tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86047396593299088322024-02-20T22:11:02.448+02:00My viewsThe state of our nationLancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-46022562468893529852013-10-30T14:21:00.001+02:002013-10-30T14:21:53.750+02:00How to make a difference in South Africa: part 1
So often I hear people from across the spectrum in South Africa say that they love this country and want to make a positive difference but they don’t know how.
This blog is part 1 of 3 about how you, as a regular citizen in South Africa, can make an incredibly positive difference in our country.
The first step you need to take to make a change in South Africa is to decide that you will vote. One of the most tragic things I hear is that people say they will not vote as it is a waste of time. Despite all the problems within democracy, the one incredible power it has is that the government truly is a government of the people. The citizens of a country decide the make up of the government. Your vote may seem small, but when added together with others it has incredible power for change.
It is easy to find out if you are registered to vote; SMS your ID number to the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) SMS number 32810 (R1 per SMS). They will SMS you straight back with your registration details. Our National Elections will be in April next year and the first voting drive will be on the weekend of the 9th and 10th of November 2013. With this voting drive you will be able to register at the voting station closest to where you live.
If you cannot register on the 9th or 10th of November you can register at any municipal electoral office in your area, you just need to call first to make an appointment. For more info please take a minute to check the IEC website, it is very clear, and easy to navigate: http://www.elections.org.za/content/
What is very important is that South Africans living abroad can vote too. For details check http://www.elections.org.za/content/For-Voters/How-do-I-register-/
I appeal to you, if you want to make a real, powerful difference, make sure you are registered and use your vote. Do it for yourself, for those who fought for our democracy and for this country.
Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-24861381929773641672013-10-01T11:25:00.001+02:002013-10-01T11:25:58.497+02:00Remove the emotion from the 'spanking children' debateThere is a mighty furore going on over the government looking to change legislation banning parents from spanking their children. Recently Pierre de Vos wrote an article explaining the constitutional implications of this (http://constitutionallyspeaking.co.za/sparing-the-rod-what-it-really-entails/), I feel that maybe there is another angle that we need to be looking at. While I am in agreement that the argument ‘it is in the bible’ is problematic, there are problems with the current line of argument as well.
In his article, Mr de Vos states that South Africa has such a high rate of child abuse and thus a big driver for the banning of spanking by parents is to reduce child abuse. While I agree with this in principle, there are some glaring issues. Firstly, Mr de Vos does not state any evidence to reduction of abuse when child spanking is removed. If we are to be scientific, studies need to be done on countries where child spanking by parents ahs been outlawed and do a correlation of child abuse from before and after the banning. Secondly, it is problematic for me to ban something outright if a few people are abusing it. That line of argument taken to its end would say that rape is prevalent in South Africa and so we should ban sex, or that teachers take advantage of students so we should ban teachers.
Personally, I would like to see in-depth studies done in countries where child spanking by parents has been banned to study the consequences. It would be interesting to see the rate of juvenile delinquency, social service intervention in children, discipline in schools, violence in schools, violence against the aged etc in these communities. Once we have an accurate assessment of the social implications, then maybe we can decide, scientifically, if banning parents from spanking their children is feasible in South Africa.
If we are to introduce such legislation into South Africa I feel we need to take a more scientific approach, rather than an emotional agenda pushed by minority groups in South Africa.
Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-63170821559727990022013-07-12T13:38:00.002+02:002013-07-12T13:38:56.793+02:00The ANC’s actions in Tlokwe are very worrying for our futureThe story of independence in Africa seems to run along similar lines: white oppression, local uprising, bitter-fighting, freedom, followed by corrupt officials, failure of the state, collapse of the democratic system. Being a proud South African I do not believe our story will be the same, but recent events have raised my concerns.
Recently the African National Congress (ANC) Mayor in Tlokwe (previously Potchefstroom) was ousted for the second time. In a sitting of the council a vote of no-confidence was called for and the mayor was voted out unanimously by members of the council and the replacement was Prof Annette Combrink from the Democratic Alliance (DA). This has been seen as a major victory for the DA and a major embarrassment for the ANC.
Through a democratic process a mayor was ousted and a new mayor put in place. 20 years on in our democracy this should not be a shock or something difficult to digest; this is democracy in action. However, when the new mayor and her team arrived at the mayoral office they were told they were not welcome, as the ex-mayor was not leaving. It turns out that the ANC, the ruling party in our country, have instructed the ousted mayor and his team not to vacate their positions. The ANC have blatantly ignored due-democratic process and obstructed the rule of law.
