Bitter politics needs to come to an end – OPINION PIECE

Just a few days ago, President Jacob Zuma stood at the University of Professional Studies in Accra, Ghana,

delivering a powerful call for a single African currency to boost economic independence. It was a bold, Pan-African vision, echoing the dreams of legends like Kwame Nkrumah and Muammar Gaddafi. The idea of “One Africa, one currency, one destiny” landed with weight, stirring up conversations across the continent.

Then, like clockwork, Malema took to the stage at the Nigerian Bar Association’s conference in Enugu, painting an even grander picture of a borderless Africa, one president, one currency, one army, one parliament. It was a fiery speech, no doubt, full of his usual passion and defiance against colonial legacies.

He spoke of a united Africa, stronger than the United States, with a currency to rival the dollar. But here’s the thing: in his rush to outdo Zuma, Malema may have misread the room both in Nigeria and, more critically, back home in South Africa.

Zuma, the political giant he is, knows Malema’s playbook. The two have a history, and it’s no secret that Malema’s fiery rhetoric often aims to eclipse Zuma’s legacy. But Zuma, with his decades of political cunning, seems to have anticipated this. By championing a single African currency, Zuma set a stage that Malema couldn’t resist. It’s as if he knew Malema would take the bait, amplify the idea, and push it further with talk of a borderless continent. And that’s where Malema’s ambition might cost him.

South Africans are frustrated. Many feel the country is already buckling under the weight of immigration, with foreigners, legal or not seen as putting strain on public services, jobs, and the economy. Hospitals are overcrowded, housing is scarce, and the government’s coffers are stretched thin. When Malema calls for open borders and a united Africa, it sounds inspiring in a conference hall in Enugu, but back home, it’s a tough sell.

The majority of South Africans, from township residents to middle-class taxpayers, are vocal about their concerns over immigration. Malema’s vision, while lofty, risks alienating voters who see it as a recipe for more financial strain. His speech, meant to position him as a Pan-African visionary, could instead paint him as out of touch with the struggles of ordinary South Africans.

This isn’t the first time Malema’s tried to outshine Zuma, and it likely won’t be the last. But his bitter politics against the former president often blind him to the bigger picture. Zuma’s move was calculated; he floated a grand idea that resonates with Pan-Africanists but stops short of the radical “borderless” rhetoric Malema embraced. Zuma’s currency call is a safer bet, focusing on economic sovereignty without opening the Pandora’s box of unrestricted immigration. Malema, in his bid to one-up Zuma, went too far, too fast, and now risks losing votes to parties who’ll capitalise on South Africa’s growing anti-foreigner sentiment.

Don’t get me wrong, Malema is a brilliant politician. His charisma, his ability to rally a crowd, and his unapologetic stance against imperialism are unmatched. But he’s playing a game against a master strategist. Zuma, with his knack for reading the public mood, knows how to let his opponents overplay their hand. By planting the seed of “one currency,” Zuma set a trap, and Malema, driven by his need to prove he’s the bigger visionary, walked right into it.

If Malema wants to stay relevant, he needs to stop trying to outsmart Zuma at every turn. The man’s a political giant for a reason, his moves are subtle, his timing impeccable. Malema’s passion is his strength, but it’s also his Achilles’ heel. This time, his dream of a borderless Africa might just cost him at the ballot box, as South Africans wonder if he’s more focused on continental glory than their daily struggles. Zuma, meanwhile, is probably chuckling somewhere, knowing he’s still one step ahead.