Mandela memorial and the speech that made it memorable

Got the day off today – it was a generous gesture from the company I work for as they meant for us to use it to either attend the Nelson Mandela Memorial Service prior to his burial this coming Sunday, or at least to watch the live international broadcast on television.

See, I had no intention of braving the cold, wet weather, security clampdown, ill-disciplined ANC supporters, and the transport hassles to get to the stadium where it was being held. Nor did I have any intention of watching a bunch of pompous, disreputable politicians from Africa and around the world, blather on for hours about a man whose principles and values they defile on a daily basis. And I had very well-founded suspicions that the ANC were going to use this honourable event to further party political aims.

And so as I was frittering away time on social media, I saw an update about the Memorial. South Africa’s president, Jacob Zuma was being roundly booed by the crowds as he entered the stadium with two of his wives, and then again when his image was shown on large screen televisions. This I had to see…

That was the impetus I needed to entice me to tune in to the live broadcast. And I’m glad I did – while still browsing through Facebook on the side off course.

Jacob Zuma is currently reviled in this country for his scandalous behaviour, many indiscretions and is regarded as a cunning scoundrel by many people. This act of booing was the first such indication that his iniquitous behaviour is more widely detested than I’d previously thought. Social commentary on this act of jeering turned out to be quite profound:

Are we burying two presidents today?

After enduring the announcements of the names of the visiting herds of state from Africa and around the world, constant appeals from the master of ceremonies for the crowds to behave responsibly, and suffering through the shallow speeches of dreary leaders, I was simply in awe of the speech delivered by US President Barack Obama. His was the only tribute that was delivered with a sense of honesty, integrity and articulately. It may perhaps go down in history as one of the great speeches from a leader.

That was also a moment that changed what was an insipid event, into something worth remembering. Up to that point, one had the sense that the whole event was being lead in a certain political direction. And to sum up, one of the comments on Facebook from a Black South African:

Obama should have been our President.

Jacob Zuma’s speech was as expected dull and lifeless. His rendition was equally abysmal. I fail to see how anyone could have been inspired by that load of drivel. He is undeniably an embarrassment and burden to this country. It was indeed a great pity that he had to be the one delivering the keynote address at such an important occasion.

And now onto the state funeral. I fervently hope that our disgraceful politicians don’t further damage our county’s reputation in the week leading up to Mandela’s interment.

Blasphemous? Hell no! Desperate? Good heavens yes!

There was much consternation this weekend over President Jacob Zuma’s moronic utterance while campaigning for the upcoming election, that a vote for the ANC will get one into heaven.

While many people, including Church leaders saw this statement as blasphemous, others were perturbed that a politician, especially one who wields the ultimate power could so callously drag religion into politics when the constitution clearly demands a separation of Church and State.

I on the other hand can distinctly discern not a blatant abuse of the constitution, but rather a pathetic desperation on the part of Zuma and the ANC. Coming ahead of the State of the Nation address and the release of a document by the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), which meticulously lists 50 of President Zuma’s broken promises, I have no hesitation in concluding that the ANC [and Zuma] are fresh out of promises, and with this idiotic statement are now resorting to idle religious threats; the kind we are all familiar with through e-mail and pamphlets: repent or else or follow Jesus or else.

Promises. Yes, these con men have made them all and broken them all. And now they promise the impossible; a ticket to imaginary heaven!

It’s inconceivable that in a so-called civilized democratic country, 50 promises [apparently there were in reality much more than 50] made by a political leader in public, could be so shamelessly broken. Most people would forgive a few, but certainly not 50. But that’s what we as South Africans have done. We have been shamelessly tolerant of lies and deceit. We have allowed these calculating bastards in power to pull the sheep over our eyes.

We need to redeem ourselves…

Getting and spending…

Just recently I was prompted to write about William Wordsworth’s famous sonnet, The World Is Too Much With Us. I now understand why this particular piece of poetry sticks in my mind.

It has much more significance than the materialist tendencies of man and the destruction of nature. One line in particular stands out for me when it comes to the ugly world of politics:

getting and spending we lay waste our powers…

But when it comes to politicians the line might as well read: getting and spending we lay waste our tax revenues.

And in South Africa, one man stands out like an ugly train-wreck when it comes to gross profligacy. He’s none other than Jacob Zuma, the President [I say the President rather than our, because he does not represent me, nor do I suspect many others as well].

We’d hardly gotten over the fact that he spends upwards of R15-million of our taxpayers money yearly, on his multiple wives and children, when we were forced to accept the cost of the bloated, fuck-useless administration he concocted just to provide employment for an assortment of sycophants and other palm-greasers’. Now we learn that he spent around R17-million of taxpayers money on wining and dining 15 African leaders [term used loosely] before and after the World Cup held here last year. This oozing slime-fest was attended by a veritable who’s who in the despot zoo; Mad Bob and Teodoro leading the display of the worst that Africa offers.

I’m not even factoring in all the other idiotic schemes that Zuma wastes our money on, on a daily basis. This one however is the most galling. To think that my taxes are being lavished on the slime of the universe…aaarrrghh.

This particular act of piracy worked out at about R1-million per Head of State [which included their wives]. Apparently Zuma invited all 53 HOS’s from Africa. Should we be pretending that we were lucky they didn’t all attend? That would have put us out-of-pocket to the tune of R53-million? Perhaps not, because as sure as death and taxes, Zuma has pissed away that saving, somewhere else…

What is even more infuriating however, is that the taxpayer doesn’t seem too concerned with these acts of lunacy. Have we become that numb to government’s extravagant misuse of our taxes?

You ANC nothing yet, 'cause we CAN do nothin' right

So Jacob Zuma went to his speech cabinet yesterday to mark the ANC’s 99th Anniversary, and pulled out one from the drawer labelled Rhetoric instead of the one marked Truth.

And if you’re interested in what it said [although for the love of all that’s still  honest and decent about humanity, I don’t know why] , please go fetch here. If however you want the paraphrased version, continue reading below:

Comrades and Compatriots [that means the ignorant masses and ANC-sycophants, in case you were wondering],

Today the African National Congress is 99 years old and thus enters its 100th year of its existence. [Actually the ANC that we all admired, ceased to exist in 2007 after that fateful Polokwane Conference. This ANC that is 99 years old, is a fraud, but let’s hear what they have to say anyway]

When we celebrate our centenary in Mangaung next year, we will be celebrating the triumph of a people united in struggle…blah, blah, blah…. yaddah, yaddah.

More revolutionary rhetoric…..followed by self-congratulations.

Promises…promises…lies…lies…lies…more promises.

Promises…promises…lies…blatant lie…promises…lies…small white lie…more promises.

Jobs…more jobs…lies…lies…promises…more lies.

Revolutionary psycho-babble…more lies…a slight twist of the truth….more lies…more promises…more revolutionary gobble-de-gook.

Mention of the World Cup yet again…more promises…promises…we will…another lie.

Achievements…best performing branches…congratulations [according to the ANC’s low standards of course]

We salute our comrades, who have passed on during the past year. These comrades have made a lasting contribution to the struggle for freedom in South Africa and will be greatly missed [a long list, most of whom you won’t recognize, or have ever heard about; condolences nonetheless]

In recognition of the selfless sacrifices of these and other dedicated comrades, and mindful of the fact that it is only through all our people working together that we will create a better life for all, the NEC declares this, the year of CONSOLIDATING PEOPLES` POWER FOR THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. [but a much better life for those of us running this sham of a government, no doubt]

And the conclusion that Zuma probably uttered silently: We promise to continually fuck you over until Jesus returns, or until the majority of you lazy bums start thinking for yourselves…

End.