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Beyond Khoza: re-emergence of apartheid?

– Phuti Mosomane, The New Age, 24 April 2012

 

Hosted by Wits University's Drama for Life, Pieter-Dirk Uys said in his public lecture “You ANC nothing yet — on the road to Mangaung” that an oppressive system similar to apartheid could rear its head again if SA do not get more involved and hold the government accountable.

 

The comedian Pieter-Dirk Uys said on Monday at university's Great Hall in Johannesburg, the same place where Julius Malema accused the ANC president of being a dictator to youth in the movement.

 

"Apartheid will never ever come back again under the same name," Uys said.

 

"But don't underestimate the inventiveness of that era of politics. Of course it will come back, it made money. It will call itself something else, it will be benign, an acronym. We won't even know what it means."

 

Uys said this was because in a democracy people did not do their homework.

 

"We have a government that does its homework and you'll vote for it and be back in the dark ages for the next four generations," he said.

 

Uys said apartheid was a "stupid" system. He recalled how he was explaining to a 12-year-old boy how, during apartheid, black people were not allowed to sit on certain benches.

 

The little boy asked Uys "this apartheid thing, did it really happen?".

 

Uys said he asked the boy why he had said that and he replied "'cause it sounds so stupid", because who could stop him from sitting on a bench.

 

Uys said he thought about it and thought to himself "my God it sounds stupid".

 

"Stupidity can kill, stupidity is so inventive; so never underestimate the power of stupidity. Don't underestimate the power of the things you call stupid in politics."

 

South Africa was a democratic country because millions of people believed there was a future in the dark. He said there were good people in government as well as bad people, and South Africans should not forget that.

 

Uys said people should not underestimate the power of the ANC Youth League or any youth league. He urged South Africa's young people to get more involved within youth structures.

 

"Why are so few young people involved with the youth league? The future is there."

 

He warned people to not ignore suspended ANCYL president Julius Malema.

 

"Every single thing he said... we may not ignore, and we ignore at our peril. He is a clever politician in the year 2012. He has not followed the blueprint of the past. He has surprised everybody with his unbelievable cheek."

 

Uys said it was Malema's charm and charisma that stuck with people who were waiting for leadership. The people had to lead and the government to follow.

 

The future of South Africa was what the people made of it, not the government, he said. All South Africans needed to be involved with what was happening.

 

"We are a country of democrats that care... and not people who say 'ons is bang, ons is bang, ons is bang' [we are scared]," said Uys.

 

Both Malema and Uys indirectly agree with Nedbank Chairman Reuel Khoza's warning on political leadership- should we be worried? Or are these leaders less patriotic about the rainbow nation?

 

Perhaps we should in celebrating Freedom Day this week take these assertions and create an open proudly SA nationwide dialogue.

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