In conversation with the General

KNYSNA NEWS - What could be more fitting than kickstarting the 10th Knysna Literary Festival with the nonconformist, non-apologetic, famous-for-making-unfavourable-decisions General Bantu Holomisa himself alongside journalist Eric Naki as they go through Holomisa's autobiography and life journey into politics that ultimately labelled him "The Game Changer"?

A collaboration between Holomisa and Naki, The Game Changer canvases some of Holomisa’s defining moments from his early life as a shepherd boy and son of a chief, becoming a respected commander of the Transkei Defence Force (TDF), his political relevance, the truth commission and the late Nelson Mandela.

During the discussion, those in attendance learnt about the dynamics of a royal family, how Holomisa met the love of his life, how he attempted to lead with integrity in the Transkei and how standing for what he believed to be the truth led to his expulsion from the ANC – which in turn ultimately led to the birth of his party United Democratic Movement (UDM).

If I were to be president…
During the Q&A session, Holomisa speculated on some of the things he would change if he were to be president for six months, one of which was that he would put an end to cadre deployment. "The ANC rewarded cadres by deploying them,'' he stated and added, “It is not about them serving the people. Because of this, the system is not functioning.”

He also claimed that the ANC employed people with membership cards even at grassroots level. 'The best way to clean government is to vote the ANC out," he told the audience. “One party that dominates breeds corruption.”

There were light moments too. When Naki spoke about traditional voting, where people vote emotionally for the ANC because it is the party that liberated them, Holomisa interjected, "And gives them food parcels.'' When an audience member said people elect to be poor and live in shacks in bigger towns, leaving their beautiful homes with DStv in the rural areas, the general, who is known for his candour, told him his narrative is "confusing and wrong".

In his book, Holomisa says different stakeholders need to “take stock and concede that we should leave the baggage of the past behind us and embrace the opportunity to carry our society forward and write a new chapter in our history". "All this has to involve sitting around the table and talk. We need to find common ground and all stakeholders must voice their opinions, we need to listen to each other and negotiate a new vision.”

JJ Tabane, Eric Naki and Bantu Holomisa in conversation during The Game Changer event as part of the Knysna Literary Festival. Photo: www.ellephoto.co.za