Why can't we all just get along?

The ANC Youth League never ever cease to amaze me with the depth of their stupidity.

Their latest brilliant statements have been about that passive little country north of South Korea- Indeed, we are talking about North Korea. Led by the humanist Kim Jong-il, who the learned member of the Youth League describe to aptly as 'a great guardian of peace'- indeed, the same esteemed leader who promised to reign down nuclear fire onto the West, is seen my our great leaders as a 'guardian of peace.'. Inspirational.

The genius that is the ANCYL secretary, Floyd Shivambu, further displayed his inability to either think, or his lack of any knowledge of news that goes on outside of his tiny mind by proudly stating, 'Who says North Korea is pursuing nuclear weapons? It is not true. It is sensationalism by the American media. They are pursuing nuclear energy and not nuclear weapons.'
Well said Floyd. However, if you read a newspaper (and assuming you can read of course), you would have known, that the wonderful 'guardian of peace' announced during February that North Korea was a nuclear power, and since, has re-stated this as a threat to the West (as all pacifists do). Furthermore, if Mr Floyd could think, he would have worked out that North Korea have exploded nuclear test devices, a process not needed if you were pursuing energy goals.

Added to this, our esteemed president Zuma, is now set to sit down with South Korea, whom we all know has a warm and fuzzy relationship with the their North Korean Neighbours, and as them for investment in South Africa.
Nothing more needs to be said. This is how our government operates.

The glory of screwing the masses

As everybody in South Africa knows, the ruling party has turned 98 years old. This makes it one the oldest liberation groups around today.
The party has ruled South Africa for the past 15 plus years, but has not covered itself in glory.

South Africa is a third world country, although it is one of the strongest in Africa (but let's face it, there is not much competition)....and one of the few that is not involved in armed conflict. (I mean political, not criminal).
However, we are by no means a wealthy country, despite how the top leaders present themselves and their spending habits. Just look at the luxury in which our top politicians live, the luxury cars they 'need' and the luxurious lifestyle they love to live from day to day.

With this in mind, nobody could claim to be surprised at the money spent on the ANC's 98th birthday party. Not people to slum it, there was 16 year old Cogavalin whisky (R1 600 a bottle), Glenfiddich (R1 000-R1 500 a bottle) and then of course Royal Salute and Johnny Walker Blue (R2 700 a bottle). Sparkling wines were aplenty (R100+ a bottle) as well as other wines and beer.
Of course this excludes the food bill, which I think we could estimate would be fit the Queen Liz herself.

This is in contrast to the poverty of the majority of South Africans of ALL races. Like all African leaders, ours love the rich life, yet pretend to care and feel for the poor. Tens of millions of Rands are spend on parties, cars, SUV's, gifts etc, which let's face it, achieve nothing but to entertain and keep them thinking they are untouchable.
This to me is a crime. We, the tax payers fund this excess that they live, although we cannot afford a quarter of they things they do. Many citizens do not have houses or a meal at night, many others just get by with a meal a day.

The millions spent on wonderful balls and get togethers, should rather be placed into projects that will uplift the country and not just fill the bellies of a few fat selfish people, who let's face it, only worry about themselves. Fix our infrustructure, upgrade schools and hospitals and so on. There is no shortage of ideas.
But, we all know, that this will not happen. The leaders are blind to the reality and hide behind their high walls and ten car, black vehicle processions- only taking a peek once every four years when they need the votes.

All we can do is hope and pray that the voting majority take not and think about there vote a little more...sigh!

Our Democratic Communists

Some would argue that I am easily confused. This is the case when trying to understand the political leadership in the good old Republic of South Africa.

The African Nation Congress (ANC) are the ruling party. The ANC are said to stand for democracy. Now let's define 'democracy'-
1) Government by the people, exercised either dirctly or through elected representitives.
2) Common people are considered the primary source of political power.
3) Majority rule.
4) Social equality and respect for the individual within the community.

Pretty clear. Now the waters become a little less clear. The ruling party has some friends and they form a strange alliance. The two other friends being the Congress of South African Trade Union (Cosatu) and the SA Communist Party. How many ruling political party's have a trade union (who by definition, are usually the enemy) as their best friends?

The there is the Communist party. Again let us look at a definition-this time, of 'communism.
1) A system characterised by collective ownership of property and the organisation of labour for the common advantage of the members.
2) A system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single, often authitarian party holds power, claiming to make progress towards a higher social order in which all good are equally shared by the people.

I admit I am no political brain, but I do note that these two forms of government are poles apart.
What complicates matters even more is that some senior posts in government are held by members of the Communist Party, and some senior posts in the Communist Party are held by senior members of the ANC.
Often the ANC will have a press conference, mentioning SA is a democracy and behind the speakers, you will not a communist flag.

