Old South African flag — ban it or tolerate it?

Our Deputy Minister of Sport, Gert Oosthuizen:

… it is absolutely tragic that there are still people who would do such a thing.
It’s absolutely unacceptable, and something which the government wants to get rid of once and for all.
It is such a pity when something like this happens …

So we get rid of it and drive it and its waving supporters underground where we have no idea of the nefarious acts of it waving that may be taking place. And once we have legislated to get rid of it, do we now employ a Security Branch to ensure that no-one has it stashed away in their back-garden? Or is surreptitiously waving it at the TV when the Bulls next win something?

Stop writing the headlines. Ignore it and it will go away. Even the most delusional know when it is time to call it a day. Fifteen years ago there would have been thousands. Ten years ago hundreds. Five years ago only a few. And today … only one … right at the end of the game. When the next South African team wins the Super Whatever … probably zero. Change takes time.

Alternatively, engage it’s supporters in civilised conversation and put across the pain that it causes.

Khaya Dlanga writes in Old South African flag must be banned:

That flag will incite violence in the right place and at the right time. It also advocates hatred based on race and ethnicity.

A picture of the Pope will incite violence if shown at the right place at the right time. Closer to home, I am sure we could incite violence in parts of Kwazulu-Natal by showing Jacob Zuma’s or Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s face to the wrong people at the wrong time — or is that the right people at the right time.

Time to ban the Pope’s face? Or Jacob Zuma’s? Or Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s? I don’t think so.

Graph 1: Life Expectency: South Africa 1910 to 2007

This in turn implies that resources are being correctly spent on the balance of prevention, comfort of the ill, sustaining the infected and the search for a cure or vaccine. For the correct actions to be taken, the correct policies need to be in place and fully implemented. And this is where South Africa has failed. The Mbeki administration’s denial policy and the failure of this policy are clearly visible in the first graph¹. Compared to fifteen years ago, the average South African can expect to live about twelve years less than his/her counterpart from the early 1990s. This is compounded by the fact that during the preceding ten years the average wealth of South Africans reduced as a result of sanctions, boycotts, etc.

A graph¹ provides a representation of the declining life expectancy in South Africa in a clear and unambiguous way, free from emotion and politicisation. Life expectancy peaked in the early nineties at around 60 years. Since then there has been a downward spiral that shows no sign of an upturn. This is despite the fact that GDP per capita growth has been strong over the last couple of years. In normal times this strong growth would be expected to be accompanied by a rise in life expectancy.

Graph 2: Life Expectency: South Africa vs. Uganda vs. Botswana

The hope is that the curve has bottomed out and this may be supported by the fact that StatsSA 2008 reported estimated life expectancy is slightly higher than the 2007 figure used in the graphs.

Botswana and Uganda have both put in place effective policies and are seeing the positive effects of those policies. Uganda has been known as a leader in the prevention of HIV/AIDS and has put in place effective policies that have reversed the declining life expectancy, to the extent that they are adding an extra year to their expected life expectancy every year. Botswana, through a number of medium term policy plans, has made similar strides, although it occurred later than Uganda. These reversals are very clearly seen in the second graph.

South Africa has a lot of catching-up to do. And if that catching up is not done, South Africa’s status in the world will decline along with its competitiveness.

Graph 3: Life Expectency: South Africa vs Peers (BRICSAM excluding ASEAN countries)

In contrast, South Africa’s peer group of countries (BRICSAM: Brazil, Russia, India, China and Mexico, and the ASEAN countries) have life expectancy rates that keep increasing and, with the exception of India, relatively small HIV/AIDS per capita infection rates and/or total HIV/AIDS infections. The economic implications are well documented and do not make comfortable reading from a South African perspective. It will be where South Africa’s international competitiveness will be severely compromised. South Africa and the BRICSAM countries will all be competing for the same business.

The real question is how the Zuma administration is going to respond to this issue. The first move he made by moving Barbara Hogan out of the Health Ministry was not very comforting. Jacob Zuma’s own history does not help to raise hopes that there will be an effective policy. If, and it’s only an impression, Jacob Zuma is the type of leader who allows his Ministers to get on with policy implementation, then we must hope that Aaron Motsoaledi turns out to be an extraordinary Health Minister. He has a mistake, and a huge historical deficit, to rectify with effective policy and implementation.

¹All graphs and data provided by Gapminder World and their data providers. Gapminder provides a way to see time-series data in a completely new way.

“… and how Jacob Zuma handles the situation will set the tone around graft, corruption and gifts of gratitude for the rest of his term of office …”

Sb’u Ndebele, by all accounts, did a wonderful job of fostering the creation of small businesses in KwaZulu Natal. It was all part of Vukuzakhe, the Emerging Contractors Development Programme. And the contractors wanted to thank him for turning some of them into millionaires.

Obviously, Sb’u Ndebele, would like to keep such a wonderful expression of gratitude. But even though he says there is no conflict of interest, he is not sure about the protocols involved and has shuffled the decision to his boss. Why he couldn’t make the decision himself says a lot about where government ministers minds are on the issue of corruption. If this was seen by him as corrupt the answer was easy. A simple yes or no was all that was required, and then live with the consequences (including the car and cattle) if he chose wrong,

He has now made his issue Jacob Zuma’s issue, and how Jacob Zuma handles the situation will set the tone around graft, corruption and gifts of gratitude for the rest of his term of office.

