Wednesday 30 May 2007

The more things change the more they remain the same

In april 2006 I wrote in my old blog "2010 are we on track" most people thought that I was being negative. Even today that thought of mine is still relevant. This is what I wrote: So green point is back on track thanks to Hellen Zille's mercy, but is everything ok? Are our roads ready, is Eskom ready is petrol in tune with demand given that we ran out of Petrol in December 2005, will our stadiums be ready, our airports and hotels, but more importantly will Gautrain be in motion? All these draw a very bleak picture of the success of 2010 more than the breaks that Hellen Zille an d companey applied in the Cape. We should pray that Eskom would have their house in order by 2010, the statement of Oom Alec (sabotage) paints a gloomy picture of a way forward. People in the leadership should take responsibility not pass the buck. Travelling from Cape Town to Johannesburg in December is a nightmare, I can’t remember how many times have I lost my luggage in all major airlines and had to wait at the airport until I am told the luggage would be deliverd to my place. Can you imagine what will happen in the airport when Brazil and England have progressed to the knock out stages? their supporters will come in droves. I nearly forgot, will our police be ready to deal with English hooligans. I understand they give police tough time around the world where ever England is playing or English clubs during EUEFA champions league. I think our hotels are good enough for tourist, but I am not sure if we have enough to accommodate abut thousands and thousands of fans plus tourists and business people. Will our Gautrain be ready for the showpiece? We hear conflicting responses, but the one I like most is “Gautrain is not the reason why we got 2010” this is a give away that some of the officials have already given up on having Gautrain ready by 2010.That is our only hope for 2010 because we don't know it, but the rest of the public transport can’t even cope with pick hour traffic let alone additional soccer mad fans. For convenience sake most fans will hire cars they can afford anyway why would they cramp themselves in our over loaded Taxis,buses and trains. This takes us to another problem will our roads be ready to accommodate them. The answer is NO, I don't unticipate any change in that sphere. Parow is 25 minutes away from Cape Town, but in peak hour traffic it takes 1h30 to 2h00 hours, spare a thought for people who travel between Pretoria and Johannesburg daily. Can you imagine what will happen if we can have more cars than our raods can handle n 2010. I am afraid there might not be enough Petrol for them as well. Do you remember December 2005? we were told that a panic led to petrol shortages in a very short period of time and we still don’t really know the story behind that shortage. As I write this piece South African soccer team which is the reason why we will host the World cup in 2010 does not even have a coach. (point of correction we have Carlos Alberto Pereira) I hope we will be in tune with the world when the time come.

Monday 28 May 2007

The road to 2010

Oh what a weekend for South African soccer. Ajax Cape town continued with their dominance over Fancied Mamelodi Sundowns, The Bafana B side progressed to the next round of COSAFA cup. But wait a minute why did the SABC choose not to broadcast this tournament? Driving home from work one evening I heard Dali Mpofu (group executive at SABC) fuming saying that they are the custodians of Soccer because they reach the poorest of the poor. He went on to accuse someone from Britain (whom I thought was Trevor Phillips) who came up with some stupid ideas of Selling soccer to the highest bidder. How did they let this get away if they are so concerned about us? This is the core of the 2010 team we should all witness their rise and most probably their fall not of their making of course. I f you don’t believe me ask Benni. That game

Friday 25 May 2007

Everything is Black and White

Earlier this month when the Democratic Alliance elected a new leadership Helen Zille was the obvious choice. They were not going to elect a white male again in this new South Africa otherwise they would scare away the black vote. There was a black man by the name of Bra Joe, I don’t think Joe Seremane would be the president even if he was still with the dying slowly PAC. Bra Joe knew that the DA doesn’t have a pool of blacks that would stand for elections and he had a good chance of winning because he is black. Whites are too clever I am sure you have seen that Joe, they elected a white woman at east there is a change according to our affirmative action. They will do anything possible by the book to ensure that the DA remains white. Last night I was watching the news when I heard that the Democratic Alliance have made history in South Africa… initially I thought they have a black chief whip or soothing like that … no they have a two women heading the party unfortunately they are all white even the new chief whip is white. Will politics of this country change? The answer is no. 1st on any Sunday just look around you as how we pray to God Whites go the other way with few unwelcome blacks and blacks will go the other way on their own. When you come from church try watch rugby. Apparently teams are obliged to have at least two players of colour that is as if white is not a colour. What South African teams do they make sure that they stick to that number and have as many whites as possible, who will question them because they already have TWO black players in their teams. The only places that truly reflect the demographics of this country are prisons hospitals (public hospitals to be precise) and city streets. I have been voting for change since 1994, but I am yet to see a dramatic change in our society by the way I voted for the ANC twice and then tried to resuscitate PAC with no luck. Do we have options in DA, FF+, UDM, ACDP etc maybe after the next elections we must pray that half the parliamentarians cross the floor …oh I hate that thing who came up with that? Ok we are told that South Africans are very positive about their country so let’s hope things will change for black people who happened to have blind leaders we will get there.

