Eversince Thabo Mbeki's term as State President of the country, one atrocious reality has existed in that millions of impove4rished South African citizens were denied access to Anti-Retroviral drugs that were intrinsic in combatting the HIV/AIDS epidemic reaging through South Africa.
Jacob Zuma's government is no better, even more hypocritical by comparison, because though it does accept that anti-retrovirals are able to curb the downward spiral of the disease, the government refuses to institute a state sponsored mass roll-out of the drugs to the AIDS-sufferers.
The Zuma government definately has more than enough money to fund this project, because they spend 40 to 60 million Rand a year on luxury vehicles, hotel bills, luxury holiday trips to foreign resorts, Beverly-Hills-type residential estates and the list goes on...
It is an absolute atrocity that even a small peice of this isn't being used to finance the necessary medication for the Millions of impoverished Africans that voted for the ANC in every election since 1994! Why does the Zuma government prefer to let them die? Don't they care that these People are their contituents and that therefore the ANC is responsible for ensuring that they are able to live a full rewarding life!
A number of commentators have even said, "The Mbeki and Zuma regimes will go down in history as the most morally corrupt goverments of the late 20th and 21st centuries, because they will succeed in what the Apartheid government could only dream of achieving (i.e. causing millions of African deaths)!"
That is why Jacob Zuma and his cronies must be ridiculed in the public eye for gross negligence and dereliction of duty to the public trust! We have to speak out against this atrocious behaviour before our whole country is scared for another generation!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Andile Lili & the Annie Dewani Murderers
A lot of commentary has been made about the totally unnecessary murder of the Brittish woman, Annie Dewani in Cape Town last month and the level of involvement that the Western Cape ANC Youth League had in organising the hijacking, robbery and murder of the brittish woman and her husband.
Many in business-people in Gugulethu know that Andile Lili, the Western Cape ANC Leader had repeated dealings with Zola Tonga, who knew the other two suspects in the case (Mzwamadoda Qwabe, 26 and Xolile Mmgeni, 26, both from Khayelitsha). From discussions with the residents and business-people in Gugulethu, it was found that Mr Tonga wanted to get support from Andile Lili for expanding his taxi business in the location and that Andile Lili (a relative of Mr Tonga) was incorporating mr Tonga into several ventures and activities of the ANC. Whether these included the Makhaza Toilet Wars with the Democratic Alliance and/or the Sentinel Squatters Issue is of considerable legal interest, as this would provide proof of Third Force Activities Sponsored by the ANCYL in the Western Cape.
What we need is an independant judicial inquiry into the involvement of the ANCYL in the Incitement of Violence, the Instigation of Targetted Criminal Attacks on individual members of the Western Cape population and the involvement of Local ANC members in corruption and bribery.
The problem is that though their are several trustworthy members of the judiciary to investigate this international incident, there is a high percentage of a chance that the national ANC leaders will just sweep the investigation under the rug (as they did with the infamous Arms Deal in Parliament)...
Many in business-people in Gugulethu know that Andile Lili, the Western Cape ANC Leader had repeated dealings with Zola Tonga, who knew the other two suspects in the case (Mzwamadoda Qwabe, 26 and Xolile Mmgeni, 26, both from Khayelitsha). From discussions with the residents and business-people in Gugulethu, it was found that Mr Tonga wanted to get support from Andile Lili for expanding his taxi business in the location and that Andile Lili (a relative of Mr Tonga) was incorporating mr Tonga into several ventures and activities of the ANC. Whether these included the Makhaza Toilet Wars with the Democratic Alliance and/or the Sentinel Squatters Issue is of considerable legal interest, as this would provide proof of Third Force Activities Sponsored by the ANCYL in the Western Cape.
What we need is an independant judicial inquiry into the involvement of the ANCYL in the Incitement of Violence, the Instigation of Targetted Criminal Attacks on individual members of the Western Cape population and the involvement of Local ANC members in corruption and bribery.
The problem is that though their are several trustworthy members of the judiciary to investigate this international incident, there is a high percentage of a chance that the national ANC leaders will just sweep the investigation under the rug (as they did with the infamous Arms Deal in Parliament)...
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Taxi Driver & Accomplices accused of Annie Divani Murder: The Tragic Reality
The couple's driver Mr Zola Tonga and another man, Mzwamadoda Qwabe, 26, from Khayelitsha, have since been charged with her murder. A third person, Xolile Mmgeni, 26, from Khayelitsha, is due to face court over charges including murder and "robbery with aggravating circumstances" on Thursday. The alarming fact of this whole sordid story is that all three of these South African men is that they are all card-carrying members of the ANC's Western Cape Branch, which has past links with Third Force activities to destabilise the DA held province. And the are various reports that the incident might have been pre-planned by various members at the Western Cape Branch in an attempt to cause a public relations nightmare for the Democratic Alliance leader, Helen Zille...
The Recent death of Annie Divani in Guglethu, Cape Town is a tragic sign of both age-old resentments and modern racial circumstances. A person always wonders why someone would kill the "cash-cow", so to speak, when thousands of poor poeple's livelihoods depend on it surviving. However, there are a number of factors involved that very few would notice, even if you're a South African citizen.
The South African economy and that of the Western Cape Province (Cape Town is the provincial capitol) both dearly need the revenue of international tourism and so do the millions of people living in townships like Gugulethu, Nyanga Khayelitsha, Harare, Makhaza and Langa. The African demographic of Cape Town's population is at least 65% (though that is definately going to increase once the 2011 Census is tabulated). Many of these people of living on roughly R800 per month (which normally has to feed a family of eight people) and is the equivalent of $100 American. This is barely sufficient to sustain life, nevermind maintain it, and nothing that the ANC government has tried (or promised to) in the last 16 years is going to change that reality (though the ANC really isn't trying at all)...
Why Attack, Hijack and Murder a Foreign Tourist visiting one of the townships? It's simply a case of Poverty, Greed, Avarice and ingrained Jealousy that is regularly and repeatedly aggravated by ANC Youth League Cadres, who are desperately trying to destabilise the Western Cape economy and Political Foundation ahead of the next provincial and national elections (Electioneering Nigerian/Zibabwean/Congolian Style). This can be clearly seen with regard to the recent uproar between the DA's Cape Town Council and the local residents (ANC supporters) over the question of whether it is acceptable to enclose toilets with corrugated zinc-plate (the residents roused by the ANC are demanding brick and mortar enclosures around their toilets even though they personally are more than happy to live in the zinc-plate enclosed shacks - One newspaper commented that in a disaster at least their toilets would still be standing!
It sounds so strange to anyone from outside South Africa, but locals don't expect anything less from a political party, whose Youth League anthem is "Kill the Boer", Sung by Julius Malema (Boer is the derogatory term for any European person, regardless of nationality or affliation). This aggressive anger and voilence towards any European (Tourists of any non-African grouping are also thought of as European) was also the cause for Amy Beal (Amercian Teenager) being killed only a few years after 1994 and has long been a cause for alarm in the Western Cape.
The sad fact is that no European person or Tourist is safe anywhere in Cape Town or South Africa, because the ANC-instigated campaign of violence towards Europeans (and Tourists) makes everyone a potential target and it will not change until the ANC has achieved its political aspirations of total control of South Africa's provinces. There is reports of a White Paper Policy being compiled by the ANC Caucus (governing body) that contains the ANC's plans to wrest control from the DA using any means necessary and may include using the arms caches hidden in the townships during the Liberation Struggle of the late 1980s and early 1990s, which have never been recovered...
Unless internation condemnation is placed on the ANC government to curb the actions of its Youth League and change its Policy towards Europeans (and Tourists) on a national and provincial level, there will be many more murders and attacks on Europeans (and Tourists) all over South Africa. The South African government should be held legally responsible for any attack, murder and injury of all European (and Tourist) victims of violence in South Africa! This is because the current ongoing wave of attacks on Europeans (Tourist and Local) is largely politically inspired and aggravated by racial resentment, for which the ANC government has done nothing to alleviate.
The truth is that South Africa has achieved "racial" parity, according to the international Guinea scale, and has reached the same level as Brazil, through Affirmative Action. Percentage wise, there are actually just as many Europeans that are impoverished as Africans and the fact that there is still 50% Plus unemployment amongst the Africans is due to the ANC never initiating Skills Development and Job Creation policies!
With 65% Unemployment (unofficial until the 2011 Census), Regulation of the 15 to 25 Million Illegal Immigrants and Widespread Government Mismanagement and Corruption nothing is going to change!
So What can Tourists do to protect themselves and their property while visiting in South Africa for any period of time? The following Vigilance Guidelines will definately be a major help, as they are used by the local European population:
1. Never go anywhere in a group of less than three or four at night (after sunset) and then also make use of private taxi services or transportation. (DO NOT drive on your own through any African township or "Coloured" residential area)
2. Always be aware of your surroundings (like in a conflict zone). (You MUST know what is going on around you and who is around you at all times)
3. DO NOT carry any valuables in plain sight (cellphones, etc).
4. DO NOT work with money (currency) in any open area, as you are going to be watched by several people (Usually 1/4 Coloured, 1/4 European and 1/2 African)
5. If anyone approaches you that you do not know or have some link to (ie... your tourguide or escort or hotel staff), then you MUST be on your guard, as you'll know that they have no purpose in approaching you.
6. Keep all your travel documents, money and personal details out of sight (DO NOT leave them in your hotel room). Preferably on your person in an inside pocket of your jacket.
7. Always know where the nearest police station or police officer is. (This includes security staff)
8. Do Not give money to vagrants or beggars at anytime, because it immediately makes you a target! (They use it to buy alcohol and drugs)
9. If any unknown or strange person tries to approach, you have to immediately tell them to leave you alone in a loud voice
10. ALWAYS confirm the credencials, identity and registration of all drivers and tour operators with the South African Tourist Bureau before leaving your hotel! (This is just a matter of basic safety precautions)
11. NEVER go anywhere without an accredited tourguide, especially at night and in the townships!
The Recent death of Annie Divani in Guglethu, Cape Town is a tragic sign of both age-old resentments and modern racial circumstances. A person always wonders why someone would kill the "cash-cow", so to speak, when thousands of poor poeple's livelihoods depend on it surviving. However, there are a number of factors involved that very few would notice, even if you're a South African citizen.
