Aweh dearly beloved fellow ruminants & groupies
This week I was planning to write about energy again, but I decided to postpone that to next week. As the saying goes, fools rush in where angels fear to tread, and this week, I’m embracing the role of a fool. You may already consider me a perpetual fool, but I’ll leave that judgment to you. It’s commonly advised not to discuss politics in polite company, so if you identify as part of this polite group, I recommend skipping this week’s blog.
Yesterday the South African government was arguing before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. It is presenting a very compelling case. Much of the ensuing media storm is focusing on the merits of the case but the purpose of today’s blog is not to go into the merits of the complex and tragic events unfolding in Gaza but to step back and ask why the ANC government is doing this? What are the motives of the ANC government? Is it about a genuine concern for the people of Gaza? I am going to suggest this is a perfect example of the dead cat strategy.
So first a quick reminder about the dead cat strategy which I have written about before. It is a very common political strategy that originated in Australian politics. “There is one thing that is absolutely certain about throwing a dead cat on the dining room table – and I don’t mean that people will be outraged, alarmed, disgusted. That is true but irrelevant. The key point is that everyone will shout, ‘Jeez, mate, there’s a dead cat on the table!’ In other words, they will be talking about the dead cat – the thing you want them to talk about – and they will not be talking about the real issues that have been causing you so much grief.”
Live hearings at the ICJ kicked off this week, sparking a predictable media frenzy. The war in Gaza stands out as one of the world’s most prominent tragedies, unfolding in real time. Gaza is being reduced to rubble, causing immense human suffering and civilian casualties at the hands of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). This follows a brutal and barbaric surprise attack by Hamas on civilians in Israel in October of last year. In our already polarized and divided world, strong allegiances are forming amid this tragic war.
Much of the current media attention is focused on the merits of the case against Israel. What is happening in Gaza is one of the worst human tragedies in recent history which can perhaps be compared to the firebombing and annihilation of Dresden by the Allies at the end of the second world war. Was that justified? Is the destruction of Gaza justified? Dearly beloved readers I do not have the wisdom to answer those questions and I will leave it up to you.
South Africa’s genocide case against Israel is being hailed as a “Madiba moment”, reminiscent of the struggle against apartheid, where good triumphed over evil. The ANC seems to be reliving its glory days, fighting the good fight, and revelling in global media acclaim.
On the surface, the ANC claims the moral high ground, leading the charge against Israel for the good of humanity and the protection of Palestinians. However, one might question the sincerity of these motives. Does the ANC genuinely care about the poor and oppressed?
Last year at least 76 people, who were living in abject poverty, died in a fire in an unsafe abandoned building in Johannesburg. Were the survivors of that tragic fire, some of whom were foreigners, treated humanely? The ANC blamed the impoverished illegal foreigners and NGO’s for the fire. Across our border in Zimbabwe, a brutal and oppressive regime impoverishes and oppresses its own people. Does the South African government have anything to say about that? Not much. It is seeking to deport as many Zimbabweans who have fled to South Africa in desperation as possible and blaming them for the fire.
The Life Esidimeni tragedy involved the deaths of 144 people in psychiatric facilities in Gauteng, the province in which I live, from causes including starvation and neglect. The incident has been called the greatest cause of human rights violations in democratic South Africa. The Department of Health (DOH) ignored court actions by civil society organisations and patients’ families. In the ensuing investigation, the Heath Ombud’s report concluded that some government actions showed a total disregard for the rights of the patients and their families. This is not an isolated incident but reflects a pervasive culture of impunity, incompetence, and corruption in the South African government.
Only 38 out of 257 municipalities in South Africa received clean audits in 2023. Local government has been characterised by dysfunctional municipalities, financial mismanagement, council and administrative instability, corruption, and crumbling municipal infrastructure. Basic service provision of water, electricity, sewage treatment, and waste removal has collapsed in many ANC-controlled municipalities. I leave it to you to judge how much the ANC government cares about the poor.
From the South African government’s perspective, Israel is expendable but Russia is not, and the government is not taking Russia to task for the war in Ukraine. In a recent opinion piece, it is compellingly argued that South Africa deplores genocide only when it is expedient and South Africa’s approach to other genocides and atrocities is extensively listed and analysed. To mention just one. Al-Bashir, of Sudan, is infamous for being a fugitive from the International Criminal Court (ICC), established by the Rome Statute to which South Africa is a party. When al-Bashir visited South Africa in 2015, for the 25th African Union Summit held in Johannesburg in June of that year, the South African government, despite its duty towards the ICC, refused to execute the arrest warrants against al-Bashir. The government is thus highly selective in its morality.
Let’s tentatively suggest the hypothesis that the ANC is not acting out of genuine concern for the people of Gaza but is engaged in electioneering and seeking a propaganda victory. Once again, the ANC is seeking to liberate the oppressed in a brutal struggle. A dead cat has been thrown onto the table.
I want to express my gratitude for all the ideas and comments received. I genuinely appreciate them, and please continue to share your thoughts.
Regards
Ruminant Pink Friday 