Thursday 24 May 2007

They did it

They won it again, but when Liverpool’s Kuyt scored that goal it was like a dejavu remember instanbul? but the question I have been asking myself is How is it possible that one player plays for one team for 23 years and still counting? Paolo Maldini of AC Milan is one such player, that means for the past 22 years he was performing at his peak. I am still hoping to see that in South Africa where we can’t even hold on to a coach for 2 seasons. I think in SA the only coach who has coached one team for a long time is Jomo Sono. If you are a South African you know why. I wish we can have many Maldinis' for 2010 world cup.

Monday 21 May 2007

No politics

This weekend was a great sporting weekend especially for rugby in South Africa; it was the last week for 2006-2007 PSL season. Big upset was Kaiser Chiefs not making it to the super 8, that means they won’t be able to defend their title and Moroka Swallows missing the second spot by a whisker. I nearly forgot it was also FA cup South Africa is a former British colony so we tend to have British this and British that. That is not a problem given that some South Africans are still holding on to dual citizenship. Ok enough about politics. Chelsea did me a huge favour by beating Man United, I rejoice every time a team gives them a hiding. So on Wednesday another English team Liverpool will be plying in the finals against AC Milan. The last time this two teams were playing in the finals of UEFA cup I was very tired and slept during halftime satisfied that Milan was 3-0 ahead and there was no way that the boring English team like Liverpool could stage a come back. To my surprise in the morning as I was driving to work I heard that the impossible happened Liverpool were the Champions. So this time I will not sleep even if one team can lead with 5-0. Soccer is very unpredictable that is why it is the biggest and the prestigious sport in the world except in South Africa where rugby and cricket hold that prestigious part. Good luck to AC Milam they are playing beautiful foodball at the moment.

Thursday 17 May 2007

Can we take politicians Serious ?

When I heard that Tony Yengeni had no place to hide I thought he would admit his guilt and serve with dignity instead he was flank by the senior members of his party. I am sorry I am not a prophet of doom, but was that really cool. I realised that politicians never get embarrassed our old JZ said things that I am not sure a high school boy could use to defend himself in court, the little we say about them the better. So When Tokyo Sixwale announced his come back to politics I knew the masters of outrageous insults wouldn't keep quiet. They are the supporters of JZ and they know he is not good enough for the post so what will they do? ridicule insult etc who are these? Vavi, the ANC youth league and the Young Communist league or should I say the JZ league. I have never heard of them before until Bulelani Ngcuka apparently targeted Jacob Zuma. Vavi didn’t waist time I think he called a press conference to tell the world that Tokyo is a businessman who benefited from the BEE. I won’t comment further, but the ANC youth league and Montlante the GS of the ANC are worse. They said it was prematurely for one to tell the world that if people want him to stand he will. The president said that on national television, Jacob Zuma said exactly that on several occasions. We know that if people ask Zuma to stand he will, if they ask Thabo Mbeki he will and Tokyo as well nothing is new. I hope Tokyo and who ever want to follow in his fotsteps is ready for the unmatched outrageous insults that will come from your Fikile Mbalula, Zizi Kodwa and company.