This is an unbelievable disgrace, one for which the ANC should be ashamed and for which we should all be worried, and angry about. If this is how the central ANC acts over a small region like Tlokwe, I shudder to think how they would respond should they lose a national election. Elections are coming up soon, use your democratic voice and vote to ensure that our story of freedom is different to the rest of Africa.
Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-20913459084824011752013-07-07T18:32:00.003+02:002013-07-07T18:32:53.116+02:00We don’t want South Africa to be anything like EgyptEgypt’s revolution last year is now seriously in question; the Egyptian army has stormed the capital and deposed the elected President by military coup. This is a major setback for democracy in that country and a poor example for the rest of Africa. As a result of this I have heard many young South Africans say that we should do the same here; just overthrow the government. It is obvious that many people are unhappy with the government, but to say that we should do what the Egyptians have done is incredibly worrying.
Citizens of a country will only force a change of government through demonstration or the army, when they no longer trust the systems in place to protect their rights. The environment this creates is ripe for civil war.
South Africa has a credible election process with a respected Independent Electoral Commission. Every South African over the age of 18, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation has the right to vote, in secret. It took decades of hard-work, sacrifice, dedication, and many lost lives to win this right for all South Africans. As a result of this we have a credible government that was put in place by the will of the people. If the population of South Africa wants a change they have the power to change it with the simple ‘cross’ in a box.
I cannot claim to have a full understanding of politics in Egypt, but what I do know is that the military has take over in Egypt is very worrying. We do not need this, or want this, to happen in South Africa. If we do not like our government, we have the power to change it with our vote. Get out and vote.
Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-66367540161902013302013-05-30T12:01:00.001+02:002013-05-30T12:01:29.540+02:00Who is setting the political tone in South Africa?One of my frustrations in the political landscape of South Africa has been that the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has been battling for a platform to talk about their policies and successes, and when they did get their chance, all they did was to criticise the ruling African National Congress (ANC), rather than talk about themselves. This was not healthy for democracy in our country.
However, if you have been paying attention to the political scene you would have noticed something very interesting: in the last year or so the DA has been driving the political merry-go-round. They have been incredibly aggressive in their drive to get their policies into the public domain and to create their own future for the party. While they endeavoured to get their message out, they never had the platform to spread the word. The ANC has proved to be an unlikely source of the biggest possible platform for the DA.
Recently, The DA’s ‘Know your DA’ campaign has got the most airplay from high-ranking ANC politicians, and this has given the DA a huge platform to respond, and talk of their history. Furthermore, the ANC visited Midvaal, the only opposition run municipality in Gauteng, and made all sorts of outlandish accusations against the DA; the DA was given a platform to respond and share the truth that Midvaal is the best run municipality in Gauteng. Finally, the ANC has called on Barack Obama to refuse the key to the city that will be given to him when he visits Cape Town, citing that the DA does not care for the poor. All this has done is led to the DA being given a platform to share how they provide more for the poor than any city run by the ANC.
Add to that the fact that The ANC do not seem able to move past a continuous stream of scandals and you have a situation where the DA is the party that is dictating the political tone and the ANC is on a continuous backpedal.
Exciting times lay ahead for democracy in South Africa
Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-80696678603796946912013-04-10T15:41:00.002+02:002013-04-10T15:41:26.144+02:00No, Chief Justice Mogoeng, transformation is not the first priority, Justice is
A Judicial Services Commission (JSC) report has recently been leaked to the media stating that if a judge needs to be appointed and there are only white male candidates available, the position should remain absent until a suitable candidate is found
One would think that a statement such as this would be vehemently denied by Chief Justice Mogoeng, whose primary job is to see justice served in our country. However, our Chief Justice has come out openly and said that while it is sad that the document was leaked, he sees no problem with the statement being made.
Essentially Justice Mogoeng is saying that he would rather there be no justice than justice be served by a white male. While this is racism of the highest order and should be despised on every level, this is not the worst part of the statement. The greatest tragedy is the corrosion of the rights of the average citizen of South Africa
If a judging position sits vacant, or if an inferior candidate is put in place, then the citizens of South Africa will, quite simply, not have access to justice. The real loser is not the white candidate who is applying for a job, it is the average South African who has been a victim of crime, and every victim of crime has a right to justice. While I agree with the need for transformation, it cannot be at the expense of the rights of every citizen in our country
In a country as riddled with crime as ours is, I would have to say to the Chief Justice that actually no, transformation is not the first priority, Justice is.
Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-65901662494801776332013-04-04T11:16:00.004+02:002013-04-04T11:16:53.925+02:00Disgraced South African politicians cannot resign
In many countries in the world a politician will be forced to resign, or resign voluntarily due to poor performance or mistakes. In South Africa, this is not the case.
Over the last few months we have had a few stark examples of South African politicians who have failed dismally in their provision of services and their ability to act professionally and show a decent level of management. I can think of two examples (among a list of very many).
The first is the Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga. Consistently the Education department fails in a myriad of areas including: textbook delivery, teacher performance, abuse of children in schools and teacher absenteeism. Despite all these and many others the minister refuses to resign. Why?
The second is Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega. Following the scandal that was the death of protesting miners at Marikana , having been shot by the police, Riah Phiyega has been disgraceful in her response. It is so obvious that she has absolutely no idea of how to run the police, no idea of the structures and procedures required, and no desire to take responsibility for the worst police brutality since apartheid. Despite this, she refuses to resign. Why?
My opinion is that in other nations politicians get their positions based on expertise, experience, and desire to serve. In South Africa, politicians get their positions based on party loyalty, regardless of ability. If a minister in another country resigns they still have their skills and experience, which will allow them to get another job. In South Africa, if ministers are not in government they will more than likely not be employable anywhere else. If they resign, they join the rank and file of the rest of the unemployed in our country, as so quite simply, they cannot resign.
It is a matter of urgency that the government begin employing people with the necessary skills required or we will continue to slide into mediocrity.
Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-53965719935495082082013-02-06T10:37:00.001+02:002013-02-06T10:37:22.354+02:00Municipalities need to be held accountableHow can Companies be subject to the Consumer Protection Act, but not the government?
Recently the government of our country did what governments are supposed to do; protect its people. The government realised that many consumers were being abused and taken advantage of by companies and so they introduced the Consumer Protection Act. This Act is revolutionary worldwide and is the most advanced form of protection for the consumer from unscrupulous service providers.
There is a catch here: the government, particularly municipalities, are not subject to the provisions made in the Act. This is completely ridiculous. The government, through the municipalities, is the biggest provider of services in the country. Add to that, it has one of the poorest records of service delivery for any organisation or company in the country. One of the main provisions of the Act is that the consumer does not have to pay for services that have not been provided, or poorly provided.
How can it possibly be that municipalities are exempt from this?
In court today this hypocrisy is being challenged by AfriForum and we are very fortunate as a country to have institutions such as this group who are prepared to fight the battles for the ‘small guy’ who sometimes are not even aware of the discrepancies in our law. For me, it makes no sense for municipalities to be exempt and I trust that the courts see the same.
Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-9523475750807626262012-12-17T11:25:00.000+02:002012-12-17T11:25:05.665+02:00When politicians miss the pointThe 53rd ANC conference is under way; a few hours in and the oddity that is the modern politician has shown itself.
The provincial secretary of the ANC in the Western Cape, Marius Fransman, turned down the opportunity to serve on the (incredibly powerful) National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ANC. He stated that his reason for such action was so that he could rather stay in the Western Cape and unify the party in order to continue the fight to dislodge the Democratic Alliance from power.
Rather than saying to the ANC that he would stay in the Western Cape to ensure that the needs of the people are met and that poverty would be reduced and jobs created, his main focus is to oust the opposition.
Strange, and here I am thinking that politicians were there to serve the people and to provide 'a better life for all'.
Have I missed the point of a public servant, or have they?
Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-58685204185848565212012-12-16T15:02:00.001+02:002012-12-16T15:05:18.709+02:00How can you run the country if you cannot run your own conference?
The 53rd African National Congress Conference begun on Sunday 16 December 2012, several hours late. This is the 100 year celebration of the ANC as well as the key decider of policy and leadership for the ruling party of our country and they cannot get their own house in order.
In the lead up to the National Conference the provincial and regional branches of the ANC had to meet, register, and decide on their choices for the leadership positions within the ANC. Sounds like a simple process. However, to their eternal disgrace, the ANC could not even run their own provincial election process. The Limpopo, Western Cape, and North West branches could not even get their conferences finished in time in order for their representatives to be chosen. The top brass within the ANC had to call a special resolution to allow these provinces to hand in their nominations late. Even with this concession, the Free State branch of the ANC struggled with infighting and disputes to such a degree that it took a Constitutional Court ruling to call the voting null and void, and as such, throw out the election results. As it currently stands, the Free State branch will not be represented at the National Conference.