If Jacob Zuma allows Sb’u Ndebele to keep the car he is implicitly supporting corruption and graft. Firstly, he is seemingly flying in the face of a Cabinet code of ethics rule. Secondly, he is re-enforcing the perception (no conviction is a perception, Mrs Zille) that he is corrupt and that he tolerates corruption from his comrades. Thirdly, every election promise would have to be seen in the light of reneging on one of the biggest promises made, so soon after taking office; in other words, Jacob Zuma is not to be trusted.

Left or Right? High road or low road? (Mateusz Atroszko)

A lot hinges on this decision for Jacob Zuma. Let’s hope, for his sake and the country’s, that he makes the correct one. Unfortunately for Sb’u Ndebele, the future vision should not include he or his wife driving around in a new Mercedes.

¹ For our foreign readers, the Ndebele are a people of Northern South Africa and Southern Zimbabwe. Links compliments of Wikipedia.

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.

African National Congress Youth League

“HELEN ZILLE CONTNUES TO EXCEL AS NUMBER ONE RACIST AND DISTRACTOR OF GENDER STRUGGLES

The ANC YL is disgusted by remarks attributed to the racist girl Helen Zille, who when failing to defend her stupid and sexist decision to appoint predominantly white males into her cabinet, attacks the President of the Republic of South Africa. The ANC YL calls on Helen Zille to respect the office of the President of the Republic of South Africa and stop making stupid and degrading remarks against President Jacob Zuma. Zille has appointed an all male cabinet of useless people, majority of whom are her boyfriends and concubines so that she can continue to sleep around with them, yet she claims to have the moral authority to question our President.

If the fake racist girl Zille continues to speak hogwash like she has been doing during elections, we will take militant action against her, and demonstrate to her that she does not have monopoly over the Western Cape. The fake racist girl who was dropped on a head as child should understand that South Africa will never be a Mickey-mouse Republic like she wants to portray it. An absolute majority of South Africans support President Jacob Zuma and will find it very disgusting for a fake racist apartheid agent to continue undermining the highest office in South Africa.”

Here is a link to the original document that has subsequently been withdrawn from the ANC Youth League website. Interestingly, the file name reflects the press release from passing of Ivy Matsepe-Cassaburri, and may be an indication of the haste (and anger) with which the Helen Zille press release was prepared and posted.

What size table will be needed for the enlarged Cabinet? (Svilen Mushkatov)

The USA has fifteen cabinet members plus an additional seven co-opted members who do not head up their own departments, but rather external agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of the Vice President. Brazil has twenty three cabinet members (plus an additional nine cabinet level appointees, including head of the central bank and Chief of Staff). The UK has twenty three (plus half-a-dozen others).

Second impression is that their is a lot of ‘reward for support’ going on. Blade Nzimande, Ebrahim Patel and Fikile Mbalula all represent constituencies that played a large part in Zuma’s elevation to power. The old question is whether or not these three ministers (and others) are ‘fit-for-purpose’. Or is this another case where personal loyalty is more important than the good of the nation?

Third, why was Barbara Hogan moved from the Health Ministry? Is party disloyalty more important than efficiency of the health services? On the other hand, Aaron Motsoaledi and Molefi Sefularo are unknown quantities and unknown to most South Africans. Are they doctors? What qualifies them ahead of Barbara Hogan? Let’s give them time.

Fourth, Manual’s move into the Presidency and the creation of the National Planning Commission seems, on the surface, to be a way of appeasing the business community and the international world. But does it really? It smacks a little of communist style central planning bureaus.

Fifth, what is Pieter Mulder doing in the cabinet? Is this some pre-planning for the next election and a way of drawing the Afrikaner into the ANC fold? Or is it, cynically, a ruse that is to cover accelerated land reform that will require an insider to quell the angry farmers?

Sixth. Tokyo Sexwale. If he can bring a business overview and implementation focus to the provision of housing, he will have added tremendously to the ANC’s commitment to the electorate. The downside is that he does have large business holdings and even if he remains absolutely peachy clean, the sense of impropriety is only an whisper away. Will he resign his chairmanship of his own corporation so their can be no conflicts of interest?

Seventh and last: are the Education, Education, Energy and Mineral ministries going to result in the splitting of the respective departments? And the resultant creation of new top-level positions within the new departments? If so, they need to be very much more efficient than present. All this extra cost in a time of austerity is not going to go down well with the electorate.

Jacob Zuma, as is his nature, has tried to appease everyone with his appointments. The reality is that a large number of the ministers are new in the job, or have new and different responsibilities. We need to wait a while to see what they actually produce.

Do the DA need to go to War against Jacob Zuma? (Kriss Szkurlatowski)

Let’s put aside whether Jacob Zuma is guilty or not guilty. Let’s put aside the legal and procedural convolutions that were gone through to arrive at the status quo. Let’s even put aside the likelihood of executive interference.

The real issue, from the DA perspective is that being re-active has never won an election. It is time for the DA to push the DA agenda regardless of the ANC (African National Congress), Cope (Congress of the People), ID (Independent Democrats) or any other party agenda. It seems, from the DA’s point of view, that it is easier to be known for what you are not or what you are against, rather than for what you actually stand for.

With the timing of the announcement, the ANC has managed to redirect the DA’s focus and effort away from the important tasks of positive campaigning and towards the less energy efficient sniping and bickering.

I don’t think that this constant (and almost vindictive) attack on Jacob Zuma and the ANC is not going to gain any votes. The people that agree with the process will probably vote DA (or another opposition party) anyway. The DA need to get into the suburbs and townships and go from door to door selling the vision of the DA. They should be counteracting the propaganda of the ANC, especially the parts about the return of apartheid and the fact that the DA is a ‘White Party’ (even if that may be partly true … the ‘White Party’ bit anyway).