The South African economy and that of the Western Cape Province (Cape Town is the provincial capitol) both dearly need the revenue of international tourism and so do the millions of people living in townships like Gugulethu, Nyanga Khayelitsha, Harare, Makhaza and Langa. The African demographic of Cape Town's population is at least 65% (though that is definately going to increase once the 2011 Census is tabulated). Many of these people of living on roughly R800 per month (which normally has to feed a family of eight people) and is the equivalent of $100 American. This is barely sufficient to sustain life, nevermind maintain it, and nothing that the ANC government has tried (or promised to) in the last 16 years is going to change that reality (though the ANC really isn't trying at all)...
Why Attack, Hijack and Murder a Foreign Tourist visiting one of the townships? It's simply a case of Poverty, Greed, Avarice and ingrained Jealousy that is regularly and repeatedly aggravated by ANC Youth League Cadres, who are desperately trying to destabilise the Western Cape economy and Political Foundation ahead of the next provincial and national elections (Electioneering Nigerian/Zibabwean/Congolian Style). This can be clearly seen with regard to the recent uproar between the DA's Cape Town Council and the local residents (ANC supporters) over the question of whether it is acceptable to enclose toilets with corrugated zinc-plate (the residents roused by the ANC are demanding brick and mortar enclosures around their toilets even though they personally are more than happy to live in the zinc-plate enclosed shacks - One newspaper commented that in a disaster at least their toilets would still be standing!
It sounds so strange to anyone from outside South Africa, but locals don't expect anything less from a political party, whose Youth League anthem is "Kill the Boer", Sung by Julius Malema (Boer is the derogatory term for any European person, regardless of nationality or affliation). This aggressive anger and voilence towards any European (Tourists of any non-African grouping are also thought of as European) was also the cause for Amy Beal (Amercian Teenager) being killed only a few years after 1994 and has long been a cause for alarm in the Western Cape.
The sad fact is that no European person or Tourist is safe anywhere in Cape Town or South Africa, because the ANC-instigated campaign of violence towards Europeans (and Tourists) makes everyone a potential target and it will not change until the ANC has achieved its political aspirations of total control of South Africa's provinces. There is reports of a White Paper Policy being compiled by the ANC Caucus (governing body) that contains the ANC's plans to wrest control from the DA using any means necessary and may include using the arms caches hidden in the townships during the Liberation Struggle of the late 1980s and early 1990s, which have never been recovered...
Unless internation condemnation is placed on the ANC government to curb the actions of its Youth League and change its Policy towards Europeans (and Tourists) on a national and provincial level, there will be many more murders and attacks on Europeans (and Tourists) all over South Africa. The South African government should be held legally responsible for any attack, murder and injury of all European (and Tourist) victims of violence in South Africa! This is because the current ongoing wave of attacks on Europeans (Tourist and Local) is largely politically inspired and aggravated by racial resentment, for which the ANC government has done nothing to alleviate.
The truth is that South Africa has achieved "racial" parity, according to the international Guinea scale, and has reached the same level as Brazil, through Affirmative Action. Percentage wise, there are actually just as many Europeans that are impoverished as Africans and the fact that there is still 50% Plus unemployment amongst the Africans is due to the ANC never initiating Skills Development and Job Creation policies!
With 65% Unemployment (unofficial until the 2011 Census), Regulation of the 15 to 25 Million Illegal Immigrants and Widespread Government Mismanagement and Corruption nothing is going to change!
So What can Tourists do to protect themselves and their property while visiting in South Africa for any period of time? The following Vigilance Guidelines will definately be a major help, as they are used by the local European population:
1. Never go anywhere in a group of less than three or four at night (after sunset) and then also make use of private taxi services or transportation. (DO NOT drive on your own through any African township or "Coloured" residential area)
2. Always be aware of your surroundings (like in a conflict zone). (You MUST know what is going on around you and who is around you at all times)
3. DO NOT carry any valuables in plain sight (cellphones, etc).
4. DO NOT work with money (currency) in any open area, as you are going to be watched by several people (Usually 1/4 Coloured, 1/4 European and 1/2 African)
5. If anyone approaches you that you do not know or have some link to (ie... your tourguide or escort or hotel staff), then you MUST be on your guard, as you'll know that they have no purpose in approaching you.
6. Keep all your travel documents, money and personal details out of sight (DO NOT leave them in your hotel room). Preferably on your person in an inside pocket of your jacket.
7. Always know where the nearest police station or police officer is. (This includes security staff)
8. Do Not give money to vagrants or beggars at anytime, because it immediately makes you a target! (They use it to buy alcohol and drugs)
9. If any unknown or strange person tries to approach, you have to immediately tell them to leave you alone in a loud voice
10. ALWAYS confirm the credencials, identity and registration of all drivers and tour operators with the South African Tourist Bureau before leaving your hotel! (This is just a matter of basic safety precautions)
11. NEVER go anywhere without an accredited tourguide, especially at night and in the townships!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Barbara Hogan: Collateral Damage
Jacob Zuma reshuffled his cabinet, fine, but what did he actually achieve? Did he get rid of non-performing ministers and send a stern message to all government departments? No...
Sp what happened and why did Barbara Hogan get the axe?
Jacob Zuma organised the cabinet reshuffle while consulting with his ANC Alliance partners, like Cosatu and made sure that most of the ministers in the ANC security cluster remained safe, except for Fikile Mbalula, who conflicted with Zuma's Police minister, Nathi Mthetwa over policy implementation. All of these ministers were hand picked by Zuma and is just another case of presidential protectionism... Thabo Mbeki was very defensive of his economic cluster of minsiters. Zuma, like Mbeki, will not fire or replace any ministers in his security cluster for the same reason that he personally hand picked them.
But Zuma needs to beware of his protectionism becoming full blown nepotism, as it will irrecably damage the ANC's reputation both locally and abroad. Mbeki lost power through loosing popularity with members of the ANC caucus over his inability to acknowledge the public complaints and international pressure to take responsibility for the problems in his administration (like the raging AIDS epidemic). Zuma could also experience serious problems from being overly defensive of the mistakes and failures of the ministers in his security cluster.
And this is the painful reality behind Barbara Hogan's dismissal, as she was not connected to any of the ANC Alliance partners and also because Malusi Gigaba was wanting her postion. Gigbab has an overwhelming mountain of media scrutiny and public ridicule for the condition of his corruption riddled ministry of Home Affairs, which has a bloated unproductive administration. Gigaba has done nothing to correct these problems, nor address the issue of 15 to 25 million illegal immigrants living undocumented in South Africa and Gigaba will have to process a monolithic amount of demographic data next year (2011) when the proposed National Census occurs, which the Home Affairs ministry is completely unprepared for carrying out the Census and the subsequent activities that will result.
So why replace the well performing Barbara Hogan as the Public Enterprises minister with the imeffectual Malusi Gigaba from the Bloated Home Affairs minsitry? Simple... Barbara Hogan was too outspoken about problems in the ANC government and the changes that were needed (She was too Leftist for the Zuma lead ANC Alliance). She was too musch of an opposition and drew the wrong sort of attention to issues in the Zuma administration, which made a problem for Zuma, as she was interfering with the plans of the ANC Caucus. that was why it was better for Zuma to move Gigaba in, so that the ANC could achive its objectives onbstructed by Barbara Hogan.
What is so important about the Public Enterprises ministry? It is the ministry that organises and appoints the tenders for public projects and therefore, is a prime vehicle for the ANC government to acquire contacts and financial donations from companies that want their tenders approved. It's the Arms Deal Scandal all over again, but focussed on home ground (where there is a lot less scrutiny from the international media)!
The ANC needs a trusted person in this postion in order to manipulate the tender process and gain all of the bribes and that is why the issue of Nationalising the Mines will keep appearing in the media, as it is the nect relevant step in the plans of the ANC Caucus! The ANC Ministers and core Party members can make billions in bribes and retrospective payments (gratuity for services rendered)...
The ANC are, in effect, trying to speed up the "Gravy Train" and reap in as much as they can, which is why you will see the Security Cluster ministers involved in the NAtionalisation of the mines discussions! And you wonder why the ANC is making such a fuss about all the attention its getting and why they want to force the Media Security Bill through Parliament. It's all so bloody obvious it screams corruption!!!
Sp what happened and why did Barbara Hogan get the axe?
Jacob Zuma organised the cabinet reshuffle while consulting with his ANC Alliance partners, like Cosatu and made sure that most of the ministers in the ANC security cluster remained safe, except for Fikile Mbalula, who conflicted with Zuma's Police minister, Nathi Mthetwa over policy implementation. All of these ministers were hand picked by Zuma and is just another case of presidential protectionism... Thabo Mbeki was very defensive of his economic cluster of minsiters. Zuma, like Mbeki, will not fire or replace any ministers in his security cluster for the same reason that he personally hand picked them.
But Zuma needs to beware of his protectionism becoming full blown nepotism, as it will irrecably damage the ANC's reputation both locally and abroad. Mbeki lost power through loosing popularity with members of the ANC caucus over his inability to acknowledge the public complaints and international pressure to take responsibility for the problems in his administration (like the raging AIDS epidemic). Zuma could also experience serious problems from being overly defensive of the mistakes and failures of the ministers in his security cluster.
And this is the painful reality behind Barbara Hogan's dismissal, as she was not connected to any of the ANC Alliance partners and also because Malusi Gigaba was wanting her postion. Gigbab has an overwhelming mountain of media scrutiny and public ridicule for the condition of his corruption riddled ministry of Home Affairs, which has a bloated unproductive administration. Gigaba has done nothing to correct these problems, nor address the issue of 15 to 25 million illegal immigrants living undocumented in South Africa and Gigaba will have to process a monolithic amount of demographic data next year (2011) when the proposed National Census occurs, which the Home Affairs ministry is completely unprepared for carrying out the Census and the subsequent activities that will result.
