The ever-rising poverty, joblessness and homelessness in South Africa may actually weaken the Left – the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) – within the African National Congress (ANC) family, rather than strengthen their influence, writes William Gumede in this week’s Pambazuka News.

‘Many liberation and political movements that valiantly opposed authoritarian regimes often behave in markedly undemocratic ways when in power themselves’, writes William Gumede. In an extract from a new book of essays, ‘The Poverty of Ideas’, Gumede explores the challenges South Africa faces in making the transition from an independence movement political culture to a democratic political culture.

A dramatic ‘realignment’ in the coalition of political forces that came together at South Africa’s ruling African National Congress’ 2007 Polokwane conference – which swept Thabo Mbeki out of the presidency of the party and country and lifted Jacob Zuma to the pinnacle of power – is currently taking place, writes William Gumede in this week’s Pambazuka News.

‘Whatever our culture, we must treat animals in a humane way,’ William Gumede writes in this week’s Pambazuka News, following the recent approval of South African courts for the sacrifice of a bull as part of a traditional thanksgiving ritual. ‘African culture has a long tradition of democratic practices,’ writes Gumede, but it also ‘has some very autocratic practices’ and it isn’t wrong to admit this or to say ‘let’s discard such aspects’.

In light of South Africa's entrenched poverty, William Gumede argues that the country's National Planning Commission must operate 'like the command centre of a country at war'. Tackling poverty and achieving economic progress require harnessing every resource and talent at the country's disposal, Gumede writes, and instilling a culture 'where failure is not an option'.

South Africans and Africans define leadership too narrowly – that it is why societies on the continent time and time again end up with the most terribly disappointing leaders, William Gumede writes in this week’s Pambazuka News.

Until South Africa acknowledges that racism is deeply embedded in the fabric of its society, William Gumede writes in Pambazuka News, solutions will 'only paper over the deep divisions' and 'reconciliation across racial divides will remain elusive'.

Unless post-independence South Africa sees success as ‘lifting the widest number of the black majority out of poverty, in the shortest time', it will fail as a country, William Gumede writes in Pambazuka News. And it ‘will join the club of developing countries that just muddle along, with a small political and economic elite in charge, and a poor majority trapped in poverty, from which a small numbers occasionally join the ranks of the rich'.

Corruption in South Africa is becoming so widespread now, that unless it is decisively tackled in this presidential term, it will become entrenched as a ‘normal’ aspect of life in our country, William Gumede writes in Pambazuka News. And once it becomes part of the ‘culture’ of South African society, it will be impossible to uproot.

South Africans must be vigilant that elements of their democratic state – especially the state security apparatus – do not return to the ‘strong-arm tactics, dirty-tricks and law-unto-themselves behaviour’ of the apartheid-era, William Gumede writes in this week’s Pambazuka News. ‘Our democratic state is supposed to be a caring one; not one that terrorises ordinary citizens, or uses the state for personal and factional gain,’ Gumede says.

A police strategy of shoot-to-kill won’t stop South Africa’s runaway crime, William Gumede writes in this week’s Pambazuka News, when the real issues are corruption, inefficiency and a lack of skills and resources in the police service and criminal justice system. What the country needs, argues Gumede, is ‘a comprehensive anti-crime, poverty and job creation strategy.’

The battle to oust Thabo Mbeki from ANC leadership brought ‘two diametrically opposed groups’ together in support of Jacob Zuma, William Gumede writes in Pambazuka News. Now though, President Zuma finds himself walking a ‘tight-rope’ between the opposing groups, with one side seeking genuine party reform in favour of the people, and the other simply wanting its own place at ‘the feeding trough’. Will Zuma take the side of democracy? That depends on whether he wants to secure another term for himself, or to ‘rescue’ the ANC’s ‘democratic legacy’.

To survive the devastating impact of the global financial crisis, William Gumede tells Pambazuka News, African countries must learn one simple lesson they appeared not to have heeded since the end of colonialisation and apartheid: Do not listen to the advice of global financial institutions and leading Western nations. For that matter, do exactly what these Western nations do.

With much of Africa facing an effective re-colonisation in the wake of the global financial crisis, William Gumede underlines the importance of ever increasing cooperation and trade between African countries. As forces to the east and west alike plunder the continent's mineral wealth, it remains the task of African countries themselves to develop a continental common market and political union based on sound democratic foundations, Gumede concludes.

There is ‘a deep gulf between the call for women’s equality in South Africa’s model constitution and society’s predominantly archaic public attitudes towards women,’ William Gumede writes in Pambazuka News, with sexist views from leaders providing ‘a cloak of legitimacy’ for gender-based violence. If the country’s Gender Equality Commission is to succeed in its constitutional mandate to monitor whether the policy of gender equality is implemented, it must challenge prejudiced political leaders head on instead deferring to them, Gumede argues.

Taking to the streets is often the last resort, says William Gumede, and the community protests against poor service delivery sweeping across South Africa are evidence that ‘democratic institutions within the ANC’ and ‘broader society’ have failed the country’s poorest. ANC leaders whipped up expectations of immediate pro-poor reforms under a Zuma administration, which the current recession has put out of reach. If Zuma is to retain the support of the people, Gumede tells Pambazuka News, he must curb the lavish lifestyles of government officials, weed out corruption and provide emergency packages in the most depressed municipalities across the country. Most importantly though, says Gumede, the renewal of the ANC’s internal democratic processes must be made real now.

In light of the sustained problems of mismanagement and corruption burdening South Africa's provincial authorities, many have called for these institutions to be scrapped entirely. This, argues William Gumede in this week's Pambazuka News, would be a step too far and likely to make matters worse. Far more important, Gumede contends, is the need to dismantle a culture of cronyism and political impunity. The provinces in fact need greater power, the author argues, but this must be under the authority of figures genuinely motivated by tackling poverty and creating jobs.

cc The majority of South Africans are dirt-poor, writes William Gumede, something which makes the country's leaders fondness for lavish living on public money all the more unacceptable. President Jacob Zuma must instil a culture of engagement with ordinary citizens among his officials, Gumede argues, one which ends self-serving cronyism and sees public funds directed to those most in need.

cc The South African government will have to bail out private companies as the global financial crisis begins to bite the national economy, writes William Gumede. But which companies should the government nationalise? Moreover, given its 'depressing record' thus far, is it actually capable of running a complex organisation without making the headlines for mismanagement and corruption? Dismissive of BEE consortiums or majority foreign ownership as an alternative, Gumede calls for ‘a stress test’ to prioritise which companies to rescue, based on what the country would lose if they were to close.

cc With South Africa in the throes of an economic crisis, William Gumede says it's time for the country's government to step up. With the rand's relative strength against the US dollar putting pressure on domestic manufacturing exports, Gumede calls for the Reserve Bank to intervene to weaken the country's currency. President Jacob Zuma must curb price increases, argues Gumede, and offer emergency measures befitting emergency times.