Politician, know your sell-by date

From the riots and protests that have engulfed North Africa and parts of the Middle East some important lessons can be learned. Certainly one of the most important is that every political leader has a sell-by date, writes Garth Cronje.

It is once again being brought home clear and simple: The time leaders spend in office should be constitutionally limited – finish en klaar!

Implicit in a properly functional democracy and enshrined in the constitution, such an arrangement should present few if any challenges. Any attempts to tamper with the term of office are normally met with rejection. Ask Thabo Mbeki.

But, it is a different story in pseudo democracies and even less so in dictatorships and other types of government structures of  questionable origin.

When a political leader overstays his welcome the end result often resembles what is now happening in the Arab world.

Inevitably, a prolonged stay in office brings at an accelerating pace  greed, corruption, self-enrichment, fraud, nepotism and a twisted belief that the success of the country and the welfare of the people are dependent on the enlightened leadership and foresight of the prevailing order.

This perverted view is not new and is reminiscent of the proclamation of Louis XIV, “I am the State.”

It is however a view with its accompanying undesirable practices that is not restricted only to the self-important a leader but  usually  also includes his family, cronies, ministers and senior officials.

With their positions and privileges courtesy of the leader, these satellites are willing to sacrifice a country and its people in protecting their personal ill-gotten gains. Nor would they run the risk of being thrown out for telling the master the truth.

Zimbabwean example

Where is a better example than Zimbabwe?

It goes beyond comprehension that, while the vast majority of a population suffers for years from hunger, non-delivery of basic services and unemployment, and have their dignity mercilessly trampled on by the state and its institutions, leaders such as Mubarak, Mugabe and Gaddafi can still find it beyond belief that they can actually be rejected by the masses.

It is said that history is a good teacher. It seems however, that simple advice is sometimes beyond the grasp of leaders who cannot accept that their time is up.

But, even more obscene than stealing billions of dollars and hiding it away in secret bank accounts abroad and living in incredible extravagance is the arrogant belief of these leaders that  by some divine right, they must continue their legacy in perpetuity by passing the regime on to their descendants.

Like feudal lords in the Middle Ages sons, daughters and close family members are also rewarded and entrusted with jobs and positions for which they are not necessarily trained or qualified.

Significantly these are mostly crucial positions that almost always include that of the national security advisor, intelligence head, senior military and security ranks and the interior ministry. These positions require incumbents with specific qualities --  qualities which Gamal Mubarak and the sons of Gaddafi obviously lack.

What is important, however, is that the occupant is utterly reliable, trustworthy and committed to help preserve an unpopular and repressive regime. The best way to do it is to keep it in the family -Mafia style!

Exploiting the privileges and dominance of these modern-day dynasties, opportunities abound for family members and heirs to indulge in lucrative but often questionable business deals to grow and expand their own and the family fortunes.

This is a distasteful tendency not unfamiliar around the globe. Unfortunately, this kind of exploitation seems to be on the increase in our neighbourhood with Isabel dos Santos, daughter of long-reigning Angolan President Jose dos Santos, leading the pack.

Lately, media reports suggest that there are a few willing followers of this unsavoury practice to be found in South Africa as well.

It is most probably hopelessly naïve but one can only hope that some lasting lessons will be learnt from the popular uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East: never underestimate the power and intelligence of the ordinary man and woman. Ultimately and collectively they will prevail.