Dear Sir,
Do the publicly-declared links President Jacob Zuma has with Viv Reddy, the wealthy KZN businessman, and the alleged links he has with the super-wealthy Gupta family represent a potentially illegal /corrupt relationship between political (policy) decision-making power and extreme wealth. If it is found that the Public Works Department paid only for security upgrades at Zuma’s private estate at Nkandla, where did the rest of money come from ? Is our country’s national heritage being auctioned off to moneyed and powerful foreign /business political interests ? Are the extensive additions to Nkandla Estate the fruit of Zuma’s corrupt relationships ? When he says that ‘our family’ paid for the improvements to Nkandla, is he implying that the Public Works Department didn’t pay, are we to take it that ‘his family’ obtained the money from aforementioned Zuma family benefactors (because the ‘family’, we strongly suspect, doesn’t have their own capital resources this scale of expenditure represents) ? Of course, if President Zuma were to actually tell us that the Guptas and the Reddys of this world paid for the improvements, his political life could well be at an end ! As things stand, Viv Reddy openly confirmed recently that he played an active part in enabling enhancements to Nkandla.
In the earliest days of our fledgling democracy in the early-mid 1990s, in spite of a general global trend to drop trade barriers, our leaders (ANC politicians) were advised by the international community that we had a recognized case (as an emerging democracy with an economy recovering from sanctions) to put in place trade barriers to protect our still-fledgling (-and erstwhile closed) economy. Certain categories, i.e. textiles and clothing, and certain of our light- industry sectors were eminently eligible for protection. History shows that our politicians chose to ignore this advice. They welcomed, with open arms, senior Chinese figures who visited our country in the run up to and immediately after 1994, and our senior political figures were, in turn, receiving very warm state welcomes by the top Chinese elite. Since 1994, our clothing industry has shed some 17 000 jobs. Another example, being but one of many in the SME (small to medium- sized enterprise) category, is that of an East Rand business making ovens for commercial bakeries. The company employed some 135 staff. An average sized bakery oven was being sold for R35 000 - these ovens would last for at least ten years. The Chinese brought in their bakery ovens, selling them for R6 000. These ovens were made with cheaper materials and not-the-most-competent manufacturing process, lasting on average only sixteen months. In spite of this, it has had a devastating effect on the aforementioned East Rand business, which now employs only 12 people, servicing only small fraction of its original market. Just two examples of many !
Recently a financial pundit on one of Sky TV’s business programs said that that the ongoing and increasing use of the world-wide, all-embracing internet is beginning to lead to a fundamental change to investment patterns, which would, in turn, also reduce the financial leverage available to national government to indulge in endemic, large-scale corruption - this would, in turn, take away their ability to so freely travel on the ‘gravy train’. If that indeed be the case, roll on that day - we shall all shout as one “Hallelujah” !
Sandy Johnston
Rivonia,
Johannesburg
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
DEVOLUTION OF POWER
Dear Sir,
-WE NEED MORE SAY IN POLICY MAKING THAT AFFECTS US SO FUNDAMENTALLY-
Way back in the mists of time, the prophet Samuel said to God ” Your people have asked that you give them a king. It seems they are not happy with me.” God replied “No, it is not you, but me they are rejecting. They have me - they do not need a king.”
When Samuel told the Israelites what God had said, they were not happy, saying “ We want a king who will raise an army that will go before us and fight our battles, as do the armies of other nations.” By this time, God had already historically fought and won many battles for His chosen people.
The Israelites persisted in their request and God relented. Samuel duly anointed Saul the first king of Israel.
Thus began a change in terms of power, authority and accountability. In a sense, the Israelites were attempting to shift loads of issues upwards to the king, who would be accountable to God. They were, and I believe the unfolding story of the Israelites at that time depicts this, weary of worrying about many life issues which, in fact, God had historically taken care of for them, and would continue to take care of for them - all they had to do was accept responsibility and accountability for issues surrounding their existence, and live according to His basic spiritual values.