So why replace the well performing Barbara Hogan as the Public Enterprises minister with the imeffectual Malusi Gigaba from the Bloated Home Affairs minsitry? Simple... Barbara Hogan was too outspoken about problems in the ANC government and the changes that were needed (She was too Leftist for the Zuma lead ANC Alliance). She was too musch of an opposition and drew the wrong sort of attention to issues in the Zuma administration, which made a problem for Zuma, as she was interfering with the plans of the ANC Caucus. that was why it was better for Zuma to move Gigaba in, so that the ANC could achive its objectives onbstructed by Barbara Hogan.
What is so important about the Public Enterprises ministry? It is the ministry that organises and appoints the tenders for public projects and therefore, is a prime vehicle for the ANC government to acquire contacts and financial donations from companies that want their tenders approved. It's the Arms Deal Scandal all over again, but focussed on home ground (where there is a lot less scrutiny from the international media)!
The ANC needs a trusted person in this postion in order to manipulate the tender process and gain all of the bribes and that is why the issue of Nationalising the Mines will keep appearing in the media, as it is the nect relevant step in the plans of the ANC Caucus! The ANC Ministers and core Party members can make billions in bribes and retrospective payments (gratuity for services rendered)...
The ANC are, in effect, trying to speed up the "Gravy Train" and reap in as much as they can, which is why you will see the Security Cluster ministers involved in the NAtionalisation of the mines discussions! And you wonder why the ANC is making such a fuss about all the attention its getting and why they want to force the Media Security Bill through Parliament. It's all so bloody obvious it screams corruption!!!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
G20 Meeting: Currency, Trade & Unemployment (The Comparison)
So all of the big leaders and influencial people are meeting together again is Seoul, South Korea... Whoopee Doo! They meet all the time to try bash out one economic deal or another... Usually, the Americans find someway to scuttle any chance of there being any consensus result to these conferences and I am actually for these 20 leaders getting together to resolve World problems!
However, what are the fundamental topics or issues on the Agenda of the G20 Meeting?
1. The Americans want China to let its national currency float free on the World stockmarkets with out fixing its price or limiting trading in it, as they say that it is heavuly over valued. The Americans are also clamboring for the Germans, Brazilians and Japanese to devalue their currencies, as the USA can't accept monetary protectionalism by these countries to mantain the trade deficit any more. The rest of the World is complaining about the Americans plans to dump $600 Billion into the US economy to facilitate the devaluation of the Dollar, but the other countries say that this could lead to a massive Trade War and Protectionist policies that actually worsened the effects of the Great Depression.
2. The Americans, lead by Barak Hussein Obama, want to force China, Brazil and the rest of the World to stop using the USA as a dumping ground for their national exports, as the USA is no longer capable of continuing to run up large trade deficits (Now that Enron, WolrdBank and all the other Financial Companies that burst the stockmarket value balloons are gone - "The Era of Big Business Bankrolling the American economy and World Trade is over" and the "The World and the American Public have to accept that the Wizard of Oz can not save their export trade surplus anymore, so they need to look for a new Wonderland").
3. The Citizens of several nations are complaining bitterly about the high unemployment that exists all over the World and Demand that the World leaders come up with a plan to Slash Unemployment around the World and therefor increase the National Gross Domestic Product of each country.
So what is the truth behind all of the noise?
Devaluing Currencies Doesn't necessaril;y mean that One Specific Nation's economy or the Global Economy will improve, as it doesn't in itself cause more money to circulate through the economy. It Just blows wind up the leader's backsides!
Strictly controlling Trade will not mean that One Specific Nation's Economy or the Global Economy will improve either, as it doesn't pump more money into the hands of its citizens to circulate through the economy. It just blows wind up the backsides of the Industrialists or the Venture Capitalists!
Dumping $600 Billion into the US economy will devalue the Dollar, but will not increase the amount of currency circulating through the American Economy or the Global Economy, as it is a very protectionist measure and an over-reactionary action by the American Government. It will only blow windback in the faces of the World leaders, who are trying to save their economies.
So what do we need to do?
Create More jobs and get more money into the hands of the average person on the street, so that they can spend it or save it. Which will increase the circulation of currency in the economy and through a knock-on effect, increase the national GDP, which ultimatly will mean a lot more for the country and its citizens than any currency devaluation or trade deal/ trade deficit reduction...
We can only hope that one or more of the South African government ministers actually do pay attention, in between their parties at luxury hotels and getting back to work...
However, what are the fundamental topics or issues on the Agenda of the G20 Meeting?
1. The Americans want China to let its national currency float free on the World stockmarkets with out fixing its price or limiting trading in it, as they say that it is heavuly over valued. The Americans are also clamboring for the Germans, Brazilians and Japanese to devalue their currencies, as the USA can't accept monetary protectionalism by these countries to mantain the trade deficit any more. The rest of the World is complaining about the Americans plans to dump $600 Billion into the US economy to facilitate the devaluation of the Dollar, but the other countries say that this could lead to a massive Trade War and Protectionist policies that actually worsened the effects of the Great Depression.
2. The Americans, lead by Barak Hussein Obama, want to force China, Brazil and the rest of the World to stop using the USA as a dumping ground for their national exports, as the USA is no longer capable of continuing to run up large trade deficits (Now that Enron, WolrdBank and all the other Financial Companies that burst the stockmarket value balloons are gone - "The Era of Big Business Bankrolling the American economy and World Trade is over" and the "The World and the American Public have to accept that the Wizard of Oz can not save their export trade surplus anymore, so they need to look for a new Wonderland").
3. The Citizens of several nations are complaining bitterly about the high unemployment that exists all over the World and Demand that the World leaders come up with a plan to Slash Unemployment around the World and therefor increase the National Gross Domestic Product of each country.
So what is the truth behind all of the noise?
Devaluing Currencies Doesn't necessaril;y mean that One Specific Nation's economy or the Global Economy will improve, as it doesn't in itself cause more money to circulate through the economy. It Just blows wind up the leader's backsides!
Strictly controlling Trade will not mean that One Specific Nation's Economy or the Global Economy will improve either, as it doesn't pump more money into the hands of its citizens to circulate through the economy. It just blows wind up the backsides of the Industrialists or the Venture Capitalists!
Dumping $600 Billion into the US economy will devalue the Dollar, but will not increase the amount of currency circulating through the American Economy or the Global Economy, as it is a very protectionist measure and an over-reactionary action by the American Government. It will only blow windback in the faces of the World leaders, who are trying to save their economies.
So what do we need to do?
Create More jobs and get more money into the hands of the average person on the street, so that they can spend it or save it. Which will increase the circulation of currency in the economy and through a knock-on effect, increase the national GDP, which ultimatly will mean a lot more for the country and its citizens than any currency devaluation or trade deal/ trade deficit reduction...
We can only hope that one or more of the South African government ministers actually do pay attention, in between their parties at luxury hotels and getting back to work...
Monday, November 1, 2010
Cabinet Shuffle: Service Delivery Adjustment or Political Instability?
Over the last week, President Jacob Zuma (Yes, Mr Shower-Head) has reorganised his cabinet in a relatively large game of musical chairs. However, what does this actually mean? No much, honestly...
Many people say that it is a sign of the instabile ANC alliance coming apart at the seams. Not likely, as the major cabinet posts occupied by the ANC allies are still untouched, even though they are the scene of gross incompetance and fraud! You don't even need to mention the Ministry of Sport as an example to see the validity of this...
So what really is going on in the corridors of power? A sad imitation of the Mexican Wave! As only three or four of the shuffled ministers have effectively been fired, all of the others are still there, but in different seats.
What about the cliams that the President is trying to correct Public Service Delivery problems? WELL...Only half of the ministers that have failed to achieve significant performance levels in their ministries have been fired (the others were just shifted sideways). All of the ministers who were fired are underperformers, but it is only a lame attempt at window-dressing, as there are twice as many still in office!
In summary: was it a Service Delivery Adjustment - Yes and no; was it Political Instability - Definately No; Or was it an attempt to assuage the fears of many South Africans that the Bloated Corrupt Hegemony Ruling this country is becoming completely uot-of-touch with its citizens needs - Yes, Yes & Yes...
Many people say that it is a sign of the instabile ANC alliance coming apart at the seams. Not likely, as the major cabinet posts occupied by the ANC allies are still untouched, even though they are the scene of gross incompetance and fraud! You don't even need to mention the Ministry of Sport as an example to see the validity of this...
So what really is going on in the corridors of power? A sad imitation of the Mexican Wave! As only three or four of the shuffled ministers have effectively been fired, all of the others are still there, but in different seats.
What about the cliams that the President is trying to correct Public Service Delivery problems? WELL...Only half of the ministers that have failed to achieve significant performance levels in their ministries have been fired (the others were just shifted sideways). All of the ministers who were fired are underperformers, but it is only a lame attempt at window-dressing, as there are twice as many still in office!
In summary: was it a Service Delivery Adjustment - Yes and no; was it Political Instability - Definately No; Or was it an attempt to assuage the fears of many South Africans that the Bloated Corrupt Hegemony Ruling this country is becoming completely uot-of-touch with its citizens needs - Yes, Yes & Yes...
Friday, October 29, 2010
The SABC Scandal: Welcome to the Banana Republic!
Big Surprise... The South African Broadcasting Corporation had a R400 Million financial shortfall this last year and no one seems to know how to resolve the ongoing management problems at the State Run Monopoly!
It's a bit like someone not being able to spot the wood for the trees...
The SABC has no CEO; it's Board of Directors can not agree on anything (2 weeks debating on the price of toiletpaper); it is a year behind on paying the royalties for the programmes that it transmits over its network of television stations and it has a massive problem in securing new funding from various investors (due to fiscal impropriety); as well as public refusal to pay the licences for owning televisions and/or radios (due to public complaints about grossy outdated programmes and movies that have been rerun endlessly by the SABC - "Why should we pay repeatedly for the same programs that we have already seen?".
