South African democracy seems to be an outlandish

                                                           Our democracy is frightening

Picture By: Lentswe Serotsa

We all know that South Africa is run by corrupt people. One can say much about the scandals that have been happening in our country that we are been fooled by our representatives. After reading and following cases that has been happening in our country since the beginning of the year up until now, I found that our government doesn’t do their work properly and they tend to fool us by portraying themselves as good fellow citizens who do their work accurately. Like for instance, if we can look at what Malema and his fellow colleagues did and/or that case of our former SAPS General (Bheki Cele), one can argue why didn’t they find them guilty and be sent to jail instead of dismissing them. One can argue that why are still continuing to select dishonest people to represent us and/or are we threatened by what happened to our parents back in the days.  

Now the question is that why didn’t they let them to suffer for their consequences or is there anything that they don’t want us to discover?

ANC members matching for 

democracy in the early ninties 

It's difficult to believe that people are pocketing so much money, and have so much privilege, while the masses suffer in shacks. Now I tend to question myself what is democracy as I see no improvement in the lives of black poor majority especially those living in rural areas. We need to stand together and support one another but as I look as this, it doesn’t seem like we are united and showing Ubuntu.

We need to lead by an example to other countries as we are been known for our good deeds and be reckoned for our effective service delivery.

Let’s not disappoint our fore-fathers who fought for us to have democracy and let’s continue building what they started. Let’s be united and showcase our talents and our capabilities

Malema allegedly charged with money-laundering



PICTURE: AP

The expelled ANC Youth League president claimed that certain members of the media conspired against him with the "dictatorship" and that they would not cover certain events, in the same way police had prevented him from addressing mine workers at Marikana. We all witnessed how he sold dreams to impressionable miners and militants, almost encouraging them to continue striking and as a consequence losing money daily, free from their immediate struggle, mainly being each worker returning to their poor families with nothing more than the possibility of an increase in wages. You may argue that the negotiations had a positive outcome because the worker did eventually get the increase, but this agreement was reached without Malema.

 

I salute him for undertaking to present him voluntarily at court, without the need to be arrested. As I have read this issue from different newspapers, he claimed that it is not necessary for him to be arrested as he recorded his undertaking to hawks and the NPA last year. If he did managed to do that, I think he shows that everything he does is important and he want to show us that he is a good leader and such leaders are needed.  For now there is no evidence that shows us that he is guilty and let’s not exaggerates and let the court do what they are capable of (prosecuting those who are found guilty).

According to media 24, "Analysts... analyze it [Malema's appearance] in a manner in which you can see anger. It is not influenced or guided by any other thing but the hatred of a man." And if our representatives continue doing so, our government will part-ways and South Africa will have a bad image. They shouldn’t let their emotions to interfere to this matter.

Malema says his life is in danger

“Julius Malema says his life is in danger because of a conspiracy against him by President Jacob Zuma and several ministers”.

Julias Malema during a visit from Marikana Miners. Picture
by: Itumeleng Mosetlha

According to Mail & Guardian, Malema wanted Zuma to step down as president, because he together with Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa and Justice Minister Jeff Radebe were "compromised. This began when Zuma militarised police, adding that any ANC leader in KwaZulu-Natal who questioned Zuma's leadership and his policy stances "disappeared". He was referring to mineworkers in Marikana, who went on strike more than a month ago, demanding a salary increase of R12 500. The strikers agreed on a settlement with management on Tuesday evening. This personal vendetta against these people could put the lives of innocent people in danger and it could lead our Government to part ways. Such tendencies must be avoided as we don’t want to lose our representatives.

Malema have caused so much drama and our government must remove him permanently from his role, never let him to interfere in whatever will be happening. As I have been following this issue for so long now, these personal vendettas of theirs could have been avoided if he (Malema) did not include himself at the Marikana incident in the first place and never bad mouth other people. Malema is the one to be blamed and no one else. He has caused more conflicts since he has been removed from being our ANC youth league president and I think he want to cause more conflicts amongst us (people) and those who represent us in the Government by wanting to convey to us how he has been threatened and receiving death threats.  

Why can’t he accept that he is no longer part of the ANC and let those who are in charge to do their jobs properly?

