South African Flag - Less Important to ANC Cadres? (Matthew Bowden)

Is this wrong? I’m not sure. People to have the right to choose their own loyalties. Where it does become problematical is when the actions are at cross purposes to the words. If, hypothetically, the Chinese government provides funds for the ANC election campaign, and the Chinese government then asks for a favour from the ANC (who just happen to be the party in power), which results in South Africa’s international image being tarnished and the loss of the moral high ground, then there is loyalty towards the ANC that overrides that towards the country and which casts the country in a bad light. And is there any evidence that this not how it works? The foreign service is working overtime trying to repair the Dalai Lama mess.

Does it sit uncomfortably? Absolutely. Any decision could now be of paramount importance to the ANC but not in the interests of the country. Who knows which is the next issue that will be dealt with in this way? And with South Africa’s record in the corruption sphere, there is an inkling, a worry bubbling in the back of mind, that there are individuals making these decisions for their own profit.

Is there a mindset changed required within the ANC? Probably. Fifteen or twenty years ago it would have been OK to put the organisation first. The government was illegitimate but still representing the people of the country. Today we here the over-used phrases: “for the good of our people” and “government for all South Africans”. It rings a bit hollow if the country’s interests are being placed second.

The ANC and their comrades in government need to be clear where the lines between the two are. With a clear distinction between party and government and the concomitant distinction between party loyalists and citizens can ensure that the best decision are reached for each constituency.

Dalai Lama (martin louis)

This was peace conference that was organised by the World Cup 2010 organising committee. A peace conference that had the support and patronship of three of South Africa’s nobel laureates, Nelson Mandela, FW de Klerk and the Bish, Desmond Tutu.

The famous, humble, headstrong and very political holy man will now be spending the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan exile in any place but South Africa. At the behest of the Chinese. Or so we are led to believe by the media although this is vociferously denied by the ruling ANC government.

Why has the ANC, and therefore the government take these contrary positions on a number of very questionable regimes? Libya and Myanmar benefited while South Africa were on the United Nations security council.

• So, should the Chinese be in Tibet? Probably not. Although the history of the area is very complex with a multitude of treaties, wars and invasions.
• Does the Dalai Lama have the right to protest the Chinese in his country? Absolutely.
• Was the Dalai Lama going to use the 2010 World Cup Peace Conference as a platform to push his agenda? Almost certainly.
• Would he have got as much publicity this way compared to what the ANC handed to him? Unlikely.
• Did the ANC give the Chinese too much respect? Probably.
• Has this damaged South Africa’s international image. Almost guaranteed, especially in the light of all the other strange decisions around pariah nations.