We need a holiday Mzansi - from ourselves

Although I was in the midst of the chaos and our parliamentarians wreaking havoc on the night in the National Assembly, I viewed it as something that was really not unexpected. The writing was on the wall with all the EFF warnings beforehand. Besides, we had a dose of this reality at last year’s proceedings as well.

So when my colleague said “ We need a break man. A holiday from our country,” I laughed. I thought it was funny. Fast forward to today and I’m not laughing anymore. Not so much.  This business of adulting in South Africa and making sense of what is happening in government and the broader society is complicated - let’s not forget confusing and highly traumatizing at times. Big ups to you if you can give a concise and sensible rundown of what exactly is happening and where we are heading at this very moment.

You can be forgiven for taking a break from news for one day – but be warned – you might just wake up after your slumber having a serious case of FOMO. That is exactly how long it takes for things to develop, change shape, new MP’s to be sworn in and the SABC to be in yet another bout of hot water in our country.  But hot water aside, just speak to a pensioner or any of the 17 million social grant recipients and ask them whether they know what exactly is going to happen with their grants at the end of this month. They won’t know. And at this very moment, government doesn’t know either.

It’s a matter that has dragged on for about three years. Yes, three years of knowing that the service provider tender needs to be re-issued as per a Constitutional Court ruling. Now we find ourselves at the cusp of a catastrophe, with the president and the deputy-president giving assurances that people will get their money. How?

What is the exact plan? With no service provider in place at the end of the month, will big trucks of money move in and out of suburbs and townships dishing out cash to millions of people on a list? Will people have to queue at new venues and be prepped on a new collection process? Can a new service provider be found in this time? None of these questions have been addressed. But even worse - I don’t think that it can be addressed. It’s a situation that directly affects scores of the most vulnerable members of our society. People depend on this money for their survival. This mess leaves them with little else to do but sit, wait and watch how things unfold.

Labour federation COSATU says the president must intervene and heads must roll – that the minister and those responsible for the mess must either resign or be dismissed. COSATU describes the situation as a political own goal, one that smells of corruption. This we know. The Constitutional court said as much.

But it still does not solve the problem - it only highlights it. Yes, it might be a good first step, but what is the big plan? Cabinet says it will discuss the SASSA crisis with all affected parties next week – and get a comprehensive report from all teams. In that same week Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini will appear before Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts, if she pitches.  But even if she does - all these measures seem a bit too late. And in the absence of concrete plans – we’re all just hoping and waiting for proper leadership to emerge. A tall order if you ask me.