(Reviewer: Ralph Zulman, Vol. 64, No. 2, Rosh Hashanah 2009)
At a launch of this book in Johannesburg, the author Tony Leon said that, if nothing else, it would prove useful for throwing at an intruder. On the Contrary – Leading the Opposition in a Democratic South Africa is indeed a very bulky tome, running to some 766 pages divided into five distinct parts, together with an introduction, appendix, notes, numerous photographs and an index. It is, however, certainly much more useful than simply as a bulky object to throw at a would-be intruder.
On the Contrary provides a fascinating insight into the very active career of Tony Leon, leader of the Official Opposition in South Africa for eight years. Destined from early life as the son of a High Court Judge to make a major impact as an ironclad liberal, he has confronted the challenges of change head-on, leaving the political arena strewn with defeated adversaries and of old-style conservatives content to let human rights slip for the sake of an easy life.
Nelson Mandela described Leon’s contribution to democracy as being enormous, writing to him: “…you have far more support for all you have done then you might ever read about”. When Leon retired from Parliament in February 2009, fellow MP, Ryan Coetzee commented that history would remember him for his singular achievement in coming very close to being indispensable in the creation of a critical opposition in South Africa.
In the introduction, headed “On Golden Notebooks”, the author states that the title of the book came to him as he pondered why it was that he had spent all his political life in opposition, as it were, and that the book consisted of “a pulling together of my personal threads, background experiences, political impulses, and my rather definite views on South Africa and the wider world it shares, after my 22 years in public life.”
Part One, headed “The Path to Leadership”, is divided into five chapters (incidentally, each chapter of the book commences with an appropriate quotation from such well-known figures as Winston Churchill, Saul Bellow, Albert Camus, Karl M, Theodore Roosevelt and Chief Justice Ismail Mahomed). In the first, Leon describes his origins and background. Himself a third generation South African, his roots are firmly Litvak. Most of his forebears can trace their origins to the Pale of Settlement, created in 1791 by Catherine the Great. His maternal grandfather, Samuel Herman (Sam), was one of nine children born in Kovno, Lithuania. He arrived in Cape Town in 1912. Shortly after the First World War, the Hermans moved to Johannesburg. Sam and his brother-in-law, Louis Traub, established a successful firm of wholesale wool merchants, Herman & Traub. The family first lived in Saratoga Avenue in Doornfontein, a suburb which at the time attracted many Jewish immigrants. In 1923, Sam married Rachel Kowarsky, whose family had immigrated to South Africa from Vilnius, Lithuania. In 1929 Leon’s mother, Sheila Jean, was born. She married Leon’s father, Ramon (Ray), in March 1954. Ray, then an advocate, was later to become a judge in Natal. His forebears were not dissimilar in origin to those on Leon’s maternal side. Leon’s parents divorced in 1965. His mother was married three times and his father twice. Leon married Michal, a divorcee, in 2000.
Leon attended King David High School, Linksfield, for a short time. Previous to this, he had been exposed in Natal to a completely secular education. He had learned his barmitzvah portion by heart using a tape recorder and, on High Holidays attended, largely unwillingly, the Durban synagogue. He says that he identified later in life with a famous British politician Lord Keith Joseph who, on being asked about what sort of Jew he was, responded, “…minimally practising but maximally acknowledging”. Leon certainly responded maximally as a Jew, vigorously defending Jewish causes and fighting strongly against antisemitism wherever he encountered it. He was a frequent speaker at functions organised by the SA Jewish Board of Deputies, amongst many other Jewish organisations
In Chapter Two, entitled “Dancing with Dialectics”, Leon describes his close on twenty-year involvement with the University of the Witwatersrand and the rebuff of his attempts to become president of the Student’s Representative Council. He deals with his brief entry into the practicing legal profession as an articled clerk, his interaction with leading members of the Bar and his time in the South African army and navy.
Chapter Three begins with the author’s entry into politics. This commenced with his victory in a February 1986 by-election for the Johannesburg City Council. He stood against another Jew, Sam Bloomberg (National Party), and succeeded by a mere 39 votes in a poll of 31%. His career in municipal politics culminated with his victory, again over another Jew, M Rosen, in October 1989, by an overall majority of 1599 and his subsequent election as leader of the Progressive Federal Party in the Council. The chapter also deals with Leon’s clashes with the veteran, and greatly admired, Jewish politician, Harry Schwarz.
Chapter Five chronicles some of the author’s activities, flowing from what he describes as the “the Battle of Houghton” and ends with his unopposed election, with acclamation, as the single leader of the Democratic Party. He won the nomination to represent the Houghton constituency despite opposition from the late Helen Suzman. The latter had occupied the seat for many years and favoured Irene Menel for the nomination. Suzman complained that “Mr Leon’s lobbying effort to achieve nomination made Tammany Hall look like a teddy bears’ picnic”. She repeated the remark in the 1994 update of her memoirs. Leon never responded in public, but regarded her comment as “grossly unfair, inflated and unjustified”. Although 1989 propelled him into national and parliamentary politics, Leon continued to immerse himself in his civic leadership role.
Part Two of the book deals succinctly, in two chapters respectively headed “New South Africa, New Leader” and “Constitutional Palimpsest”. In Part Three, the reader is treated to the author’s incisive and detailed discussion of the following topics: Zimbabwe, corrosion in the corridors of parliament, the judges, the media and “the Lady” (Winnie Madikizela-Mandela). Part Four describes Leon’s role as Leader of the Opposition and his eventual handover to Helen Zille.
In the final part of the book, Leon presents his views on the future. His comments on Jacob Zuma (bearing in that the book was written before the charges against Zuma were withdrawn in April 2009) are of particular interest. He writes: “In the event of Zuma being prosecuted successfully, even his death-defying political skills may well not be sufficient to ensure his presidential candidacy in 2009. Should Zuma prevail, most South Africans have no clear idea where he will lead the country. For some, the words ‘President Zuma’ are an unnerving prospect”.
It would be most interesting to hear Leon’s views upon the withdrawal of the charges.
The author concludes the book with the following prophetic words:
Whatever shape South Africa’s new leadership takes, immense challenges have to be met. Do we want to be nostalgically remembered as a fading footnote in world history, commemorated for one big thing we got right in 1994 – but with a sense of aching possibility about opportunities lost, dreams deferred and goals missed since then? Or will we become, perhaps, against expectation, a success story of renewal, taking our place in the front row of winning nations, applying thoughtful policies and best practices with equal measures of good governance and self- restraint, transcending the divisions and iniquities of our history? …The future is imperfect, but it is ours to make.
Despite its length, On the Contrary makes easy, indeed ideal, bedside reading. Written in a clear and concise style, it is unquestionably a monumental work of great significance and contains a mine of useful information. The book sheds a new light on many figures, some of whom have become household names in this country and who, together with Tony Leon have helped to shape modern South Africa. I have no hesitation in commending it to anyone interested in South African politics and history.
Mr Justice Ralph Zulman is a long-serving member of the editorial board of and contributor to Jewish Affairs.