Fast forward to the present. I arrived home late one evening, turning on the TV just in time to watch the start of a thought-provoking program entitled “Is there a better way to run the world ?”. The program summarised the failures and inadequacies of almost all types of governments the world over.
The background research of those responsible for the program led them to examples in Brazil and in Holland, where communities, in both cases,had disbanded their elected municipal administrations, as they had been totally useless. They instead decided to convene regular /periodic meetings, to which all citizens were invited, at a local venue of suitable size to debate and vote on issues. In both cases, the meetings identified and prioritized the issues facing their communities. In the Brazilian example, it was agreed that the biggest problem being experience (and to which resources should be urgently allocated) was the plight of the near-destitute people who lived in the area of the river nearby. Their rationale was that the human suffering , as well as the health and security risks to the environment as a whole required urgent attention. The level of deprivation amongst these people resulted in a high crime level and proven health risks to the town as a whole. In the case of the community in Holland, the result was very much the same.
In the era of the ‘golden age of democracy’ in, for example, the United Kingdom several hundred years ago, people who stood for parliament were generally people of independent means, i.e. wealthy people, etc. In those days, the offspring of wealthy families were, in turn, allocated to the army, the clergy, the colonial service and politics. The objective was to not so much to earn a living from your endeavors, but to serve the country and its people to the best of your ability.
Insofar as parliamentary elections were concerned, each candidate was elected by his or her local community to represent its interests in parliament (even although such a person was also a member of one of the political parties of the day).
By comparison, in South Africa today, people become members of parliament according to the rules of proportional representation and party lists. Because of this there is a total disconnect between power and accountability at the most basic level, which results in a disconnect all the way up the power structures -
there is just no one to talk to who will really listen when you have a real problem relating to aspects of deliverability /governance at any level or on any scale.
People in charge in our parliamentary and administration structures (ministers and directors general) were allocated their positions on the rules of patronage, which are linked to the level of support they bring, on ongoing basis, to the person above them /who appointed them. To maintain this support requires resources with which to establish and continue patronage at all levels. This corrupt system explains the dismal to disastrous levels of delivery that are dragging, and continue to drag, our country down further. Although the ongoing E-toll saga is a classic example of bad decision-making fuelled by greed, government at the highest levels inability to understand the catastrophic economic consequences for the vast majority of its South Africans (the poor and disadvantaged, as well as the up-and-coming middle class which provides the economic heartbeat of our nation) reveals the extent of the disconnect between power (the government) and accountability to the people, this being the ultimate reality.
I do believe that in our beloved nation today, the wheel is now discernibly turning. Our people, in the overall sense, are beginning to get the message. We must take responsibility back from this useless and dysfunctional lot at the very top. I sense a changing dynamic - many people’s spirits and hearts are being quickened to the sense that it is time for urgent change ! We look upwards for inspiration. Our country has a destiny which I believe is part of God’s greater plan ! I know many of my fellow South Africans forming the rich spectrum our broad rainbow believe as I do - they have told me so !.
Do I know how this dynamic for change will manifest itself ? I will freely admit that I don’t. But I can reaffirm with an open heart that I strongly believe it is on its way.
Time for looking back and being dragged down by negative energy has passed. The time for those who use the past to gain political advantage at the cost of absolutely all our people, and particularly at the cost of the poorest and most afflicted has passed
It is time to go forward, dear and well-beloved country !
Sandy Johnston
Rivonia,
Johannesburg
-WE NEED MORE SAY IN POLICY MAKING THAT AFFECTS US SO FUNDAMENTALLY-
Way back in the mists of time, the prophet Samuel said to God ” Your people have asked that you give them a king. It seems they are not happy with me.” God replied “No, it is not you, but me they are rejecting. They have me - they do not need a king.”
When Samuel told the Israelites what God had said, they were not happy, saying “ We want a king who will raise an army that will go before us and fight our battles, as do the armies of other nations.” By this time, God had already historically fought and won many battles for His chosen people.
