ANC hegemony is over

The recent mayoral elections seemed set to collectively resemble the 1932 winter death of the Weimar Republic, where self-serving politicians’ quest for power during the interminable machinations for the chancellor’s post on the resignation of Gen Schleicher allowed the accession of Adolf Hitler, whose National Socialist party was ironically “on the ropes” at the time.

Instead, after losing its electoral majority, the ANC received an even more serious defeat at the hands of the other parties which, especially in Gauteng, refused to coalesce with it (“Tshwane vote makes it three out of three for DA in Gauteng ”, November 24). While mistrust abounds among them, one thing is clear. The ANC’s local government deployees are just too inept and corrupt to work with.

Awarding positions on the basis of skin colour will soon be a madness of the past, and the ANC’s representation confined to rural areas. That DA candidates were elected mayor in Gauteng’s three biggest municipalities was beyond the leadership’s wildest dreams, and it was achieved as a direct result of re-establishing the party’s liberal principles, as opposed to its previous power-enabling Faustian pacts.

The way ahead for these municipalities will undoubtedly be tough given the damage already done. However, when one considers what could have happened, the 2021 municipal elections will go down in SA history as defining the moment when ANC hegemony was irreversibly shattered.

James Cunningham Camps Bay