Education continues to take a back seat in South Africa

Not so long ago the liberation forces in South Africa entrenched the idea that the people should forgo their education in favour of fighting for freedom from the yoke of apartheid. Slogans such as “liberation before education” were common in the townships where the majority of South Africans were confined to live.

It was perhaps not the wisest of decisions because it burdened the country with a whole generation of people not quite ready for the demands of a free and democratic society. Leaders such as Nelson Mandela realised that education was a necessity to ensure a stable and prosperous democracy, but sadly that seems to fallen by the wayside as our current leaders embrace immorality and avarice as a means to an end.

It is hard to not notice how standards in education have fallen year on year, and while the people complain, the leaders just thumb their noses at us in response. The choice of Angie Motshekga as Basic Education Minister by President Jacob Zuma, was just another in a series of atrocious decisions by him. Choosing Blade Nzimande as Minister of Higher Education was no less abominable. When Angie does not bury her head in the sand in the face of warranted criticism, she has it jammed firmly up her backside. Blade on the other hand spends more time regurgitating obsolete revolutionary rhetoric, than doing anything worth mentioning for education.

The choice of these two incompetent wastrels, is a clear indication that the ANC government is not serious about taking education forward. Indeed, they seem to neither have the faintest idea how to accomplish this, nor the inclination to at least try.

Meanwhile the penchant to denigrate western standards of education by some apologists of Zuma and the government, don’t help matters at all. This writer believes that spending time behind a classroom desk should not be the only option available to learners. He seems to think that “…gathering plants for food, hunting wild animals, rearing cattle, planting crops, running initiation schools, slaughtering cattle or goats for ancestral rituals, paying tribute to kings, attending traditional courts, even engaging in war,” constitutes a viable alternative.

South Africa is headed for serious calamity in the near future if something drastic is not done to advance the cause for education. It’s a great pity then, that our current crop of leaders seem to favour majority rule as a means to change the world.

ANC: The struggle continues?

In their centenary year, the ANC seem keen to make it known that it has been a struggle all along. Even though the last 17 or so years have been spent in charge of South Africa, they will tell you that it has been tough at the top of the pile.

Every failure while governing – and boy does that happen with regularity – was the fault of apartheid, uncooperative Whites, a third force hell-bent on making them fail, and even the Devil himself. Yes, there were successes, a lot of them, but scales are tipping in the wrong direction in the last few years, more especially since Jacob Zuma assumed the reigns after booting out AIDS-denialist, Thabo Mbeki.

The ANC spent the last week, and R40 million (if reports are to be believed), in an euphemistically named Policy Conference. From what we’ve been hearing coming out of that talk-shop, it was nothing more than a very expensive pow-wow to talk utter rubbish about utter rubbish. The only occurrence of note, was when some of the delegates came to actual blows – again if news reports are to be believed.

And while the ANC was yammering inanities at the Gallagher Estate Conference venue, flanked by huge banners reminding everyone of that famous 100-year struggle, it seems that thousands of undelivered school textbooks were being burned in the Limpopo Province, while replacement textbooks had still not been delivered to schools, 6 months into the academic year. The pathetic Minister under whose watch this shambles occurred, seems largely unconcerned. Some of their more pathetic supporters [check out one Dave Harris in the comments section of the blog by William Saunderson-Meyer, referenced above] actually wants us to belive that the late (6 months?) delivery of textbooks is not a biggie.

Now imagine if R40 million (admittedly an exaggeration) worth of catering was not delivered on time to this so-called Policy Conference. I’m willing to bet big dollars that the visibly portly ANC delegates at this talk-shit-shop would have been up in arms.

What an absolute disgrace? The phrase Aluta Continua that the ANC and its struggle allies bandy about so freely, is actually a corruption of the Portuguese phrase “A luta continua, vitória é certa,” which means “The struggle continues, victory is certain.”

In my mind, there is no doubt that the struggle by the ANC indeed continues… the struggle to hide the theft, corruption, incompetence, lies, misogyny, backstabbing, racism, hatred, ignorance, idiocy, arrogance, self-serving, cheating, conniving, bling etc. etc. etc. that so characterizes this fallen organization, after the departure of Nelson Mandela.

And what is certain, is not victory. No, the victory belongs to the ANC only, not to the people…

The march for economic freedom, or the Juju shuffle up the M1

"picked" from jacarandafm.com

His name is Juju, otherwise known as Julius Malema, and heads up the youth wing of the African National Congress (ANC) – you’ll be amazed how much trouble an empty head can both cause, and get into.

Haven’t heard of him huh? That’s okay. You’re probably not from South Africa, and you have your own problems with scumbag politicians fucking up your own country. Right?

