A new trend of ageism and gatekeeping is getting entrenched at the highest echelons of South Africa’s mainstream politics.
And no one is doing anything about it as the old guard and those who came after them continue to hog the space and block the emergence of young blood with fresh ideas and political energy.
Much has been said about the demotions of former MKP secretary-general Floyd Shivambu and former ATM president Vuyo Zungula.
But one cannot help but locate this in the ageism and gatekeeping of leadership positions that has rocked South Africa in recent years.
Zungula shines
Let us begin by dissecting the facts in these two present day and specific cases before we delve into historical and broader context.
It is a known fact that the performance of Zungula in parliament since after the 2019 national and provincial elections has elevated ATM’s profile and credibility to unimaginable levels.
His agility and on-the-pulse attention to matters of national importance in parliament have earned him the status of a darling of the young and old who want to see a country whose political system works for its electorate.
Zungula, for instance, was front and centre in the pursuit of accountability from President Cyril Ramaphosa during the Phala Phala farm scandal.
Also, he has become a spirited activist against undocumented immigrants at the level of parliament as well as on the dangers posed to the country’s sovereignty by foreign-funded NGOs that are running amok to circumvent the will of the people of this country.
That he has not had a single scandal over the past six years in national politics was the cherry on top.
So well had Zungula done for himself and ATM that it was not normal for some to punt him as a potential future president.
Enter Professor Ceasar Nongqunga
But that may now be a rising star ruined. Thanks to the 72-year-old Professor Ceasar Nongqunga, the spiritual leader of ATM who is now also its president.
Zungula’s situation is similar, if not identical, to that of Shivambu.
The former EFF deputy president, who defected to the gwaza brigade after elections last year, had done wonders to turn MKP into a serious political force.
Upon arrival, MKP was an ideological amoeba without political direction, with everything centred around its leader, Jacob Zuma.
But Shivambu, slowly, began to shape the party into a serious political formation, starting with a constitution which he toured around the country selling to the rank-and-file members and supporters of the party.
Shivanbu’s MKP grand entrance
Also, many had been confused for long about the political ideology and policies of the MKP. But Shivambu was moving in the right direction in that regard.
That was until he stepped on the toes of Zuma’s daughter, political nonentity Duduzile Zuma. And eventually the dreaded axe fell on his head at the command of 83-year-old Zuma.
Just like with Zungula, Shivambu, in political discourse since becoming MKP secretary-general, was often mentioned among candidates for future head of state for the RSA.
All that is evident here are two very old men whose obsession with power and being the centre of attention will stop at nothing, even if it means dimming the light of future leaders of this country.
My argument does not negate the so-called real reasons why Shivambu and Zungula were removed.
In the case of Shivambu, the stated reason for removal is that he compromised the MKP and breached its constitution when he famously appeared with controversial fugitive Pastor Shepherd Bushiri in Malawi over Easter this year.
Shivambu’s swift removal
So according to Zuma, one slip by Shivambu warrants his removal from a strategic and prominent position like that of secretary-general?
Well, of course unless that is not the real reason. Could it be because he fell out with daughter dearest Duduzile who runs a powerful cabal in MKP?
Or worse still, could it be that it became too much to watch Shivambu rising to become a force through that position to the point where there was real potential of overshadowing Zuma?
With Zungula it is a clear case of ageism and gatekeeping. Because a video of Nogqunga emerged wherein he speaks of some bogus change to the ATM constitution to give Zungula too much power in his absentia.
With Zuma, who became ANC NEC members in his 20s, it is not the first time he can be accused of being an ageist and gatekeeper of power against promising young leaders.
It was him who infamously presided over an ANC that expelled then ANC Youth League President Julius Malema even though some of his colleagues argued the young man could be rehabilitated politically and guided on the right path.
This phenomenon also reared its ugly head at the ANC national conference in Mangaung, where the old guard argued that the then 41-year-old “should wait his turn” when he contested Gwede Mantashe for the position of secretary.
Those old geezers who blocked Fikile Mbalula in Mangaung for age reasons had conveniently forgotten that now President Cyril Ramaphosa was just 38 when he was elected secretary-general of the former liberation movement in 1991.
ANC’s own old geezers
In recent history within the ANC national conference contests, the ageism and gatekeeping of strategic position by the old is again sharply brought into focus.
In their last one at Nasrec 2 in 2022, then 38-year-old Ronald Lamola was snubbed in favour of 60-year-old Paul Mashatile for the position of deputy president.
It was a bloodbath for the young in the contest for the party’s finance office where Pule Mabe, Mzwandile Masina and Andile Lungisa – all in their early 40s then – fell off in favour of then 60-year-old Gwen Ramokgopa.
Even when the national executive is formulated, it is a sorry state of affairs for young politicians to find favour, lest when they do being deployed in the useless and to-be-done-away with positions of deputy minister.
It would appear that the young in modern day South African mainstream politics will await their turn until the second coming of Jesus Christ.
It is no wonder then that elsewhere in Sahel region of this continent, the likes of radical and world-famous President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso resorted to taking power by force through the barrel of the gun.
