STOP COMPLAINING AND GET THE JOB DONE MR MANTASHE

South Africa's Business Day reported today that African National Congress Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe said the party 'has decided to analyse the behaviour of the news media - "down to the attitudes of individual journalists" - as it searches for an answer as to what it sees as unflattering publicity'. He went on to say the party needs to 'take the initiative of reporting and not all the time find itself in a situation where it is responding'.


As a rule, South Africa's media reports and comments on the bald facts when writing about the ANC. While at times opinion might be exaggerated, much of the comment is incisive and worth considering for the sake of the country's overall political and economic development. 


The salient point which escapes Mr Mantashe - or one that he quickly overlooks - is that if an institution or organisation does not responsibly or effectively perform the job with which it is entrusted it will not get a favourable report. As South Africa's ruling party, the performance of the ANC in recent years has been dismal. Unemployment, crime, corruption and service delivery are serious issues not effectively being dealt with and the media and public have correspondingly and justifiably brought the debacle to the attention of the body entrusted to do something about it - the ANC.


Under the circumstances it is naive of Mr Mantashe to expect media approbation when the ruling party's management of South Africa is in disarray. One would hope that Mr Mantashe, and his organisation, would take note of the criticism and use it in positive deliberation to thrash out productive policies and strategies for the people who elected them and look to them for upliftment. 


But self-criticism is never an easy pill to swallow, and until it is accepted and properly ingested the ailing patient will wander aimlessly, blaming those outside itself for the cause of its misery. 


Take stock of your organisation, Mr Mantashe, the root of your problems lie there and not in an unfriendly media. Roll up your sleeves, do some honest, decent work and you'll get the report card you deserve.