The Mayor of Johannesburg: A Trump type reality tale (op-ed)
In August 2016 Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress (ANC) lost their majority in Johannesburg and Herman Mashaba, the Democratic Alliance candidate, became the city’s first non-ANC mayor, post apartheid.
After high school Mashaba started selling African hair care products and became the company’s top earner. Mashaba secured a substantial loan from another businessman and launched his own hair care products company, which became the biggest hair brand in South Africa making him a millionaire.
Now the Tycoon is a mayor, but Mashaba is also a political novice.
He immediately ordered more visible policing, a cleanup campaign, and repairs to roads. Two years prior, he joined The Democratic Alliance, which is considered a white elitist party, and Mashaba’s opponents have branded him a sellout.
Mashaba describes himself as a democrat and a libertarian.
Because of the historical legacy of apartheid the national authorities (the ANC who has ruled for 22 years) have intervened systematically to resolve poverty and inequality, but Mashaba said, “I am against the government trying to solve everything. Society deserves less government … As long as we don’t adopt freedom policies we are not going to succeed. For any country to create wealth, you need individual freedom.” And he has “begged” businesses across the globe to help Johannesburg.
A professor of politics in Cape Town stated there is strong anti-welfare state sentiment among many black South Africans. “The ANC talk a kind of quasi-Marxist language, but… The country has had a black commercial class for a century and a half.” And Mashaba’s “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” message appeals to those against a “culture of dependency”.
He also accused the ANC of using race to divide the nation, he doesn’t approve of their affirmative action legislation and wants to do away with any mention of race. He does not want to be classified as a black man by the government.
Mashaba told the city if he didn’t deliver he should be fired.
He said, “This was the last job in the world I needed, but I couldn’t just sit by and watch the ANC destroy my country … If Johannesburg works, South Africa works. I want to turn this city into a construction site. It is just a matter of political will.”
Then at Mashaba’s 100 days in office event he stated that foreign nationals are involved in criminal activity in Johannesburg because they arrive in the city illegally.
Mashaba’s comments were denounced as xenophobic and one reporter said the mayor has not produced any evidence that supports his claim.
A week later Mashaba called a radio station and defended his statements.
Mashaba’s spokesman said the mayor’s comments are not xenophobic. The mayor actually welcomes foreign nationals into our city and country because they buy goods, create businesses, and stimulate economic growth, but the mayor will continue to speak out against foreign nationals believed to be participating in crime.
South Africa’s Home affairs minister said he would meet with the novice mayor and explain government policy and management of international migration. The minister warned that public officials should refrain from comments that might incite the public “to adopt xenophobic attitudes”.
But violence against foreign nationals already broke out in South African townships.
Recently, in Pretoria, South Africa’s administrative capital, hundreds marched to the foreign ministry calling for the deportation of foreigners who they accused of taking their jobs. These protesters were armed with sticks and pipes. Over a hundred foreign nationals flooded the streets saying they will defend themselves. South African police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to break up the clashes.
Many blame the nearby mayor of Johannesburg for the current violence.
A week before the anti-immigrant protest march Mashaba again linked illegal foreigners to criminality and told the local news they’re “holding our country to ransom”.
Mashaba claimed he is not responsible for the violence and has sent a series of tweets condemning xenophobic attacks and said residents should not take the law into their own hands. He is now under intense pressure from human rights organizations to resign.
If youth is wasted on the young, is it possible that a term of political office is wasted on a novice?
First published in the New Pittsburgh Courier 3/1/17
After high school Mashaba started selling African hair care products and became the company’s top earner. Mashaba secured a substantial loan from another businessman and launched his own hair care products company, which became the biggest hair brand in South Africa making him a millionaire.
Now the Tycoon is a mayor, but Mashaba is also a political novice.
He immediately ordered more visible policing, a cleanup campaign, and repairs to roads. Two years prior, he joined The Democratic Alliance, which is considered a white elitist party, and Mashaba’s opponents have branded him a sellout.
Mashaba describes himself as a democrat and a libertarian.
Because of the historical legacy of apartheid the national authorities (the ANC who has ruled for 22 years) have intervened systematically to resolve poverty and inequality, but Mashaba said, “I am against the government trying to solve everything. Society deserves less government … As long as we don’t adopt freedom policies we are not going to succeed. For any country to create wealth, you need individual freedom.” And he has “begged” businesses across the globe to help Johannesburg.
A professor of politics in Cape Town stated there is strong anti-welfare state sentiment among many black South Africans. “The ANC talk a kind of quasi-Marxist language, but… The country has had a black commercial class for a century and a half.” And Mashaba’s “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” message appeals to those against a “culture of dependency”.
He also accused the ANC of using race to divide the nation, he doesn’t approve of their affirmative action legislation and wants to do away with any mention of race. He does not want to be classified as a black man by the government.
Mashaba told the city if he didn’t deliver he should be fired.
He said, “This was the last job in the world I needed, but I couldn’t just sit by and watch the ANC destroy my country … If Johannesburg works, South Africa works. I want to turn this city into a construction site. It is just a matter of political will.”
Then at Mashaba’s 100 days in office event he stated that foreign nationals are involved in criminal activity in Johannesburg because they arrive in the city illegally.
Mashaba’s comments were denounced as xenophobic and one reporter said the mayor has not produced any evidence that supports his claim.
A week later Mashaba called a radio station and defended his statements.
Mashaba’s spokesman said the mayor’s comments are not xenophobic. The mayor actually welcomes foreign nationals into our city and country because they buy goods, create businesses, and stimulate economic growth, but the mayor will continue to speak out against foreign nationals believed to be participating in crime.
South Africa’s Home affairs minister said he would meet with the novice mayor and explain government policy and management of international migration. The minister warned that public officials should refrain from comments that might incite the public “to adopt xenophobic attitudes”.
But violence against foreign nationals already broke out in South African townships.
Recently, in Pretoria, South Africa’s administrative capital, hundreds marched to the foreign ministry calling for the deportation of foreigners who they accused of taking their jobs. These protesters were armed with sticks and pipes. Over a hundred foreign nationals flooded the streets saying they will defend themselves. South African police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to break up the clashes.
Many blame the nearby mayor of Johannesburg for the current violence.
A week before the anti-immigrant protest march Mashaba again linked illegal foreigners to criminality and told the local news they’re “holding our country to ransom”.
Mashaba claimed he is not responsible for the violence and has sent a series of tweets condemning xenophobic attacks and said residents should not take the law into their own hands. He is now under intense pressure from human rights organizations to resign.
If youth is wasted on the young, is it possible that a term of political office is wasted on a novice?
First published in the New Pittsburgh Courier 3/1/17
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