Issues at Stake: Strategic games now on the cards

IT was uncharacteristic of the ANC not to use the refrain ‘the people have spoken’ this past week – even as they claimed unassailable victory.

However, the fact that the ruling party’s majority has been considerably slashed must not be swept under the carpet, it must be dealt with.

Instead of denying the obvious, the party has to do some serious introspection and treat what their adversaries view as a death knell differently as a wake-up call, because this poll is a dress rehearsal for 2019.

The electorate have indeed spoken and they must be respected and listened to.

That said, opposition parties should quickly wake up from the siesta of ‘victory’ because the votes they received may just prove to be borrowed robes.

In KwaZulu-Natal, for instance, it is clear that the IFP benefitted from the NFP’s misstep, but some in the IFP are already claiming that the NFP was already in decline anyway. On the one hand, even if that was so, it would work in the IFP’s favour to be humble in victory.

Gloating may discredit their fresh gains.

On the other, the NFP should concentrate on regrouping instead of being preoccupied by leadership wrangles to avoid Cope’s highway to nowhere.

The national picture is not rosy for the big spenders because they failed to get the outright majority they expected.

Clearly, voters either strategically stayed away from the polls or shifted affiliation to voice their discontent.

The now fierce and frantic horse trading speaks of the cold fear that’s touched the core of the deep pockets. However, in these unavoidable coalitions; arrogance, brinkmanship and opportunism are dangerous evils that must be avoided.

EFF dilemma
In this regard, who the EFF decides to sleep with should be seriously considered or they may lose their well-choreographed appeal.

Mending walls at this critical stage is fraught with fatal traps and dangerous blind spots.

As new kids on the block, they have an opportunity to learn the ropes should they be in governance.

However, being kingmakers do not guarantee kingship at a later stage. As things stand, their brand is at stake whether they go to bed with the ANC or the DA, because political coalitions are never genuine.

The question is, should they play hardball or compromise?

As for the smaller parties, their survival solely depends on who lures them to bed. They have little room to maneouvre.

At the end of the day, whatever coalitions emerge, the citizens should be the beneficiaries.

All the parties, independents and community forums must communicate with their constituencies before committing to any marriage of convenience.

Achieving this will require sober and solid leadership. If they fail in this, 2019 will be a nightmare they would find impossible to wake up from.