WESEAL WORD WATCH – 'THE PRESIDENCY'
What, exactly, is “the Presidency”?
The South African Press Association reports that ‘the Presidency’ (read: Presidential spokesperson Mukoni Ratshitanga) has today put out a statement in response to the DA’s request that the Public Protector investigate whether or not “President Mbeki called up surgeons at the Donald Gordon Medical Centre to insist that they approve a liver transplant for the Minister of Health”.
The statement in question reads as follows:
“The Presidency has noted the Democratic Alliance’s claims that President Thabo Mbeki called doctors at the Donald Gordon Medical Centre to insist that they approve a liver transplant for the Minister of Health.
“The Presidency also notes that the DA has approached the Public Protector to investigate its claims.
“The Presidency would like to inform the nation that the allegations made by the DA are in all respects without foundation. They are intended to score political points, to injure the Office of the Presidency and the reputation of the President.
“In this regard, the Presidency, while respecting the right of the DA to approach the Public Protector, rejects the allegations with the contempt they deserve.”
Have you noticed how, whenever something positive happens - a new institute is opened, a significant speech is delivered or a new initiate announced - it ‘the President’ who does so; but, whenever something negative or problematic happens, it is ‘the Presidency’ that responds?
“The Presidency has noted”, “the Presidency would like to inform”, “the Presidency” respects the DA’s right to approach the Public Protector and, worst of all - the DA acted to injure “the Office of the Presidency”.
How exactly has ‘the Presidency’ noted the DA’s claims? Has every member of the Presidency been shown the DA’s statement and ‘noted’ it? (its 2006 annual report puts the Presidency’s staff compliment at 582) How did they note it? What does it mean?
How, exactly, did ‘the Presidency’ respect the DA’s rights and how was the ‘Office of the Presidency’ injured? ‘The Presidency’ isn’t a person, it is an institutions, incapable of feeling respect or injury.
The fact of the matter is that the term ‘the Presidency’ is a weasel word, used when the chips are down to create distance between the President and an institution and, by default between the President and the problem at hand.
How would one photograph ‘the Presidency’? Or ask it a question? You can’t. Because it is a collective term.
Historically, Kings and Queens have used the same trick – the word ‘royalty’ protects them from direct interrogation or responsibility in the same way ‘the Presidency’ protects the President, blurring the line between the individual and the institution.
Ultimately, by using the generic word Presidency, those people responsible for communicating on behalf of the President are attempting to deflect attention, to avoid accountability and to create the impression that you cannot criticise the President (an individual) without simultaneously criticising an entire, uniform institution.
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| Posted on 21/8/2007
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