The SABC Chairperson, Ben Ngubane and his board of directors were recently rebuked and ridiculed in a session of Parliament when the Chair of the investigating comittee had to listen to puerile excuses for the SABC's Performance Report not being submitted for examination. There were several other Ministers that lambasted the SABC as "a bunch of incompetent fatcats with no concept of public accountability or responsibility".
One can only just shake your head in regard to the Troubles at the SABC, because their have been enough warning signs that all of these things would occur... But no one wanted to listen and everyone blindly expoused the Political Correct Motto: "It's not their fault, but the Legacy of Apartheid". This is a sad fact that instead of looking for proper management and skilled employees, the government resorted to cronyism and Affirmative Action appointments that have left the SABC (the National Broadcasting Corporation of South Africa) in an absolute shambles and the laughingstock of the world's watchdog organisations.
Many are calling for the resignation of the Minister in charge of the SABC, as well as the wholesale firing of the SABC Board of Directors (Cleansweep), as well as the implementation of a Caretaker Management Team to takeover and clear out the deadwood blocking the efficient productivity at the corporation. This would be the only conceivable way of getting the SABC operating properly, according to international standards: As the Caretaker team would have to completely overhaul the SABC's policies and internal regulating systems.
The Problems at the SABC are as follows:
1. There is complete fiscal anarchy in the corporate structure, which will need to be eliminated by regular public audits and reports to parliament.
2. The Management structure at the SABC is woefully top-heavy and contains numerous superflous unnecessary positions.
3. The group of Employees working at the SABC are untrained, unethical and by and large untrustworthy. This can only be remedied by instituting mandatory training workshops to acquire the sorely needed skills developement, professional ethics and then the Caretaker Team will have to weed out those employees that are "just there for the paycheck and not there to work".
4. The SABC's Standards of broadcasting to the South African Public have deteriorated massively in the last ten years, to the point that the pre-established broadcast schedule is not followed or the wrong episode is broadcast or the programme material is interupted by random "operator error" (paused, stopped, rewound, etc...) or the programme material is of such a bad condition that it is either inaudible or unviewable.
5. The Standard of Presentation has also slipped alarmingly in that the people presenting the various programmes have poor training on how to speak/pronounce words (even in their own language), refer to erroneous cues that don't exist, as well as a whole range of technical glitches that should be prevented with a little bit of operator vigilance and initiative...
6. At least half of their progamme material is woefully out of date or rebroadcast ad-nauseum, which is ridiculous as at the 60% of their programming should be new (only viewed once in a 12 month period) and reruns should be scheduled for after midnight or Saturday mornings.
In retrospect one can only wait and hope that saner minds prevail and someone, with the ability to innovate, can get involved and pull the SABC right before it becomes completely irrelevant to the needs of the South African population...
It's a bit like someone not being able to spot the wood for the trees...
The SABC has no CEO; it's Board of Directors can not agree on anything (2 weeks debating on the price of toiletpaper); it is a year behind on paying the royalties for the programmes that it transmits over its network of television stations and it has a massive problem in securing new funding from various investors (due to fiscal impropriety); as well as public refusal to pay the licences for owning televisions and/or radios (due to public complaints about grossy outdated programmes and movies that have been rerun endlessly by the SABC - "Why should we pay repeatedly for the same programs that we have already seen?".
The SABC Chairperson, Ben Ngubane and his board of directors were recently rebuked and ridiculed in a session of Parliament when the Chair of the investigating comittee had to listen to puerile excuses for the SABC's Performance Report not being submitted for examination. There were several other Ministers that lambasted the SABC as "a bunch of incompetent fatcats with no concept of public accountability or responsibility".
One can only just shake your head in regard to the Troubles at the SABC, because their have been enough warning signs that all of these things would occur... But no one wanted to listen and everyone blindly expoused the Political Correct Motto: "It's not their fault, but the Legacy of Apartheid". This is a sad fact that instead of looking for proper management and skilled employees, the government resorted to cronyism and Affirmative Action appointments that have left the SABC (the National Broadcasting Corporation of South Africa) in an absolute shambles and the laughingstock of the world's watchdog organisations.
Many are calling for the resignation of the Minister in charge of the SABC, as well as the wholesale firing of the SABC Board of Directors (Cleansweep), as well as the implementation of a Caretaker Management Team to takeover and clear out the deadwood blocking the efficient productivity at the corporation. This would be the only conceivable way of getting the SABC operating properly, according to international standards: As the Caretaker team would have to completely overhaul the SABC's policies and internal regulating systems.
The Problems at the SABC are as follows:
1. There is complete fiscal anarchy in the corporate structure, which will need to be eliminated by regular public audits and reports to parliament.
2. The Management structure at the SABC is woefully top-heavy and contains numerous superflous unnecessary positions.
3. The group of Employees working at the SABC are untrained, unethical and by and large untrustworthy. This can only be remedied by instituting mandatory training workshops to acquire the sorely needed skills developement, professional ethics and then the Caretaker Team will have to weed out those employees that are "just there for the paycheck and not there to work".
4. The SABC's Standards of broadcasting to the South African Public have deteriorated massively in the last ten years, to the point that the pre-established broadcast schedule is not followed or the wrong episode is broadcast or the programme material is interupted by random "operator error" (paused, stopped, rewound, etc...) or the programme material is of such a bad condition that it is either inaudible or unviewable.
5. The Standard of Presentation has also slipped alarmingly in that the people presenting the various programmes have poor training on how to speak/pronounce words (even in their own language), refer to erroneous cues that don't exist, as well as a whole range of technical glitches that should be prevented with a little bit of operator vigilance and initiative...
6. At least half of their progamme material is woefully out of date or rebroadcast ad-nauseum, which is ridiculous as at the 60% of their programming should be new (only viewed once in a 12 month period) and reruns should be scheduled for after midnight or Saturday mornings.
In retrospect one can only wait and hope that saner minds prevail and someone, with the ability to innovate, can get involved and pull the SABC right before it becomes completely irrelevant to the needs of the South African population...
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Walmart: The Only Hope to Combat South Africa's Rampant Union Activities.
The advent of the international Walmart company into the South African economy could not come at a better time and it has the potential of shaking the local employment market wide open. There are many reasons why the introduction of the Walmart company into the South African economy will be both good for the average person and for the country, not just for continued evolution in the employment sector of our society.
Walmart is a major international retail company with decades of experience at running a competitive commercial enterprise in a whole range of economic and social environments, which has tremendous financial advantages for South Africa as a whole. Namely, a greater diversity in corporate business practice, while making the individual corporation much more accountable to the public in regards to their business practices, as well.
It has a monumental wealth of skilled experts, who know how to set-up and manage a whole variety of different retail ventures and special market outlets. Even in a tough competitive market with already high saturation levels (high advertising and exposure to brand names).
While Walmart has a tough stance against Trade Unions in the workplace (Walmart is orientated primarily towards a capitolist economy), it is a strong exponent for progressive individual promotion by merit instead of South Africa's current race-based criteria and this alone holds a tremendous potential value for all South Africans in that they will that there is far greater scope for empowerment, promotion, skills developement and social upliftment, through individual anchievment and ambition (merit-based rewards). South Africans will see that they can achieve a lot more if they personally take responsibility for improving themselves and taking the initiative to develop their own situation, than by waiting for the government or organisations to do these thing s for them, like a charity.
The problem is that South Africans have become too complacent and reliant on communist or socialist methods to achieve the same things that all countries/people have to overcome. Even trade unions can not force companies and goverments to change the economic policies of the country in which they operate. Yes, there are many jobs that require an employee to work atrociously long hours in appalling working conditions for far less than the official minimum wage. However, this will never be resolved solely by the massed mobs of the trade unions going on public strikes and protesting violently in the streets - It needs the South African government to establish severe penalties for corporate misbehaviour and offences, as well as initiating commissions to investigate and enage the corporations actively in correcting any problems. Strikes just loose Workers a large section of their potential wages that they otherwise would have earned and therefore, actually make the Workers more impoverished.
Walmart's corporate structure allows the free market system of the Supply & Demand of employees determine the wage standard in regards to renumeration. Where companies have an unacceptable wages level or workplace environment, the workers will not seek employment and the company will experience a skills shortage. Which will drive the company to increase its wages level and/or improve the workplace environment.
Many people have argued in the media about Walmart's trade practices and pricing system, as being monopolistic and anti-competition. However, Walmart has always been transparent in how their prices are generated (through market research, bulk-retailing and keeping costs low) and that is more than any of the local South African retail supermarkets can say! Pick'nPay, Checkers, Spar, Woolworths, and Shoprite, ect, have routinely been involved in alleged price-fixing scandals with Suppliers and each other (plus they all fail to live up to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (1967) and the Government's minimum wage of R56.50 per eight hour shift (this includes them remaining within the 160 hour maximum working month).
Walmart does adhere to these two requirements and has a better track record of equal employment initiatives than any of the local companies, even though it doesn't implement South Africa's uniquely absurd version of Affirmative Action...
It would be incredible to see just how much of a effect that Walmart will have on the South African economy and Employment Sector. as well as on South African standards in the retail trade industry.
Walmart is a major international retail company with decades of experience at running a competitive commercial enterprise in a whole range of economic and social environments, which has tremendous financial advantages for South Africa as a whole. Namely, a greater diversity in corporate business practice, while making the individual corporation much more accountable to the public in regards to their business practices, as well.
It has a monumental wealth of skilled experts, who know how to set-up and manage a whole variety of different retail ventures and special market outlets. Even in a tough competitive market with already high saturation levels (high advertising and exposure to brand names).
While Walmart has a tough stance against Trade Unions in the workplace (Walmart is orientated primarily towards a capitolist economy), it is a strong exponent for progressive individual promotion by merit instead of South Africa's current race-based criteria and this alone holds a tremendous potential value for all South Africans in that they will that there is far greater scope for empowerment, promotion, skills developement and social upliftment, through individual anchievment and ambition (merit-based rewards). South Africans will see that they can achieve a lot more if they personally take responsibility for improving themselves and taking the initiative to develop their own situation, than by waiting for the government or organisations to do these thing s for them, like a charity.
