In 51 BC, the Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero published his work De re Publica about what made a true statesman. Cicero wrote that a great statesman must have virtus (virtue), iustitia (a sense of justice) and wisdom. He must also have dignitas (dignity) and temperance, show generosity and be magnanimous.
One would hope to use the same virtues to describe the president of a country. For the president to be a statesman who sees things realistically – as they really are – as defined by the author of Politics Among Nations, Hans J. Morgenthau. According to him, a statesman examines how a policy will affect an entire nation and acts accordingly.
Before February 2018, as young South African farmers, we had hoped that our new president – Mr Cyril Ramaphosa – would be a statesman who would take our country forward and upward. A strong man who would put South Africa and all its citizens before politics. We had such hope.
However, as you settled into your role, it became apparent that you, Mr Ramaphosa, are not a statesman but simply a politician – someone who will say or do anything to get elected or gain power.
It is difficult to stay hopeful as a young farmer when the party “leading” my country keeps telling everyone I stole my land – the land I labour on from sunrise to sunset (and often before and after) to provide food for all South Africans.
It is challenging to stay positive when the infrastructure we depend on to deliver agricultural products crumbles because it is not maintained. It crumbles because the people “leading” our country keeps lining their pockets with our tax money.
It is not easy to keep farming in modern times when we cannot depend on our electricity supplier but must spend money on alternative energy to continue.
It is frustrating when we hear we will have to hand over up to 75% of the ownership of our farms to someone else just to receive a water licence.
It is tough to keep our families safe when our farms are attacked because we are farmers.
It is devastating when our country only offers financial support to subsistence farmers during national disasters or times of need which threaten the food supply.
You cannot help but consider moving somewhere else when the policies of the country you were born in and love state that it can expropriate all your assets without compensation. How will we be able to give our children a future otherwise?
But we stay, and we continue. And we make plans.
And then we hear how you tell our peers – young South Africans – that they must become militant. To be revolutionaries. Because “the ANC may eventually lose the ability to grow and to renew itself”, your failing party needs “a militant youth movement” to save it from its own demise.
How can you be the leader of a country and tell one group to act violently against the other just so that you can win an election? You are literally saying and doing anything to get elected or gain power. You are nothing but a politician.
Mr President, we invite you to explain why you hate us and groom young people to do the same. Explain how you think we should react when you make these statements. Explain how you think we can move forward when you divide us.
I want to repeat and define the virtues of a statesman for you.
Virtue – behaviour showing high moral standards
Justice – just behaviour or treatment
Wisdom – having experience, knowledge, and good judgement
Dignity – being worthy of honour and respect
Temperance – the quality of moderation or self-restraint
Generosity – being kind and generous
Magnanimity – forgiving, especially towards a rival or less powerful person.
It would be a good idea to look at these virtues and attempt to be more than a politician before you answer our questions.
Kind regards
Clemens Senekal
Chairman: TLU SA Young Farmers Committee