From my understanding of politics this is a worry. A warning light type of issue. Especially due to South Africa's high poverty levels, the share with everybody Communist doctrine must look very appealing to the poverty stricken. Even from my point of view, on the face of it, I would love to share in the millions of the rich. But truth be know, Communism has not worked anywhere else in the world and there is no reason why it would work here. Despite this there are calls every now and then to nationalise everything. (Based on the state run organisations, SABC, Eskom, SAA, this should be avoided. Privatisation should be welcomed)
The big 'fight' was for democracy so everybody could have say in government. (on paper- realism is far from that-another blog entry this one is).

Our new president, Jacob Zuma, is very warm towards the other two alliance partners, and this is a worry as well. The good news though, is there have been some rather large cracks forming between the ANC and the other two. Again, we will not go into this, as it is an issue by itslelf.

All I wanted to do in this entry is try to get some understanding on how a democratic ruling party, can be so intertwined with a communist party and a trade union.

And in closing, just when you think the Communists are all bad, their booing off the stage of our friend Julius Malema, does gain them a bit of respect from me.

Magic in Limpopo

In the US of A there is a game of sorts, called Find Wally. In Limpopo Province in South Africa there is a game called find the ambulance.

Yes indeed. In South Africa, it is a badly kept secret that our provincial and municipal Emergency Services are in a mess. I know from first hand experience that this is the case, having been in a field where I had close contact with the EMS stations and departments.

We are in desperate need of new vehicles and of course, better trained and equiped EMS staff.
During 2007, Limpopo province addressed this situation and purchased 100 shiney new ambulances at a cost of some R60 million .
However, it was reported in the Sowetan 0n 6th October that 80- yes, allow me to spell it out- EIGHTY, of these ambulances have 'poof', dissappeared. In a trick that would have done David Copperfield proud, it is alleged that the EMS manager, Bim Kerupashad and Admin head, Herbert Phaahla, have pulled a non entertaining trick from their box, by making 80 of these ambulances dissappear.

When contacted for comment, the spokesman, Selby Makgotho, surprisingly just said there was an investigation and refused to comment further. Shock and horror- a government official not commenting on allegations of fraud and corruption. Now that does not happen often.

I guess I am not concerned about the fact that 80 of these much needed ambulances have been magically turned to 'money', nor am I concerned that this whole issue will, like the ambulances, just vanish- what I am really doing is highlighting the names of the two allegedly concerned, so we can track their rapid progress up the political ranks now that they have the relevant qualifications.

A laugh with Malema

As it is a Wednesday, that for many is really like a Friday, we will have some light entertainment, thanks to our esteemed ANCYL president, Mr Comrade Juluis Malema.
Now, we all know that Mr Malema has a free flowing mouth, which seems to get him into, well, nearly into, trouble. Just like many senior politicians or those in the good books of the ANC leadership, it is difficult to pin the tail on the honoury comrade Malema.
Mr M, is the ruler, I mean president of the Zuma praise singing ANC Youth League. Now Comrade Malema is the ripe youthful age of 28.

As a term of reference, I looked at the definition of 'Youth' on Encarta. Their definition tickled me. The two important points here were " 1) Time where somebody is young- period of human life between childhood and maturity and 2) Young man- a boy or young man in his teen or early twenties. "
Now let's look at the position. Comrade Malema is not in his early twenties, as one would assume 24 would be the cut off here. But indeed, he fits well into the first definition- somebody yet to reach maturity. It all makes sense now.

Last weekend, he had a house warming party for his new residence, in Sandown,Sandton. (Slays me how somebody who drives a luxury car, wears expensive clothes and lives in Sandton, can tell the poor he knows how they feel).
Anyway, being the considerate person he is, I am sure he planned to end the party before 4 the next morning. However, some selfish neighbours began complaining at around at around 3:30 am. The police arrived and broke up the little soiree at 4. Here versions do differ of course I must add.

During this time, it is alleged that Mr M and his army of bodyguards assualted a police reservist. Although this is serious, Mr M has managed to get a laugh out of the situation for us.

Firstly he claims that he is a police reservist as well- but he has not, nor does he need a police appointment card to be one. His only claim to being a reservist is, like Superman, he has a responsibility to fight crime. Very noble. He is the type of reservist who never gets into a police uniform, or a police car. This particular crime fighter does not patrol the dangerous streets each night to catch criminals, nor put his life on the line for the community. What he does to fight crime escapes me.

The best is yet to come though. As if he were inspired by the great, clear thinking, African leader Robert Mugabe, Mr Malema has promptly blamed the assualt claims on Helen Zille and her spies. (Just like the woes of Zimbabwe are all Britain and Tony Blair's fault).
Well Done Julius. The DA may  not support him, but what on earth would they gain, inventing lies to make him look bad, when looking at his colourful political career, Comrade Julius has a raw talent at dragging himself into trouble, without the help of anybody else.

I am sure that we are in for many more laughs from our esteemed Youth Leader, who aspires to the the President of South Africa one day- I look forward to that. The one leader who can make George W look like a supercomputer.