Eliminate all resistance

[Dave A]

Whatever Julius Malema represents, it certainly is not democracy or the due process of law.

Remnants of the counter-revolution, including the Democratic Alliance, and those opposed to Jacob Zuma becoming South Africa's next president must be eliminated, says ANC Youth League President Julius Malema.

"We must … intensify the struggle to eliminate the remnants of counter-revolution, which include the DA and a loose coalition of those who want to use state power to block the ANC president's ascendancy to the highest office of the land," he said on Sunday.

Malema was speaking at the funeral of former ANCYL Free State secretary Thabo "Skotch" Moeketsi in Vredefort.

Malema also said members of the ANC and its Youth League who got involved in crimes like stealing public money or stabbing other members were "rotten apples" who should be "uprooted from our midst without mercy".

"The ANC and indeed the Youth League have no place for people who carry sour grapes and create cabals because they believe they are entitled to leadership."
full story from IOL here

I think democracy is in for a stern test under a Zuma government at this rate.

[duncan drennan]

"We must … intensify the struggle to eliminate the remnants of counter-revolution, which include the DA and a loose coalition of those who want to use state power to block the ANC president's ascendancy to the highest office of the land," he said on Sunday.

"The ANC and indeed the Youth League have no place for people who carry sour grapes and create cabals because they believe they are entitled to leadership."

Huh?????

Those two statements are not congruent.

[Dave A]

Those two statements are not congruent.

I'd given up on common sense already

This crowd has got some serious paradigm gaps.

[Alta Murray]

If it wasn't so serious it would be very funny, and I think as a SA with a keen sense of gallows humour, I do laugh until I think of Africa and it's general performance to date.

It reminds me of Mogabe tactics -- just eliminate the opposition and call it democracy, not that the latter exists in a true form and it always means mass rule. I am more in favour of a King/Queen in conjunction with Parliament, but then I am a very lone voice in finding that the best method of Government.

[Dave A]

The Constitutional Court has delivered its judgement.

The Constitutional Court has removed the biggest remaining legal obstacle to the corruption and fraud trial of ANC president Jacob Zuma and rejected allegations of bias against it following its formal complaint against Cape Judge President John Hlophe.

By a 10 to one majority the court upheld the legality of warrants for search and seizure raids by the Scorpions in August and September 2005 at Zuma's homes and the offices of his attorney, Michael Hulley, and the French arms company Thint.

In a judgement released on Thursday it also ruled unanimously that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) could seek access to original documents held in Mauritius, including the diary of Thint's Alain Thetard, which allegedly records meetings between Zuma, his financial adviser Schabir Shaik and Thetard.
full story from M&G here

The usual suspects have roled out their condemnation of the ruling.

Cosatu and the South African Communist Party have condemned the Constitutional Court’s ruling on ANC president Jacob Zuma’s application as confirmation that he is being tried for political reasons.

SACP leader Blade Nzimande described the court’s ruling as a “constitutional jungle”.

“We are going a dangerous route of becoming a banana republic,” Nzimande told the Mail & Guardian. He said the SACP was concerned about the credibility of the Constitutional Court.

Both Cosatu and the SACP said they would intensify their campaign for charges against Zuma to be dropped.

[duncan drennan]

The usual suspects have roled out their condemnation of the ruling.

Refer to this Zapiro.

[Dave A]

I see there are also mutterings about a possible amnesty for corruption related to the arms deal. A "political" solution.

Now my question on that is - What defines a banana republic exactly? (Seeing as the subject of banana republics has been introduced by comrade Blade).

[duncan drennan]

I see there are also mutterings about a possible amnesty for corruption related to the arms deal. A "political" solution.

Also noticed this. Ducking, diving, weaving, bopping - when will it end as long as there are back doors for every person who steals from the country?

Now my question on that is - What defines a banana republic exactly? (Seeing as the subject of banana republics has been introduced by comrade Blade).

Well, you are in KZN so you probably know a lot more about bananas than I do. I wouldn't mind seeing some people slip on bananas or go bananas - maybe even eat some humble banana pie. Maybe banana is just a veiled word for dick - so a banana republic is a place with a bunch of dicks running it.

[Dave A]

Personally, I'd go with subjective interpretation and application of the law, corrupt governance, political favour, elimination of opposition, Draconian practices, that sort of thing. Comrade Blade has good reason to be concerned.

[duncan drennan]

It just makes me so angry. We have this amazing country filled with beautiful people and then we have this bunch of power grabbers who just want to get their grubby paws on everything. They all make out as if they have the purest intentions and the good of the people at heart - but really, where are the outcomes?

There are all these games being played, all these idiots who get media time for saying stupid stuff and the slow continuous whittling away at values which moved the country out of a repressive regime. Where are the good people in the story?

There must be people within the ANC who feel as strongly about this - why are they allowing all of this foolish behaviour?

Maybe the right question to be asking is why are we (I) allowing this to happen?

[Yvonne]

I have typed so many answers, and delete them all - what is going on now just seems so unbelievable!

Would any any other South African citizen involved in a drunk driving case be treated the same? We know the answer.
Any other suspect given the same circumstances as McBride?
Etc. Etc.

The message being sent out is without a shadow of a doubt! Crime, corruption, abuse of power - anything goes - as long as you are an ANC politician!

There is such a long list, that we are now already forgetting the individual cases!

There are so many, many wonderful people in South Africa - we just have got to hear more about them!

When I listen to Rudi Direko (apologies if i have spelt it incorrectly) she is someone who gives me hope!
But I fear for her!
Will she continue to have the courage to speak out?
I just cannot believe some of the abusive calls she receives, it makes me feel ashamed to be South African.

I pray for a new political party, hopefully with people like Rudi Direko, who must come to the fore, before we are too entrenched in "anyone who does not accept and agree with the ANC politicians right to do and act as they please! - is against the national interests ideology.

Yvonne

[Alan]

I am more in favour of a King/Queen in conjunction with Parliament, but then I am a very lone voice in finding that the best method of Government.

Alta this may be worth a try, as democracy does not seem to work in most of Africa.

[duncan drennan]

Maybe we just need more women presidents.

[Dave A]

Johnson-Sirleaf is the first woman elected president on the continent.

And an impressive position on many issues, by the looks of things.

[Dave A]

Helen Zille's position...

Every person, including Jacob Zuma, must be equal before the law and every person must have the right to a fair trial, opposition leader Helen Zille said on Saturday at a crime imbizo in Durban.

"ANC leaders have now vowed that Zuma will walk free, no matter what evidence there is against him," the Democratic Alliance leader said in remarks prepared for delivery.

"They are effectively saying that if you are powerful enough you are above the law."
full story from IOL here

No surprises there.

However, this story is a little more explosive:

Despite a pre-emptive strike by President Thabo Mbeki's staff to discredit it, the Sunday Times has published explosive allegations that Mbeki was paid R30-million by a German shipbuilding company to guarantee it would receive a submarine contract in South Africa's multibillion-rand arms deal.

According to the newspaper, a secret report compiled last year by a British specialist risk company revealed the deal. Mbeki allegedly gave R2-million of the money to Jacob Zuma and the rest to the African National Congress (ANC).
full story from M&G here

Whether it is true or false, there are serious consequences. Particularly if you look at the timing of the release.

If true - WOW!

If false, who fabricated the report and why?

SA politics is looking really ugly right now.