Eliminate all resistance

[Alta Murray]

Hi Alan,
Sorry for the late reply, I am so busy that I actually am missing out on all the fun that is politics I find it the best solution that I have come across so far, as I view a democracy as based on current model nothing but a fledgling of the French Rev. ie Mob Rule.

I can not even feign surprise at what is happening now as the real question is not why but rather why not? I read through the Constitution and I almost hosed myself when it came to discrimination. Therefore Vodacom(?) can have an ad stating that Black people may buy shares

I am busy reading actually lumbering through the Ghost of King Leipoldt, man, I have to say Africa beats any continent any day for abusive of power.

With said 'mob rule' in place and the low level of education how easy it then becomes to rule by what the people can understand -- brute power and being above the law. Fear becomes the ruling scepter.

But what beautiful people we have in this country!! I know a trip to Internal Affairs is at best a horrid experience, but I had such fun with the people. Perhaps the positive outcome of this regime, is that it does band us together.

The ANC reminds me of the boiling frog, the abuse of power escalated slowly, therefore the voices of discontent are but a murmur. And yes, there are great human beings within the ANC, I have actually met some of them.

We are in deep shit in this country, as what it is happening now is but a pre-cursor of things to come. Ever heard of the African Renaissance? Play that up against what is happening in Zim and the reluctance to intervene.

I think I shall pop a letter off to the Queen as Head of the Commonwealth, and air my grieviances with her, using a spelling check of course

[Alta Murray]

Hi Dave,
Equal before the law? That is the friggin law of this land the last time I checked!! I always find it ironic that 'justice is blind'. Duh, she must be!

[Alta Murray]

Hi Duncan,

Of course women make better presidents, it is the maternal instinct as opposed to raging testosterone. Nah, just kidding on the latter part. But Thatcher was a phenomena of unbelievable proportions. Perhaps we need a Queen Thatcher in whatever colour she comes. I am so tired of the colour issue in this country, I can absolutely scream. But the previous regime did not have my vote either as I believe in equality before God and man.

And I shall do so till my dying day.

[Marq]

This is from ehow.com

How to Run a Banana Republic

By eHow Careers & Work Editor

Rate: (2 Ratings)

The term banana republic evokes visions of a small country run by a malicious dictator. So you'll need to make sure you live up to the most infamous rulers throughout history. If you want to be the dictator of your own Banana Republic, follow the rules for running your island paradise into the ground.

Difficulty: Challenging

Step1
Go bananas. You'll need an insatiable thirst for money and a small heart. The seductive qualities of dictatorship have led to innumerable tragedies as human nature collapses into its own worst realities. Other dictators will laugh at you if you can't continue the cycle.
Step2
Spy on your citizens. It's best not to think of your people as actual people, it will only make you sad. Instead, think of them as oxen working toward your goals; small, bipedal, ursurpering oxen looking to stab you in the back at any opportunity. They must be put to work or chaos will reign...not you.
Step3
Ignore treaties from adjacent republics. Cooperation and good will can destroy the nightmare you worked so hard to create. If you accidentally find yourself in a relationship with another country, a border war will solve that nicely.
Step4
Democratic government structures can be self-sustaining with groundswells of popular grassroots action driving local business and culture. Nip this bit of trouble in the bud. At the first sign of a "bottoms-up" economic model forming, imprison a few people unjustly and make the others disappear. This should help quell any outcry for organization from the people. Also, crack the whip for crying out loud. If your peons have the time to mobilize, they aren't working hard enough loading Bananas onto boats.
Step5
Never participate in equitable distribution. You worked hard for the money you have, you should keep it. After all, you were born in squalor and look at you now. Look at you! You have a beard! That's awesome! Privatize at every opportunity, and whenever possible, sell your chief export to the US; they'll keep you in power for years.

And there you have it.

[Marq]

Talking about dictators, I was reminded of a rumour I saw today, suggesting that our town clerk in Durban was headed for bigger political things when next years election comes around.

