When tragedy and controversy worship the gods who pay them

When tragedy and controversy worship the gods who pay them

The outcome of all democratic revolutions is two twisted things: it condones political elitism, and it blesses capitalism’s divisive class enrichment schemes.

Capitalism’s rewards fuel the system of political elitism, while the political system itself allows capitalism to distribute divisive benefits to tribe, race and class.

Columbia sociologist Musa al-Gharbi writes that “the core purpose of institutions is to identify, cultivate and legitimise elites”.

In manipulated societies like ours, political elites and capitalist barons are in partnership to ensure the maximum extraction of profit for themselves, while appearing to be alleviating (but never undoing) the ongoing subjugation of the masses.

Most capitalist systems will refute this and point to the many corporate social investment and other aid schemes where they “give back” to society.

In South Africa, where this is most prevalent, we are yet to see where, over the last 30 years, a township or informal settlement has been raised to the level of a middle-income community, free from crippling poverty.

Capitalist barons and political elites are not interested in such outcomes. Keeping the natives quiet with aid is the main goal. Aid is the universally accepted alternative to political and corporate duty to educate and liberate people.

Aid, however, does not address systems, it addresses symptoms. Aid silences people. It does not free them.

It is through this lens that we must view where we are 16 days before the general election, and which forms the context for the George tragedy and the G-wagon.

Both tragedy and prosperity reveal the elitist, corporatised nature of our elected representatives. Being the sceptic that I am, I kept thinking: “There must be a bigger story here. Why is there not a greater urgency here to rescue those people? Were rescue teams and resources flown in from other parts of the country or the world to help us? Was help offered? Was help declined? And because race is such a factor in South Africa, was rescuing black bodies less urgent than the narrative itself of ”rescue and aid?“ Why did the narrative start with a lie? The lie being that they did not know who the developer or owners were.

The ANC’s Fikile Mbalula’s G-wagon visit to Inanda township shows how deep the ANC has sunk into elitism. This is not new.

From Tony Yengeni’s “arms-deal Mercedes Benz 4x4” in 1998 to Fikile’s “on loan G-Wagon” to the multiple billions looted by ANC cadres and MPs from the fiscus, we are reminded by author Walter Benjamin that “capitalism is a cult without dream or mercy, and where each day commands the utter fealty of each worshipper”.

The G-wagon was not a symbol of black progress; it was a weak man worshipping the god who controls him.

With the DA politicians, and not Western Cape government officials, in full control of the George building collapse narrative, and the ANC mindlessly stepping into controversy as if it doesn’t bother them anymore, the voter has a full view of what the toxic partnership between political elitism and capitalism’s race- and class-based benefits are serving up.

The cult is here to command that you worship it, not interrogate it. Progress is determined by the extent to which we, the voters, unquestioningly accept every narrative given to us.

Those George building collapse updates are all the truth.

There is no lack of urgency to rescue black bodies. The G-wagon story is the way successful politicians behave. There is no other car to make them feel safe.

There are rescue workers doing hard work to save people. Honest political canvassers are giving their time selling better futures. Our continued political elitism and capitalist Aid structures may well be the reason why the masses may, one day, burn down the foundations of elitism and aid and raise our proud flag to a better South Africa.

* Lorenzo A. Davids.

** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.

Cape Argus

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