Anyway over here in sunny South Africa, Juju has been in the news far too much recently. His big mouth, and dubious lifestyle has got him into a heap of trouble, most notably with his parent organization the ANC, who also happen to run the country…more or less, mostly less. I’m not so sure if he’s in much trouble with the law. We all suspect [with good reason] that his parent organization owns the law and can make any trouble they’re in, disappear – much like our taxes.

His trouble with the ANC is believed to be because he is at loggerheads with a certain faction within the organization who in turn is at loggerheads with a certain other faction within the rotting carcase that was once headed by Nelson Mandela. We can’t be 100% certain of this, but most knowledgeable people seem to think so.

There was a time when Juju was 100% for the leader of the ruling faction [most South Africans will remember that this was around the time when it was revealed that Juju scored only 20% for woodwork at school]. Since then he’s become a whole lot fatter, and it’s thought that this could be due to all the tenders he’s been scoring for being 100% for the leader. But all that’s changed now and if we follow everything we’re being fed in the news, Juju’s 100% for himself only.

A little while ago, someone [bastard - may the fleas of a thousand camels...] whispered in Juju’s ear that “political freedom is useless without economic freedom” and he interpreted it to mean that all mines should be nationalised, jobs be handed out to the unemployable, and shares on the stock exchange be distributed freely among the people. Since this epiphany, Juju has hung onto this silly dogma like a hungry you know what.

Which leads us to today and this silly march up or alongside the M1, from Johannesburg to the Stock Exchange Building in Sandton. Juju has branded it the “March for Economic Freedom,” although it’s debatable whether he understands anything about the economy or freedom for that matter. Juju is becoming quite the politician – by being very adept at misleading and exploiting the common people.

Those of us who work hard for the pittance we earn, know that this march is all about demanding for shit that you don’t want to work for. It’s just an extension of the culture of entitlement that the ANC has worked very hard to cultivate over nearly two decades in office, while simultaneously fucking up the country. Yes, it’s commonly thought that their biggest achievement in all that time was to learn how to raid the treasury effortlessly, while sidestepping every attempt to hold them accountable.

Yeah, Juju, you know what? No amount of marching or singing or dancing is going to suddenly make jobs appear, mines to become nationalised or shares to be distributed. You may have convinced 5000 [estimated] gullible idiots to shuffle along the M1 to your delusional tune, but all that’s generated so far is howls of laughter.

March on into the Indian Ocean, you pompous numbskull…

Do it for the Dude?

M&G - Zapiro

The song Do It Like a Dude by British artist Jesse J has kinda grown on me. I was immediately reminded of it when I heard that Julius Malema, President of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) was calling for people to “Do it for Mandela” by voting for the ANC in the upcoming local government elections.

However, instead of grabbing my crotch, I felt like grabbing a very big gun to silence this silly prat, for good.

I thought the ANC had built their palace in Desperationville when President Jacob Zuma recently called for people to vote for the ANC in order to get a ticket into heaven. Julius Malema has now raised the bar…or lowered it below ground zero to be more precise.

The crass speech delivered by this ignorant clod in Port Elizabeth contained the following depraved plea:

President Mandela is sick and you don’t want to contribute to a worsening condition of Mandela by not voting ANC. President Mandela will never endure if the ANC is out of power.

It seems the ANC have abandoned their appeal to coarse religion for now, but have insulted one of the greatest men in South Africa by using him as a substitute ploy for their narrow and deceitful political agenda.

The ANC through Julius Malema have now sunk into the sewers of Desperationville, where they ultimately belong.

The ANC: The rot within breaks the surface

Image via Wikipedia

There have been many times when I bought a rosy apple, only to later find the ugly rot that lay hidden under the surface. Such is the ANC in South Africa today.

The only difference is that apples don’t try so desperately to hide its rotten core…

I think I’ve now finally seen it all. There is no stunt that the ANC can pull that will ever surprise me again. They just keep getting worse…only now I expect only the worst. You’d have to be one of their really ignorant supporters to not have noticed that the inner rot that is slowly decimating this once-proud liberation organisation, is starting to break the surface in an ugly inflammation that threatens the fragile new order of attempted democracy. The only question is, will the end of the ANC be a dull implosion or a spectacular explosion.

The liberators have become afflicted with the disease they fought so valiantly (so we thought) to destroy – the multi-headed beast representing hegemony, corruption, larceny, self-interest, cronyism, deception, contempt, abuse of human rights. Only now, they prefer to be known as revolutionaries; or is that just the mugs in the Youth League. One never can tell, because the elders work hard at being bigger mugs.

The liberation dreams of Nelson Mandela turned into a Orwellian nightmare by the current leader and his cronies.