The Israelites persisted in their request and God relented. Samuel duly anointed Saul the first king of Israel.
Thus began a change in terms of power, authority and accountability. In a sense, the Israelites were attempting to shift loads of issues upwards to the king, who would be accountable to God. They were, and I believe the unfolding story of the Israelites at that time depicts this, weary of worrying about many life issues which, in fact, God had historically taken care of for them, and would continue to take care of for them - all they had to do was accept responsibility and accountability for issues surrounding their existence, and live according to His basic spiritual values.
Fast forward to the present. I arrived home late one evening, turning on the TV just in time to watch the start of a thought-provoking program entitled “Is there a better way to run the world ?”. The program summarised the failures and inadequacies of almost all types of governments the world over.
The background research of those responsible for the program led them to examples in Brazil and in Holland, where communities, in both cases,had disbanded their elected municipal administrations, as they had been totally useless. They instead decided to convene regular /periodic meetings, to which all citizens were invited, at a local venue of suitable size to debate and vote on issues. In both cases, the meetings identified and prioritized the issues facing their communities. In the Brazilian example, it was agreed that the biggest problem being experience (and to which resources should be urgently allocated) was the plight of the near-destitute people who lived in the area of the river nearby. Their rationale was that the human suffering , as well as the health and security risks to the environment as a whole required urgent attention. The level of deprivation amongst these people resulted in a high crime level and proven health risks to the town as a whole. In the case of the community in Holland, the result was very much the same.
In the era of the ‘golden age of democracy’ in, for example, the United Kingdom several hundred years ago, people who stood for parliament were generally people of independent means, i.e. wealthy people, etc. In those days, the offspring of wealthy families were, in turn, allocated to the army, the clergy, the colonial service and politics. The objective was to not so much to earn a living from your endeavors, but to serve the country and its people to the best of your ability.
Insofar as parliamentary elections were concerned, each candidate was elected by his or her local community to represent its interests in parliament (even although such a person was also a member of one of the political parties of the day).
By comparison, in South Africa today, people become members of parliament according to the rules of proportional representation and party lists. Because of this there is a total disconnect between power and accountability at the most basic level, which results in a disconnect all the way up the power structures -
there is just no one to talk to who will really listen when you have a real problem relating to aspects of deliverability /governance at any level or on any scale.
People in charge in our parliamentary and administration structures (ministers and directors general) were allocated their positions on the rules of patronage, which are linked to the level of support they bring, on ongoing basis, to the person above them /who appointed them. To maintain this support requires resources with which to establish and continue patronage at all levels. This corrupt system explains the dismal to disastrous levels of delivery that are dragging, and continue to drag, our country down further. Although the ongoing E-toll saga is a classic example of bad decision-making fuelled by greed, government at the highest levels inability to understand the catastrophic economic consequences for the vast majority of its South Africans (the poor and disadvantaged, as well as the up-and-coming middle class which provides the economic heartbeat of our nation) reveals the extent of the disconnect between power (the government) and accountability to the people, this being the ultimate reality.
I do believe that in our beloved nation today, the wheel is now discernibly turning. Our people, in the overall sense, are beginning to get the message. We must take responsibility back from this useless and dysfunctional lot at the very top. I sense a changing dynamic - many people’s spirits and hearts are being quickened to the sense that it is time for urgent change ! We look upwards for inspiration. Our country has a destiny which I believe is part of God’s greater plan ! I know many of my fellow South Africans forming the rich spectrum our broad rainbow believe as I do - they have told me so !.
Do I know how this dynamic for change will manifest itself ? I will freely admit that I don’t. But I can reaffirm with an open heart that I strongly believe it is on its way.
Time for looking back and being dragged down by negative energy has passed. The time for those who use the past to gain political advantage at the cost of absolutely all our people, and particularly at the cost of the poorest and most afflicted has passed
It is time to go forward, dear and well-beloved country !
