Joe Keshi: Nothing Controversial About South Africa’s Election, ANC’s Decline Expected

Former Nigerian diplomat, Joe Keshi, says there was “nothing controversial about the South African election.”

 Keshi, in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, reported that the “ANC had lost its 30-year majority and dominance of South African politics since the end of apartheid.”

 He noted that many people had expected the ANC not to perform well, so it was a widely anticipated outcome.

Keshi emphasised the importance of the election process and what had been achieved in South Africa, highlighting the efficient reporting of election results despite some glitches and noting that “no one had interrupted the process.”

 Regarding the election results, Keshi suggested that there was a need to “rethink the Apartheid system,” as people had focused too much on its negative aspects and ignored some of the positive legacies left behind, such as a democratic foundation. 

He praised South Africa for maintaining this foundation since the end of white minority rule, asserting that the election confirmed its strength.

“ANC was expected to lose its majority due to several issues, including the belief that the party had not bridged the gap between the rich and the poor,” he stated.

He also noted that power outages and electricity problems were major campaign issues, and many people felt that the ANC had not done enough for them. 

“No one had bridged the gap between the rich and the poor,” he said, highlighting the ANC’s failure to address economic inequality.

 Keshi believes that, “there are many lessons for Nigeria and other parts of the world to learn from South Africa’s experience.” 

The new parliament os set to be inaugurated within 14 days, with a speaker and president to be elected.

Keshi pointed out that political parties had begun negotiating positions, with smaller parties aiming to hold the government accountable. 

He noted that this accountability was crucial for good governance, as it kept the government reasonable and rational.

 Keshi criticised the ANC for becoming complacent over 30 years in power, failing to address the concerns of voters, and becoming lackadaisical on many issues. 

“The current president should step down and a new leader should be brought in who understood the needs of the South African people,” he highlighted.

Keshi stated that “corruption is the major cause of dissatisfaction with the ANC, and the party needed to make significant changes to retain power in future elections.

 “Leadership is key… leaders must understand and address the real problems facing their people,” Keshi emphasised, highlighting the importance of effective leadership.

Reflecting on the legacy of Nelson Mandela, Keshi noted the stark difference between Mandela and the leaders who followed him. He argued that “the absence of a charismatic leader with the ability to unite the party had been a significant issue since Mandela’s time.”

He also mentioned that the ANC had begun losing support during Jacob Zuma’s presidency, which contributed to the current crisis.

Keshi concluded by asserting that the ANC needed to find a coalition partner, even if it meant compromising. He recounted a conversation with a late president who had been involved in negotiations with the African Union and the UN, highlighting “the need for African leaders to avoid the mistakes made by other post-independence countries.”

 He continued, “Palliatives during elections are a source of deep corruption and market distortions,” Keshi warned, criticising the use of incentives to sway voters.

NNEOMA UDENSI

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