Such is the stuff of Hollywood movies, but Africa is living it daily, from Swaziland and Zimbabwe (and now South Africa) to the Mediterranean Sea; the African Peoples both indigenous and settlers, are at the mercy of a coterie of unfeeling, unthinking, self-indulgent, self-interested monsters who masquerade as leaders.

But I digress.

Let’s get back to the ANC and how the rot is finally breaking the surface. In a matter of a few weeks:

1. The President of the country reveals what a religious retard he is by claiming that a ticket to heaven can be secured by voting for the ANC.
2. The ANC-appointed Commissioner of Police is found to have committed some serious transgressions in his management of the Police Services, which the Public Protector, in her wisdom declined to label as criminal. The thinking public however know that when something smells this bad, it sure as hell is not dead roses.
3. Elements of the police try to intimidate the Public Protector in apparent retaliation, but we’re not supposed to make that kind of conclusion.
4. The official spokesperson of the ANC-government demonstrates that racism is not just confined to the pale skins.
5. A senior, but well-respected  Minister in the ANC government has to publicly rebuke the spokesperson for his blatant racism and stupidity.
6. The war veterans of the ANC, popularly known as the MKMVA engage is a war of words with the Youth wing of the ANC, the ANCYL, over the President’s rather dubious relationship with some rich, but seriously dodgy Indian businessmen, and their rather obvious influence over the government. It’s a classic case of the ANC’s waning geriatrics versus their kindergarten delinquents. Off course it’s not hard, for thinking, even non-thinking people to suspect that where there’s smoke…
7. The President still refuses to speak out explicitly against known despots around Africa [one very noticeably on our doorstep], even one that is facing a revolt from his own people who is likely to topple him quite soon. Instead he prefers to bury his head in the sand, refusing to acknowledge that a popular revolt is certainly entirely possible in South Africa – because he has this spectacularly ignorant (or is it naive) notion that we are different to the rest of Africa because we have regular democratic elections.

The last item perhaps is an indicator of why there is such blatant disdain for the citizens of South Africa, from the ANC. They have this arrogant belief that since they were voted into power by the majority of the population, that fact alone lends credence to their claim to “rule until Jesus returns,” and perception of invincibility at the polls. Until such time as more people taste the emancipation that real education delivers, the majority of the South African public are supposed to buy such delusional utterances as that of the Libyan leader, that the  ”people love their leader.”

In the South African context, democracy is but an illusion. The fact that we have different leaders who rule govern makes no difference; the ruling Party still pulls the strings here, including those that control the ruler. Why can’t all the people see that – different ring masters, same circus?

Kanye West’s tribute to Jacob Zuma’s government

When I first heard the song Runaway by Kanye West on the radio, I thought it was the most atrocious thing I had heard for a long while. Since then……………I have not changed my mind; however I do believe that it could be the most appropriate tribute for Jacob Zuma’s cabinet, especially after the Democratic Alliance’s 2010 rating of this obscene collection of misfits [the only notable exception being Pravin Gordhan for demonstrating exceptional competence in turning the South African Revenue Service around, and now running a functioning Finance Ministry].

Off course, the Finance Ministry has always been a shining light in the ANC government’s cabinets since Nelson Mandela [another exception] appointed Chris Liebenberg in 1994. The obvious reason being that money seems to be the most important concern of our liberators from Apartheid; money that can’t seem to stop finding its way into the back pockets of these revolutionaries and their cronies.

Anyway, you know the whole sordid story of how liberators liberate us from our wealth…

Here’s the chorus of the song Runaway; I don’t want to bore you with the rest of the crappy lyrics and ridiculously long video.

Let’s have a toast for the douchebags,

Let’s have a toast for the assholes,

Let’s have a toast for the scumbags,

Every one of them that I know

Let’s have a toast to the jerkoffs,

That’ll never take work off

Baby I got a plan

Run away fast as you can

Free them day

Tomorrow, South Africa will celebrate Freedom Day. Strangely it is not about celebrating true freedom, but, as an official government website puts it, celebrating South Africa’s first democratic elections on 27 April 1994 when millions of South Africans, for the first time, exercised their right to vote.

Yes, that’s right, South Africans are being expected to celebrate the right to cast a vote. By calling it Freedom Day, the government expects you to believe that casting a vote is the equivalent of being free.

It’s been 16 years since Nelson Mandela’s ANC liberated us from the yoke of Apartheid. We’ve been voting ever since, but are the majority of our citizens truly free? The price that is being paid for the right to vote, has not been comprehended by the vast majority of South Africa’s population. They have been skillfully manipulated by the post-Polokwane ANC  into thinking that they have freedom which should be guarded at all costs, through the shrewd invoking of that non-existent threat of Apartheid. Much like religion and the clerics do, with the threat of everlasting torment in a non-existent Hell. [I can't help comparing politicians to clerics; they're so much alike]

What’s happened in 16 years? We’ve joined the democratic world. The people are free to vote for anyone they’ve been manipulated into choosing. That’s how democracy works in the modern era, isn’t it? Politicians don’t want you thinking freely; they want you voting freely.

