Following the demands of the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa’s governing political party, that Jacob Zuma should resign, or risk facing a successful vote of no confidence, Zuma resigned earlier this month on 14 February 2018. The following day, Cyril Ramaphosa was sworn-in as the fifth post-apartheid President of South Africa. H. E. Ramaphosa thus far appears to be working well with the churches, as evidenced here and here. In this post, Rev. Sthembiso Zwane (Ujamaa Centre for Community Development and Research), describes the “thuma mina” (send me) moment of hopefulness currently felt by much of the country. He analyzes H.E. Ramaphosa’s recent State of the Nation Address (SONA) through a biblical understanding of the phrase “thuma mina” or “Send Me” made famous by the late South African jazz great, Huge Masekela. Rev. Zwane concludes by calling on all South Africans to be “sent” and to lend a hand to obliterate structures and systems that marginalize the poor.
South Africa’s Thuma Mina (“Send Me”) moment
By: Rev. Sthembiso Zwane, Deputy Director of the Ujamaa Centre for Community Development and Research (South Africa)
The Truth of Faith
After numerous efforts by the new president of the ANC Cyril Ramaphosa to negotiate a dignified exit from office for former president Zuma, it was evident that the diplomatic tactics were not bearing the desired results. Cyril Ramaphosa re-convened an National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting that had been “postponed” to take the final decision on the matter. The NEC of the ANC took the decision on the 13 February to “recall” the president and on the 14 February, the president tendered his resignation (under duress judging from his resignation speech). The tshelani mina (tell me) moment of hopelessness was over and the thuma mina (send me) moment of hopefulness was imminent.
Cyril Ramaphosa was elected unopposed as the president of the republic of South Africa in parliament and was sworn in on the 15 February to become the fourth democratically elected president of South Africa. On the 16 February, he delivered the much-anticipated State of the Nation Address (SONA) that reminded many South Africans of a Nelson Mandela-like “moment” that ignited hope among the nation. Cyril Ramaphosa’s speech had promises of an old ANC slogan, a “better life for all.” Tinyiko Maluleke believes that the most critical moment in Ramaphosa’s SONA was the re-appropriation of the “call” of the Biblical prophet Isaiah:
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, “Here am I. Send me! (6:8)
This was the thuma mina moment of hope, the call of prophet Isaiah to be a messenger of hope to the hopeless was a sign of progress. Ramaphosa’s SONA re-appropriated this biblical narrative of thuma mina using the lyrics of the late Hugh Masekela’s song:
“I wanna be there when the people start to turn it around
When they triumph over poverty
I wanna be there when the people win the battle against AIDS
I wanna be there for the alcoholic
I wanna be there for the drug addict
I wanna be there for the victims of violence and abuse
I wanna lend a hand
Send me (thuma-mina).”
The thuma mina moment was upon us when Ramaphosa concluded his inspirational speech with the quotation of this song. He used the song to re-ignite people’s faith in their beloved country and to call for their participation in the rebuilding process of our political and economic institutions that have been used to entrench factionalism and corruption. The spirit of hope in the God of the poor was evident in the SONA.
The prophet Isaiah said:
“The spirit of the Lord sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners” (61: 1-2).
This Biblical narrative underscore the critical defining thuma mina (send me) moment in both Masekela’s song and the biblical narratives in Isaiah 6: 8 and Isaiah 61: 1-2. Isaiah was prophesying about the coming of Jesus Christ to bring good news to the poor. In Luke 4: 18-19, Jesus was directly quoting Isaiah 61: 1-2 as the fundamental basis of his political theology premised on socio-economic justice for those oppressed by unemployment, indebtedness, poverty and inequality. Jesus was presenting Himself as the fulfilment of prophet Isaiah’s prophecy. Prophet Isaiah visualized the deliverance of Israel from exile in Babylon as a Year of Jubilee when all forms of debts would be cancelled, slaves released, and all properties restored and returned to original owners (Leviticus 25). The socio-economic and theological appropriation of this biblical narrative is justice for the oppressed and marginalized in Babylon. The thuma mina moment was the call to ensure that justice prevailed for the economically oppressed people of South Africa the majority of whom are the working class in remote areas of our country.
The words of the revolutionary South African jazz artist, the late Hugh Masekela resonated with the thuma mina critical moment of hope. It is unfortunate that the late Hugh Masekela did not live to witness the new dawn marked by hopefulness in the midst of hopelessness. The re-appropriation of the song received overwhelming support and praise among ordinary South Africans who directly or indirectly said to Ramaphosa, president, thuma mina (send me). Ramaphosa’s strong religious context growing up in the Student Christian Movement (SCM) in the University and being a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Southern Africa (ELCSA) was evident in the thuma mina moment and he appears to understand the important role of the ecumenical faith movement in the realization of the ‘thuma-mina’ moment in South Africa.
Ramaphosa is no saint, but committed to be “sent” as a prophet of hope carrying the message of good news for South Africa in the rebuilding process of our political and economic institutions ravaged by allegations of hegemonic kleptocracy. The thuma mina inspirational moment is a declaration of intent to fight against poverty, HIV and AIDS, alcohol abuse, drugs, women and children abuse and to pave a path towards economic recovery. However, Ramaphosa’s administration does not appear to be under any illusion about the difficulties of the tasks ahead, recognizing that the triple challenge of unemployment, poverty and inequality deprives the poor access to political and economic participation. The thuma mina moment must be leveraged to obliterate structures and systems that marginalize the poor.
The Truth of Action
It is time for action; it is time to fix South Africa. If Ramaphosa is indeed the “sent” and “anointed” prophet to deal with the socio-economic and political ills in our society, he will need the support of everyone – the moment of ukufaka Isandla (to lend a hand) is critical in the attainment of economic growth and job creation. Ukufaka isandla is not an opportunity for the opposition to be populist, pontificate and grandstand, but rather to ensure solidarity that will bring about change in our political and economic context. Ukufaka isandla requires that the government and communities at large sing from the same hymnbook. For example, in Brazil, the people supported the adoption of the former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s leftist policies popularly known as the ‘Lula Moment’, which led to the political and economic stability in Brazil that significantly reduced income inequalities. Brazil and South Africa previously had the high rates of income inequalities in the world. Joel Netshitenzhe has argued that the ‘Lula-Moment’, which took place during the second term of President Lula (2006-2010), expanded access to social grants because of the fiscus surplus that substantially reduced income inequalities. Unfortunately, for South Africa this option is unrealistic in the current economic projection with a projected deficit of 50 billion in 2018 and 70 billion in 2019, respectively. It is time to tighten our belts and participate in the rebuilding process of our political and economic institutions beginning with the monitoring of spending in government departments so that the economy can grow above the projected 1.5%. The irregular spending patterns and qualified audits at national and local government should stop and those responsible for these irregularities brought to book. This includes the reduction of the bloated cabinet and the removal of dead wood especially executives implicated in state capture and corrupt practices. It is time for ukufaka isandla across board, from the corporate, labour, government and civil society sectors. It is time to say, I wanna lend a hand, send me.
About the Author:
Rev. Sithembiso Zwane is the Deputy Director of the Ujamaa Centre for Community Development and Research and teaches in the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He is also an ordained minister in the African Independent Church (AICs). His research interest is in the area of unemployment, casualisation, decent work, and biblical and theological praxis. Rev. Sthembiso Zwane can be reached at: zwane@ukzn.ac.za.
Featured image: Ramaphosa and Zuma. Image credit: Government of South Africa via Flickr.