Malema urges mine people to strike for five days a month

What tremendous persuader Malema is?



Marikana miners during strike held on Sunday. PICTURE BY:

Itumeleng Molekomme.



 I have been following this incident for the past months and nothing have ever happened. Why can’t they just give workers what they want and leave this so called crisis they are facing?  The miners had gone to strike again on Sunday (09/092012) as they were been influenced by Malema to continue doing so. It so sad for them to work so hard and never been paid the way they are expected to be paid (R12 500).

According to Malema, “There must be a national strike at all the mines until Frans Baleni and the Num leadership step down with immediate effect," Malema told a packed stadium at the Gold Fields KDC West gold mine near Carletonville, where 15 000 workers are on strike.

As I’ve been looking at this issue, I guess things wouldn’t go back to normal until everything is been settled down and the two parties must come to an agreement on the terms they would have drafted to implement.  The Impala Platinum Holdings [JSE: IMP] have lost lot of money due to this crisis and such could be avoided by giving the workers what they want. According to Media 24, the strike cost it R2.8bn as South Africa holds 80% of global platinum reserves and produces nearly 75% of world needs. This issue caused our Country's market value to drop. We need to stand together and pressurize the unions to settled down as this could ruin what we had built for our country.  

"Lets be united and help the Miners to get what they deserve to be paid" 

Marikana incident: It can create chaos to South African citizens

What a tremendous incident to Marikana peoples. How can our police force do such thing as they are supposed to protect us and not to kill us?

UP IN ARMS: Workers from Marikana Mine in Rusten-
burg during their illegal strike. PHOTO: A. MACHUVE

I’ve been following this issue for the past few days and nothing happened in arresting those who killed innocent people. Aren’t our government supposed to treat everybody equally and never let personal vendettas to interfere. 

It so sad and painful incident as many people have lost their lives fighting for their own freedom and expressing how they felt they have been robbed (earning R4000 per month compared to the wok they have to do on daily basis).According to Media 24, 34 of the protesters were killed, 78 people were injured, and 259 were arrested in Thursday’s violence.

Those innocent people that were killed had the opportunity to strike, using their labour rights and they never thought things could turn so badly. Our operational system need to take part and pressurize those who are investigating to uplift their investigational efforts as this could affect and create chaos amongst us (South Africans) if this could take time to gather evidence and people could get fuss if  they don’t get enough evidence about what caused the incident.

We need not to take justice with our own hands and wait for our Govenment to resolve this issue. Let's stand together as we were before the incident and never let such incident to ever happen again. Let's send our condolences to those who lost their loved ones as they are in need for our support.

                                         "LET'S BE UNITED AND SHOW UBUNTU"

Tokyo: “I love Zille”

What a tremendous statement made by our Human Settlement minister, Tokyo Sexwale.



File photo-Housing Minister Tokyo Sexwale and Western Cape

Premier Helen Zille chat at the opening of the three day cabinet

Lekgotla. Picture :Etienne Creux



After reading the article in media 24, I felt like our South African government needs to be together and continue supporting one another. Tokyo has showed us that being united is truly good indeed. Tokyo Sexwale is a great iconic legend as he doesn’t allow his personal vendetta to ruin what our legend had fought for.

According to media 24, Tokyo did not take the opportunity to attack the DA or Zille for failing to deliver on election promises.  Instead, he stressed the problem is a national project which can only succeed with co-operation between national, provincial and local government. In his statement, “he greatly value the partnership between the three spheres of government as this is necessary for service delivery,”

Our Political Parties need not to discriminate one another but help each other in terms of service delivery and what they promised the public. They need to work hand in hand with each other to uplift the spirit of South Africa and what they (our legend) had built.

If we South African can continue doing so, we will be united and our country will be reckoned and/or recognized for their good deeds.

“Zuma could be kicked out”

‘Jacob Zuma could be ousted, if he is re-elected at the ANC’s Conference’.

Picture: M. Pritchard

I been following this issue for the past few months and I’ve noticed that most of our representatives no longer care for one another. Zuma have caused chaos amongst ourselves and if this issue is not been resolve sooner, our country will experience more hatred and we will no longer be united. His re-election could even split the party. 

