Has the ANC just expelled their most principled leader?

The word ‘principled’ and politician do not often go hand in hand. More often than not they flip-flop from one ideology and stand point to another as it suites the political landscape and their personal ambitions. We see this time and time again from ANC politicians but not Julius Malema. Malema felt that the ANC under Thabo Mbeki was dishonouring the poor and the regular card-carrying members of the ANC and he was open about it. At one stage he went so far as to call Mbeki (the then President of the country and the ANC) a cockroach. He was praised by many in the ANC for standing up for democracy and for the poor. Turn the clock forward to 2012 and you see the same Malema; standing up for what he believes are failings in the ANC and saying that under Zuma the ANC has become a dictatorship. Many in the ANC were happy to let Malema rant when it suited them, however, now that he has turned on them, his behaviour is unacceptable. I believe that his behaviour has always been unacceptable but he has not changed his view on the political landscape in the country. Malema stands by his statement that the disciplinary charges against him are politically motivated and I would have to agree. His principles have not changed but under Mbeki he was praised, under Zuma he is expelled. While most of the leaders in the ANC base their decision making on political expedience, Julius Malema bases his decisions on the principles he believes in. This would lead me to believe that the ANC have just expelled their most principled politician. What do you think?

Does our government have a financial plan?

The Chinese Communist party recently came out with the three main principles that they believe were essential to sustained economic growth, they were as follows; Property rights as the foundation, the rule of law as a safe guard, and morality as a support.

What is interesting about this is that these principles are the self-same as those that led to Europe and Americas industrialisation and economic prosperity. If these things led to the growth of the new emerging power-house and the growth of the existing powerhouses of Western Europe and America, surely we should be listening.

However, our government seems to have ignored these and wants to forge ahead on a counter-productive mission. Firstly, the protection of property rights is constantly being eroded in South Africa through the expropriation of land, the continued questions of land redistribution and the constant escalation of taxes on property owners. Secondly, the rule of law in South Africa is becoming a joke; with our top cops being convicted of crime to the ANC challenge of the independence of the courts, we are fast becoming lawless state. Finally, the moral fibre of our country is seriously in decline; gang rape, murder, and widespread corruption are but a few of the scourges ripping apart our moral fibre.

This paints a bleak picture of the economic future of this country and if our government is intelligent they will pay heed to the successes of other countries. If they do I believe we have the potential of achieving incredible growth in order for there to be a better life for all.