If the ANC leadership claim the above shambles as provincial bickering and infighting, however, the start of the conference has blown this excuse out the water. Not only did the conference start several hours late, but the accommodation, transport, accreditation, meals and internet access were not running properly, if at all.
It appears as if the only section running smoothly was the smoker’s tent, run by British American Tobacco South Africa.
If this is how the ruling party runs their own house, I beg you, how can they run a country?
Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-75459616279818374112012-04-25T14:34:00.000+02:002012-04-25T14:36:39.459+02:00Has 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?Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-53171234595405770252012-04-24T10:25:00.000+02:002012-04-24T10:25:09.296+02:00Does 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-4095745732362823792012-03-08T08:17:00.001+02:002012-03-08T09:08:25.282+02:00The ANC is asking some honest questionsThere has been a political furore since an article published in the City Press on Sunday 04 March 2012. It quotes a discussion document by the African National Congress (ANC) that mentions a desire to relook at some of South Africa’s key policies decided in the early 1990s when our constitution was written. Things such as private land ownership, ‘willing buyer, willing seller’ with regards to land redistribution, independence of the judiciary, the power of the Constitutional Court etc have all been raised. <br />
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Many spheres of the media and opposition have jumped on this and acted as if this is ANC policy. What they have neglected to mention is that while these questions may seem a bit outlandish and frightening for South Africa let us see it for what it is: a discussion document. The ANC has a long history of asking tough questions that no one else wants to ask. They also have a long history of rugged debate. All the ANC is doing here is asking questions for discussion and I laud them for questioning things that are seen as sacrosanct and untouchable. We are a developing country in every sense of the word: economic and political, and when we stop asking questions we die. <br />
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Also, some of the questions asked in the ANC discussion document are very self-reflective, such as their inability to provide services and the view that they are becoming a party seen as plundering the coffers of the state. Why is it that the media and the opposition parties are not mentioning these?<br />
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If some of the discussions mentioned in the document were to become policy I would be the first to disagree, however, in the mean time let us praise the ANC for their honest appraisals of themselves and the country. I say “Well done ANC for asking some honest questions”Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-73804313847401170972012-03-06T11:10:00.003+02:002012-03-06T12:25:12.438+02:00Why I won’t be protesting the tolls with COSATUIn the media as well as on this blog there has been a lot of time given to the tolling of the Highways around Gauteng. Now that the government has added R5.75 billion to the coffers of South African Road Agency limited (SANRAL) the tolls will now be 30c per kilometre for passenger vehicles.<br />
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I previously stated that I was considering joining the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) protest, which will now be taking place on the Wednesday 7 March. I have decided not to join the protest action for the following reasons:<br />
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1.COSATU has called the protest a joint protest against the tolls and labour broking. While my stand on the tolls is the same as COSATU my stand on Labour broking is at odds with theirs. I do not want to be seen as protesting both.<br />
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2.COSATU are protesting against the government but they are alliance partners with the ANC and are in government. I feel they are misleading the public by calling a protest against government policy. If COSATU disagrees so vehemently against government policy they should remove themselves from the alliance. <br />
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3.If we are not happy with the government we have the power to get a new one; voting is the real driver of change. Rather than protest I will be using the power I have to bring about change, I suggest you do to<br />
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That is why I won’t be protesting with COSATU. What will you be doing?Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-56655083791989140732012-01-26T16:07:00.001+02:002012-01-26T16:09:28.485+02:00Define African languageIn the last few weeks there has been a furore over the choice of languages in schools in South Africa<br />
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The debate can be summed up as this:<br />
1. All 11 official languages should be given equal status in schools<br />
2. The languages of the colonial era should not have promotion above African languages<br />
3. Learners should be free to study in their home language as this allows them to perform better<br />
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I have an opinion on the three arguments above:<br />
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1. You may or may not be aware that there is a teaching crisis in South Africa. The truth is that we simply do not have enough teachers. Schools are under-resourced and the number of teachers qualifying simply cannot keep up with the demand, never mind go to reducing the deficit. There simply are not enough teachers to teach Math, Science, biology etc, never mind languages. If the government wants students to learn in their home language then they should be producing teachers for such a job.<br />
