Wednesday 17 September 2008

Deja vu

I was sincerely hoping that the tripartite alliance would be critical of the judgement as it is the mirror image of Judge Squires which they criticised a lot. They complained that JZ was tried in absentia by a racist white judge who comes from the old Rhodesia. Their problem was that even though it was Sheik who was on the witness stand Zuma was the one who took hammering from the judge. Fast forward to Friday the 12 of September, Judge Nicholson Judged the NPA, but Mbeki took a beating. Instead of calling that judge into order for trying Thabo in absetia they rejoiced that it is their men who won. How ironic.

Monday 8 September 2008

Supplementary Exams

There is nothing painful like writing a supplementary examination, ask me I experienced it at the University once. When we grew up my friends use to tease each when they act silly and say they are supplementing silly acts of child or say they may have skipped one stage of life. This is what happened to Bafana Bafana last weekend. Since 1996 when we were the Champions we consistently went down from gold to silver to Bronze, to semi-finalists to quarterfinals and not scoring a goal at all and coming back in the first round. The only step that was left not to qualify at all for the Africa Cup of Nation, but we skipped that stage and qualified. Unfortunately we had to go for supplementary at the crucial time when we need competitive football. This time I did not care how we played or how courageous our boys were revenge would do it for me against Nigeria. As they normally say “The rest is history”

UBUNTU/BOTHO

We have lost our Africaness, we have lost respect for the elders, and I remember taking a late taxi from Thembisa to Pretoria one Saturday evening. The last two people to board were two teenagers around 18-19 years a boy and a girl. Initially the girl didn’t want to board the taxi but her boy friend convinced her to. Whilst they were in side the girl was crying non-stop until the Taxi driver had to intervene. The young boys response was what you would expect of today’s youth ”Tswa mo ho rona wena timer nako ya hao e fetele” (leave us alone old man you time has passed)

It is this kind of disrespect that I am referring to, even our politics are not immune to this. Former ANC youth leader Fikile Mbalule spoke like he was talking to a boy when he made his public utterances about a sitting President of the country. Immediately after Polokwane triumph he made one of those outrageous statements “Mbeki was put on power by us and it’s us who removed him” not only did this sound undiplomatically and stupid but disrespectful as well. What happened to winning gracefully? I thought winning was the ultimate goal for the Zuma Machine and they would start healing immediately… boy was I wrong. What was really disturbing was that the Origination’s elders kept quiet as if nothing happened.

Kgalema Motlanthe one of the few who still have their dignity intact after all this Mshiniwam era, did do anything as they were busy eyeing positions post Polokwane. Now the ANC ineptitude is haunting them. Motlanthe is the first victim of their quiet diplomacy on ANC youth league. Malema and his idiots came so hard on him that he had to run for cover. I wonder if we will ever hear him speak ill of the youth league again. Apparently Malema even refused to apologies that, they agreed to differ …what ever that means. Zuma is as quiet as a mouse, so much for a future leader of the country. South Africans like to talk non-sense… we talk ubuntu and the next thing we burn people alive, talk of reconciliation the next you hear “ Kill the boer kill the farmer”, Nafcoc in the Western cape has just sent warning letters to Somalia’s who want to do business in the townships letting them know that they are not welcome. Do we even know or understand what these terms that we use so loosely reconciliation, ubuntu, Africa renaissance means or they have become part of our rhetoric? If this is the African renaissance era we have been talking about Almighty helper us all.

Tuesday 2 September 2008

living under constant violence

Whilst police were executing their duties two innocent people find themselves under fire. Knowing how violent criminals are in this country this kind of a mistake is the the last, but lets do everything possible to stop the repeat. I am glad to know that the family has accepted that nothing could be done to avoid this situation under those circumstances. But I think the statement made by the Democratic Alliance (DA) that this s the result of shoot to kill command from deputy minister is very unfortunate. This is not time to score political points. I have grown to respect the DA under the leadership of Helen Zille but statement like this when our country is run by violent criminals does not help their course.

I have not facts about the whole incident but I believe the police gave warning and when they didn't stop they started shooting. Even if it was me, I would probably run under those circumstances and we all know we can’t trust some of the police. But can you put your self in the shoes of those police. How were they supposed to know that the car is not being used as a get away car seeing that is came from the scene of crime? Many time when police blink they find themselves under fire and we have lost a lot of them. I wish them speedy recovery and hope that they will be able to live their normal life again…I know life will never be the same.

Monday 1 September 2008

Hooligans sport

A friend of mine was at Coca-cola Park (Ellis park) when the bokke trounced the wallabies 53-8. I wished I were there. A Friend of mine was there to witness history in the making. Peter Devilliers despite having his big guns out…listen to this Brian Habana, John Smit, Bakkies Botha, Kawkonski, JP Peterson, Jaque Fourie, he managed to inspire his charges. He got his plan right this time, he got his combinations right and most importantly he got his transformation right.

The players finally understand what he wants. At first I didn’t even understand what they mean by expensive rugby, but after Saturday I do. I couldn’t wait to hear what my friend would say about the performance. Unfortunately he came back disappointed, whites on the left stand of the Ellis Park stadium didn’t want blacks people there. They made sure that you feel unwelcome, those black who forced their way were hurled with plastic tumblers.

My friend was so scared he was wondering when the match would finish. It was his first test match rugby and he assured me it was also the last one. Not only that some white don’t want transformation in the field of play they also don’t want it on the grand stand. Most whites want us to believe that Verwoed forced them with privileges they didn’t want …nonsense whites are racists finish and klaar. Doubt those who say they are not if they really meant that.

Ironically when whites attend soccer matches they are treated with respect and people go out of their way to make them feel at home, the I wish I can say the same about whites. There were poor women who love rugby who had to leave at half way mark as they couldn’t take it anymore and they had no guy to protect them they were vulnerable to those drunk rude racists.

People pay their money to watch rugby so I hope RARFU will do something about this teach the hooligans a lesson or two. Someone asked me if Rugby fans would flock to the stadiums if the team transforms well and win the matches as well. An answer from my white and Coloured colleagues was resounding YES, but after this I am not sure they still feel the same. As for me I will watch it on screen till kingdom come, I am not about to humiliate myself even if that satisfies racist I am OK.