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It’s all about perceptions, and Mmusi’s mantash-ing has done him a disservice

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Mmusi Maimane. Picture: Wikus de Wet/Netwerk24
Mmusi Maimane. Picture: Wikus de Wet/Netwerk24

Growing up during the days of corporal punishment had its good, the bad and the ugly. We used to get a beating almost every day for different reasons.

At home, we would be punished mostly for not making sure that all the cattle and goats are home before sunset.

At school, the beating was due to failure to do your homework, arriving late and noise-making.

Often a class would be assigned to jot down all the names of the noisy students in the absence of the teacher.

But the most interesting method was when the teacher would ask troublemakers to come forward. And the name-dropping method would be used at times if there are few “volunteers”.

The teachers knew most of the troublemakers; same with the docile ones.

Those infamous of making noise would sometimes get a beating even if they were quiet on that day.

Likewise the quiet ones – on the day they were misbehaving, they would escape the wrath of the teacher because of their reputation and perception.

Perception is the most important “thing”, at times more than the “truth”. The case in point would the corrupt deals in the President Jacob Zuma-Gupta relationship. Whether these claims are true the perception created will stick in the minds of the people.

Likewise, the way the Democratic Alliance handled the matter of Helen Zille emanating from her tweet about colonisation might have serious repercussions in luring black voters in the 2019 general elections.

The perception created since its inception is that it’s a white party. And for the Western Cape premier to get a slap on the wrist says a lot in the court of public opinion.

Many expected Zille to be suspended and removed as the number one citizen in the Western Cape.

Instead, her party suspended her from party activities but she remains the premier.

Isn’t that contradictory? How do you lead an organisation without being part of decision-makers?

One believes that this is an opportunity missed by the DA leadership to dispel perceptions about Mmusi Maimane being a token – taking instructions from the madam.

One acknowledges that this was not about Maimane and Zille but that is the picture that has been painted. Moruti (pastor) jumped the gun a bit, saying Godzille had been suspended when she was not – creating an impression that there are two centres of power in the party.

The party’s former leader, Tony Leon, called on his successor to call it quits before more damage was done.

Even Zille’s scripted apology creates questions. If she still maintains there was nothing untoward about her controversial tweet her apology is disingenuous.

Now Maimane has a mammoth task to convince those who have lost confidence in him otherwise if he wants to take the ANC head on and not see a party like the Economic Freedom Fighters become number two in the next elections.

And Maimane’s Mantash-ing (about-turn or change of stance) could be very costly in restoring and gaining confidence in black supporters.

Sandile Gumede is a former journalist and is currently lecturing at Rosebank College, Braamfontein campus. He writes in his personal capacity.

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