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2. I would like to clear up a misconception: Afrikaans is not a colonial language, it is an African language. It was created in South Africa, developed in South Africa, and is spoken nowhere else than in South Africa (well, in some parts of Namibia, but the last time I checked Namibia was in Africa). I am not sure how else one would define an African language other than the description I have given above. The government keeps saying that children should learn an African language but they say Afrikaans is not acceptable. The politicians in this country need to remove themselves from the emotion surrounding the Afrikaans language and apply the same principles to each African language.<br />
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3. I have a friend who teaches at a school for the deaf. I asked her for an opinion of whether or not it would be more beneficial for her students to just learn in sign language or whether they should learn in English. Her answer was that the students would grasp the concepts quicker if they were taught only in sign language but that if they were taught that way they would not be able to function in any other sector of society other than the deaf community. If we are to educate students who can function in an increasingly globalised world they will need to communicate in a universal language, and whether we like it or not, that language is English.<br />
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What are you views?Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-3947051972389898562011-12-21T10:49:00.000+02:002011-12-21T10:49:17.585+02:00What should we do about the Gauteng tolling system?If you live in Gauteng you will be aware of the fact that the government has spent the last few years upgrading the highways. While I praise the government for upgrading the national roads around Gauteng I abhor the way they are going about paying for it. As of February 2012 all highway users will need to have an electronic tag and will be charged 40c per kilometre travelled on the highways.<br />
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A public road should be just that, public; a service that is available to all and not a chance for business to make millions off the public. <br />
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Private companies stand to gain millions from the average South African worker as they benefit from the tolls. I would not have a problem with this if we had a reduction in our taxes to cover for our payments in the tolls.<br />
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As it is the average taxpayer receives very little in return for the amount paid. Many South Africans pay for private health care, private security and private schooling. If we cannot drive on our roads for free then what is the government actually providing?<br />
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The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has issued a call for all South African's to boycott the tolling system. This would mean that we do not buy the e-tag, we drive through the toll gantry, refuse to pay the toll, refuse to pay the fine, refuse to appear in court and challenge the government to arrest us all. I think COSATU has made a good call here and I would love to do it, but I fear that I do not have the courage. I know that we need to stand up to our government and demand accountability but up till now I have done nothing myself. <br />
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Is now the time to stand up and have my voice heard by engaging in civil disobedience? What will you do?Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-82501512028905836972011-11-21T09:42:00.000+02:002011-11-21T09:42:43.679+02:00We will not be silenced!Our government is doing everything in its power to silence the media and restrict media freedom. Tomorrow, Tuesday 22 November 2011 is your opportunity to stand up to this in your own way.<br />
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The National Press Club has called for a day of mourning called 'Black Tuesday'. They are calling on all South Africans to wear black to protest against the implementation of the Secrecy Bill, which Parliament will be voting on tomorrow. By choosing this name the Press club is invoking some very powerful history. <br />
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On the 19th October 1977 the National Party government banned several newspapers and magazines as well as 19 Black Consciousness activists, the day was dubbed 'Black Wednesday'. That particular 'black' day was seen as the death of press freedom in South Africa. <br />
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I challenge you, stand up for what is right, lead South Africa, and do your bit by educating yourself, and by wearing black tomorrow. Let us all fight for press freedom and say 'We will not be silenced'<br />
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You can learn more from the following sites:<br />
http://www.r2k.org.za/<br />
http://www.leadsa.co.za/<br />
http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2011-11-21-black-tuesday-protest-declared-against-secrecy-billLancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-62464635738377048982011-11-04T09:14:00.001+02:002011-11-04T09:42:13.425+02:00ANC members are 'more equal' than othersOf all the atrocities committed during the dark days of apartheid one of the worst had to be the search for chemical weapons to subdue the black population; this team was headed up by Dr Wouter Basson.<br />
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During the Truth and Reconciliation commission this Dr Basson did not apply for amnesty and as a result he was charged for his offences during apartheid. Through an independent court he was found innocent and allowed to continue his medical practise.<br />
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Over the last few years the government has done everything in its power to try and prevent Dr Basson from practising medicine in South Africa. They feel that his past immoral actions should exclude him from caring for sick people in our country.<br />
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While I agree that Dr Basson did some wicked things, I disagree with the morals behind this government intervention:<br />