Sandy Johnston
Rivonia,
Johannesburg
SOUTH AFRICA – SO MUCH IS HAPPENING UNDER THE POLITICAL COVERS !
Dear Sir,
Our recent history tells us that the ruling party, the ANC, are trying really hard to get control of the judicial process.
South African Justice Ministry have been going to great lengths, for some time and with considerable energy to take over certain administrative functions which are currently the responsibility of the (independent) judiciary - for example, the appointment of judges to upcoming court cases. Currently, there is a rotating roster which automatically allocates judges to cases. As things currently stand, therefore, no one decides who the judge will be in a particular case, as the judge is allocated to a case according to whose turn it is next as per the roster. For very valid reasons, that is how it should continue! Imagine the potential for mayhem if the ruling party, corporate businesses or wealthy individuals were able, by monetary, or other means, to manipulate the situation, i.e. to have a hand in choosing the Judge for cases where they have vested interests. So far, thank heavens, this particular initiative by the Justice Ministry has failed. They (the Justice Ministry) are also currently trying to take over the functions of regional Bar Societies. Bar Societies are free-standing, regional bodies, comprising private individuals who are advocates, attorneys, etc. Comments have come from the legal fraternity that, if the Justice Ministry is successful in this regard, lawyers will not be able to conduct their business as they normally do, “and may as well pack their bags and leave South Africa”.
Our recent history is replete with cases against senior members of the Government /Parastatals /civil service (all of which are ANC deployees’ happy hunting grounds), examples of disastrously poor levels of governance, failure to account for unaccounted for money in the scale billions (this is now happening across the board in our government ministries, as well as corruption at all levels. Figures produced by an independent investigation into the Department of Health of the Eastern Cape found that 122 of 200 employees were ‘doing business’ through companies set up in the names of their family members. R1.4billion, or 40% of the annual budget, had been paid to these bogus companies, very often for zero service delivery, i.e. the transaction was totally fictional apart from the money paid (bare-faced theft !).
The big corporates have also come under the legal spotlight for things such as operating as cartels of companies (cell phone service providers), price fixing (the food industry). The banks have been accused of extortionate, and sometimes illegal levying of charges on customer bank accounts). All of the foregoing occurs at huge cost to the South African populace, the ordinary folk.
An independent judiciary is recognised as one of the pillars of our society, without which there is no genuine democracy. In all the forgoing examples, the last line of defence, the only recourse the people have to bring fair play, justice and accountability into our national life is the route that an independent judiciary represents.
In the same vein, the reason why our government has tried several ploys to exert greater control over the legal system is that it cannot afford an independent judiciary. The effect of their notable failures in governance, the level of rampant corruption, and hugely extravagant spending within the civil service and our bloated, self-important politicians, is to drastically reduce /negate the administration’s ability to deliver basic services. The other effect that is coming through more clearly with each passing day, is the ever-increasing level of revenue that the government /quasi-government bodies are extracting (electricity, water, roads, etc., etc.), incrementally and ongoing, wherever they feel they can get away with it. The Eskom story is a classic (bad decision-making by Thabo Mbeki, followed by disastrous consequences for our power grid), but there are stories of disastrous consequences across the gamut of departments and ministries. Many businesses have already closed because of unaffordable power levies. Continental Tyre manufacturers in Port Elizabeth (they made 10.5 million tyres last year) have stated that the high costs of docking of ships (Transnet’s Ports and Harbours) and electricity (Eskom) mean that manufacturing costs in other African countries are now significantly less than in South Africa. Because of the Ministry of Fisheries have been tardy with producing the long-awaited survey of hake stocks in the oceans around our shores (which will provide the evidence to enforce essential restrictions on Japanese and Russian factory ships), our R3 billion fishing industry (which employs 9 000 people) is in danger of collapsing completely - entire communities in our coastal villages will suffer economic collapse. The industrial and commercial hub that Coega was intended to become remains virtually still-born due to Eskom’s failure to provide reliable and cost-effective electricity to the proposed aluminium smelter business that was to be its heart beat. At the last minute, the business people who were lined up and committed to the project pulled out as the debacle that Eskom has become began to unfold before their eyes. Many thousands of potential jobs and the hugely promising potential of Coega disappeared into thin air. Looking out of the airliner window as we flew over Nelson Mandela Bay, I saw Coega Harbour on that beautiful coastline - my heart sank into my boots - there it lay, empty and still, bearing stark witness to our venal, ineffective, self-serving, corrupt ANC-led government.
