Posted on 02/13/2015 9:19:23 AM PST by MNDude
(Reuters) - "State of Chaos", was how one South African newspaper described the images of police and politicians trading blows at the opening of parliament, a damning assessment of the country's democracy twenty years after apartheid.
President Jacob Zuma walked down the red carpet outside parliament in Cape Town on Thursday evening as a brass band blasted out South Africa's national freedom anthem, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, and cannons fired off a 21-gun salute.
But the pomp and ceremony was short-lived.
Zuma had barely started his State of the Nation address inside parliament when lawmakers from the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) interrupted him to ask about longstanding allegations of corruption in a $23 million state-funded security upgrade to his rural home in Nkandla.
Quivering with anger, Speaker Baleka Mbete told the EFF and its firebrand leader Julius Malema to stop asking questions. When they refused, she ordered them to be removed, prompting a brawl in which several people were injured.
Zuma was eventually able to deliver his speech but not until lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Alliance had walked out in protest against armed security guards and police entering the chamber.
"It was meant to be a solemn annual event in the life of our nation ... the continuation of a journey Nelson Mandela began in 1994," political analyst Ranjeni Munusamy wrote in a column for the Daily Maverick, a leading online political newspaper.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Mob violence is a perfect example of democracy in action!
The EFF is right. Zuma is a corrupt crook.
But we knew that was how this would end.
Wait until the white money runs out. The real fun begins then.
What did they expect after they began throwing Whites out of the country?
This is hardly the beginning, but it may signal the start of a rapid acceleration into the abyss.
The sane ones still have a chance to move to the western part of the nation, and secede. Form a loose federation with Namibia and Botswana, and carve out a corner of non-stupidity on that continent.
I’m afraid it WAS a continuation of the journey Nelson Mandela began.
One way or another, Julius Malema is going to rip South Africa apart. The ANC is bad, but they have simply become a corrupt, one-party government sitting atop the government, dividing spoils amongst themselves.
Malema, on the other hand, will start a real civil war.
When the “white people” were forced out, it left them to their own devices. How’s that going for them?
Yep. Democracy = mobocracy.
Damn shame we let the left destroy SA. Of course they are doing the same in all Western nations including ours.
I have trouble thinking of any black-run governments that aren’t steeped in corruption and prone to violent outbursts.
South Africa doesn’t have oil, but they do have gold and diamonds. I guess that’s the only thing that is keeping things going for now.
“I’m afraid it WAS a continuation of the journey Nelson Mandela began.”
Bingo.
A typical Memphis city council meeting.
Looks like they’re going to use Zimbabwe as an example to follow.
Stop asking questions, what do you this is, a real democracy or something??
They are looking at Zimbabwe as a model for some reason
At least they care. Can anyone imagine dems and gopers ever disagreeing enough to have a fistfight?
Dominica?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.