Agoa exclusion no surprise as ballot brings change

The exclusion of South Africa from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) by the Trump administration was no surprise.

It aligns perfectly with the administration’s current and past behaviour, including inflammatory remarks labelling certain nations as “sh*tholes”. Surely President Donald Trump wants SA in this category, even if he has not said it.

The administration’s record includes the unprecedented act of orchestrating the kidnapping of a sitting president from a sovereign nation, as well as threats of invasion and annexation directed at neighbouring countries. Additionally, he scapegoated South Africa with fake claims of white genocide to satisfy his right-wing imperialist agenda.

These actions, while shocking, align with the US president’s controversial stance. However, focusing on such familiar developments could distract from more pressing issues. After the local government elections yesterday, we must focus on this vital democratic process.

These elections matter for our governance and the representation of our communities. Let us prioritise the electoral process and the future it shapes, acknowledging that, while international matters are important, our local elections are where real change can begin.

The electorate has grown weary of the incessant cycle of unfulfilled promises from their leaders. Year after year, during each election campaign, we hear the same pledges – only to be left unaddressed once the votes are cast.

Voters’ sentiments reveal deep-seated frustration and disappointment, with many feeling their concerns have been consistently ignored.

The case of a wheelchair-bound Soweto man who waited for an RDP house for years, only to have it taken from him four times, is the worst instance of corruption.

This growing disillusionment spurred a strong resolve among the populace to take decisive action at the ballot box, voting against the status quo to express their dissatisfaction. This time, it seems, people were determined to make their voices heard and they did so by decisively choosing to disengage from the repeated failures of the past.

The past several years have seen increased activism as people voiced their frustration in different ways – some violent – as the elite in power continue to show them the middle finger, instead of attending to their genuine grievances.

Election analyst and political commentator Tessa Dooms, director of the Rivonia Circle think-tank, said in a radio interview this week the best way to ensure change is not to stay away, but to vote in big numbers to make it happen. That made a huge difference compared to sitting at home and wallowing in shame and disappointment.

The first-time voters who emerged since 1994, who happened to be mostly black people, may have initially chosen to boycott subsequent elections when promises fell through, because they didn’t understand the importance of their votes in bringing about change.

Instead of addressing their disappointment through the ballot box when freedom euphoria ended, they stayed away from voting.

However, the 2016 municipal elections brought a ray of hope… in affluent metropolitan councils, some voters showed a willingness to use their votes strategically to hold politicians accountable. This marked the beginning of the end of one-party dominance and the emergence of coalition politics in South Africa.

These elections will undoubtedly test expectations for the 2029 national and provincial elections. But one thing is certain: the era of one-party dominance has ended and we now face coalition politics.