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Tony Yengeni, a National Executive Committee Member (NEC) of the African National Congress (ANC) was recently found guilty of fraud relating to the procurement of weapons for South Africa (also known as the Arms Deal). He was given a ludicrously light sentence, allowed home on weekends, broke his bail conditions, was let out early, and welcomed back into the upper echelons of the government with open arms. This same Toni Yengeni has now been appointed to the Defence Review Committee of Parliament. When challenged on the farce of this appointment the ANC bent over backwards to justify this appointment. They say that he has served his time and he should be free to serve his country.<br />
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How can it be that a Doctor wanting to practise in a private capacity should be hindered from doing so when a convicted criminal can serve the public in the very field he was convicted of a crime? <br />
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According to Chapter 2, section 9 of our constitution: "Everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law." However, it seems that if you are an ANC member you are more equal than others.Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-62182198924141463502011-10-16T21:38:00.000+02:002011-10-16T21:38:16.192+02:00Julius Malema: the most astute politician in the landPolitics is a dirty business. As much as we would like to think that the people presented to us are the best leaders for the country this is most often not the case.<br />
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In modern politics there are so many people to please and quite simply, it is impossible to please everyone. As a result, the person who has the ability to 'play the field', so to speak, is the one who wins. These people have mastered the art of manipulation and deceit. They know when to cause a storm, and when to disappear in the storm. They know how to change allegiance at the right time and when to appear entirely devoted to a life-long cause.<br />
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Since his short time in the political arena Julius Malema has proved that he is, by far, the best politician that we have. He has swung like a pendulum, turned his cloak, lied, cheated (and some say stolen) for years, but is at the forefront of the political landscape.<br />
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His current trial is a case in point: he is on trial for bringing the ANC into disrepute and for breaking the rules of the party. However, through some masterful political strokes, he has taken himself well out the lime light. First he delayed the trial by storing up violence outside the hearing, then he delayed by appealing to the constitution of the ANC, then he questioned the legality of the charges, and finally he missed his hearing due to illness. All this has served to quieten the storm around him and remove the negative emotion from his trial. It appears as if we will only hear the verdict during November. <br />
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He may not be a great example of the kind of leader that we want but the above information serves to confirm that Julius Malema is the most astute politician in the land.Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-9041052270122008142011-09-26T21:49:00.000+02:002011-09-26T21:49:14.109+02:00A (very) brief History of South Africa, by Lance de RuigHaving just celebrated another Heritage day I thought it would be a nice idea to do a (very) brief summary of our history. It is a little bit tongue in cheek and by no means is it comprehensive. Please bear with the length, it is hard telling the history of a country in 300 words. Also, in my (very) brief history I have intentionally excluded post 1948 due to the fact that many South Africans have no idea that we actually have a Heritage pre-1948. We focus so much on the atrocities of the last 50 years that we neglect the formative years of this great country. So, here goes:<br />
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Very little is known of South Africa pre-colonialism as most African tribes had no written language and as such we mostly rely on archaeological evidence. What we do know is that between 3000 BC and 1000 BC peoples from Ethiopia and Somalia migrated to Southern Africa. Also, In 400 AD many Bantu speaking tribes from Central Africa made their way to our shores and began disposing many of the existing tribes (those would be the San, Khoi, Zulu and Xhosa).<br />
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In the late 1400s we know that the Portuguese, through Bartholomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama, made their way around the tip of Africa and made stops along the Southern African coast. They butchered and bruised, but also fell in love with the country and the people (well, the topless women actually) and many settled and made new lives in Southern Africa.<br />
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While there were some ‘whites’ in Africa, the real trouble started in1652 when our friend (well, maybe not yours) Jan van Riebeeck founded a Dutch settlement called the Cape Colony. Thousands upon thousands of Europeans, mostly Dutch, made their way to our fine climes and started a new life at the tip of Africa.<br />
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As the Dutch poured in and built with their blood, sweat, guns and tears, an upstart French invader named Napoleon was ravaging their ‘home’ country. In order to protect the strategically placed Cape Colony from the dirty French, the British occupied the colony at the Cape. Needless to say, the British soon realised that sun was good for their sickly skins and so they flocked in their hordes to the sunny skies of Africa.<br />
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It would be amiss not to mention that while the pasty poms were invading, Shaka was building his empire. Between 1816 and 1826 the Zulu nation struck fear and loathing in the hearts of black and white hides alike. Dispossessing, murdering and conquering at will, it seems as if the only real match for Shaka was betrayal.<br />