Our national parliament, provincial parliaments and metro/local councils are failing the South African people in terms of service delivery, governance and using the money for the benefit of our country and our people. The abysmal track record and of nineteen years and rampant corruption in government is now there for all to see. The ruling party is riding roughshod over the political opposition in parliament – they have loaded parliamentary accountability committees with key appointees to ensure such committees are no real threat to them. International democratic parliamentary practice is that members of parliamentary opposition parties chair accountability committees. Our government has chosen to ignore this totally. Our parliamentary system is failing us in front of our very eyes. It has become a plaything in the hands of the ruling party who have laughed off historic procedure and protocol to sidestep accountability.
An unavoidable truism of which I become more aware, day by day, is that our government’s failure to deliver is increasingly at the cost of our South African people. In many cases, our Constitution’s stipulations regarding basic rights that South Africans have are being abrogated by the ANC government. Everyone is asking “what can be done about it ?”. Mamphela Ramphele is saying to us all “get involved as individuals - form yourselves into groups of individuals of (‘say 10 people’), discuss the problems we are facing, come up with ideas “, etc. This is all well and good, but what can people actually do to change the way our country is being run into the ground on all fronts ?
I do believe that our under-threat but still-independent justice system offers the most effective route to change and accountability. Affordability is the problem. Where an individual or group of people have a valid grievance, the main stumbling block is that, invariably, if not always, the costs of going the legal route are prohibitive and way beyond the means of the citizenry.
To this end, I would like all concerned fellow South Africans to consider the following: every concerned individual who sees the merit in, and who can afford it, should consider contributing financially (a small monthly debit order from enough people is sufficient) to fund an apolitical body, the goal of which would be to bring accountability into situations which we know are hugely deserving, or critical to the future stability and good governance of our country. The approach should be to give priority to those causes which would benefit those most needy in society, whose basic rights under the constitution are being abrogated in the most callous manner.
The apolitical body should be non-profit making. It would be totally transparent in terms of its objectives and finances. Recourse would be taken through the courts on cases carefully chosen according to aforementioned criteria, by the best legal brains obtainable /affordable, who would be contracted in to decide on ‘best strategy’ for the legal action to get the best result for the people of South Africa.
I feel certain that many fellow South Africans, comprising the full spectrum of our rainbow nation, feel as I do – deeply disappointed at what is happening in our national life, seriously worried about the future for our children and their children, but most of all with a deep desire to get back onto the high road and rekindle a vision of good outcomes for South Africa, a country which I believe in my spirit has a significant part to play as a positive role model in a dysfunctional world beset by serious problems.
This apolitical initiative, i.e. using the courts to bring back accountability and enforce the basic rights of the South African people (which the government are riding roughshod over), would be a most worthy cause - it is also one that we cannot fail to embark upon and, on an ongoing basis, pursue to successful conclusions. The consequences of failure are dire indeed. We did not ask for, nor do we deserve these consequences. It is enough, already !!
Sandy Johnston
Rivonia
Johannesburg
Our recent history tells us that the ruling party, the ANC, are trying really hard to get control of the judicial process.
