Beware the trapping of power 04 - 10 - 06

Beware the trappings of power!

The Congress of South African Trade Unions applauds Kgalema Motlanthe’s warning to politicians against alienating the people by abusing the trappings of power.

COSATU endorses ANC secretary-general’s view that special treatment for ministers - such as having a special entrance at airports, embarking only once all other passengers have been seated and having reserved seats on aircraft - can make them appear remote and create a gap with the people.

COSATU agrees with Comrade Motlanthe that the ANC decided to remain a national liberation movement and not to become a political party precisely so that it could remain accountable to ordinary citizens and retain their trust.

His concerns about the growing remoteness of our leaders are in line with the view expressed by the COSATU General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, who told the 2004 SACTWU Congress that “the liberation movement of South Africa has developed deep-rooted cultures and traditions that must be protected all the time as new challenges are brought about by new conditions created by the very struggle.”

He was talking about the culture of solidarity, selflessness and putting our people first, the traditions of understanding that our individual concerns and sacrifices come second to the concerns of the masses of the people and the deep culture of service to our people even at the expense of individual suffering.

He noted with deep concern allegations that Members of Parliament did not disclose business interests in the register of members’ interest, as required by the Parliamentary code of ethics, and another story claiming that a struggle icon received a ‘gift’ house of R1, 6 million and a car worth R320 000 from a company of which he is a ‘non executive’ chair.

“Unless Parliament and the ANC act proactively to deal with these matters,” he said, ”good and ethical MPs and other political leaders will be tainted with the same brush.”

He spoke of the need to overcome this crass materialism, which is replacing the solidarity that historically informed our struggle, urged the movement to investigate how our political leaders are accumulating wealth and asked whether our old slogan of “an injury to one is an injury” has been replaced by capital’s slogan an injury to one is the opportunity to the other!

When the British Labour Party leaders first took office in the 1920s, they wore feudal ‘court dress’ when they went to meet the King. While this may have been a less serious matter than the political betrayals they committed later, it was a visible sign to the working-class voters who elected them that they now identified themselves as part of the ruling class.

The ANC ministers must not make the same mistake but at all times be seen to conduct themselves as representatives of the people deployed to government office, and not part of a ruling elite.