According to Gumede, Zuma only seems to have support in three provinces: KwaZulu- Natal, Mpumalanga, and the Free State, and his position is not as secure as he would have liked. “Zuma also have divided support in the trade union, and there might be strong enough support for his ousting a year or two after Mangaung.  I hope it’s time for us to part-take in this issue and vote for those who deserves to be elected and represent us.

Most of the people who were expelled seemed to be happy as they have hope that he (Zuma) will be kicked out during election time in December at Mangaung. Zuma have destroyed what our iconic leaders have built and this is not how we expected our country to be run. Let us continue to build what our true legends have started and embrace their contributions in building the future for tomorrow. Let’s look at this issue carefully because our future could be at stake.

LET’S SHOW UBUNTU AND NEVER DESTROY OUR COUNRTY

Textbook crisis a failer to students and the Govt

What a tremendous exposure to the pupils of Limpopo. How can such thing happen without anyone realising how this pupils have suffered for the past seven(7) months? 



Mrs Gordiner during the conference

meeting held at Cape Town



The textbook crisis will cost our pupils to fail as they won't have enough time to prepare themselves for the next coming exams. It seems that the Limpopo education department does not care much about their pupils and this will create bad image for our country. The education department have violated the student's right and it has caused a national furore after more than 5000 schools were left without textbook. 

According to Nadine Gordimer, "it is the (education) minister's responsibility to make sure that the textbook are ordered in time and delivered at the right time to schools".

If our Government could make sure that this thing never happen again, our passed rate could increase and the teachers will have more time to prepare lessons and the pupils will have more time to prepare for  exams.

Our Government should spend more time in monitoring our schools performance and  have more inspirational  people who will motivate and tell our learners that it is never to late to do best and achiave best results. Let us all part-take in helping the Government to change their mentality and build the future for tomorrow. Let's all embrace our nation and be united.    

The ill-treating of the student by fellow schoolmates



A group of learners are refusing to go to school after they

were racially abused by their fellow schoolmates.

A group of learners are refusing to return to school after they were racially abused by their fellow pupils and even their teacher.

South Africa seems to have those people who are still racist. I read a story about them (little children) and how they were mistreated by their fellow pupils as well as the teacher.

 What message does this bring to us the South Africans?

It seems there are still minority of people who still continue mistreating other people because of their colour or culture. This is not good at all and it can create chaos among the South Africans. As we South Africans, we need to take care and respect one another and show people from outside how united we are. We need to embrace our nation and show Ubuntu at all times.

This kind of treatment isn’t good at all because even those bullies wouldn’t want to be treated the way they had treated the bullied children. It’s so embarrassing to their teacher to allow such thing to happen and for her to continue doing so.  What does she teach to the little ones? She was supposed to play an example and lead those children not to ill-treat other children and treat them equally. If we South Africans continue to do so, there would not be Ubuntu and we will bring our  childrens' future at stake. So South Africans, lets think first before doing something that can harm others and/or ruin their lives. 

No ways to pay for e-toll roads

GOGO SAYS STOP: Young and old took part in the protests

organised by COSATU against the e-tolling on Gauteng's

highways. Picture by KATHERINE MUICK-MERE

What comes to mind about the E-tolling system and what does it bring at stake?

Early in 2000 we heard stories about how our government want to improve and renovate our roads and many people did not have any problems with it. But now everything has turned bitterly and sourly when we  heard about this E-tolling system. Last week events, which put the brakes on the Gauteng highway tolling project, hold many lessons for the governing and the governed.

Atleast after such a long time here comes wonderful news about this issue that we have dealt with in the past weeks. This e-tolling system is no good to the publics as we all know that many people would not afford what we have been charged. In the hue and cry about the tolls, the central conversation was not always about the rands and cents, it was about how people felt. They were shocked about what they will pay because it shows that there was no proper period of national conversation and debate.

Picture: Itumeleng English

There have been a masive resistance to e-tolling, which prompted urgent court action to halt its implementation. In its chaotic bids to introduce the e-tolling, the government made many mistakes, as did the ANC.

