PEOPLE HAVE THE VOTING POWER TO HEAD OFF ONE-PARTY STATE

(My letter in today's Pretoria's News)

Your editorial with the heading’ Time’s up for Zimbabwe’ (28 December 2010) is spot on. The police chief in that country recently stated that the police will only accept one election result, a ZANU PF victory. If this is so, why have elections in any event? This situation cannot be condoned and it is time that that the South African government take a harsh stance against Mugabe and he’s henchmen. We must learn from Zimbabwe if we want to prevent a similar catastrophe.
What is to be avoided is a one party state; Zimbabwe has proven beyond any doubt how disastrous things turn out if the ruling party cannot be challenged at the ballot box.
How do we take the Zimbabwean lesson to heart? By realising that a viable multiparty democracy is paramount to an effective, transparent and accountable government. In our diverse society we must, with acknowledgments to Martin Luther King, remind ourselves constantly that a free and fair political dispensation is not about the colour of your skin but about the content of your character. Any political party playing the race card must be viewed with utmost suspicion.
South Africa saw a miraculous liberation process. The privilege of voting, however, is also an enormous responsibility. The power is still with the people. Let us not allow it to slip through our fingers.