Thread by @MmusiMaimane

Thread.

It’s been a year since I resigned from the Democratic Alliance.

My skin is glowing, my mind is clear, I am at peace and I have had some time to reflect on my political journey thus far.

Did I sell out by joining my ex?

Many people have questioned my “black credentials” as it were.

When I got into formal politics there were two main rivals and I did not believe in the ANC. I believed it was the right and strategic move at the time. I bought into the vision.

I grew at lot, I learnt the internal dynamics of a national political entity, I got to see the nature of our national problems first hand. Policy problems, personnel problems.

I also got to understand the problems with political parties as they exist in our landscape.

I learnt that factions are the order of the day in SA politics parties.

When you are the leader 80% of your work is managing the internal conflicts and the interference from outside actors.

I tried to do that with kindness and with grace, but the environment was not fertile.

When you enter an organization you believe in your capacity to change it from the inside, to make it better than you found it through your contribution.

While you work on that, the outside world feels like you don’t hear their calls and feel their pain.

I heard and I felt.

Looking back I do not think I made the wrong decision.

This path is one that is free from the entanglements of organizational history.

The events of the last year have shown that I was right about the problems of the new direction. A direction of division and not unity.

I have really been looking at the problems the country and the continent is facing this whole year, considering the impact that Covid19 was having on those old problems.

The old leaders have failed, the old parties have failed and the old methods have failed.

Bagaetsho while I see the failures of our past I am hopeful because I have seen the youth begin to take charge of their destiny.

I have spoken to young people across the country and I am more convinced than ever that all hope is not lost. This is still a great nation.

I am on a new path and I have new energy. The journey is a marathon.

We need to do better for our teachers, they are underpaid. We need to do better for our nurses, they are the backbone of our health system. We need to re-educate a generation.

We have a lot of work ahead.

The path ahead may seem confusing to some. I have heard the questions “what is Mmusi doing?”

Something new.
Something different.
Something disruptive.

We can’t continue down the old paths, with old routines and the same old, same old.

I am not bitter about the past, I am not holding any grudges.

I am looking forward and I am looking upwards and I am excited to be working with young people across this nation.

We will realize the South Africa that was promised and never delivered. I am devoted to that cause.

What’s that song “don’t rush”.