South Africa now needs Rousseau's 'social contract'.

Providence has brought South Africa to its current apparent political impasse - providence might well hold the deeper opportunity for South Africa to pioneer a new way in a fragmenting world.

In my recent series of postings I have not referred to the fourth option being discussed to form a post-election government in South Africa. Given the complexity of the commonly identified three options, namely; an ANC coalition with the radical leftwing MK/EFF parties, an ANC coalition with the centre-right DA/IFP, or going it alone to try to continue as a minority government, the fourth option might well have some merit.

Supply and Confidence

Entitled, a 'Supply and Confidence Model', it would entail cooperation between the ANC and Democratic Alliance with the ANC running the executive branch of government and the Democratic Alliance running parliament. Ramaphosa, if elected, would remain president and appoint the cabinet with ANC appointees, and the DA would appoint the speaker, or deputy speaker, and chairs of key parliamentary committees. It would need to include an agreement that the DA would support the budget and allow government to continue.

Super-opposition

The problem with this arrangement would be that the ANC would have to negotiate support for each piece of legislation it brought to parliament - hence the DA's Helen Zille's description of the arrangement as a Super-opposition. But such an arrangement would likely result in not much legislation actually being passed.

Negatives and positives

There are negatives and positives. Apart from the likely regular frustrations that would no doubt arise by what would be tantamount to a DA veto, further complications would be extended into the critical provinces. These include the key provinces of Gauteng and, of course, the knife-edge situation in Kwazulu/Natal. But there might well be some merit in pursuing this option. In my reflection on the issue success for this option would be enhanced if this arrangement were to be seen as a temporary bridging measure. Meanwhile the country could prepare for a renewed National Convention of Holistic Reconstruction. And then, in the light of South Africa's own tradition, that process could be facilitated with the generative themes of 'Ubuntu' and 'Holism'.

Building the future

As expressed by UCT's Prof. Thiven Reddy, as quoted in this previous article, https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/ramaphosa-now-needs-call-socratic-wisdom-claudius-van-wyk-rmcrf/?trackingId=DvlD1ESCSiauZuzTt4OyhA%3D%3D the ANC's focus until now has been about attempting to rectify the legacy of apartheid; trying to fix the past. Now the focus can ideally shift to proactively building the future. And for that future to ensure the wellbeing of generations to come it will of necessity be holistic, embracing the full diversity of South Africa's population. That's where the 'Ubuntu philosophy' can play its key role. Then critically that future calls for taking active measures to ensure the ecological health of the life-giving natural environment. That's where the evolutionary holistic perspective will play its role.

Constitution

So this is not about rewriting the constitution. At the time of the celebration of South Africa's highly regarded constitution, Sir Laurens van der Post, albeit seen by some as a controversial figure, prophetically cautioned that South Africa was potentially putting the cart before the horse. The constitution needed to reflect more than an idealistic academic exercise - it needed to enshrine a social contract.

Yes, we can indeed celebrate the constitution; it has held and directed these past thirty years, thankfully protected by the judicial system and the constitutional court. But it was forged at a time when the issue for the ANC was more about the transfer of power from the white minority to the black majority, and an additional intent to protect individual and minority rights. Thirty years later the time is surely ripe to fully embrace the challenges and envision a new inclusive future.

Du Contrat Social

It was the Geneva-based philosopher, Jean Jacques, Rousseau, who in 1762 published 'Du Contrat Social'. It would revolutionise Europe - ushering in the Age of Enlightenment. Already back then his political/philosophical theory concerned how to establish legitimate authority in a political community that would be compatible with individual freedom, in the face of the problems of commercial society. Legitimate authority would be one based on such a social contact.

Individual freedom

Today the issue of individual freedom, without which being fully human would not be possible, is more critical than ever. But this challenge is compounded by the imperative of reverence for nature as the ultimate enabler of on-going human and social evolution.

Creative evolution

As Reddy suggests, we can no longer afford politics focused on prestige and power, politics must be informed by philosophy - by an ethos. Clearly Jan Smuts' homespun holistic philosophy of creative evolution, embracing the view of human being as embedded in society (Ubuntu) and nature, now offers itself as the framework for a renewed dialogue about South Africa's future.

Three critical stabilisers

I believe three critical elements will be required to stabilise the proposed convention dialogue whilst an interim process of governance strives to maintain a tenuous hold on national stability.

First, in the tradition of Socratic enquiry, would be to embrace the full reality of South Africa, internally and in the world. Its about working with integrity of information. It will hopefully be as unclouded by ideological lenses as possible. This can emerge from respectful dialogue ideally informed by nature's own organic evolutionary processes as opposed to the prevailing conventional political constructs of mechanistic manipulation.

Second, in the 'Spirit of Ubuntu', would represent a deep commitment to truly reverence the individual, but as embedded in society, and critically in nature, whilst striving to envision an evolutionary and regenerative legacy for future generations.

Third, would be the adoption of principled pragmatism, where 'principle' would represent both the identified commitment to truth, and the vision of evolutionary humanity. Then 'pragmatism', would represent a stoical acceptance of the reality of the status quo as the only real point of departure, informed by and attitude of universal compassion for the strivings and failings of all concerned.

Providence

Ultimately providence has brought South Africa to this apparent political impasse - providence might well hold the deeper opportunity for South Africa to pioneer a new way of governance in a seemingly fragmenting world.