Is this gambling or economics at work

I always thought that I am unlucky maybe because I am black in the world that favours pale. but now I have realised that actually I am one of those who are lucky, I have a job, and I have roof over my head. There are people who can’t put bread on the table even though they have the skill and education to match... thanks to this growing economy. In this new South Africa, which we are told, is full of possibilities there are people who are yet to see these possibilities I am one of them.

Since 1994 more and more people lost their jobs due to retrenchment and the government didn’t help the situation by commercialising the state owned enterprises. Thabo Mokoni used to work for telecommunication Giant Telkom. He was retrenched and later recalled as a part time worker and his luck ran out he is now unemployed. He joined more than 35 000 thousand workers that Telkom retrenched since 1997. This is almost half of Telkom workers in 1997.

According to Frans Baleni the General Secretary of the NUM ESKOM and transnet did the same. He says that ESKOM employed 6000 workers in 1999 and now they have 31000 employees. You ask yourself how did this happen? when more people now are getting electricity and new telephone lines one would expect the companies to hire more but no instead they decrease the number. The Para-statals were meant to boost the economy, provide people with training and secured jobs and of course cheaper products, which our new government saw as less important. Is it not ironic to hear over and over again President Mbeki saying South Africa have skills shortage? It is his government that commissioned consultants who recommended that the government commercialise State owned Enterprises.

Needless to say that this backfired and the government was forced to reverse the policy, but the damage was already done. State owned companies were helping to develop the economy and not making profit, but that have since changed. Politically we are free economically we are till far from being free. So how can you tell those people who have lost their jobs that their country is alive with possibilities? You will be speaking Greek to them

A new TV show in SA

There is this new Soap opera that I saw last night on TV it is called SACP public mudslinging. From a very young age I always like the SACP politics they represented what I wanted to see happen in SA a multi racialism. I didn’t know much about the ANC composition, but I supported them any way because of Mandela and Thambo. After the unbaning of political parties the SACP of Blade Nzimande, Joe Slovo, Philip Dexter, Nozizwe Madlala, Jeremy Cronin was just what the doctor ordered. I was never a communist but I admire the commitment of the likes of Joe Slovo to the course.

The latest developments in the SACP paint a different picture from the SACP I have just described. One Modise is at the centre of it all and the SACP leadership pose as cheerleaders and players. I have failed to understand why the party is using the same trick they condemned during Jacob Zuma rape case. They have accused Willie and found him guilty before we could even hear his side of the story through the media and they are not ashamed. Madisha claim to have some evidence that he gave money to Blade Nzimande, but the question is why is he rubbishing these claims? Blade Nzimande is one of those politicians who are media friendly, but this time he chose to hibernate does he have something to hide this time.

For those who are lucky to be at home around between 06h and 07h00 in the morning when we are on the road had the opportunity to listen to these guys. Madisha is so articulate I am sure most people will find his side of the story appealing. What will the findings of justice? In all fairness Madisha’s story sound genuine. Or am I being biased now? Joe Slovo must be turning in his grave lord have mercy.

U Vlok namagenge

I was in Pretoria High court this morning to see for myself Adriaan Vlok and his gang being sentenced.I must say 10 yrs and five year suspended was just a formality reallythe deal was done way before the court proceedings. I was doing a piece for Free Speech Radio, which is based in Canada. I gave them what they wanted to hear, but these are just my thoughts away from my profession. Interestingly both blacks and whites were outside protesting from different forums of course. There was a victims group called Khulumani having placards that have the picture of Vouter Basson written, “who gave poison to vlok”. This group as you would imagine was largely Black with some whites here and there, just few meters away it was another group of protesters all white with solidarity placards some with a small baby written “ANC killed this child”. Kellie Kriel from the Whites group, which later I was told is Afri-forum, explained their presence. They feel that ANC people including Letlapa Mphahlele of the PAC are having it easy whilst their heroes are being victimised. They were also singing “one justice for all” which was not really clear given the loud toyitoyi, which was coming from the khulumani support group side. Interesting enough Khulumani support group was not there to support the NPA they were opening for the truth that is all. I think this case was hyped up… there was a large contingency of Reporters from all works of life. Tshwane Metro police didn’t even close Vermeulen Street, despite all the traffic jam this case was causing. It will take decades for South Africans to reconcile only because black want to reconcile their way and whites want to reconcile differently. We all looking for the some thing but the strategies are so different because everyone thinks that the other one have an ulterior motive.

Violent protests

I hear the government feels the pressure of nationwide service delivery protests. National Council Of Provinces (NCOP) will be visiting municipalities I am not sure if that have anything to do with service delivery though. These protests combined with Khutsong and of course Matatiele prompted Justice Malala to say “Thabo Mbeki does not like black people”. Maybe he was over the top, but it is true that the president don’t listen to his voters. You may ask yourself why are we having such violent protests these days? In 2005 alone there were more than 6000 protests link to service delivery and less than a quarter of those were violent yet in 2007 almost all the protest marches turned violent. Do our municipalities listen to people? It seems like people are frustrated… they don’t know whom to talk to yet they are told there is economic boom.

