By Steuart Pennington
As I read Tony Leon’s “Being There” three issues jumped out at me. The first was during my Industrial Relations work in the mid 70s and early 80s when negotiations parlance centered around the terms “ideal/realistic/fallback positions”; “power and interests”; and BATNA’s (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement). Leon describes in detail the negotiations process that led to the establishment of the GNU and how the DA, having concluded a Statement if Intent, was then forced to settle below their original ‘fallback’ position securing fewer (and different) ministerial posts than intended, mainly because the ANC reneged on the ‘rules of engagement’ and had the ‘power’ to do so. Additionally, the ever-present possibility (threat) of an ANC/MK/EFF coalition ruled out the option of a BATNA and being able to ‘walk away’. Leon’s detailing of the events poses several ‘what ifs’ with fascinating insights into the leadership and party-political dynamics.
The second was the way the book is written, with exceptionally elegant syntax (thank goodness for the Kindle ‘meaning’ facility). With the dignity and integrity of his style, he offers a balanced narrative so different to the vituperative rancour of the likes of Rob Hersov and Neil de Beer who seem to have no expletive boundaries as they pander to our possessive liberals where the disrespectful Westminster style of political debate is the norm (not so in Africa!). Leon’s harshest words were “arrogant, incompetent blowhead” when describing the character of one of our implacably ideological ministers. Delightfully, the book is interspersed with many apt quotes from the many eminent political authors he has read “for a politician to complain about the press is like a ship’s captain complaining about the sea” or “being an MP feeds your vanity but starves your self-respect” or “if your victory is told in detail, one can no longer distinguish it from a defeat” or “the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts.”
Thirdly, Leon deals at length, depressingly so, with i) the leadership tension within the ANC, split 75/25 between “National Democratic Revolution” ideology and raw Hugo Chavez Venezuelan type democratic pillage and vandalism, highlighting Ramaphosa’s balancing act in this regard and ii) the complete disregard for both Parliamentary and GNU agreed rules. One gains insight into the puerile behaviour of the parties as the national interest is subsumed by petty point-scoring on both sides.
“Being There” concludes with a quote from Leon’s stepson Etai, “that if you confine your gaze just to politics and its borders, the state of government can induce despair and depression, but if you look beyond into wider society, you’ll see a lot of good, sometimes great things happening.” No question, the book gives a balanced and fascinating insight into the ‘behind the scenes’ dynamics of our politics and in that regard is a must read, but, importantly as Leon reminds “I do hope that any reader of this book, in whatever field of endeavour, will convert ripples of hope into waves of purpose that crash through the barriers of cynicism, prejudice and ignorance. And that each, in the own way, will either perform ‘unhistoric acts… for the growing good of the world’, or help write the history of their generation.” Almost as if he bewails the state of our politics and the lack of GNU progress over the past year.
Honestly, if one considers our sporting achievements; the contribution of civil society; the work of the business sector; despite the incompetence, indifference and self-interest of our politicians, one has to ask…..
“Being There” reads like a political diary of a particular moment in our history with an eye on the future. It contains many intriguing insights and offers an informed perspective against the spurious nature of much of our mainstream media political commentary. In the reading I realized just how much SA needs political commentators of this caliber, and how rare they are.
Published by Jonathan Ball
ISBN 978-1-77619-381-3