South African Justice Ministry have been going to great lengths, for some time and with considerable energy to take over certain administrative functions which are currently the responsibility of the (independent) judiciary - for example, the appointment of judges to upcoming court cases. Currently, there is a rotating roster which automatically allocates judges to cases. As things currently stand, therefore, no one decides who the judge will be in a particular case, as the judge is allocated to a case according to whose turn it is next as per the roster. For very valid reasons, that is how it should continue! Imagine the potential for mayhem if the ruling party, corporate businesses or wealthy individuals were able, by monetary, or other means, to manipulate the situation, i.e. to have a hand in choosing the Judge for cases where they have vested interests. So far, thank heavens, this particular initiative by the Justice Ministry has failed. They (the Justice Ministry) are also currently trying to take over the functions of regional Bar Societies. Bar Societies are free-standing, regional bodies, comprising private individuals who are advocates, attorneys, etc. Comments have come from the legal fraternity that, if the Justice Ministry is successful in this regard, lawyers will not be able to conduct their business as they normally do, “and may as well pack their bags and leave South Africa”.
Our recent history is replete with cases against senior members of the Government /Parastatals /civil service (all of which are ANC deployees’ happy hunting grounds), examples of disastrously poor levels of governance, failure to account for unaccounted for money in the scale billions (this is now happening across the board in our government ministries, as well as corruption at all levels. Figures produced by an independent investigation into the Department of Health of the Eastern Cape found that 122 of 200 employees were ‘doing business’ through companies set up in the names of their family members. R1.4billion, or 40% of the annual budget, had been paid to these bogus companies, very often for zero service delivery, i.e. the transaction was totally fictional apart from the money paid (bare-faced theft !).
The big corporates have also come under the legal spotlight for things such as operating as cartels of companies (cell phone service providers), price fixing (the food industry). The banks have been accused of extortionate, and sometimes illegal levying of charges on customer bank accounts). All of the foregoing occurs at huge cost to the South African populace, the ordinary folk.
An independent judiciary is recognised as one of the pillars of our society, without which there is no genuine democracy. In all the forgoing examples, the last line of defence, the only recourse the people have to bring fair play, justice and accountability into our national life is the route that an independent judiciary represents.
In the same vein, the reason why our government has tried several ploys to exert greater control over the legal system is that it cannot afford an independent judiciary. The effect of their notable failures in governance, the level of rampant corruption, and hugely extravagant spending within the civil service and our bloated, self-important politicians, is to drastically reduce /negate the administration’s ability to deliver basic services. The other effect that is coming through more clearly with each passing day, is the ever-increasing level of revenue that the government /quasi-government bodies are extracting (electricity, water, roads, etc., etc.), incrementally and ongoing, wherever they feel they can get away with it. The Eskom story is a classic (bad decision-making by Thabo Mbeki, followed by disastrous consequences for our power grid), but there are stories of disastrous consequences across the gamut of departments and ministries. Many businesses have already closed because of unaffordable power levies. Continental Tyre manufacturers in Port Elizabeth (they made 10.5 million tyres last year) have stated that the high costs of docking of ships (Transnet’s Ports and Harbours) and electricity (Eskom) mean that manufacturing costs in other African countries are now significantly less than in South Africa. Because of the Ministry of Fisheries have been tardy with producing the long-awaited survey of hake stocks in the oceans around our shores (which will provide the evidence to enforce essential restrictions on Japanese and Russian factory ships), our R3 billion fishing industry (which employs 9 000 people) is in danger of collapsing completely - entire communities in our coastal villages will suffer economic collapse. The industrial and commercial hub that Coega was intended to become remains virtually still-born due to Eskom’s failure to provide reliable and cost-effective electricity to the proposed aluminium smelter business that was to be its heart beat. At the last minute, the business people who were lined up and committed to the project pulled out as the debacle that Eskom has become began to unfold before their eyes. Many thousands of potential jobs and the hugely promising potential of Coega disappeared into thin air. Looking out of the airliner window as we flew over Nelson Mandela Bay, I saw Coega Harbour on that beautiful coastline - my heart sank into my boots - there it lay, empty and still, bearing stark witness to our venal, ineffective, self-serving, corrupt ANC-led government.
