Post-election future - SA demands leadership (Dated June 4, 2024)

Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein

This new world of power-sharing can be the dawn of an era of great prosperity and success and happiness for South Africa – provided our politicians show true, principled leadership.

Post-elections South Africa is a completely different country. For the first time since the advent of democracy, voters have decided not to give one party – the ANC – an absolute majority. The South African people have said that it is enough of one party exercising absolute power. The corruption must end. It’s time to share the power.

The place to begin is for the country’s two biggest parties – the DA and the ANC – to form a government of national unity, with other smaller parties with shared values joining the coalition. Together, the ANC and DA represent over 60% of South Africans, and SRF opinion polls show that the majority of the voters of both parties want this coalition.

But it's more than just the numbers – the ANC and DA also represent the widest diversity of South Africans, across all the so-called barriers of race, culture, language, ethnicity and economic status. And so, if this coalition is established, it will be a true expression of the South African dream of unity in diversity.

The coalition-building process will not be easy. For the partnership to work, the ANC will have to repent for its moral failings, set aside its obsessive anti-Israel politics that cost it many votes and focus wholly on improving the lives of the people of our country.

The suffering and humiliation of unemployment and poverty is a moral affront, and must be addressed with judicious policies that will set us on a path to economic growth. Service delivery must be in the hands of those who are most competent, not those with the best political connections. Above all, the leadership of the ANC and the DA are going to have to exhibit the highest form of leadership.

The Talmud’s vision of leadership is captured by this teaching: "I give you not power, but service." Service is the essence of great leadership. Political power must not be for self-enrichment or party patronage, but for serving the people.

The Talmud also teaches: “Any community dedicated to Heaven will endure, and one which is not dedicated to Heaven will not endure.” This means, for a society to be successful, its leaders must act not out of self-interest, but “for the sake of Heaven”, for a higher cause, for the greater good. If our politicians work together, setting aside self-interest and party interests, acting for the sake of Heaven, it can be a new beginning for South Africa – a chance to build a true rainbow nation, unified in all our diversity.

Through our votes we have spoken.

Now it’s the task of our political leaders to rise to the occasion.

And make history.

May God bless South Africa. Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika.