Time to call a truce in the political war of attrition
By Alec Hogg
As a 15 year old, I was the beneficiary of many selfless fund-raising acts by the 1st Newcastle Scout troop. The boys and their parents sacrificed their time to pay for an otherwise unaffordable six weeks attending the World Jamboree in Norway. One never forgets that kind of thing.
That life changing event introduced me to fellow citizens hidden from me by apartheid South Africa. Their friendship helped me appreciate how wicked it is for the power-hungry to use race or history to divide humanity. Nelson Mandela understood this best, fighting the divisive forces with every fibre in his body. That is why his iconic status outlives that of every other long-term political prisoner.
Over the weekend, two of the world's three major ratings agencies spared South African debt a downgrade to junk. But they also urged warring factions within the ANC to find common ground quickly. Their message was clear – declare political peace so you can address economic flashpoints, or face the consequences.
There has been great sacrifice over many years to achieve South Africa's investment grade rating. It is something which needs to be cherished, not sacrificed by a destructive war of political attrition. It's time for protagonists to jaw-jaw. Not just to appease the ratings agencies.