Friday 28 September 2007

Is this a joke?

I always thought that SA parliament is joke think of Johnny Delange fighting live on TV politicians crossing the floor with the votes of their parties. What about the shouting session that they open daily, but I never though the United Nations will come down to that level. Listen to the leaders of the United States, Zimbabwe and Iran was an eye and ear soar to put it mildly. I was sitting there thinking how many kids are dying of hunger when world leaders are fighting their battles and defending their corners? How many Palestine kids are being shot at as the verbal diarrhoea consumes our leaders. What about the innocent children in Iraq who were not even mentioned in those long boring speeches really wonder if they even count them as casualties as their leader were trading insults. It so sad those leaders use the UN to settle scores when there is so much to talk about in the world. I hope someone will whisper some sense into their ears just maybe they will listen and face the rally, wars, hunger, global, warming to name but the few

Wednesday 26 September 2007

SABC Sport

Hey am I on drugs or something? I remember so vividly one of the SABC honchos on MTN soccer zone clarifying the top sport priorities for 2007/2008 season. We were told that SABC 3 would flight English premier league and their promos still say that. We were promised even La liga, bundisliga etc highlights. Does that mean SABC took a U turn without notifying us. I am still waiting they said August but we are heading towards the end of Sept. What is wrong with the public broadcaster or maybe there is something wrong with me? Is there any one who knows better than I do?

Friday 21 September 2007

Exit

A South Africans choke when it matters most… this is not for the first time they have made it their habit and they are perfecting it now. They played so well and convincing that I thought they were going to beat Australia in the semis little did I know that they still have a fear of big tournament (a big tournament phobia) we must find a name for it because it is here to stay.

Before the start of the game one Indian commentator speculated that the reason why India took a strange decision to bat first when they won the toss was because South Africa was known for choking in big tournaments and I immediately dismissed that theory as stupid…. Oh boy he was so right. They have a tendency of choking spectacularly remember the world game in Durban? When Shaun Pollock fu…d up the Duck Lewis I am not sure if I got it right, but you know what I am talking about.

I heard John Robbie on 702 asking if Jacques Kallis was watching South Africa committing suicide I thought to myself does he think he would do any better. We have choked several times in big tournaments with him present. I think he is one player who is so afraid of Australia and very conscious about the records he wants to make every time he takes the field. He was a liability in our first match with Australia during the world cup. But the positive out of this tournament is that we have seen the likes of Albie and Morne Morkel as well as Vernon Philander and I think they did South Africa proud except that Philander is to blame for his ineptitude that cost us dearly.

My wife didn't enjoy Cricket this time apparently because the hunks left too early. West Indies were hammered and dumped out of the tournament before we can even finish the word T20. West Indies is her favourite team and they didn't do good in this tournament as well and she told she was upset that the guys that are left now are not as hot maybe some women will disagree with her. What is the motivation for women to watch male sport?

Friday 14 September 2007

Afirmative action

Over the last few weeks the mainstream media have tried so hard to demonized Jimmy Manyi the chairperson of Equity Commission over the white women getting preferential treatment as opposed to black women. Well I am not that convinced even though so many people including the reserve Bank governor, Mamphele Ramphele, the labour minister and most successful women black and white think that is the case.

Everyone says Manyi said that the government must put a stop to white women affirmation but I am yet to hear Manyi say that, that is beside the point, if whites who constitute less than 13% of the economically active population occupy 75% of top management there is something wrong with us as a nation. I know of so many white that I talk to who would love to see the back of BEE now whilst they are still on top and blacks still suffering. They talk of apartheid in reverse but if you can ask the beneficiaries of apartheid as to what have they contributed into up lifting the previously disadvantaged and by so doing fast tracking BEE? The answer is nothing but what they have doing everything possible to frustrate it’s processes.

People who benefit from the BEE are those people in Private sector companies who happen to be white and male. If I had a better plan I would suggest the end to current BBBEE (Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment) because it doesn’t look like it was designed to benefit the poor just like the original like BEE. I think Affirmative action and BEE/BBBEE must have clear targets when those and we all make sure we all strive for that. When we are done they must be scraped.

