Mind your manners please, politicians

Photo credit: GovernmentZA via Flicker

On Saturday I watched as Julius Malema and Minister Ronald Lamola had, in what the media described as, a “shouting match at the Judicial Service Commission hearings for a new chief justice.

Not for the first time, I wondered in despair what has happened to our politicians and the political terrain.

Under Mandela and Mbeki there was a certain discipline, which involved respect for difference of opinion. Even when there were sharp disagreements, they were aired in a manner that spoke of the respect that such a high office demands. I can only remember once where things got so heated that it nearly became physical, but that was really a big shock to everyone and the Speaker at the time (Frene Ginwala) did not take kindly to the “misbehavior” of the members.

Unfortunately, that has all changed in recent years. It is now no longer strange to see MPs giving each other the middle finger or swearing at one another. The EFF introduced the art of throwing water bottles and flopping like toddlers on the ground when security wanted to remove them.

Police and security have been slapped on more than one occasion – and they were not the only ones. There is currently a court case involving a press photographer who was manhandled by a member of parliament in the parliamentary precinct. On more than one occasion, a certain ANC Minister challenged an EFF member (both of them women) to a fight outside the chamber. Insults and shouting at one another in committees have become so prevalent that they don’t seem to shock anyone anymore.

The problem is that the MPs are meant to set an example.

How can we expect “ordinary” people to resolve conflict without violence if their representatives occupying the highest offices in the land resort to insult, obscenities, and physical violence at the drop of a hat?

This kind of behavior also filters down through the political ranks. Violent incidents in provincial legislatures and local authorities are becoming frequent affairs.  Remember Andile Lungisa and the glass water bottle he broke on a DA councilor’s head?

Johannesburg council was barely elected last year when fights broke out and in Amathole a councilor was even manhandled by municipal security.

The violence is also not limited to a fracas between opposing parties. Last week, videos of fist fights at a One SA party meeting were doing the rounds on social media.  Assassinations and attacks of councilors have become an almost monthly event – and the perpetrators are often from the same party.

How can there be any chance of coalitions surviving when this is the way that differences are being “dealt” with?

It is time that the President calls the political party leaders together and insists that they all get their members under control. Of course, he will have to start with his own party first and that will be one hell of a job. I’m also not sure if Malema would agree to let their trademark disruption, insult, and violent tactics go.

Yet, something needs to be done. We can’t continue like this. Not only does it seriously damage the image of parliament, it leaves people with zero respect for those who are meant to lead them.

This in turn means that people of principle and – dare I say – manners no longer want to go into politics.

None of this is good for democracy.

Thursday we will have the State of the Nation address. Let us trust that this time, the “honorable” members will act honorably and that we will not have the toddler-like tantrums of the last few years. 

We, the people, deserve better.