Vodacom Desktop Wallpaper

This is one boycott that may not be successful, even if it is targeted against only one of a number of operators. South Africans are too attached to their cellphones to put their chat-time, socialising and contracts at risk. And nevermind the considerable hassle of dealing with a mobile company’s call-centre. Presumably then, Mr Vavi and his fellow unionists are not on one of the other networks and will be going through the same pain of changing network providers as all of the consumers they are calling on to boycott Vodacom.

That all said, in some ways it is easy to sympathise with the COSATU point of view:

“… COSATU … has long opposed the deal on the grounds that it threatens jobs and cedes control of a major South African company to a foreign firm. …”

The last fifteen years have seen nearly every major South African company renouncing its roots either by listing on a foreign stock exchange, or by being taken over by a larger foreign competitor. This means that profits are repatriated to the foreign owners. But worse is that this has been accompanied by a brain drain of some of the best business people from South Africa; especially that caused by the listed companies who move their Head Office operations offshore.

“South Africans are too attached to their cellphones to put their chat-time, socialising and contracts at risk”

Economists will say that it is good for the country and that it is an investment. These inflows are, as far as I know, listed in the FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) number of the national accounts. But where are the factories? Where are the extra jobs? Where are the greenfield projects? And where is the added capacity that investment is meant to create? Buying a successful organisation does not say investment, unless the recipient of the cash decides to invest the windfall.

Vodacom, freed from Telkom, should be able to continue growing and innovating. Hopefully, the reality of a Head Office at Vodafone Headquarters, will not put a damper on the South African entrepreneurship that created company with an estimated worth of R100 bn once listed.

And COSATU’s boycott. Probably won’t happen. If it does, it is unlikely to be heavily supported. They have threatened a lot recently. They need to get back to their customers and improve the conditions of the worker on the factory floor. Leave the worrying about Vodacom and the Western Cape to the ANC. COSATU also need to see how they can help with directing investment into greenfield projects and sustainable job creation.

Helen Zille and teh ANC Alliance Locking Horns (Benjamin Earwicker)

Lets’s look at the important bits of the letter that seemed to have raise the ire of the ANC and alliance:

“… And, more significantly, the ANC’s leader, Jacob Zuma, is a self-confessed womanizer with deeply sexist views, who put all his wives at risk by having unprotected sex with an HIV-positive woman. Even after this the ANC women’s league strongly endorsed his Presidential campaign. Their professions of support for women’s rights ring hollow indeed against this background. …”

Calling the country’s President a self-confessed womanizer with deeply sexist views is probably going over the top and should not be part of a media release. The observation about putting ‘all his wives at risk’ is reasonable and a simple statement of fact; but more in keeping with a conversation than a media release. The rest of the letter is an attempt to justify the composition of the Western Cape Provincial Cabinet and is along the lines of what the DA normally say.

Did the content of the letter justify the fury unleashed by the ANC and cohorts? Probably not. But, the continued hounding of Jacob Zuma (we talked about this previously) has exacerbated the situation and escalated the name calling to this point (excerpts from the ANC Youth League statement):

“… the racist girl Helen Zille …”

“… her stupid and sexist decision …”

“… all male cabinet of useless people, majority of whom are her boyfriends and concubines so that she can continue to sleep around with them …”

“… fake racist girl who was dropped on a head as child …”

This comes across as just plain childish. If children reacted in this way they would be sent to their rooms to think about things. That said, though, it has become very personal and I would not be surprised if Helen Zille did not make a(nother) call to the DA’s lawyers. Statements of this type are what we have come to expect from the ANC Youth League. It paints a woeful picture of the potential future leaders of the country.

Interestingly, we have not heard much from Jacob Zuma about the subject. He has let others do the dirty for him while he (in his inauguration speech) talked about working alongside the opposition. Is this a dignified silence or a calculated ploy to paint Helen Zille as a monster.

So, Helen Zille, it is time to back down for a bit and be more of a Premier and less of the leader of the National opposition. Let other members of your party do the politicking and dirty work. You are now the Premier of ALL the people in the Western Cape and not just those who voted for you. Help them realize their dreams they had on voting day. In the same way, Jacob Zuma is president of all the people of South Africa. He needs some time to get going.

What is YOUR take on all of this. Add a comment.