Challenges Confronting the South African Government in Transforming Public Governance and Enforcing Leadership Accountability

Public governance, as showcased in mainstream and social media, has been one of the most controversial issues facing African governments over the years. Numerous challenges, including high unemployment, poverty, social exclusion, and corruption, have taken precedence and have greatly affected the economies and development of some African states. South Africa is no exception; 27 years after transition from apartheid to democracy and several micro-economic policies later, the country is stuck in the swamp of poor service delivery and governance. Kwashiorkor-ed (poor) leadership skills, moral bankruptcy, and corruption, leading to the fiasco of state capture, recent developments among the three spheres of government, the almost hooligan-ist state of the parliament, and the ceaseless court cases against government and in which politicians fight each other, illustrate clearly that the country has fallen further into the political abyss. Furthermore, the condition of the ANC during and after the Zuma years and the form of municipal government are all proofs of the state of governance in South Africa. This qualitative study builds on extant literature on South African politics but critically analyzes the challenges facing the South African government in recent times, tracing them from the Zuma years. We argue that the recent negative developments in South African socio-politics indict its leaders and politicians as falling into and fulfilling the Fanonian “pitfall of national consciousness” prophecy. The study focuses on the state of politics and governance during and after Zuma’s presidential term, offering suggestions and recommendations for improving this debilitating status quo in South African socio-politics, through the positive use of mainstream media and social media as well as factual and fair journalism to strengthen political communication.