We need to place far less reliance on our government and far more on ourselves. Our future depends not on whether we have good representative members (government) but on whether we have a society in which citizens can be heard. We should judge our present and future not by whether we are led by genuises and saints, but by whether we have the space to ensure that the government does what we want it to do. If there is a need to intervene at a later stage, we will do so.

Malema in hot water over staff wage

Mr Julius Malema during the interview with the Daily News

Jounalist

What an embarrassing moment to our suspended ANC youth league president, Mr Julius Malema. How can he not afford to pay his gardener what he owes him?

It feels so sad to be mistreated by those who feels that the world belongs to them and they can do whatever they want to do.

According to the Daily News, the gardener (Mr Mabuza) said he worked for Malema for more than four years. He was introduced to the  youth league president by an estate agent and he enjoyed working for him even when they moved to Sandton. It shows that Mr Mabuza still enjoy working for Malema but all he want is his money (R1200). So all i want to know is whether Malema will pay him all the money he owes him and/or will he still continue defending himself because  he do know that he had not payed his gardener for two months.

Rumours were spreading and even his ex-employee, Mrs Rebecca Masia, told the journalist how Malema told her about not working for him any longer. And as we know how our Government operates, it is not good to retrench someone or somebody without having any valid reason why you doing so. It shows that there are still people who undermines domestic workers and this must come to an end.

What kind of a leader is he? He is an inspiration to some young people and he must stop doing so and start to treat people with respect and care for them.

The Cosatu and ANC alliance will still survive

Picture : Itumeleng Motsisi

Predicting the end of the alliance between the Cosatu and ANC is a popular pastime among commentators. It is likely to remain so for a long time.

The Cosatu's protest march early in march, reports that the leaders of the ANC are angry towards what Zwelinzima Vavi claim that "economic apartheid" is still in place and  Vavi's insistence that he will not be a candidate for the ANC's national executive, have been seized by reporters who have been convinced that this time the alliance is falling apart. Like everyone who has predicted this before, they are likely sure to be dissapointed. Those who claim the alliance may not survive have short memories, for nothing has happpened to Cosatu's relationship with the ANC now which has not happened before.

There have been other stayaways in  protest at the government actions and other heated exchanges between the two.

Vavi's unwillingness to serve on the ANC's executive is not new-he took the same stance at Polokwane five years ago, because he said he wanted to devote his energy and time to represent workers. Nor are the unionists saying anything that suggest they want to separate from the ANC. The unionists know they need the alliance with the ANC because without it, relatively union-freindly labour laws might not survive.

Yes, Cosatu has again reminded us (people) that it can mobilise tens of thousands. But the ANC knows that it cannot do that often enough to force it and the government to shift positions. It retains protection for unions and their members because it want to keep the allliance partner, not because it is scared of stayaways.

Mr  Jacob Zuma and COSATU leader,

Mr Vavi at the conference meeting

held in Pretoria

Apart from that, unionists and most of their members see themselves as part of the ANC family, as does the ANC itself. So this round of conflict is, like the previous ones,not about whether Cosatu should stay in the alliance. It is about who call for the shorts in the allliance. This has been reality since it came up with the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) before the first democratic elections in the hope that this will force an ANC government to implement union and  worker-friendly policies.



Battles within the alliance are often about the real differences of  opinion, over what the ANC should be. Part of this is about policy-in particular on how much  should be done to alliviate poverty and inequality. Until that happens, the kind of tensions we have seen in the past will still continue.

E-tolling is the people's enemy

What comes to mind on the topic of e-tolling is an evident shortage of balanced views. Perhaps that speaks to how divisive an issue e-tolling has become not only to Gauteng residents but to the country as a whole. It is clear that on this matter people come from different social and class realities that inform their respective views.But was it not in dispute is that congregation on our highways is a reality, and unless addressed properly, Gauteng will come to a standstill in a few short years. It is also indisputable that less congestion in highways means less fuel consumption and fewer green house gas emissions.

However, the pertinent question is whether e-tolling is the solution to the problem. I think not. Firstly, are politicians, the very people behind taxing us for using Gauteng highways, prepared to pay a cent from their own pockets for using the same roads as the rest of us?Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane was quick to register her official car for e-tag. It is not the taxpayers that will foot politicians' travel bill? How greedy and how self serving are they?

