BREAKING AWAY FROM FACTIONS


By Sandile Memela

We all have been touched and inspired by our iconic legend, Nelson Mandela. His legacy always marks an important development in how an individual is the lengthened shadow of our history and aspirations in South Africa.
 
The purpose of this is to share a series of articles that we can begin to run as part of a focused and disciplined approach to deal with the Mandela legacy. This article is the first of a six part series that will be published fortnightly in the Joburg Post.
 
It is intended to promote, protect and preserve Mandela’s legacy. It shows how following his prophetic vision will make it easier for us to co-exist in harmony to build this country.

  
BREAKING AWAY FROM FACTIONS 

There comes a time when we must choose to listen to the inner voice or allow the outside voice of the group to dictate to us. 

When we choose to leave a group or political party, 99% of members will neither support the move nor respect the decision. 

Opposition will confront you for your decision. They will sure make it known that you have betrayed them and thus condemn you a sell-out. 

Sadly, many consider it insane to leave a group that survives on politics of the stomach and patronage. In fact, they said it in public that ‘it is cold outside the party.’ 

But everyone has a right to their opinion. When we decide to leave a group – office, church or political party – it is because it is time. Nobody will truly understand how we arrived at that decision. 

Sometimes it is because we are responding to a national call of duty. And when a decision is taking for the benefit of the people of the country, no one can stop the move. 

In the era that is popular known as the times of ‘politics of the stomach,’ the easiest thing to do is to play it safe. But we have to remain strong and follow what is best interest of the country. 

We may have to break away from faction-based thinking and thus move out of groups to take control of our own destiny. People who may have benefited from us may be displeased. It is never nice when a person leaves a group. 

But we have to stay committed and true to what stirs in our souls. It will be cold out there but people who appreciate men and women who repent to change for the better will provide us with all the warmth and comfort we may need in a cold world. 

There are far too many men and women who think their lives and future depend on following the dictates of a faction. We cannot base our worth and value on that some group decides what is best for us. 

Our democracy matures when we do not say or do things because we expect others to like us. We should not worry too much if others do not agree with our decisions. 

It is impossible for two people to think the same way in a democracy, a system that allows diversity of thought and expression. We should be able to overcome our insecurities to play up to the expectations of other people. 

When we do not do that, we allow factions to control us. Selfish and myopic interests hold our conscience prisoner. We have to get ourselves out of the box of greed. 

In fact, some people are married to groupthink and thus this society will not move forward as fast as it should. 

But to satisfy the genuine aspirations of the people of this country will mean that we have to lost false friends. We should put the interests of the people above everything. 

This will begin by upholding the principles and ideals in the constitution. Our conduct and behaviour should be guided by this is the light of our conscience. 

We will need to severe ties with groups that are looking out for Number One. 

Belonging to a group by a faction means being controlled by a group and giving up personal power to allow other people to manipulate your decisions. It is about groupthink. You always have to put the interests of the group first. You have to conform rather than follow the dictates of your individual conscience. 

True freedom only happens when you realize that you do not need a group or faction to make up your own mind. Thinking is an individual exercise. 

You have the power to decide for yourself how best to contribute to nation building. 

The best criteria for making decision are to premise our thinking and behaviour on the constitution, first. We have to internalize the ideals that encourage us to do to others as we wish them to do us. Essentially, it is about the interests of the people, especially the disadvantaged. 

Some people are so insecure that they will never leave factions. The group must control everything so they can enjoy safety provided by numbers. 

But we have to take control our own individual lives if we want to influence the future. We cannot be part of factions that want to exert power only to gain access to State resources. When such people start, they are not able to stop. Greed takes over. The more you have, the more you want. 

Power and money always corrupts some people. They want power to get money and everything that money can buy. We need to be men and women of principle who will have the courage of conviction. We should not allow factions to control us. 

The ideals and principles of the country are enough to control our behaviour. In fact, these are above partisanship. They go beyond factional politics and interests. 

The power is now in our hands. We need to take charge of our individual choices and conduct. If factional groupthink controls and manipulates us, we are responsible for that fault. We reduce ourselves to puppets. It means we are cowards who lack the courage of conviction. 

Of course, freedom of association and affiliation allows us to belong to groups. We are obliged to respect and uphold the principles of our organizations. This should guide us as long as it is aligned to what is right. But we cannot afford to allow groups to seize power for selfish interests. 

Over the last two decades, we seem to have lost our moral compass. There has been increasing levels of crime and corruption. 

Yes, we should be nice to our comrades. We should respect people’s positions and ranks. But this should not be at the expense of the country. Voting someone into position does mean unfettered power to help themselves to State resources. 

When we appoint a minister, premier or mayor, there will always be people who think they know what they have to do. These influencers will want to tell them how to exercise power and how to control resources and tenders so that their factions or groups can benefit. 

Much as advice will be welcome, people in power must be guided by their conscience that will help them to decide what is best for the country. Political position and power is not about self-aggrandizement or rushing to the trough. 

We have to accept that we are called to be servants of the people and not some clandestine little group that is interested in itself. We need to follow the courage of convictions to risk falling out of being controlled by Mafia-types. It will not be easy to do the right things the right way but this is what is expected of us. 

This nation must heal. The quality of life for the people must improve. Those who allow themselves to be controlled by factions are not really for the people. They don’t have the best interests of the nation and its people at heart. We all have to press forward to do what is best for the country. Let conscience be the guide. 
 
In this series of columns, writer and cultural critic, Sandile Memela explores the themes and possibilities of the impact of Nelson Mandela’s life teachings on human society. 
 

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