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Meanwhile, back at the colony, the Dutch (or Boers as they would be called, meaning farmer) could not handle the rule of the Brits and so left the Cape en-masse to find some living space. Having fought disease, famine, drought and warring tribes the Boers found a place to call home and created the ZAR (modern day Transvaal) in 1856.<br />
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All was at peace (well, sort of) until that pesky yellow metal called Gold was discovered in Johannesburg in 1886 (turns out that 70% of the world's gold has come from this tiny Republic) and true to form, the Brits (yes, them again) wanted their piece of the pie.<br />
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In 1899 the crown invaded the independent Boer republics and a long and bitter war was fought with thousands of Boer and black women and children being starved to death in the world's first concentration camps (yes, it was the Brits, not the Germans). Eventually the broken and beaten Boers would sign peace in 1902.<br />
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What followed was a brilliant piece of nation-creation (well, if you were white) and in 1910 the Union of South Africa was created, joining the Boer Republics and the British Colonies, creating modern day South Africa (Yes, we were 100 years old last year and no one knew). The problem was deciding what to do with the black people in this new nation, the solution was the 1913 Land Act, forbidding black people from owning land outside of a predetermined (and tiny) chunk of land know as the 'Home Lands'. <br />
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The Brits had a merry time running their new creation until 1948, when the Afrikaans, through the National Party, won the election and did all sorts of horrendous things to hang on to power. And the rest, as they say in the classics, is history.<br />
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A (very) brief history of our country points to one amazing point: being African does not mean Zulu, or Xhosa, or even Afrikaans; what African means is Somalia, Ethiopia, Britain, Congo, Netherlands, Portugal, France, Sotho, and so many more. As we celebrate Heritage days in the years to come may we remember where we come from, and embrace where we want to go, together!<br />
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The rest, as they say, is historyLancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-71246783159875654642011-09-16T09:37:00.000+02:002011-09-16T09:37:55.255+02:00How to kill democracy in 3 easy stepsStep one: Trample the independence of Parliament <br />
Last year a number of dodgy lease deals were signed by government. The Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, looked into these and found them to be corrupt and she urged President Zuma to take action. Her report gave President Zuma until Monday 12 September to announce what he would do with the two ministers concerned (Bheki Cele and Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinda). President Zuma has blatantly ignored the deadline and has shown contempt for the legal processes of our country. On Wednesday this week Members of Parliament tried to hold President Zuma to account for this lack of action and instead of rigorous debate, the speaker of Parliament ANC member Max Sisulu, protected the President and denied Parliament the opportunity to question the man who is supposed to be leading our country. This shocking show of party politics has no place in Parliament<br />
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Step two: Question the integrity of the Judicial system<br />
A number of months ago Julius Malema sang a song at a rally called "awudubule ibhunu" (Shoot the Boer). Many individuals and organisations were concerned that this was hate speech and duly took Mr Malema to court. The ANC threw their weight behind Malema. This week the ANC lost and the song has rightly been called hate speech. Rather than accepting an independent legal process the ANC has come out and shamelessly challenged the courts. If we cannot respect rule of law we cannot call ourselves a democracy. <br />
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Step three: Crush the freedom of the media<br />
For any democracy to thrive the media need to be free to challenge and question the party in power. This serves to strengthen and reinforce the freedom of speech and the culture of transparency. In the last year the ANC has introduced proposed legislation, which would greatly restrict media freedom. This legislation allows for the classification of any information the government deems fit, coupled with jail time for any journalist who should publish this classified information regardless of public interest. By crushing the media's freedom the ANC is crushing our democracy<br />
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Having read the above statements, you tell me if you feel that our government is committed to democracy or not.Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-64782685940118008952011-08-08T21:33:00.002+02:002011-08-09T07:23:07.287+02:00The Sunday Times has got it wrongThe <i>Sunday Times</i> this week has got it wrong!<br />
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Two main articles this week caught my attention. The first being the front-page story titled ‘Malema on the ropes’ (Sunday Times, 7th August 2011). The article relates how Julius Malema, the President of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL), has crossed the line with his reference to overthrowing the government of Botswana. The article then adds that the African National Congress (ANC) is planning on coming down hard on him for his embarrasing statements. The article was well written, informative and well researched, but nothing new, we have heard this all before.<br />
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The second was an article in the opinion section, written by ANC stalwart and National Executive Committee member ‘Cyril Ramaphosa’ titled: ‘Let’s mine, not undermine’. Ramaphosa explains that the ANCYL have a very good point in wanting a solution to our rampant poverty and unemployment but argues that nationalisation is not the answer they are looking for. He acknowledges that mines have exploited the poor and he challenges the mines to find long-term solutions to the plight of the poor and re-invest the billions that they are making into real benefits for the poor. He believes that the ANCYL and the mines have the potential to work together and plot a new trajectory for South Africa’s economic growth. Please do yourself a favour and read the article (http://www.timeslive.co.za/opinion/commentary/2011/08/07/let-s-mine-not-undermine).<br />