Government must learn

In 2006 the South African government decided to impose municipal boundaries on people hoping that people were stupid and so submissive to an extant that they would accept that. Unfortunately that blew back to their faces and now they have run out of options. The only open option now for them is to scrap the new boundaries, but there is a problem. First they want to save face secondly they want to rule not to be ruled thirdly they want to teach their voters a lesson on how to vote with your head not your heart. Despite losing cases left right and centre the government seems determined to go against the will of the people. What is democracy? Is there a subject called history in exile? Maybe there is not judging by what Bush, Blair and company are doing else where. I was thought that history repeats itself. This morning all the news papers have head lines that were cut and pasted from 2006 headlines “Khutsong on fire”, “Khutsong residents resist the government”, Unrest in Khutsong continues etc. I say to the government of the ANC ... go back to the drawing board talk to the people even if that means to change your decision as long as that is the will of the people you leave with your dignity intact or else we will remember you with the blunders you have made with municipal boundaries, travel gate, Name change etc instead of the good things you have done for the poor who suffered dearly under apartheid. Surely those kids in Khutsong deserve to be at school now their new department in North West is event threatening to close the schools… how is that for arrogance.

Tuesday 15 May 2007

Another one bites the dust

This is a difficult week for me and my extended family. One of my sister cousins passed away and I always said I would go and see her when she told me she was not well. She died of AIDS related illness, but what make me angry is that she died before accepting that she was HIV positive... first she didn’t bother to do test secondly she already had some in mind who was be witching her. She blamed it on food poisoning. I have another cousin sister who has been living with the virus for the past 12 years and she is still going strong. She is strong because she knows her status and accepted that, when I told her of the passing of our cousin she blamed herself for not going on time and put some sense into her strange beliefs. I guess it is too late now. Another one is gone and she is not the last one because none of us seems to learn from the mistakes made by those who past on ...we blame our neighbours … you know how it is in the townships. May her soul rest in peace.

Monday 14 May 2007

Mother'sday

This is an interesting day and confusing I am sure for many men. On this day I don’t know who to buy a gift for my mother or my wife. When I was living closer to my mom we use to go to the shops with my wife and buy something for my mom. Now I am living with my wife miles away from my mother and this became a challenge. I was confused, should I but a gift for her or not? Then my elder son asked me if I can help him buy a gift for his mom I said thanks goodness someone came my rescue. If I didn’t have kids what was I suppose to do. Take her out for a breakfast and dinner? But she in not my mother she is my companion. This is confusing isn’t it?

Friday 11 May 2007

Who is fooling who

This is the biggest sporting weekend for South African Rugby… why not they have or should I say we have got two teams in the semi final of the super 14. This is good news for our Rugby because they are the same players who will be representing our country in the World cup. Ironically Butana Khompela well known for shooting from the hip like a cowboy said something very interesting this morning (beside threatening to take passport of players). He said our teams are doing well at the expense of transformation. Ok which one is supposed to come first here Transformation or winning? Obviously they compete they can’t go together. Jake white on the other hand says he won’t let politics interfere in sport… I was left wondering as to which politics he was referring to because as far as I am concerned rugby is ruled by politics. Whites politics vs Black Politics … Black politics speak of demographics, white politics speak of winning team who doesn’t like a wining team? After 1995 world cup we were told that by 2003 there would be more blacks in Rugby (Silas Nkanunu said) 2003 came and went. Then we were told that this would defiantly happen in 2007 (Brian Van Rooyen) I have learnt today that their target is now 2012(Oregon Hoskins). This is called shifting the goal posts in the lateral meaning SHIFTING. Can we be honest with ourselves and admit that this will never happen. It looks like every time South African Rugby Union change president a new target is set. So the best way of staling the transformation is by making sure that the presidency keeps on changing hands. Nice strategy right. And tell me Jake white’s utterances are not influenced by politics I don’t buy your story Mr white sorry! By the way good luck to the Sharks and the Bulls you will be representing my country any way

Thursday 10 May 2007

Globalisation in sport

Did you watch USA and Chzech republic play in Germany, That match reminded me of France 98. That team was a non USA team or should I say it was an imported USA team. Just like France. At least Africa is benefiting in this globalization as well there is a Brazilian playing for Tunisia and I nearly forgot Kounute , but they are all rejects. If they can't make it on their countries they come to Africa. I admire guys like Riayn Giggs, George Weah for sticking to their countries, not your Patrick Viera and company they are African exports good for them.Look at these sellouts

Here I am

I kept away from my blog for a while, but I missed my blog I am back