Are we going to have these BEE/BBBEE Affirmative actions forever? Jimmy Many says they have reached the Target for white women… what is wrong? All of a sudden Solidarity and Afriforum and their quite supporter find themselves having to come out of victim hood and be as convincing possible that this is not true according to their studies. Is it not amazing how blacks and whites come up with different results whenever they have disagreements?

This time around there is not much disagreement according to race. Why is everyone forgetting that white women who were not working were not starving like women in SOWETO because they were privileged they were benefiting from apartheid. They were matrons in hospital because they were white. There was no apartheid law that prevented the women from working or to works to attend plush schools unless that woman is black..

We all know private sector companies are in the business of making money if they can score point by appointing white Meisi at the expense of a black woman they will keep on doing that and UPE, Tuks UCT and the all former white only institutions are producing new pool of women who can afford those institutions unfortunately most of them are still white. If we say let’s give white man a right to pick a white woman over a black woman are we not perpetuating the legacy of apartheid in our time. I would not love to see Zimbabwe happening here in 20 year’s time because by if that happens most whites will simply go to Australia to their buddies. We will be left to starve.

I heard so many white talking about going overseas because of BEE/ Affirmative action… will that girl in Alexander afford to go over seas because of unemployment in South Africa odds are against her. Others are saying they are being punished for the sins of their parents… there is a little bit of truth in that but are we saying lets punish the black chilled because her parents are black. There are more unemployed blacks than whites but the noise the white man is making is so deafening you can swear that we have crises of unemployment in the white community. Whites are used to privileges and when those privileges are shared they view that as a threat to their security. Black have nothing to lose they don’t have security, place to stay even food to put on the table. How are we going to reverse the imbalances of the past? If we have enough white women on top leadership lets give others a chance monopoly won’t help any one.

Monday 10 September 2007

I've lost hope

I fail to understand why people believe that if they shout on top of their voices Thabo Mbeki will fire Manto Tshabalala-Msimang. We have heard all the reasons why, but there is only one reason that we don’t want to admit. Manto is one minister who is prepared to die for this government stance on HIV and AIDS. Manto is implementing the government policy wrong as they are without question. If we think that Beetroot and what ever Manto is talking about is of her own imagination ask yourself why no one in government is questioning her at least in public. I think people who should be fired are those noisemakers in that cabinet including their boss. Madlala Routledge was fired because she was not executing what The President wanted… we all know his stance on HIV.

Their response to Free Hospital saga was an indication of the attitude of government to public hospital. (The poor deserve those conditions) What they were saying to us is that the situation in Frere Hospital is not different to Bara, Cecelia Makhiwane, Prince Mshiyeni or any other public hospital that you may think of. According to this government what happened in Frere hospital is not a cause for concern. I wonder if the minister can go and tell the parents who lost their children in that hospital that all is well at the hospital. I know the feeling from experience we lost a child due to negligence at Johannesburg Hospital in 2003. I don’t think there is anyone who can come and tell me all is well when I know exactly what led to that painful experience even worse I came agonisingly close to losing my wife too. That is the experience the president do not know Manto doesn’t know it either. Unfortunately not all of us can afford private health, but as things stand the government making show that it is the only option or go and die in public hospital.

Thursday 6 September 2007

Road accidents in South Africa

In a matter of two days South African football lovers are mourning the death of two players to road accidents. The most publicised death of Gift Leremi who died on Monday and Black Leopards captain Fernando Matola who died in a car crash along with his wife and two children. Kick off reported that the accident took place on Sunday morning. This should highlight the importance of sticking to the speed limit, taking breaks and taking energy drinks when necessary. I wonder why arrive alive only release holiday statistics. Only last week on N1 to Pretoria I saw not less that four Accidents, those are the ones I saw and N1 is not the only busy road in Gauteng and the country as well. We only remember when we loose the young lives that road accidents are real and can happen to anyone… Remember the head line that shook the country “Young rugby players die in a car crash” that was after Nardus Wessels and Ashley Mapisa died in a car accident on their way from training. Lets hope the country is learning from these tragic lessons.