclusions:

It looks after women’s affairs – everything female related. WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN? “Nobody knows what it means, it’s provocative…” 

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Well, we are indeed provoked, as a gender. We are incensed.

How can the Minister who literally had vulnerable people DIE on her watch, be made responsible for yet another group of marginalised and vulnerable members of society?

At the end of the day though, I’m not sure if this relationship is going to last.

Party insiders are arguing that Dlamini’s appointment comes from the perspective of her being the leader of the ANC Women’s League and that this will be a position that allows her to truly represent this voice.

Then there are other wild thoughts that the Presidency cannot sideline the very person that (its female constituents) have chosen to represent them but at the same time put her in a position where she can do the least amount of damage.

The department has little to no budget and there are rumours that it might even be dissolved completely by 2019. 

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What we can celebrate, as a gender, is the fact that there are more women that have more prominent ministerial positions with heftier budgets. That we are represented in parliament (sort of).

At the end of the day though, I’m not sure if this relationship is going to last.

South Africa needs some RnR (Rest & Recreation – not Ruperts & Rothschild, in case that wasn’t clear), some therapy, a detox, a cleanse and a glow up but until then, I don’t really know if we gon’ be orrite.

We’re still tryna get over our first ex – colonisation.  

Hope you find your truth!?

Happy Tuesday.

Xoxo

N

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