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KNYSNA NEWS AND VIDEO - Zuma gone as president has given editor of News 24 Adriaan Basson a "kick", he admitted at the Knysna Literary Festival last week. A panel of political heavyweights, all authors and iconic journalists in South Africa, came together on Friday 9 March to discuss the "Fate of the Nation".
This particular event gets sold out first each year as it has become a highlight on the calendar of the Knysna Literary Festival.
At a packed Whet restaurant on Thesen Island, the panel was auspicious.
Basson, HuffPost SA editor-in-chief Pieter Du Toit, renowned journalist Ranjeni Munusamy, investigative journalist Jacques Pauw and education doyen professor Jonathan Jansen, lately of Stellenbosch University, came together to discuss a topic that is close to all hearts.
Zuma out, Ramaphosa in – what now?
Munusamy admitted that this period of change had been epic for journalists involved. "After all the adrenalin, I think this period has taken a toll on all of us, but it was an amazing time to be a journalist and part of history. None of us could see which way the voting was going to go. At the ANC conference in East London it was clear Zuma was yesterday's man, but it could have gone either way at Nasrec (National Elective Conference) with only 179 votes difference."
She said that after Ramaphosa's win as ANC president, there was a sense of anticlimax and she thought, "South Africans think we need to keep up the drama since this is how it has been to see any change."
Pieter Du Toit said that at Nasrec "the enormity of history unfolding" was one of the joys of his job.
Describing the atmosphere at the ANC's 54th national elective conference, Du Toit said "there were lots of rumours, fake news and there were times when we [journalists] were flying blind".
A seminal moment
When late at night it was announced that Ramaphosa had won, he said it was "a seminal moment and when David Mabuza was named as deputy president, Ramaphosa gave him a shoulder pump and a high five," said Du Toit.
When Ramaphosa made his first speech as ANC president, even the caterers had gone home, said Du Toit, painting a picture of how it was for all of them being in the front row.
Earlier Munusamy described how Christmas and New Year was "just a blur", with the political upheaval journalists lived through.
It would be fair to say that the overall opinion expressed by this panel about Ramaphosa's appointment was one of cautious optimism tempered with concerns of the enormous challenges Ramaphosa faces.
A time to buckle up
Munusamy described what will follow now as "a complicated time and a time for all to buckle up – a time when Ramaphosa will have to walk a tightrope".
The long and short of this panel discussion was, as Du Toit said, "How long has it been since journalists have written about proper politics, not just about the party politics and personality politics?"
Adding to how South Africans can now move forward in a positive way, Jansen said there were thousands of NGOs comprising "normal people" in the country and "it was time for everyone in this incredible country to move forward together".
'No more wild fling with Malema'
Julius Malema, the EFF and land reform without compensation, are one of the biggest obstacles the president is going to have to negotiate, according to panel members.
"A lot of South Africans have lived vicariously through Malema since he put pressure on Zuma, but now that wild fling with Malema has gone," said Munusamy.
"No more should watching politics in this country be like watching another episode of a SONA bullshit series. It is time to tackle real issues of inequality, housing and education," said Jansen, who added that after spending a few hours with Malema he was "definitely not stupid", and that it is not what Malema does that worries him, but how South Africans respond.
Responsible debate needed
Question from the audience: The ANC is a disappointing and disgusting party and nobody, at eNCA or the SABC forces the issue of land reform which needs to be exposed.
Munusamy replied, "Do not believe that Julius Malema is stupid. We journos are holding national debates about how to handle the situation. We need to have a holistic look at what is happening.
"We sit with our colleagues in Parliament and Malema is extremely difficult, hot-headed, loves attention and understanding this we need to conduct a responsible debate," said Du Toit.
Jansen concluded that honest debate was needed, that there should not be denial or lack of acknowledgement which "drives black people mad", that land appropriation is needed, that there are people who have lived on land for three generations and need to be heard, but it is all in the way it is implemented going forward.
"We need to figure out, all South Africans, how we can do this together," said Jansen.
Watch a video below.
Yaseen Gaffar reports:
While discussing the current political climate and the recent changes at the helm of SA politics, former president Jacob Zuma's past influence, president Cyril Ramaphosa's stance on land issues, and the EFF's Julius Malema's significant rhetoric, commentators had the following to say:
"Ramaphosa expected David Mabuza to be his deputy, but clearly didn't see Ace Magashule being appointed as ANC secretary-general," Du Toit said.
"When the announcement was made he did not move a muscle. He did not see it coming."
Commenting on Zuma's statement that government will provide free higher education for the poor, Jansen said he doesn't think this is a contestable statement, because "every reasonable person will agree that a talented kid who can't afford to go to university must get support from the government", he said, adding that free higher education across the board, which was also announced, is unrealistic and a dangerous statement to make.
"Naledi Pandor will have her hands full, but at the same time, thank God it is Naledi Pandor."
Basson asked if credit should be given to Zuma for making the statement of free higher education, as part of his legacy as he exits, despite the problem of who pays for it will be Ramaphosa's to handle.
"I think you give the ANC too much credit for thought," was the sharp, witty reply from Jansen, much to the appreciation of attendees.
"The former president has trouble distinguishing from his money and other people's money."
Munusamy was asked who she thought was responsible for the downfall of Zuma. Munusamy replied: "I think it was a slow descent into madness really. It was the inability of the ANC to distinguish right from wrong, and Zuma's insistence that he did no wrong."
This year's Knysna Literary Festival, the ninth one hosted by founder Ling Dobson of Pam Golding Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, took place from 9 to 11 March.-
Tickets were snapped up no sooner than they went on sale and the event was once again a resounding success.-
As there were a limited number of tickets, it is a pleasure to share the highlights of various sessions with celebrated authors talking about their books and related topics.-
Books were available from Bargain Books on the day and can be found in their stores in Knysna and Plett.-
Festival organiser Sasha Campbell said, "Every event sold out, which we are totally thrilled about. Attendance was not only by locals but a huge increase in swallows and guests from Joburg, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, which is very exciting to see. Definitely our best KLF ever, it's going to be very difficult to top this one, but watch this space. Next year's dates are 8 to 10 March."
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