The shutdown protest by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in South Africa has led to problems of plutocracy and partyocracy in the country’s government. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy
The closed the protest by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in South Africa has brought to the fore the issue of plutocracy and partyocracy in the country’s governance.
Plutocracy – government by, from, and for the rich – represents the decay of liberal democracy. In contrast, partyocracy – rule by a party elite that has appropriated state power – represents the decay of social democracy. These two forms of government have blurred the line between oligarchy and demagoguery, creating a toxic mixture of elite control and populism, destroying the country’s political and economic system.
The EFF protests are symptomatic of a deeper problem in South Africa’s political landscape.
The country is facing a crisis of leadership, with the ruling ANC and opposition parties failing to address the pressing needs of the people. The leader of the EFF, Julius Malema, is a classic example of a demagogue, appealing to people’s emotions, prejudices and ignorance to gain power and popularity. They use false claims and inflammatory language and exploit people’s fears and insecurities to create divisions between various groups of people and scapegoat minorities or outsiders for problems in society.
While the right to protest is enshrined in the Constitution, it should not be used to harass, intimidate or threaten others. The president’s warning that people’s rights to work, travel for leisure and do business will be protected is a welcome statement, but the deployment of more than 3,400 soldiers to maintain law and order is a sign of concern from the country. state security forces.
The ANC’s statement raised alarm over the protests and questioned whether progressive democratic principles were a weak response to the country’s current problems.
The failure of the ruling party to address unemployment, higher education, community water and electricity, gender-based crime and violence and corruption has created a leadership vacuum filled by demagogues like Malema.
The success claimed by Malema’s party in shutting down the country in protest against the presidency and the country’s energy crisis set a dangerous precedent.
While the temporary suspension of load-shedding is due to reduced demand, not the result of the protests, Malema’s claim that the shutdown is the most successful in South Africa’s history of struggle is a worrying sign of the growing influence of demagogues. in the country’s political landscape.
The solution to South Africa’s problems lies in a return to the principles of democracy and the rule of law. The country needs committed leaders to address the urgent needs of the people, not demagogues who use populism to gain power and popularity.
And especially not the oligarchy hinged on the authority to uphold the constitutional rights of the people. These groups often use their wealth or influence to manipulate the political process and maintain their power.
In the context of South Africa’s political landscape, oligarchy has emerged as a consequence of certain interpretations of the Constitution.
Adopted in 1996, the Constitution aims to establish a democratic system based on the principles of equality and social justice. However, over the years, certain interpretations of the constitution have allowed the consolidation of power in a small group of individuals who form the ruling elite.
One example is the rise of plutocracy, where the government is more and more for the rich. This is the breakdown of liberal democracy, because the interests of the few are prioritized over the needs of the many. The wealthy elite have influence by controlling the economy, the media and political institutions, in order to maintain their power.
Another example is the emergence of a partyocracy, where the government is led by a party elite that has sufficient state power. This represents the breakdown of social democracy, as the interests of the party are prioritized over the needs of the people. This leads to the situation where the party elites use their control over the political process to satisfy themselves and their allies instead of solving the fundamental problems of the country.
Both of these forms of oligarchy have contributed to the erosion of democracy in South Africa. Instead of a system based on the principles of equality and social justice, the state is increasingly governed by a small group of individuals who are more interested in maintaining their power than serving the needs of the people.
Gogo Matshiqi – who made reference to the protests of George Floyd that led to protests, including looting and property damage -. suggests that while people focus on property damage, they overlook the reasons for the protests. He continued to criticize the response of Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, to the removal of the statue of the slave trader. He said Johnson was only concerned with the vandalism of the statue rather than the reason why it was targeted.
Matshiqi then moved to the topic of crime in South Africa, showing that the deployment of security forces is mainly driven by the desire to defend the interests of capital rather than to solve the problems of ordinary citizens affected by crime, poverty, inequality and underdevelopment.
He criticized the deployment of security forces as a wasteful expenditure, arguing that it was not intended to address fundamental problems but to harm the protesters. That the deployment will remain in place until next month shows that it is designed to defend the interests of wealth rather than solving the problems of ordinary citizens.
It is clear that South Africa is at a crossroads, with the danger of this type of dangerous regime threatening the country’s political and economic system.
The government must meet the urgent needs and restore confidence in the political system and also protect the country’s democracy. Failure to do so risks further decay of the country’s political and economic system and the rise of demagogues and oligarchs who exploit fear and insecurity for profit.
Zimkhitha Manyana studied international relations at Wits University and pursued a PhD in political science at the University of Johannesburg..
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect official policy or position Mail & Guardians.