So, as you ponder your so-called freedom tomorrow, consider how those you have entrusted with your vote, have responded…or not. Consider calling on your government to free you from the vicious circle of lies, incompetence and corruption that characterizes their administration.

I’ll leave you to reflect further, with a YouTube video from Pat Condell who, although more well-known for his religious frankness, might as well have been talking about the South African political situation, in this commentary about the upcoming English elections:

The South African government – generous in taking, not in giving

What a bunch of heartless, cheap-skate bastards we have in government? Imagine the insult, pledging a lousy fucking R1-million to the humanitarian effort in Haiti, following the devastating earthquake that struck there earlier this week.

These thieving douche-bags have spent far more money on cars and other luxuries for themselves in the last few months. What do they think a paltry R1-million is going to do?

It gets worse. The SA government is harboring Jean-Bertrand Aristide, former President of Haiti, ousted in a coup in 2004, and accused of gross human rights violations and embezzlement of funds. The cost to the government (actually the taxpaying citizens) of this sanctuary is reported to be in excess of R1.5-million a month. Put into context with the pledge of aid to Haiti, this only leaves one disgusted and extremely angry.

Whatever else you can say about the ANC-led South African government, they have always been consistent in pursuing the ideals of self-interest, ever since the departure of Nelson Mandela. I wonder what he thinks of this latest insult to the people.

Shame on you, NANCY

The ANC (African National Congress) which celebrated its 98th anniversary on the 8th of January, has in recent times become a shadow of the principled, honourable organization it once was. Men of integrity such as Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu have long since given way to a new class of leadership which styles itself around self-interest and loathsome behaviour, reminiscent of power-hungry dictators all over the world.

A post-apartheid ANC earned the right of governing the new South Africa, with honour and distinction. That was little more than 15 years ago. Now,  true leadership has become a distant memory. The right to lead and govern is no longer earned; it is now demanded. In ANC circles, this is the age of entitlement.

It seems this new breed of ANC leadership have learnt well from the mistakes of despots such as Robert Mugabe. Why hang around for more than 25 years and then raid the treasury? Better to raid the treasury in the beginning of your term of office, then live off the fat for the next 25 years, or as long as you can still rig the vote.

Not that the ANC have ever rigged the vote, but it is not in their interest to rule brazenly, in the dictatorial fashion of Robert Mugabe; not yet anyway. There’s much work to be done – appease, placate, sweet-talk the sheeple, while the taxes roll in. Then, as Patricia de Lille, leader of the opposition Independent Democrats commented on a television show recently, “loot the treasury.”

Traces of the work ahead for the ANC could be found in leader of the ANC, Jacob Zuma’s New Year speech in the Northern Cape on Saturday. The usual platitudes were in abundance. While conceding that local Municipalities were in near disarray because employees also held leadership positions in the ANC  which caused the “blurring of political and administrative roles,” he promised that the ANC would “tighten its deployment procedures.” He was quoted as saying:

We will tighten our deployment procedures to ensure that we deploy comrades with political integrity and professional competence.

Where will he find these “comrades?” Political integrity and professional competence is almost unheard of within the ANC today. And surely not in the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) which traditionally spawned leadership greats such as Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo. The Youth League of today is noted for producing pin-heads such as Julius Malema and other misfits, more suited to rabble-rousing than leadership or administration.

Right now, this new breed of leadership needs to own up to having sullied the memory of this once great organization, and as penance, change its name to the New-ANC (NANC) or as I dis-affectionately like to refer to it, as Nancy.

What did you do on Mandela Day?

For the inaugural Mandela Day yesterday, the world was asked to dedicate 67 minutes of their time to community service.

Why 67 minutes? Well, 67 represents the time in years, that Nelson Mandela spent in the struggle for freedom, and making the world a better place. While many ordinary South Africans and others across the world, devoted time to a multitude of charitable events, a star-studded charity concert was held in New York. However, from all accounts there was charitable activity across the globe on this day, and if successful, lobbyists to the UN could ensure that Mandela Day becomes an annual international event.

And while I mostly only snapped the photographs below, my friends took time to feed the under-privileged people at a local informal settlement:

Sadly, Mandela Day will come but once a year, but those less fortunate need for every day to be a special day, when ordinary people will spare a thought for them. This day proved that it is not hard for us to make a difference in the lives of not only those who are poor and hungry, but to everyone who is a member of the human race. What we need is more people caring more about less.

And as I close, the call from Mr. Mandela echos in my mind:

it’s in our hands