By Smuts Ngonyama
The DP's allegations of someone bugging their offices sound like something from the movie "Wag The Dog" where the gist of the story-line was that there is nothing like a war to boost popularity and support. In other words, when your ratings are low, create a war.
Instead of creating a "war" for their own ends, they have weaved a similar great untruth, involving allegations of espionage and ample intrigue to draw attention to themselves. Obviously, the main antagonist in this tale has to be played by the "great evil empire" -the ANC-led government. What trash! It remains to be seen whether, like all untruths, the conveyors thereof are able to continue managing it.
The DP loves creating the impression that it is the lone sheep, the voice in the wilderness, the underdog of South African politics, and woe be to me, everyone - especially the ANC - are hell-bent on destroying it.
The DP has strived hard to build this image and have likened themselves to David, ready to fight back and slay the giant Goliath. More trash! They used this same strategy while the National Party was in power and they continue to use it now. Unfortunately for them, the majority of people are aware of their silly ploys and will not be taken in by stories springing from the overactive and paranoid imaginations of Douglas Gibson and the like.
One has become used to the DP's flights of fancy and continuous accusations and is tempted to disregard this story as just another and throw it away into the dustbin where all the others reside. But, one cannot. The reason being that a trend is emerging and becoming clearer day by day. They fought an exceptionally dirty election campaign and in the last few months since then, and attaining that special status as "official opposition", the Democratic Party seems to have intensified its mud-slinging negative campaign.
One fails to remember when the DP ever made a positive remark in terms of government performance or one in line with the objectives of nation building and reconciliation. They rather prefer taking their opportunistic swipes in order to prove that they have the "guts" to fight back regardless, for cheap publicity. Needless to say, they were very quiet when it was announced that the GDP had risen to 3,1% for this quarter.
This negativity on their part has gone far beyond the boundaries and rules of healthy political engagement and cannot go unchallenged. One just has to look at the DP's press statements over the past 6 months, which include amongst others:
But such spoiling tactics by the Democratic Party are not reserved for "issues" only. A peek into the Parliamentary Hansard is filled with the DP´s attempts to thwart transformation and progress aimed at creating a more equal society.
The Democratic Party has opposed transformative legislation in almost every other sphere, from sport to the economic sphere.
In the five years leading to the last election the ANC government passed over 500 bills aimed at transforming South Africa and eradicating our apartheid legacy. The DP has opposed most. These include :
The list goes on and on.
However, returning to the bugging issue. Given the DP's track record at being creative with the truth, having a penchant for seeking attention through sensationalising issues, never commenting on positive issues and opposing of the ANC wherever and however possible, how can one take these latest allegations seriously? No evidence has been put forward. They have refused to make the report by their "security consultant" available. Furthermore what reason would the ANC or the government wish to gain if it did. The DP is not that important and does not pose such a serious threat.
One can therefore only be led to believe that this is another ludicrous attempt by the DP to cast doubt on the ANC and the government in order to win cheap political mileage. Why else would they run to the press before following the correct channels and informing the Speaker of the House or even the President himself.
Such unfounded Insinuations are highly irresponsible and negate attempts to build and sustain reconciliation and nation building. This might be the culture of the Democratic Party but it is wrong. No party has the right to put their own interests and desires for publicity above national interests.
The ANC cherishes democracy, it fought hard for it and its members even died for it. In the spirit of multi-party democracy, the ANC would like to take the DP seriously, but how can it when the prefers to trivialise democracy and play games in the name thereof, manipulating matters to serve their own narrow and petty agendas.
If they thought that this allegation, as it now seems, would serve to pressurise the government into appointing an Inspector General, this would be most unfortunate and irresponsible. The DP has been assured that this process is underway. Furthermore, the bugging issue and the appointment cannot logically be collapsed into a single issue.
The DP should refrain from their Hollywood antics. We are dealing with the life of the nation not some comedy.
Article printed in City Press 28 November 1999
Smuts Ngonyama is Head of Presidency and Communications in the ANC