Interesting week, this, as the much-maligned media became the stage on which the big men of our politics flexed their muscles. For the first time we heard that going on an economic-freedom march was like “having a one-night stand with the unemployed” (courtesy Buti Manamela).
This was the general line as trade unionists and social movements who have made a name for themselves by organising marches suddenly asked: What difference does a march make?
Perhaps what they really intended to question was not the efficacy of marches but the possibility that Julius Malema’s walk to Sandton had less to do with economic freedom than with power games related to the ANC’s Mangaung conference.
The news week started on a high when President Jacob Zuma fired two ministers and suspending the police chief. Zuma was the man of the moment, a moment in which he also sent a message to his adversaries in the ANC that he would take action against anyone.
Zuma’s timing was unexpected, but the most anticipated event of the week was still the march.
Between those two events there was a wider scrap for media mention. At the National Union of Metalworkers’ job summit, Zwelinzima Vavi suggested workers should support the march. At the same time, his president, Sdumo Dlamini, was saying the opposite in Midrand, at the Young Communist League’s Youth Jobs Summit.
Meanwhile, 1 500km to the south, the Democratic Alliance got to grips with succession as an unusually tough contest took place for the leadership of its parliamentary caucus, with Lindiwe Mazibuko triumphing, to start what her supporters say is the next big push to broaden the party’s electoral base.
Justice minister Jeff Radebe came in late, announcing the arms-deal commission’s terms of reference. We enjoy the competition for our front page — but it is your attention, dear reader, that they are really after. Feels like— democracy.