When the government is suppose to help the poor out of their misery they tell us that we have two economies one white and rich and the other black and poor. It is true that majority of blacks (as in African) are very poor, but they don’t protest because they are poor they protest because the government treats them like second-class citizens. Unless the government improve service delivery the visits to local municipalities by National Council of Provinces (NCOP) won’t help. People have been patient enough… now they have lost hope they are doing anything possible that will make the government to listen to them even if that means disrupting schools, blockading the roads, stoning motorist etc. Will the visits by the NCOP to the poor communities yield any results? Only time will tell.

Madlala Routledge hero or villain?

Thabo does not shy away from controversy isn't he?He Fired Noziwe Madlala-Routledge and I think by that he is telling the ANC that staff your third term. he has obviously given up on aspirations of being the president of the ANC again. If we give him benefit of a doubt he did the right thing to show that he will not tolerate misunderstandings amongst his ministers. At the same time it would be even better if he were applying some sort of consistency. Parliament had been rocked by scandal after scandal and Thibo’s Kept quiet as a mouse. The travel gate scandal, Terror Lekota, Phumzile and a lot more actually if there can be a commission to investigate every Member of Parliament even if they are thought to be innocent South Africa would be surprised maybe not with the amount of corruption in that parliament.

But I also have some unanswered questions about Madlala Routledge. Is she the hero of the poor or another populist. Maybe South African a quick to make celebrities out of nothing remember Willem heath with heat commission he was doing great job but people made him celebrity too soon where is Hearth commission now? Jacob Zuma is another case the less we say about him the better.

Now Nozizwe Madlala Routledge, I have a sense that she was always trying to cross the floor (from Thabo’s camp to who ever takes over after Thabo) ahead of Limpopo Conference. If she is so passionate about the poor why is she only showing that now? Is it because she knows Thabo won’t be the president again? The timing leaves much to be desired. Listening to her on 702 I strongly believed that she was already in a campaign trail for the new president of the ANC. I think the sympathy vote is already in her bag, she will be the minister in the next government. I agree with Rouledge on other issues, and I believe that she is the victim of Manto/Mbeki whom I think planned her spectacular fall long time ago. She gave them the ammunition and Thabo didn’t hesitate to use it since he didn’t know if such a great chance would ever come again.

Who do we blame here… Madlala Routledge antics, or Mbeki’s insensitiveness or dictatorship? I was just thinking why did Sundaytimes wait for Mbeki to fire Routledge before exposing Manto’s drinking escapades ? That is a topic for another day.

SA soccer

On women’s day I did something that I should have done long time ago… watching my son play. I went to a multiracial soccer tournament at Lodium in Pretoria where my Eldest son Siyabonga was playing for the Young Eagles. I should have been with his mom instead we chose to go to the tournament. I have never seen him play because he keeps on changing sport. He used to play cricket and Rugby whilst we were in Cape Town. He never showed me any sign of liking soccer. He doesn’t even watch it on TV but he enjoy live games at the stadium. Back in Gauteng he plays cricket and soccer so I always thought that he doesn’t like soccer, but obviously I was wrong. I decided to start giving him my support. Boy those youngsters play enterprising soccer, we never had theses good tournaments in our days. The Biggest tournament we all looked forward to was Moloi Goodwill games which fortunately played in my township (Mapetla, SOWETO ). Judging by what I saw over this weekend and what expired at the SOWETO tournament, I think South Africa has a better future in soccer provided those Mafias at SAFA headquarter leave the office soon rather than later.

What happened to a fair play

Why players are not taking their sport serious these days or should I say all the time? I was thinking... why a player would hurt another player sometimes even end their careers in sport if they are doing it for the good of the sport, I recall the guy Called Steve Sekano who used to play for Moroka swallows. He was so ruthless player one would cringe whenever he attacks the ball. I remember he is also the guy who ended Dan Malesela’s career at Pirates (for the record I am not a Pirate fan or supporter or anything) But with years things have gone worse players are drinking themselves to oblivion… any one who can tell me where skpie Malatsi is, when last did you hear about Jabu Pule mesmerising the defence? This is not new even over seas there are cases like these the best know is that of George Best, Romario and Maradona. Do you Remember Tim Montgomery? Marion Jones boyfriend… tested positive for using steroids and Marion Jones went beset when she was investigated for using illegal substances. But I was not surprised her ex-husband CJ Hunter was also a druggy. Jones made millions of dollars for her running but Guess what? She is broke as a church mouse now blames it on drugs. Now is the turn of the cycling world Tour De France 2007 was a substance playground naming people would chow most of your time, but it was the worst in the history of cycling so I heard I am not a cycling fan. What I have asking myself is why players would risk damaging their sport. Was there really a need for people to be tested if they know that they must not use banned substance. Other even have mettle to challenge the powers that be and claim innocence Sorry Hezakiel Sepeng you are one of them. I hope he learnt a lesson from the experience. Keep the passion stop cheating yourself … you worked hard to be where you are or did you?