The problem is that South Africans have become too complacent and reliant on communist or socialist methods to achieve the same things that all countries/people have to overcome. Even trade unions can not force companies and goverments to change the economic policies of the country in which they operate. Yes, there are many jobs that require an employee to work atrociously long hours in appalling working conditions for far less than the official minimum wage. However, this will never be resolved solely by the massed mobs of the trade unions going on public strikes and protesting violently in the streets - It needs the South African government to establish severe penalties for corporate misbehaviour and offences, as well as initiating commissions to investigate and enage the corporations actively in correcting any problems. Strikes just loose Workers a large section of their potential wages that they otherwise would have earned and therefore, actually make the Workers more impoverished.
Walmart's corporate structure allows the free market system of the Supply & Demand of employees determine the wage standard in regards to renumeration. Where companies have an unacceptable wages level or workplace environment, the workers will not seek employment and the company will experience a skills shortage. Which will drive the company to increase its wages level and/or improve the workplace environment.
Many people have argued in the media about Walmart's trade practices and pricing system, as being monopolistic and anti-competition. However, Walmart has always been transparent in how their prices are generated (through market research, bulk-retailing and keeping costs low) and that is more than any of the local South African retail supermarkets can say! Pick'nPay, Checkers, Spar, Woolworths, and Shoprite, ect, have routinely been involved in alleged price-fixing scandals with Suppliers and each other (plus they all fail to live up to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (1967) and the Government's minimum wage of R56.50 per eight hour shift (this includes them remaining within the 160 hour maximum working month).
Walmart does adhere to these two requirements and has a better track record of equal employment initiatives than any of the local companies, even though it doesn't implement South Africa's uniquely absurd version of Affirmative Action...
It would be incredible to see just how much of a effect that Walmart will have on the South African economy and Employment Sector. as well as on South African standards in the retail trade industry.
Monday, October 18, 2010
2011 South African Census: The Long Overdue Update to the South African Statistical Reality Figures.
The envisioned 2011 Census of the South African population is a political powder-keg of potential information, as it will reveal the ANC's track record over the last 16 years in power and blow the lid off of the long contentious "National Unemployment Figure". As well as revealing the amount of foreign nationals living illegally in South Africa.
The National Census will be a critical judgement of the ANC's achievements to date (which is partly why the ANC has repeatedly refused to allow a new census to be carried out) and will reveal the magnitude of the ANC's success or failure on the giant screen of the national and interantional media. Some of these issues are: Housing (failed); Education (barely passed); Job Creation (failed); Economic Strategy (passed); Fiscal Competance (barely passed); Insitutional Transparency & Accountability (failed); Crime Fighting & General Law Enforcement (failed); Anti-Corruption Stance (failed); and Racial Reintergration & Reconciliation (barely passed).
For nearly ten years now the ANC has been putting the political spin on the media about the Real Unemployment Figure in South Africa and this has allowed them to dodge a ton load of bricks in regard to political accountability. For nearly ten years now, the opposition has been saying that the Unemployment Figure is a lot higher than or even double that which is officially accepted by the government. Some have even suggested that the figure is more likely to be between 35 and 60 percent of the national population, which is completely astounding but believable.
The other increasingly vexing issue for the ANC is the presence and effect of the Illegal Immigrants living within South Africa's borders and their effect on the South African economy. Even by conservative estimates, there are roughly 10 to 15 million foreign nationals residing in South Africa, which isthe equivalent of one quarter (25%) of the natural citizens within its populations. This is an astounding concept to understand, in that South Africa is one of the only countries in the world that has elected to accept, support and assimilate foreign nationals equivalent to one-quater of its natural inhabitants. The presence of these illegal immigrants puts an enormous strain on the South African economy and on its social infrastructure, as well as severely limiting the already strained resources (Land, Water, Food, Jobs, Housing & Health Provision).
The presence and social effects of the illegal immigrants on the citizens of South Africa has caused an outcry, becuase South Africa can not provide for its own population, as it is (in any logical analysis of the issue), and is grossly falling behind and short of its obligations to its citizens and voter demographics.
One can only hope that with the completion of the 2011 National Census, the government of South Africa will accept the rsponsibilities arising from it and pull this country out of its quagmire or otherwise someone else will have to do it for them...
The National Census will be a critical judgement of the ANC's achievements to date (which is partly why the ANC has repeatedly refused to allow a new census to be carried out) and will reveal the magnitude of the ANC's success or failure on the giant screen of the national and interantional media. Some of these issues are: Housing (failed); Education (barely passed); Job Creation (failed); Economic Strategy (passed); Fiscal Competance (barely passed); Insitutional Transparency & Accountability (failed); Crime Fighting & General Law Enforcement (failed); Anti-Corruption Stance (failed); and Racial Reintergration & Reconciliation (barely passed).
For nearly ten years now the ANC has been putting the political spin on the media about the Real Unemployment Figure in South Africa and this has allowed them to dodge a ton load of bricks in regard to political accountability. For nearly ten years now, the opposition has been saying that the Unemployment Figure is a lot higher than or even double that which is officially accepted by the government. Some have even suggested that the figure is more likely to be between 35 and 60 percent of the national population, which is completely astounding but believable.
The other increasingly vexing issue for the ANC is the presence and effect of the Illegal Immigrants living within South Africa's borders and their effect on the South African economy. Even by conservative estimates, there are roughly 10 to 15 million foreign nationals residing in South Africa, which isthe equivalent of one quarter (25%) of the natural citizens within its populations. This is an astounding concept to understand, in that South Africa is one of the only countries in the world that has elected to accept, support and assimilate foreign nationals equivalent to one-quater of its natural inhabitants. The presence of these illegal immigrants puts an enormous strain on the South African economy and on its social infrastructure, as well as severely limiting the already strained resources (Land, Water, Food, Jobs, Housing & Health Provision).
The presence and social effects of the illegal immigrants on the citizens of South Africa has caused an outcry, becuase South Africa can not provide for its own population, as it is (in any logical analysis of the issue), and is grossly falling behind and short of its obligations to its citizens and voter demographics.
One can only hope that with the completion of the 2011 National Census, the government of South Africa will accept the rsponsibilities arising from it and pull this country out of its quagmire or otherwise someone else will have to do it for them...
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Tarmac Serial Killers: The South African Combi-Taxi Industry
For years, the South African public has been forced to deal with the completely uncontrollable and unregulated presence of illegal taxis on South Africa's roads. The government has known about this problem since before 2000 (Some estimates are that the problem was already evident in 1995, during the Rugby World Cup), but as yet no one has done anything to remove the criminal elements from this industry nor is there any visible public official who is willing to get involved, as the Taxi Associations are hypersensitive towards any mention of regulation and immediately engage on road protests.
Yet almost everyday, the South African news media are filled with the stories of incidents in which someone or some gourp of people have been injured or killed by these combi taxis on our roads. Further reports from many eyewitnesses state that, in general, the taxis completely ignore the traffic laws and all acceptable standards of driving motorvehicles on South Africa's roads. Even more startling is the revelations revealed by investigative journalists that a majority of the taxis are both unroadworthy and unlicensed, which beggars description.
Several half-hearted attempts to correct the inherant problems within the taxi industry have either met with disaster (bad construction and planning), violent opposition (from Taxi Owner Association) or beaurocratic ineptitude and corruption. All of these factors were evident in the disappearance of the Rea Vaya (Bus Rapid Transit - BRT System).
If the government ever really wants to resolve this issue decisively, then they are going to have to completely regulate the taxi industry, through coordinated law enforcement and judicial fast-tracking of court cases. They will have to isolate and subdue all of the subersive criminal elements that are constantly destablising the industry and instigating voilent protests.
If the Taxi Associations do not want to conform to normal standards of operation and regulation, as implemented in many overseas countries, then the ramshackle choatic miasma of informal pucblic transport (the Taxis) will have to be made illegal and banned from the roads of South Africa...
Yet almost everyday, the South African news media are filled with the stories of incidents in which someone or some gourp of people have been injured or killed by these combi taxis on our roads. Further reports from many eyewitnesses state that, in general, the taxis completely ignore the traffic laws and all acceptable standards of driving motorvehicles on South Africa's roads. Even more startling is the revelations revealed by investigative journalists that a majority of the taxis are both unroadworthy and unlicensed, which beggars description.
Several half-hearted attempts to correct the inherant problems within the taxi industry have either met with disaster (bad construction and planning), violent opposition (from Taxi Owner Association) or beaurocratic ineptitude and corruption. All of these factors were evident in the disappearance of the Rea Vaya (Bus Rapid Transit - BRT System).
If the government ever really wants to resolve this issue decisively, then they are going to have to completely regulate the taxi industry, through coordinated law enforcement and judicial fast-tracking of court cases. They will have to isolate and subdue all of the subersive criminal elements that are constantly destablising the industry and instigating voilent protests.
If the Taxi Associations do not want to conform to normal standards of operation and regulation, as implemented in many overseas countries, then the ramshackle choatic miasma of informal pucblic transport (the Taxis) will have to be made illegal and banned from the roads of South Africa...
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Henry Okah & South Africa, The Haven for Terrorists and Drug-Smugglers
This has been an ongoing problem and one that was foreseen by many, because of the complete porous nature of the South African borders and the predisposition of the ANC governement to grant asylum to many former dictators and war criminals in the past (since 1995).
There are many recorded incidents of coups and terrorist attacks having been planned from South African soil even back during the Apartheid Era: the failed Commoros Coup; and several clandestine operations to destabilise neighboring southern african countries. Recently, there was even the failed Central African Republic Coup that was launched from South Africa directly.
However, the really worrying reality is that currently South Africa is hosting several former dictators, despots and warlords (some even at the expense of the South African taxpayer!). This does not even include those that have illegally entered into South Africa...
