You’d be hard-pressed to find a decent New Year’s resolution these days. Like tape decks and the Clinton administration, they’re considered passé… old hat. The sort of thing your dad was into once.
But the first week of the New Year began with an early Monday rainstorm here in Johannesburg as thousands of workers dragged themselves out of bed to face a new year, a new decade and a newly returned traffic nightmare to our roads as we pray for the Gautrain to finish.
Methinks the heavens are trying to tell us something: cleanse yourself and start anew. I know I could do with a few financial resolutions as I grudgingly transferred some savings into my current account. The account description? “Oh crap”. That early December salary sure does come back to bite you in the ass come January.
But how great would it be if our politicians and other esteemed folk took the old resolution more seriously?
Sure it’s a simplistic symbol of that other outdated concept — the conscience. But revival has to start somewhere, because the last time I heard of South Africa’s moral regeneration movement was at the irony that President Jacob Zuma once headed it.
But as is fashionable these days I’ll let bygones be bygones. We’ve pretty much forgotten Zuma’s former court woes as he did the middle class a favour and didn’t destroy the country as soon as he was inaugurated. Let’s face it: we were picturing brimstone and nationalist fire. Instead he gave us a new political era — albeit a conflicted one headed by a president whose charm belies his leadership indecision.
I could dream really big for my wishlist of resolutions but I’ll keep my requests realistic. Thus a resolution to be more resolute is what I wish for Zuma. And dude, seriously, ease up on the polygamy. You’re 67 and you have a country to run not to mention a continent to lead. Enough said.
And for the rest of his inflated Cabinet? A dose of humility for über-minister Trevor “I bought the car, so what?” Manuel wouldn’t be too bad and, on the subject of cars, a lesson in economic sense for the rest. If you’re going to splurge on your cars why enrich the Germans anyway? We have an ailing local motor industry that could do with the injection and before you say it, no, BMW SA does not produce 7 or 5-series which appear to be the luxury cars of choice for our political elite.
Of course we’d prefer it if they didn’t splurge on cars at all but not everyone can be Public Enterprises Barbara Hogan, who has a bling rating bordering on ascetic according to the Mail & Guardian‘s report card for the last year. It would be nice though.
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa could stop talking big on crime and replace “shoot-to-kill” invective with meaningful policy and clear guidelines for beleaguered police officers. Sport bosses should focus on developing players at grass-roots level instead of using politics to achieve representation and 3 Talk‘s Noeleen could actually listen to her interviewees before asking a follow-up question.
It’s not an ideal world I’m asking for. Just a slightly better one. I haven’t even gotten started on our country’s role in scuppering the crucial climate change talks, the silent scourge of obesity in our country that places us on a par with the US, and the usual suspects of Aids, racism and corruption.
Resolutions may be more nineties than noughties, but our century is facing its teens and you know the growing pains have just begun.
You can read Verashni’s column on the M&G online every Monday, and follow her on Twitter here.