Death of a politician…

A politician died today.

Saw it on a Facebook status update. Jack Layton of Toronto, Canada, leader of the opposition New Democratic Party.

I off course didn’t know all this when I saw the status which just read “Rest in peace Jack Layton. You will be missed.” For a South African such as myself, accustomed to an entire lifetime of sleazy, self-serving, arrogant, thieving scumbags who pass for politicians, the thought that a politician could actually be missed, is both alien and repulsive.

It’s no wonder then that I commented “It’s a politician….good riddance I say…”

That’s when the status owner, my cousin replied that he was “…a man for the people.”

A man for the people? Yet again, it’s a concept that’s hard to accede to. Do such men (politicians) really exist? Well, if my cousin from Canada is to be believed or trusted, maybe. Either Jack has done some astounding work convincing Canadians, some at least, that he’s a good guy, or Jack is (was) really a good guy.

Unfortunately though, my South African – no my Continental – experience which feeds my cynicism, will not allow me to slip my guard, and allow one of these reprehensible cretins who create misery and suffering all over Africa, to get a foot in the door of my favour.

Goodbye Jack, perhaps I’ve been too harsh on you; but I’m hoping fervently that you’ll be welcoming many of Africa’s shitbag politicians to join you as soon as possible, starting with Muammar Gaddafi up North…

COPE-ing with the civil circus

Source: Mail & Gaurdian online

I’ve been following the latest South African political fiasco with utter disdain. There is in fact hardly anything happening politically at the moment which causes me to break out into any semblance of a smile; I either cringe or break out in hysterical fits of laughter.

The most astounding thing about the acrimonious leadership battle between  Mosiuoa Lekota and Mbhazima Shilowa, of the COPE party, is not their public display of rank stupidity, but that each still have die-hard supporters. To me, that’s one of the most baffling features of South African politics. In mature democracies, the citizens abandon errant politicians at the first whiff of a scandal. In South Africa, which is arguably a struggling fledgling democracy, the citizens seem to rally around shamelessly arrogant, downright incompetent or woefully inadequate, and brazenly self-serving politicians.

Is it any wonder that our present government is a civil circus. Dumb people get the government they deserve…