Jean Bertrand Aristide, formerly of Haiti, has been staying here ever since being ousted from power in a cout d'tat and has various financial ventures underway at present, but has no plans to return to help his former country to recover from the January 2010 Earthquake.
At one stage, even Mobutu Seseseko of the then Zaire was being offered asylum in South Africa, when Kabila ousted him and he very nearly did agree to, but changed after security concerns. The people of the DRC are still trying to recover money that he siphoned off over the decades that he was in power.
There are always unsubstantiated rumors of a number of other foreign ex-leaders (Charles Taylor of Liberia handed blood diamonds to Naomi Cambell at a Nelson Mandela Children's Fund in South Africa) and criminals either being resident or having travelled through South Africa repeatedly. This includes Somali militia leaders, Al-Qaeda operatives (linking up with the South African QIBLA militant Muslim organisation, Vietnamese and Myanmar Military or Consular officials transporting drugs or banned animal products (like Rhino Horn), as well as war-criminals from Serbia or Bosnia-Herzogovina travelling through Southa Africa to by and or selling arms. There was even reports that the people involved with the two East African Bombings in Kenya, etc, had also travelled through South Africa.
Is it so surprising that someone like Henry Okah, a former rebel leader fighting for the liberation of the Niger Delta was in South Africa and might have been involved with the twin bombings in Nigeria recently... He certainly had the means and the political support of the ANC to stay here and there are many other expatriot Nigerians living in South Africa illegally for almost ten years now.
Yes... So there is veritable grounds for seeing the purpose of Henry Okah's involvement with ridding the Niger Delta of Foreign Companies that are raping the natural mineral wealth of the region to profit themselves. There is also some basis to the assertion that it is an endeavor to liberate the people of the Niger Delta from exploitation and oppression...
But, it in no way justifies the use of South African soil as a base for international terrorism or fundraising, even in the pursuit of democratic ideals. Beacause there is no justification for using violence (Rape, Murder, Kidnapping, Extortion and Torture) against innocent civilians under any circumstances. Especially, when it is orchestrated from another sovereign country like South Africa!
And this is the crux of the problem, in that no matter how supportive the ANC government is of fellow African liberation movements, they can not allow these movements to carry out their activities on South African soil, because it gives the national governments opposed to these movements the right to retaliate against South Africa from supporting or assisting rebel groups and terrorists.
Which is definately, not something that South Africa or its people could afford to be labeled as or want to deal with the ramifications of the retalitory actions...
There are many recorded incidents of coups and terrorist attacks having been planned from South African soil even back during the Apartheid Era: the failed Commoros Coup; and several clandestine operations to destabilise neighboring southern african countries. Recently, there was even the failed Central African Republic Coup that was launched from South Africa directly.
However, the really worrying reality is that currently South Africa is hosting several former dictators, despots and warlords (some even at the expense of the South African taxpayer!). This does not even include those that have illegally entered into South Africa...
Jean Bertrand Aristide, formerly of Haiti, has been staying here ever since being ousted from power in a cout d'tat and has various financial ventures underway at present, but has no plans to return to help his former country to recover from the January 2010 Earthquake.
At one stage, even Mobutu Seseseko of the then Zaire was being offered asylum in South Africa, when Kabila ousted him and he very nearly did agree to, but changed after security concerns. The people of the DRC are still trying to recover money that he siphoned off over the decades that he was in power.
There are always unsubstantiated rumors of a number of other foreign ex-leaders (Charles Taylor of Liberia handed blood diamonds to Naomi Cambell at a Nelson Mandela Children's Fund in South Africa) and criminals either being resident or having travelled through South Africa repeatedly. This includes Somali militia leaders, Al-Qaeda operatives (linking up with the South African QIBLA militant Muslim organisation, Vietnamese and Myanmar Military or Consular officials transporting drugs or banned animal products (like Rhino Horn), as well as war-criminals from Serbia or Bosnia-Herzogovina travelling through Southa Africa to by and or selling arms. There was even reports that the people involved with the two East African Bombings in Kenya, etc, had also travelled through South Africa.
Is it so surprising that someone like Henry Okah, a former rebel leader fighting for the liberation of the Niger Delta was in South Africa and might have been involved with the twin bombings in Nigeria recently... He certainly had the means and the political support of the ANC to stay here and there are many other expatriot Nigerians living in South Africa illegally for almost ten years now.
Yes... So there is veritable grounds for seeing the purpose of Henry Okah's involvement with ridding the Niger Delta of Foreign Companies that are raping the natural mineral wealth of the region to profit themselves. There is also some basis to the assertion that it is an endeavor to liberate the people of the Niger Delta from exploitation and oppression...
But, it in no way justifies the use of South African soil as a base for international terrorism or fundraising, even in the pursuit of democratic ideals. Beacause there is no justification for using violence (Rape, Murder, Kidnapping, Extortion and Torture) against innocent civilians under any circumstances. Especially, when it is orchestrated from another sovereign country like South Africa!
And this is the crux of the problem, in that no matter how supportive the ANC government is of fellow African liberation movements, they can not allow these movements to carry out their activities on South African soil, because it gives the national governments opposed to these movements the right to retaliate against South Africa from supporting or assisting rebel groups and terrorists.
Which is definately, not something that South Africa or its people could afford to be labeled as or want to deal with the ramifications of the retalitory actions...
Monday, October 4, 2010
The ANC Coalition: The Rise & Fall of Demogogues...
The ANC Coalition stems from the alliance between the ANC, Cosatu and the Communist Party, otherwise known as the Tri-Partied Alliance during the Liberation Struggle against Apartheid up until the 1991 release of Nelson Mandela.
However, since then, the three partners have had many serious disagreements between themselves, as the ANC Heirarchy clings to total power and the wealth that that can accrue from being on the "Gravy Train": fast cars, million-Rand houses, luxury hotels and all expense paid trips overseas. Not just the mnumerous opportunities to enrich themselves through becoming shareholders in major companies and Black Empowerment Enterprises.
The problem that Cosatu has discovered is that the ANC no longer is paying significant attention to the plight of the average South African citizen anymore. Sure they (ANC) make all the campaign promises: free education; free houses; free water & electricity. But they have yet to deliver on any of these promises and in todays South African economy there are actually less people with jobs than during the Apartheid Era, as unemployment now stands in excess of 26% of the working-age population.
The conditions of employment have also gone down, as most employees find themselves working long hours (180 to 235 hours a month) for ridiculously low wages (R1500/month, minus deductions, ect...) and in conditions that are absulutely atrocious, even a violation of their human rights... Their employers do not care, as all they want to do is to satisfy the Affirmative Action requirements and then scrape off as mush profits as they can for themselves. This situation is absolutely dispicable, as this is not why Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in Prison, just so that all of the leaders (politicians and employers) can enrich themselves at the cost of the average South African citizen's rights to honest representation by accountable leaders in a government with entrenched transparency...
This stiuation is both deploraqble and reprehensible to the generally accepted international standards of political governance and, if the World's Media and Watchdog Organisations don't want to see South Africa also turning into another Zimbabwe, then they need to stand up and voice their protests against this inherant moral corruption that taints the so called "New" Post Apartheid South Africa!
Or there will be mobs in the streets protesting the gross inequalities between the egalitarian despots that are hoarding political power in South Africa and leaving the impoverished "currently disadvantaged" population to scratch in the gutter for survival, while they live in 5-star hotels and cover themselves in misappropriated funds and the proceeds of corruption (like blood diamonds, rhino horn smuggling, drug dealing, bribes, illegal stockholdings in private and public companies and para-statals!
Oops.. Sorry! That has already happened...
However, since then, the three partners have had many serious disagreements between themselves, as the ANC Heirarchy clings to total power and the wealth that that can accrue from being on the "Gravy Train": fast cars, million-Rand houses, luxury hotels and all expense paid trips overseas. Not just the mnumerous opportunities to enrich themselves through becoming shareholders in major companies and Black Empowerment Enterprises.
The problem that Cosatu has discovered is that the ANC no longer is paying significant attention to the plight of the average South African citizen anymore. Sure they (ANC) make all the campaign promises: free education; free houses; free water & electricity. But they have yet to deliver on any of these promises and in todays South African economy there are actually less people with jobs than during the Apartheid Era, as unemployment now stands in excess of 26% of the working-age population.
The conditions of employment have also gone down, as most employees find themselves working long hours (180 to 235 hours a month) for ridiculously low wages (R1500/month, minus deductions, ect...) and in conditions that are absulutely atrocious, even a violation of their human rights... Their employers do not care, as all they want to do is to satisfy the Affirmative Action requirements and then scrape off as mush profits as they can for themselves. This situation is absolutely dispicable, as this is not why Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in Prison, just so that all of the leaders (politicians and employers) can enrich themselves at the cost of the average South African citizen's rights to honest representation by accountable leaders in a government with entrenched transparency...
This stiuation is both deploraqble and reprehensible to the generally accepted international standards of political governance and, if the World's Media and Watchdog Organisations don't want to see South Africa also turning into another Zimbabwe, then they need to stand up and voice their protests against this inherant moral corruption that taints the so called "New" Post Apartheid South Africa!
Or there will be mobs in the streets protesting the gross inequalities between the egalitarian despots that are hoarding political power in South Africa and leaving the impoverished "currently disadvantaged" population to scratch in the gutter for survival, while they live in 5-star hotels and cover themselves in misappropriated funds and the proceeds of corruption (like blood diamonds, rhino horn smuggling, drug dealing, bribes, illegal stockholdings in private and public companies and para-statals!
Oops.. Sorry! That has already happened...
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Hangberg: A Sign of Frustration or Collusion?
With the recent events surrounding the forced removal of settlers at the Fire-break on the Sentinel out at Hout Bay, one is left with some very interesting questions.
