Democratic centralism is not totalitarianism:
Democracy, in the true sense of the word, is often exercise through the principle of democratic centralism

DUMISANI MAKHAYE

It is often forgotten that under apartheid it was not only Bantu education that was bad. White education has left its own terrible scars.

The lecture on democratic centralism by the Democratic Alliance (DA) researcher James Myburgh, which appeared in The Sunday Independent this month, confirms this. Sheer ignorance drives Myburgh to utter confusion. He has become a victim of a past that imprisons him; a parrot mimicking the propaganda of Christian national education.

The attempt to conflate the principle of democratic centralism per se with totalitarianism can only convince the gullible. Modern democratic organisations in politics, business, media, sports, arts, function through the principle of democratic centralism. Democracy in the true sense of the word, is often exercised through decisive leadership and popular participation. What we may argue about is the mix between democracy and centralism.

In the cas of the ANC, the content of democratic centralism cannot be reduced to lower structures simply abiding by decisions of higher, "central" structures. It includes such democratic norms as the election of leaders, accountability from above and below, party debates, conferences at all levels, transparency, flow of information to all party structures, and collective leadership and responsibility.

Of course, democratic centralism also means party discipline. The expectation that all members of an organisation will carry out decisions of that organisation is a prerequisite for a functional movement.

ANC major policy documents are not crafted in smoked-filled boardrooms. The freedom charter, the reconstruction and development programme, ANC manifestoes, and strategy and tactics, were arrived at after exhaustive debates inside and outside the ANC. But once adopted by constitutional structures, they are the glue that holds the movement together, the guide to action for all members.

Myburgh should know that this is how the DA itself operates, give or take some excesses of The Leader Tony L.eon.

Myburgh's confusion plays out in his fantastic conflation of democratic centralism and the work of the ANC's deployment committee. Let us help him out of this rut. The committee was set up to ensure the most effective utilisation of skills available to the democratic movement for transformation. The danger identified a few years into democracy was that the employment of skilled personnel in the ANC was not well related to the needs of transformation. Many went to parliament, into business and other areas, while at the same time critical areas that required their skills had gaping holes. This was an internal challenge that the ANC had to address, particularly in relation to political positions.

Related to, but not the same as this internal party political challenge, was the task of finding individuals, who were broadly loyal to democracy and the constitution, irrespective of narrow party loyalties, to apply for positions in the public sector. The new state had, and still has, to deal with the disorientation of some old civil servants under democracy, resignations, and in cases plain sabotage.

With regard to public institutions that have their employment regulations, a number of such individuals with requisite skills can be encouraged to apply - and there can even be more than one for a particular post - and the issue of their suitability is left to relevant transparent processes. Many so persuaded have succeeded, and others have failed. If there is any whiff of favouritism, the DA and others can subject this to a legal challenge.

What we cannot apologise for is that ideas of yesteryear cannot be the motive for fundamental change. Nor should it be seen as unnatural and undesirable, in terms of demographics and broad social orientation, that the majority of new public servants should come from the majority of South Africans.

But no one is barred from such processes of application and demonstrating their competence according to transparent criteria. Where the majority of adult South Africans support the ANC, it cannot be avoided that these South Africans will and should be in the majority in these institutions, unless Myburgh wishes to argue that this majority is made up of dumb people.

This is a far cry from the practices of the DA, which has forced leading officials to resign their positions in state bodies in the Western Cape simply because of their political credentials. Who then is conflating state and party structures?

The new non-racial democracy is facing a highly co-ordinated and centralised attack from all those who want to turn back the clock of history. The Myburghs of this world will advocate the weakening of the coherence of the ANC while at the same time conveniently maintaining a highly centralised attack on it. We shall not be bluffed.

Dumisani Makhaye is a member of the ANC national executive

ENDS