John Matisonn: Mbeki's "counter-revolution" theory: blame everything on 2008, not the borders

In his bluntest rebuke yet of Cyril Ramaphosa, Thabo Mbeki has dismissed the president's warnings on illegal immigration as speculation dressed up as policy. The timing matters: Mbeki spoke just before June 30's nationwide protests, which cost the state R600 million to police and will now recur weekly through November's local elections. Mbeki's actual argument reaches back to his own 2008 ousting, which he blames on a "counter-revolution" that stalled growth ever since. With MKP and Operation Dudula racing to claim the anti-migrant vote in KwaZulu-Natal, the spat lays bare an ANC split between Mbeki-era veterans and the party's current leadership..By John Matisonn.It’s not just the Democratic Alliance whose leader is under attack by his predecessor – former President Thabo Mbeki has rounded on President Cyril Ramaphosa over his stand on illegal immigrants in his bluntest terms yet.Mbeki issued a sharp public rebuke of Ramaphosa, calling his comments a grave error, representing “a notable shortcoming for the head of state”, based on speculation and conjecture that undermined a response to the problem.At issue is Ramaphosa’s speech saying illegal immigration posed a risk to South Africa’s security, affected service delivery and place extra burdens on healthcare and education.Mbeki’s broadside came ahead of the June 30 protests that erupted around the country. The government mobilised extensive resources on a R600million budget to ensure police and military were on the streets to prevent violence or looting.Though hundreds were arrested and violent incidents were reported, the demonstrations were largely peaceful in cities and towns across South Africa.Reports attempting to establish who was behind the organised nation-wide protests pointed to unnamed figures in the construction mafia as well as one with traditional leadership connections in KwaZulu-Natal.While no evidence confirmed that former President Jacob Zuma’s Mkhonto weSize Party was instrumental in its conception, MKP supporters were prominent in some rallies.A further strong pointer to the role immigration will play in mobilising voters for November’s crucial local government elections was the announcement by organisers that protests will now continue weekly for six months – which is when the elections will take place.If the MKP is seen as the anti-immigration party it might help them get over the top to become the majority party in KwaZulu-Natal municipalities, including eThekwini where ANC support as all but been wiped out. Weekly rallies could ensure the issue remains front and centre in voters’ minds, which could undermine bot the DA and ANC in their campaigns. The DA also faces attack from the anti-immigration Patriotic Alliance, which is scooping up coloured votes in the Western Cape that could threaten its majority in Cape Town.Mbeki’s unusually strong language against a sitting ANC president points to the divisions within the ANC between old guard leaders, including those provided hospitality while in exile in Africa, and younger leaders who see the anger on the streets pointed at foreigners.But its deeper significance is as another sign of the ANC leadership’s inability to lead when new challenges arise.Mbeki rightly points to the underlying cause of the unrest being government’s failure to grow the economy since he left government 18 years ago, highlighting the stark difference between the sharp growth rates in the 14 years under Mbeki and President Nelson Mandela and the consistently anaemic growth from 2008 to the present under both Jacob Zuma and Ramaphosa.In his remarks, Mbeki attributed his overthrow and replacement by Zuma to a deliberate conspiracy by “the counter-revolution” to terminate economic growth and fuel unrest.“This change deliberately produced the general political and socio-economic crisis gripping our country today seemingly with no end in sight! “This is what caused the high unemployment rate and challenges in social service delivery, along with related problems. This is what afflicts the poor in our country who are at the receiving end of failing economy, social ills like drug abuse and alcoholism, insecurity and violence, and general despondency.” Mbeki said that by blaming illegal migration for affecting service delivery and job-creation, Ramaphosa was agreeing “with the argument advanced by groups such as Operation Dudula 1 and the more recent creation, March and March, as well as the political parties such as ActionSA and ATM, that such is the level of illegal migration in our country that it results in the negative consequences which Ramaphosa mentioned.”.Read more:.Katzenellenbogen: Full outrage over immigration has yet to come.He said the intention of this counter-revolution to drive a wedge between liberated South Africa and the rest of Africa, help create the conditions for the destruction of the ANC, to “ensure the perpetuation of the criminal legacy of colonialism and apartheid. “This is important in that even if the undocumented migrant problem is solved by deporting all of them, we will still have a challenge as to what happens a day after.” .Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. 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John Matisonn: Mbeki's "counter-revolution" theory: blame everything on 2008, not the borders

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