The land ivaders moved in without any permit from the City and without giving any notice and illegally occupied a area of the lower stretches of the mountain. They claim to be representing the local indigenous peoples of the Western Cape, though there is no proof of this claim nor do any of the participants belong to any of the Griqua or Khoi-San Tribes that inhabited the Cape. This makes one wonder why suddenly an attempt to embarrass the DA Administration was made. And this leads one to ponder a Third Force support by instigators inside the Western Cape Province's political arena, vis-a-vis: ANC's unfinished business in Cape Town Metropole.
The problem is that the residents of Hangberg have been neglected (and arguably forgotten) by both the current DA government and by the ANC Administration under Ebrahim Rasool (WC Premier) and India Nomafaketu (Mayor: CT). Hangberg, itself, is a relic of the Apartheid Era's Group Areas Act and along with the small African township (Mandela Park) keep Hout Bay a divided community sixteen (16) years after the Election of Nelson Mandela and nineteen (19) years after his release from Victor Vorster Prison, which should be a crying shame for all South Africans. Many of the so called "Colored" people of Hangberg feel forgotten, as they were "too black under Apartheid and too white under the ANC".
The other viable issue raised by this incident is that the Hangberg residents feel cheated, "because Africans are allowed to just move in wherever they like, but we have to get permission". This is a thorny issue, as the informal settlements are not safe for people to live in (unzoned location) or the site is a liability to the health of all those living there (unsuitable for human habitation - Khayelitsha was a garbage dump at one time). In addition to this, the informal settlements lack the vital infrastucture necessary for basic inhabitation (fire/crime prevention; water supply; sanitation, road access; and electricity), which creates serious life threatening conditions of anyone, who would want to live there and, as such, the continued state of these areas is arguably a violation of the inhabitants human rights.
However, Hangberg can be redeveloped to improve conditions to acceptable levels, but Khayelitsha and the other informal settlements can't be completely redeveloped. Therefore, neither the ANC national government or the DA provincial government can be excused from correcting the problem any longer, as it is a black mark on South Africa's record for either of these groups to not take steps to change it.
There is also a logical argument by a lot of people that informal settlements need to be regulated and transformed in a orderly planned way, as the long overdue RDP housing backlog will never be remedied when new shack-dwellers just move in and replace the last resident that just received an RDP house. The authorities must prevent reinhabitation of unsuitable areas and redevelop each section to provide the basic necessities for the remaining residents (like water, electricity, sanitation, road access, and fire/crime prevention.).
As until these ongoing inherent problems are dealt with nothing will change for South Africa's "impoverished millions" of all colors.
The land ivaders moved in without any permit from the City and without giving any notice and illegally occupied a area of the lower stretches of the mountain. They claim to be representing the local indigenous peoples of the Western Cape, though there is no proof of this claim nor do any of the participants belong to any of the Griqua or Khoi-San Tribes that inhabited the Cape. This makes one wonder why suddenly an attempt to embarrass the DA Administration was made. And this leads one to ponder a Third Force support by instigators inside the Western Cape Province's political arena, vis-a-vis: ANC's unfinished business in Cape Town Metropole.
The problem is that the residents of Hangberg have been neglected (and arguably forgotten) by both the current DA government and by the ANC Administration under Ebrahim Rasool (WC Premier) and India Nomafaketu (Mayor: CT). Hangberg, itself, is a relic of the Apartheid Era's Group Areas Act and along with the small African township (Mandela Park) keep Hout Bay a divided community sixteen (16) years after the Election of Nelson Mandela and nineteen (19) years after his release from Victor Vorster Prison, which should be a crying shame for all South Africans. Many of the so called "Colored" people of Hangberg feel forgotten, as they were "too black under Apartheid and too white under the ANC".
The other viable issue raised by this incident is that the Hangberg residents feel cheated, "because Africans are allowed to just move in wherever they like, but we have to get permission". This is a thorny issue, as the informal settlements are not safe for people to live in (unzoned location) or the site is a liability to the health of all those living there (unsuitable for human habitation - Khayelitsha was a garbage dump at one time). In addition to this, the informal settlements lack the vital infrastucture necessary for basic inhabitation (fire/crime prevention; water supply; sanitation, road access; and electricity), which creates serious life threatening conditions of anyone, who would want to live there and, as such, the continued state of these areas is arguably a violation of the inhabitants human rights.
However, Hangberg can be redeveloped to improve conditions to acceptable levels, but Khayelitsha and the other informal settlements can't be completely redeveloped. Therefore, neither the ANC national government or the DA provincial government can be excused from correcting the problem any longer, as it is a black mark on South Africa's record for either of these groups to not take steps to change it.
There is also a logical argument by a lot of people that informal settlements need to be regulated and transformed in a orderly planned way, as the long overdue RDP housing backlog will never be remedied when new shack-dwellers just move in and replace the last resident that just received an RDP house. The authorities must prevent reinhabitation of unsuitable areas and redevelop each section to provide the basic necessities for the remaining residents (like water, electricity, sanitation, road access, and fire/crime prevention.).
As until these ongoing inherent problems are dealt with nothing will change for South Africa's "impoverished millions" of all colors.
Friday, September 17, 2010
The Far Side of South African Schools...
Anyone can understand the stresses and strains that students have to deal with after having to deal with the recent and protracted Public Sector strikes, but one has to wonder about the sanity of the South African Students Unions when they demand that the Basic Education Department grant them an autmatic 25% bonus to their preliminary exams scores... This is just plainly laughable, as it would render the results of the exams null-and-void in as far as national statistics are concerned.
Nobody gets a free ride in life... If the students want to be given their Matric Certificates without having to write the exams then the Certificates will be worthless and the students might as well have stayed at home in the first place.
In addition, granting a 25% bonus mark to students will result in the students being unable to gain admission to universities or jobs, as the certificates will be worthless and valueless, as a basic requirement for employment.
Nobody gets a free ride in life... If the students want to be given their Matric Certificates without having to write the exams then the Certificates will be worthless and the students might as well have stayed at home in the first place.
In addition, granting a 25% bonus mark to students will result in the students being unable to gain admission to universities or jobs, as the certificates will be worthless and valueless, as a basic requirement for employment.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
The Upsurge of Retalitory Violence & Intimidation in South African Schools...
This current event is both shocking and ludicrous in that after having struggled to continue their studies for Matric exams during the recent 21 day Public Servants Strike (which so teacher abandoning school en mass because of atrocious salaries), the students now in Standard 10 (Matric) are being prevented from writing the exams by violent thugs, whose only intent is to disrupt and cause chaos in the public schooling system that is already on its knees, due to the continuing decline of standards in the South African Education System. In a country where the National average pass rate is less than 45%, it is unbelievable that the Government allows these thugs, who are mostly high-school drop-outs or criminals organised by a Third Force syndicate!
What makes it even more ridiculous is that year in and year out the Government continues to blame the failures of the Education System on the Legacy Of Apartheid, when they have done scant little to improve the plight of the school learners in the last 16 years of the New Democratic South Africa.
More and More South Africans are shaking thier heads at the elitist snobs in politcal circles, who continue to perpetuate the nonsensical paradox of Affirmative Action (which forces African people in South Africa to accept hand-out appointments in companies for laughably low salaries, as they're still working for peanuts...). While the rank and file of the ANC Government focusses on personal inrichment and nepotistic agrandisement of their friends, as honorary directors and stakeholders in multi-million Rand companies.
There is only a few of the original caucus of Struggle Veterans from the ANC heirarchy that have not been intimately linked to or indirectly with corrupt or illegal practices in the South African media. This is the real reason behind the Government's attempts to silence the National Media with their new Media Laws that they are trying desperately to force through the South African Parliament.
It all looks like the Shadows of Zimbabwe and ironically that also started with choas in the schools...
What makes it even more ridiculous is that year in and year out the Government continues to blame the failures of the Education System on the Legacy Of Apartheid, when they have done scant little to improve the plight of the school learners in the last 16 years of the New Democratic South Africa.
More and More South Africans are shaking thier heads at the elitist snobs in politcal circles, who continue to perpetuate the nonsensical paradox of Affirmative Action (which forces African people in South Africa to accept hand-out appointments in companies for laughably low salaries, as they're still working for peanuts...). While the rank and file of the ANC Government focusses on personal inrichment and nepotistic agrandisement of their friends, as honorary directors and stakeholders in multi-million Rand companies.
There is only a few of the original caucus of Struggle Veterans from the ANC heirarchy that have not been intimately linked to or indirectly with corrupt or illegal practices in the South African media. This is the real reason behind the Government's attempts to silence the National Media with their new Media Laws that they are trying desperately to force through the South African Parliament.
It all looks like the Shadows of Zimbabwe and ironically that also started with choas in the schools...
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Continuing the magic of the 2010 World Cup
Many people in South Africa are wondering how we, as a nation can continue the amazing spirit of Ubuntu that was so obvious during the World Cup. But how?
It requires that you take a personal investment in your surroundings and enact the changes that are needed. As an individual, you are fundamental to enabling the events around you and also responsible for correcting anti-social or criminal behavior of others. Any society is a sum of its parts: The individual is the core support of the group or community, not only its subject; The society is accountable to the individual for the effects of the environment that surrounds the individual as well.
1. Look around you and observe what is going on.
2. Investigate the factors that are effecting the situation.
3. Seperate the individuals from the social events, as enablers/participants or as spectators/victims.
4. Identify the cause of that provides the instigator and other accomplices to carry out his actions.
5. Look out for side-effects arising from the situation being resolved, like opportunistic individuals that might want to seek to gain some form of profit from opposing you.
6. Look out for and try to enlist the aid of other people that may want to help you bring about change.
7. Pre-plan your actions and involve interested individuals to help or assist you.
8. Take action to remedy the situation for the good of all those effected.
9. Doublecheck to make sure that the changes you have made are working or reassess the situation again.
There are many situations that we regularly encounter daily and we can make a difference, if we want to by becoming leaders in co-ordinating our surroundings...
It requires that you take a personal investment in your surroundings and enact the changes that are needed. As an individual, you are fundamental to enabling the events around you and also responsible for correcting anti-social or criminal behavior of others. Any society is a sum of its parts: The individual is the core support of the group or community, not only its subject; The society is accountable to the individual for the effects of the environment that surrounds the individual as well.