Picture: Itumeleng English

It is not disconcerting that politicians already earn hefty salaries, yet some cant resist stealing from the public purse to pay what they claim to be fair and reasonable e-toll tariffs?

This is too controversial and provide enough reasons to shelve the e-tolling idea. To suggest this project will go ahead against our will is asking for trouble. On this issue, i support Cosatu 100%. There are many things that we are not happy with as far as the government's performance is concerned.

What the government needs to do is role out Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) across all townships, invest in a viable public transport system equivalent  to those of the European cities on which Gauteng e-toll are modelled and invest in building and renovating alternative roads to the freeways. Zwelinzima Vavi is not the enemy, e-tolling is the enemy.

SCA decision making dissapointed the ANC and Cosatu

The ANC and Cosatu has voiced its dissappointment at the supreme court of appeal (SCA) ruling the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to produce the record of its 2009 decision to drop or suspend criminal charges against our ANC president, Jacob Zuma. Earlier, "the judgement held that the NPA must make available requested record of decisions it used when then acting National director of charges against Jacob Zuma, She (helen Zille) told reporters at the parliament.

According to the court, they ruled that the record to be handed over should exclude written representations made on behalf of our president, Jacob Zuma, and any productions that would breach confidentiality agreements. According to what it is noted in the Citizen, the SCA judgement affirmed that the decision to discontinue a prosecution can be reviewable by the court, and that the DA, as a political party, has a legal  standing to bring such a review application.

Responding to a question on how Helen Zille thought the matter would now move forward, she suggested that "the longest route of delay would be followed" by Zuma and his legal team. And she mentioned that corruption charges had "hang over" Zuma long before he was elected as our president for the ANC". I agree with what Helen Zille said because South Africans have the right to know what the defence is to those allegations, and whether there is a substance in them or not- after all, he is still the president of our country.

"it is now clear that democracy can be undermined by simply approaching court to reverse any decision arrived at by a qualified organ of state". Earlier  this month, the court ordered the NPA to "produce and lodge" the record of the decision with the registrar of the court within 14 days and the DA was the first appellant in the case.

An apology atlast to ANC leaders

The suspended ANC youth league leader Julius Malema apologised to leaders of the ANC on the talk show (Asikhulume) on sunday night (11/03/2012). According to articles that were written and/or published by media 24 and The NEW AGE, the embattled ANC youth league leader Julius Malema pleaded to the ruling party not to expel him after making a rare public apology for critising them as to moderate in their policies. He said he had done nothing wrong by calling for nationalisation of mines and the seizure of white owned land. He ( Malema) thought that he was making a  contribution  through  strengthening the movement as required by the constitution of the ANC youth league to support the movement.

During the interview with Vuyo Mvoko, he asked to be allowed to stay as the ANC member, saying being a member was "His life" and that he had joined the movement  at an early age (9 years) during the anti apartheid. He pleaded to the movement to leave him with his ANC membership card because the imagination of being outside is scary for him and he don't have anything except ANC.


Our president made a good thing to expel Malema permanently today and we hope to see change as time goes by. Lets support our  movement and be patiently towards them as change will be made and everything will go back to their roots. Malema caused many troubles for the movement, thinking that there is no one who can tell him what not to do and that he is above the law. I salute you Mr president for what you did and hope others will learn from what you did to our former ANC youth league president.

The end of Malema

Not long ago, Julius Malema was the golden boy of South Afica but now everything had turned sourly and bitterly to the ANC's youth league former president .The ANC's youth league supporters urinated on Julias Malema T-shirt and set it alight. The majority supporters describe Malema as a repeat offender who failed to show remorse or respect the desciplinary structures of the organisation after causing trouble for the ANC's.

Malema propagated racism and political intolerence for his utternances, influencing his supporters to treat the whites as criminals for stealing land from blacks. He immensely enriched himself by using his position in the ANC youth league to divert attention for himself through claiming the existence of"Dark forces" against the ANC.

He has been defiant all through the disciplinary hearing and scored a hallowed victory by being allowed to argue in the mitigation of the sentence against his five year suspension.

If Malema continued to be protected and being defended by the ANC and retains his position, there will be written walls in this country. Everyone can see that Malema is stirring troubles on behalf of others.