The problem with Patronage

It seems that the results of patronage are on display in our neighbor up north. Although Bob seems to be the mouthpiece, the people that really don't want him to step down are those that benefited from his patronage during the last 30 odd years. Patronage and corruption are, in my mind, strongly linked and this is a lesson which South Africa would do well to have a close look at. Since we have a list based electoral system it lends itself to patronage problems because some central committee or in the worst case, person, decides who gets to be on the lists and being on the list seems to be the gateway to the good life.