Our national parliament, provincial parliaments and metro/local councils are failing the South African people in terms of service delivery, governance and using the money for the benefit of our country and our people. The abysmal track record and of nineteen years and rampant corruption in government is now there for all to see. The ruling party is riding roughshod over the political opposition in parliament – they have loaded parliamentary accountability committees with key appointees to ensure such committees are no real threat to them. International democratic parliamentary practice is that members of parliamentary opposition parties chair accountability committees. Our government has chosen to ignore this totally. Our parliamentary system is failing us in front of our very eyes. It has become a plaything in the hands of the ruling party who have laughed off historic procedure and protocol to sidestep accountability.
An unavoidable truism of which I become more aware, day by day, is that our government’s failure to deliver is increasingly at the cost of our South African people. In many cases, our Constitution’s stipulations regarding basic rights that South Africans have are being abrogated by the ANC government. Everyone is asking “what can be done about it ?”. Mamphela Ramphele is saying to us all “get involved as individuals - form yourselves into groups of individuals of (‘say 10 people’), discuss the problems we are facing, come up with ideas “, etc. This is all well and good, but what can people actually do to change the way our country is being run into the ground on all fronts ?
I do believe that our under-threat but still-independent justice system offers the most effective route to change and accountability. Affordability is the problem. Where an individual or group of people have a valid grievance, the main stumbling block is that, invariably, if not always, the costs of going the legal route are prohibitive and way beyond the means of the citizenry.
To this end, I would like all concerned fellow South Africans to consider the following: every concerned individual who sees the merit in, and who can afford it, should consider contributing financially (a small monthly debit order from enough people is sufficient) to fund an apolitical body, the goal of which would be to bring accountability into situations which we know are hugely deserving, or critical to the future stability and good governance of our country. The approach should be to give priority to those causes which would benefit those most needy in society, whose basic rights under the constitution are being abrogated in the most callous manner.
The apolitical body should be non-profit making. It would be totally transparent in terms of its objectives and finances. Recourse would be taken through the courts on cases carefully chosen according to aforementioned criteria, by the best legal brains obtainable /affordable, who would be contracted in to decide on ‘best strategy’ for the legal action to get the best result for the people of South Africa.
I feel certain that many fellow South Africans, comprising the full spectrum of our rainbow nation, feel as I do – deeply disappointed at what is happening in our national life, seriously worried about the future for our children and their children, but most of all with a deep desire to get back onto the high road and rekindle a vision of good outcomes for South Africa, a country which I believe in my spirit has a significant part to play as a positive role model in a dysfunctional world beset by serious problems.
This apolitical initiative, i.e. using the courts to bring back accountability and enforce the basic rights of the South African people (which the government are riding roughshod over), would be a most worthy cause - it is also one that we cannot fail to embark upon and, on an ongoing basis, pursue to successful conclusions. The consequences of failure are dire indeed. We did not ask for, nor do we deserve these consequences. It is enough, already !!
Sandy Johnston
Rivonia
Johannesburg
PARALLEL – SOUTH AFRICA & ZIMBABWE
Dear Sir,
For those with a passing knowledge of Zimbabwe’s recent history, the names Robert Mugabe, Hitler Hunzvi and Morgan Tsvangirai would readily come to mind.
Robert Mugabe , the president of the nation, ‘Hitler’ Hunzvi, the mouthpiece who stirred enormous anger among people who felt aggrieved at gaining nothing from the liberation war, and Morgan Tsvangirai, the trade unionist who opposed Mugabe’s regime because of its iniquitous practices and failure to deliver. Tsvangirai eventually went on to head up political opposition in the form of the UDM, and, until recently was in an uneasy political alliance with Mugabe.
What happened in Zimbabwe from 2000 onwards, when ‘Hitler’ Hunzvi (so named because his rhetoric) began his campaign, is that Robert Mugabe was duly compelled by Hunzvi to pay out hundreds of millions of dollars (when the Zim dollar was worth something) to aggrieved ‘war veterans’. To continue the system of patronage, by which Mugabe has always survived, he was forced to print money – his only resort in a failing economy. Shortly thereafter, Mugabe had no option but to legislate to dispossess commercial farmers of their land to enable him to continue with patronage by largesse. What happened to the Zimbabwean economy thereafter is a well written page.