1. Look around you and observe what is going on.
2. Investigate the factors that are effecting the situation.
3. Seperate the individuals from the social events, as enablers/participants or as spectators/victims.
4. Identify the cause of that provides the instigator and other accomplices to carry out his actions.
5. Look out for side-effects arising from the situation being resolved, like opportunistic individuals that might want to seek to gain some form of profit from opposing you.
6. Look out for and try to enlist the aid of other people that may want to help you bring about change.
7. Pre-plan your actions and involve interested individuals to help or assist you.
8. Take action to remedy the situation for the good of all those effected.
9. Doublecheck to make sure that the changes you have made are working or reassess the situation again.
There are many situations that we regularly encounter daily and we can make a difference, if we want to by becoming leaders in co-ordinating our surroundings...
Monday, September 13, 2010
Julius Malema & The Great Nationalisation Debate
Hey! Guess What? The Fat Offensive Guy Is Singing.... (Groan)
Once again the inauspicious personality of Mr Julius Malema has raised it's ugly head (So to speak) and created a furore about the so called need to nationalise the mines in South Africa... This coming from a self-obsessed loud-mouth with more than an a acceptable paid stake in various mining, manufacturing, BEE and numerous other business enterprises, entities or companies! The Man makes a "killing" out of his business connections: So why would he want to nationalise these cash cows; except if he had something to gain financially from it!
The one fact that everyone still seems to forget is that nationalisation has never worked no matter were it has been implemented (Then USSR; ZIMBABWE; VENEZUELA; etc...). The first thing that happens is that the specific industry deteriorates to the point of total collapse because of rampant incompetance and indemic corruption. Then the workers go on strike because they can't survive on being paid peanuts and the economy takes a nosedive, due to the "Public Sector Strikes" - leaving the country on it's collective knees...
There are already several state-owned monopolies that are trembling in an effort to stay vertical and remain afloat financially (SABC; ESKOM; TELKOM; SA AIRLINES; HEALTH DEPARTMENT; etc...). Let's have a look at the Trail of Carnage:
1. SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation)
This monopoly is sadly out of date and has major financial and leadership crisis, where it can't pay its bills even though its directors earn mega-salaries and its workers frequently complain about their wages. The majority of its programs are two to three years old and still get repeated every month in the TV schedule, while the management struggles to convince the public to pay their TV licences for programming that they have seen several times before. This is because the program providers refuse to provide new material until the old episodes are paid for (not surprising really) and, shockingly, the SABC has not paid all of the royalties for the international material either.
2. ESKOM (South African Electrical Supplier)
This Monopoly is woefully mismanaged, even though the CEO is earning 13 million Rand a year in salary, without bonusses and they have to beg the World Bank to lend them money to build power-plants just so that the country is not plunged into darkness. Their workers are always threatening to strike and the Government continues to complain about a shortage of skilled workers...
3. TELKOM
This is the monopoly that overcharges the average citizen and continues to complain about copper-thieves being the cause for the poor service to the nation. Their infrastructure dates back from the Apartheid Era and their CEO earns more than the State President. They chrage a monthly rental of R40 for the phone receiver in excess of the customer's actual phone bill and charge a basic call rate of 80c per minute or part thereof, which is scandalous and practically unique of the world. Then they routinely complain about loosing customers to Cellphone companies, who dont charge rental fees and they have several callrates for the customer to choose from...
4. SA AIRLINES
This Monopoly is nearly bankrupt and its workers are demanding higher wages, even though the system is plagued by corruption and mismanagement to the point of complete ludicrousness. Their spokesperson and their board of directors are repeatedly hauled in by Parliament to explain all of the problems and errors that occur in the operation of the monopoly. Their fleet of airplanes is rapidly ageing and already there are reports surfacing of equipment failure and malfunction due to poor service schedules, but the board of directors and the CEO have implicitly prevented the necessary maintenace because of cost-cutting policies... They have changed CEOs a few times alreadyover the last couple of years, even though the CEOs have received large bonusses and enormous "golden handshakes" that will allow these fatcats to never have to work again.
5. HEALTH DEPARTMENT
This Government Department is in a complete shambles, as there are not enough medicines and equipment available at most of the local hospitals and, as well, the department is suffering large-scale staff shortages, because of qualified nurses and doctors being lured overseas by foreign countries, who offer a better living wage and work conditions. The department is routinely demoted in the world rankings, because of wholesale corruoption and nepotism, as well as horrible conditions and ageing infrastructure. All this while the Government ministers earn millions of Rands in salaries and still spend more millions on hotel bills and luxurious cars at the taxpayers expense.
The real problem is the antiquated and ineffectual implementation of Affrimative Action over the last 15 years, which has done absolutely nothing to redress the inequalities in employement. Despite the fact that many people have advocated the implentation of Affirmative Skills Development to solve the obstacles that all South Africans are facing.
So go ahead, ANC... If they nationalise the mines the workers will be roiting on the streets and the industry will be on its knees in five to ten years guaranteed!
Once again the inauspicious personality of Mr Julius Malema has raised it's ugly head (So to speak) and created a furore about the so called need to nationalise the mines in South Africa... This coming from a self-obsessed loud-mouth with more than an a acceptable paid stake in various mining, manufacturing, BEE and numerous other business enterprises, entities or companies! The Man makes a "killing" out of his business connections: So why would he want to nationalise these cash cows; except if he had something to gain financially from it!
The one fact that everyone still seems to forget is that nationalisation has never worked no matter were it has been implemented (Then USSR; ZIMBABWE; VENEZUELA; etc...). The first thing that happens is that the specific industry deteriorates to the point of total collapse because of rampant incompetance and indemic corruption. Then the workers go on strike because they can't survive on being paid peanuts and the economy takes a nosedive, due to the "Public Sector Strikes" - leaving the country on it's collective knees...
There are already several state-owned monopolies that are trembling in an effort to stay vertical and remain afloat financially (SABC; ESKOM; TELKOM; SA AIRLINES; HEALTH DEPARTMENT; etc...). Let's have a look at the Trail of Carnage:
1. SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation)
This monopoly is sadly out of date and has major financial and leadership crisis, where it can't pay its bills even though its directors earn mega-salaries and its workers frequently complain about their wages. The majority of its programs are two to three years old and still get repeated every month in the TV schedule, while the management struggles to convince the public to pay their TV licences for programming that they have seen several times before. This is because the program providers refuse to provide new material until the old episodes are paid for (not surprising really) and, shockingly, the SABC has not paid all of the royalties for the international material either.
2. ESKOM (South African Electrical Supplier)
This Monopoly is woefully mismanaged, even though the CEO is earning 13 million Rand a year in salary, without bonusses and they have to beg the World Bank to lend them money to build power-plants just so that the country is not plunged into darkness. Their workers are always threatening to strike and the Government continues to complain about a shortage of skilled workers...
3. TELKOM
This is the monopoly that overcharges the average citizen and continues to complain about copper-thieves being the cause for the poor service to the nation. Their infrastructure dates back from the Apartheid Era and their CEO earns more than the State President. They chrage a monthly rental of R40 for the phone receiver in excess of the customer's actual phone bill and charge a basic call rate of 80c per minute or part thereof, which is scandalous and practically unique of the world. Then they routinely complain about loosing customers to Cellphone companies, who dont charge rental fees and they have several callrates for the customer to choose from...
4. SA AIRLINES
This Monopoly is nearly bankrupt and its workers are demanding higher wages, even though the system is plagued by corruption and mismanagement to the point of complete ludicrousness. Their spokesperson and their board of directors are repeatedly hauled in by Parliament to explain all of the problems and errors that occur in the operation of the monopoly. Their fleet of airplanes is rapidly ageing and already there are reports surfacing of equipment failure and malfunction due to poor service schedules, but the board of directors and the CEO have implicitly prevented the necessary maintenace because of cost-cutting policies... They have changed CEOs a few times alreadyover the last couple of years, even though the CEOs have received large bonusses and enormous "golden handshakes" that will allow these fatcats to never have to work again.
5. HEALTH DEPARTMENT
This Government Department is in a complete shambles, as there are not enough medicines and equipment available at most of the local hospitals and, as well, the department is suffering large-scale staff shortages, because of qualified nurses and doctors being lured overseas by foreign countries, who offer a better living wage and work conditions. The department is routinely demoted in the world rankings, because of wholesale corruoption and nepotism, as well as horrible conditions and ageing infrastructure. All this while the Government ministers earn millions of Rands in salaries and still spend more millions on hotel bills and luxurious cars at the taxpayers expense.
The real problem is the antiquated and ineffectual implementation of Affrimative Action over the last 15 years, which has done absolutely nothing to redress the inequalities in employement. Despite the fact that many people have advocated the implentation of Affirmative Skills Development to solve the obstacles that all South Africans are facing.
So go ahead, ANC... If they nationalise the mines the workers will be roiting on the streets and the industry will be on its knees in five to ten years guaranteed!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Jackie Selebi
Dude! What is Going on with this guy?
And it's so embarrassing for our country to have a former police commissioner, who has been convicted for corruption and has been sentenced to 15 years in prison... And now, the inconsiderate inveterate-liar is wanting to appeal, because he says that the prosecutor's case was flawed. THAT'S REALLY like the proverbial pot calling the kettle black!
The Guy commited the crime, now why can't he be a real person and do his time! AFTER all, he was the police commisioner and supposedly in charge of maintaining law and order in this country...
And it's so embarrassing for our country to have a former police commissioner, who has been convicted for corruption and has been sentenced to 15 years in prison... And now, the inconsiderate inveterate-liar is wanting to appeal, because he says that the prosecutor's case was flawed. THAT'S REALLY like the proverbial pot calling the kettle black!
The Guy commited the crime, now why can't he be a real person and do his time! AFTER all, he was the police commisioner and supposedly in charge of maintaining law and order in this country...
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