LUKANYO MNYANDA: In a grim week, our democracy found its voice

The World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa turned out to be more eventful that anybody would have thought. Probably more so for President Cyril Ramaphosa than anybody else.

For an event that detractors often dismiss as nothing more than a talk shop, it was deeply ironic that, initially at least, it was dominated by the president’s apparent lack of voice. During one conversation, I discovered that Ramaphosa has a Xhosa-Zulu nickname that translates to “the quiet one”.

As what was expected to be a genteel gathering of the continent’s elites discussing everything from climate change to advances in technology that are set to transform the way we live and work progressed, the focus switched to what was happening in the streets of SA. From the start, the conference was overshadowed by scenes of violence in the north of the country and revulsion at the murder of UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana in the south.

With all the country’s socioeconomic and political problems, which often leave us depressed, what was on show was how vibrant our democracy is.

In keeping with the general theme of his presidency so far, Ramaphosa was slow to read the national mood and had nothing to say until events had moved on to the point where he had no choice. It felt like an open goal, because when he did eventually speak, he demonstrated how inspirational he could be. If only he had done so a few days earlier.

The president not showing up for a session he was supposed to address would normally be a reason to be disappointed. Not this time. When WEF head of Africa Elsie Kanza announced that Ramaphosa was skipping the event because he was in parliament “speaking to his people”, it was greeted with relief. The symbolism was more powerful than anything he would say.

Earlier in the week, as the country was overcome with anger, 702 radio host Bongani Bingwa asked if the country was being led, and when Ramaphosa eventually spoke up, it at last felt like it was. The president, often mocked for his apparent preference for international events such as this rather than talking to his people, had forsaken this stage to do that.

Of course, the irony might not have been lost on the president that while he was attacked by all and sundry for not talking, much of the discussion was about a frustration with his government being big on words and light on action.

Whether the subject has been the lack of prosecution of the agents of state capture or the ongoing crisis at state-owned enterprises, the overwhelming feeling has been that the time to talk has long passed. People are tired of the long game, especially since its goals have never been clearly articulated.

So how does one assess the conference overall? In one view it was a terrible week for Ramaphosa and the scenes in the street turned the event into a national embarrassment, highlighting a dysfunctional society with an uncertain leadership. Protests and the sound of stun grenades are not exactly the picture we wanted to paint for our visitors, or potential investors.

But in the week in which Robert Mugabe died, that might well be missing the point. With all the country’s socioeconomic and political problems, which often leave us depressed, what was on show was how vibrant our democracy is. As a “politically neutral” organisation, the WEF isn’t in the habit of excluding despots or those who cling to power through voter intimidation or other dubious electoral processes.

It must have been quite a sight for them. There was no cordoning-off of the city, so the protesters could be heard and seen from the venue, the Cape Town International Convention Centre. And not only were the young people of this country voicing their frustrations, the politicians were listening.

There is so much that’s wrong in the country that one can sometimes feel defeated. Ordinary people who have to use public hospitals or queue at home affairs are rightly frustrated when they hear the well-off implore them to be optimistic.

My own frustration reached boiling point when I tried more than once, and failed, to do something as simple as acquire a passport for my child. I left thinking if this state is so ineffective that it can’t do something as simple as that, how am I supposed to believe it can fix Eskom or implement such a project such as national health insurance?

And then those young people in Cape Town reminded me why I love this country.