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He has clearly, intelligently and thoughtfully provided a solution to a potentially explosive situation and through his article Ramaphosa gives our country something that we desperately need: leadership. Rather than choose sides and deride the opponent, Ramaphosa has seen that a new way forward needs to be plotted if we are going to get anywhere as a country. He also knows that the only way we will succeed is if seeming enemies can find a way to work together.<br />
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What the <i>Sunday Times</i> got wrong was to mix up the order of importance of the stories; Ramaphosa’s conciliatory article should have been their front-page headline, pointing the nation in a positive direction. The confrontational statements of Malema should have been tucked away where they belong, far from sight.<br />
What do you think?<br />
Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-56152923603317437842011-07-14T12:47:00.000+02:002011-07-14T12:47:29.060+02:00When teachers fail their studentsThe plight of the South African student is well-documented; poor facilities, lack of motivation, low standards, uneducated teachers, ongoing strikes and poor school leadership all have lead to the dismal state of South African education. Student failure and drop-out rate equals over 70% and recent tests show that 1 in 6 Grade 6 South African students achieved over 50% for basic numeracy and literacy. Something drastic needs to happen for this situation to change.<br />
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It is thus with utter dismay that I learned that the South African Democratic Teacher's Union (SADTU) in the Western Cape has forbid its members from writing competency tests in order to be eligible to mark matric papers. It has furthermore urged all Principals and Deputy Principals to boycott the signing of performance contracts. I do not understand why.<br />
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The Western Cape government simply wants to raise the standard of marking and the standard of leadership quality in schools. The only reason I can see for SADTU's stance is that they know that many of their members would fail the competency tests and would fail performance contracts.<br />
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If we are to stop the rot of perennial failure of our students we need to ensure that our students are taught by the very best. Until SADTU change their stance, teachers will continue to fail in their duty to serve and educate the youth of our nation.Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-41539060301330156052011-06-21T10:32:00.000+02:002011-06-21T10:32:32.313+02:00ANC does not take Youth League seriously, neither should weSo Julius Malema has been voted in for another term as leader of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL), does this mean anything to our country?<br />
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Traditionally the ANCYL has produced leaders of incredible calibre that have gone on to change this country (think Anton Lembede, Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisula, Oliver Tambo etc). However, while they were in the Youth League they had very little say in the running of the ANC main body. The impotence of the Youth League has not changed much to this day. The Youth League is a place for people to rant and rave but not get much done. The latest Youth League conference was no different. <br />
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This weekend Malema waxed lyrical about taking land, banks and mines and returning them to the people. Today, the ANC came out and said that the ANCYL has no power to change ANC policy and that they have no intention of making the changes the Malema was demanding.<br />
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Why then does this upstart get so much media attention? Every 30 minutes there was a news update on the goings-on at the conference. To my mind this is what Malema wants. He spews out ridiculous statements knowing very well they have no power for actual change, but the media gobbles it up like it is manna from heaven. He loves the attention and the media gives it to him.<br />
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We need to realise that the ANC does not to its own Youth League seriously, so neither should we.Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604739659329908832.post-88126033498845233552011-06-10T08:56:00.000+02:002011-06-10T08:56:13.498+02:00Mr President, take a bowWhen President Zuma came into office he immediately reshuffled his Cabinet and created a number of new posts and committees. A distinguished teacher-friend of mine from Zimbabwe cried foul. He said that this was simply a process of creating jobs for friends and reminded him of his home country up north. When I disagreed with him he said I should give it two years and see if the new posts produce anything of value.<br />
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Two years have passed and one of the new committees, the Planning Commission headed by Trevor Manuel, has just presented their diagnostic report to Parliament. They have identified that unemployment and sub-standard education are the two biggest challenges facing our government. You might read this and say: “that is obvious”, but you cannot treat a sickness without first having an accurate diagnosis. <br />
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The report tabled in Parliament is thorough, intelligent and insightful. Furthermore, it provides real solutions to the problems that they have identified. We are now one step closer to correcting problems that were centuries in the making. For this our President needs to be praised. <br />
Mr President, take a bow.Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08698931139227418924noreply@blogger.com0