Fast-forward to South Africa today. Replace the names Mugabe, Hunzvi and Tsvangirai with Zuma, Malema and Vavi. Every time Malema comes up with speech designed to arouse emotions of outrage in people, he is pushing Zuma into a tighter corner. His talk of ‘nationalising the mines’ (ostensibly the proceeds of which are to become the reward for those who have not benefited from the liberation war) has resulted in zero to negative investment in our mining industry, the single biggest employer of people. He is certainly stirring up anger and resentment in chunks on all sides.
The only voice in the Tri-partite Alliance standing up to the corruption in government /the ANC, the only voice highlighting the negative economic effects of e-tolling, as well as the abysmal state of service delivery is that of COSATU in the person of Zwelinzima Vavi (who has now been edged out of office). Indeed, ordinary citizen could be forgiven for thinking that Vavi was the only man with the fibre, integrity or courage to stand up to what appears to be a hugely dangerous situation for South Africa and all its peoples. Our country seems to have been hijacked by a class of individuals who are, without any compunction whatsoever, taking what they want, accountable and responsible to absolutely no one, and certainly not to the South African people.
Is there no end to this sorry story ? Does anyone out there have an answer ?
Sandy Johnston
Rivonia
Johannesburg
For those with a passing knowledge of Zimbabwe’s recent history, the names Robert Mugabe, Hitler Hunzvi and Morgan Tsvangirai would readily come to mind.
Robert Mugabe , the president of the nation, ‘Hitler’ Hunzvi, the mouthpiece who stirred enormous anger among people who felt aggrieved at gaining nothing from the liberation war, and Morgan Tsvangirai, the trade unionist who opposed Mugabe’s regime because of its iniquitous practices and failure to deliver. Tsvangirai eventually went on to head up political opposition in the form of the UDM, and, until recently was in an uneasy political alliance with Mugabe.
What happened in Zimbabwe from 2000 onwards, when ‘Hitler’ Hunzvi (so named because his rhetoric) began his campaign, is that Robert Mugabe was duly compelled by Hunzvi to pay out hundreds of millions of dollars (when the Zim dollar was worth something) to aggrieved ‘war veterans’. To continue the system of patronage, by which Mugabe has always survived, he was forced to print money – his only resort in a failing economy. Shortly thereafter, Mugabe had no option but to legislate to dispossess commercial farmers of their land to enable him to continue with patronage by largesse. What happened to the Zimbabwean economy thereafter is a well written page.
Fast-forward to South Africa today. Replace the names Mugabe, Hunzvi and Tsvangirai with Zuma, Malema and Vavi. Every time Malema comes up with speech designed to arouse emotions of outrage in people, he is pushing Zuma into a tighter corner. His talk of ‘nationalising the mines’ (ostensibly the proceeds of which are to become the reward for those who have not benefited from the liberation war) has resulted in zero to negative investment in our mining industry, the single biggest employer of people. He is certainly stirring up anger and resentment in chunks on all sides.
The only voice in the Tri-partite Alliance standing up to the corruption in government /the ANC, the only voice highlighting the negative economic effects of e-tolling, as well as the abysmal state of service delivery is that of COSATU in the person of Zwelinzima Vavi (who has now been edged out of office). Indeed, ordinary citizen could be forgiven for thinking that Vavi was the only man with the fibre, integrity or courage to stand up to what appears to be a hugely dangerous situation for South Africa and all its peoples. Our country seems to have been hijacked by a class of individuals who are, without any compunction whatsoever, taking what they want, accountable and responsible to absolutely no one, and certainly not to the South African people.
Is there no end to this sorry story ? Does anyone out there have an answer ?
Sandy Johnston
Rivonia
Johannesburg
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