Now that Durban is in total disarray and its community up in arms on just about any subject that comes to mind - its leader gets promoted. Well thats the rumour and if we look at the political games he has been playing instead of listening to the downtrodden railroaded citizens and doing something positive and good that helps everybody out, I for one would not be surprised if he shoots for the presidency when Zuma is sitting wondering where it all went wrong.

This socialist/communist is far from a democratic supporter, appears to be trying his utmost to oust the rich man as well as the white man judging from his comments. His coup's include the loss of the blue flag status on Durban beaches, millions of rand losses on white elephants like huge conference centres and fancy amusement parks, doubling and in some cases quadrupling the rates bills for the affluent to pay for his blunders, renaming the streets to names that no one has heard of our can pronounce or that will fit on a map, building a three billion rand soccer stadium right next door to an adequately existing one, organising an A1 GP failure, bailing out failed bus services operations that had been 'privatised', writes off millions in traffic fines and outstanding rates for those who cannot afford them to name a few problem areas. He has defended and condoned a constable in our police force that owns 30 million rands worth of property and has taxi bosses and political figures running for cover, he has defended the loss of weapons from the police even when they have been used against the police and has apparently failed woefully to ensure that electrical, water and sewerage systems have been properly maintained. Oh and his excuse for most of this is apparently the higher rainfall we are experiencing in the area.

Fin24.com has this obit..sorry bio

MILLION RAND MIKE gets up noses - even more so since it emerged in Parliament that at R1,08m/year he's SA's highest paid city manager.[Jan2007]
Michael Sutcliffe has set eThekwini (Durban) on a new course since he became city manager in July 2002. [Operation downhill? Obstinate course? Race course?]
Sutcliffe picks up flak for sticking to his guns. He won't clear hawkers off the streets, arguing it's inconsistent with job creation. [But clears them and every street child and every vagrant when any international conference is on in town - where do they go - nobody knows]
A local, born and schooled in Toti - you don't get more boy in da hood than that [?]- Sutcliffe escaped academia when elected to the province in 1994. An ANC faithful, he's achieved much in provincial and local government since then and has fostered a new style of "smart city management". [Smart? - man are we in trouble]

But Mail and Guardian's comment sums it up -

"Sutcliffe has been routinely criticised during his six-year tenure for responding to municipal problems and public failures with obfuscation, denials, intellectual bullying and character assassinations of critics."

And guess what - It appears that he is headed for higher status and bigger things.

Well that's right isn't it? Why should Durban be the only one having fun in the country?

[murdock]

and it just gets funnier...with some people sitting in hospital for most of the jail sentence for fraud and now i hear they are considering releasing prisoners who are seriously ill...people try to commit suicide before being arrested for drunk driving...maybe he is hoping by the time he actually gets arrested they will be releasing the ill prisioners...maybe the 4 young fellas arrested a couple days ago will also get released because of the state they are gona be by the time all the imates are finished with them...i know there is no excuse for what they did but i would rather be the dead person than spend 12 years in a SA jail.

[Dave A]

The "rolling mass action", aimed at getting the criminal charges against ANC president Jacob Zuma droppedand scheduled to begin on Friday (August 29) in KwaZulu-Natal, was likely to be replicated in other provinces, said ANC eThekwini chairperson John Mchunu.

"Already the country has taken a decision that Zuma must not face these charges. It will definitely roll to the other provinces very soon -- yes, we have spoken to the [ANC structures] in other provinces," said Mchunu.

The eThekwini region has orchestrated the campaign that will target 16 police stations, followed by the picketing of 12 magistrate's courts on September 5.

On September 10 a picket will be held outside the National Prosecuting Authority's regional office in Durban, followed by a night vigil outside the Pietermaritzburg High Court on September 11.

A "massive picket" is also planned at the high court the following day, when Judge Chris Nicholson will rule on Zuma's application to have the NPA's decision to prosecute him declared unlawful.

At a media briefing last week Mchunu said the mass action aimed to pressure the NPA to drop all charges against Zuma.
full story from M&G here

I don't remember voting as to whether JZ should stand trial or not, so I'm not so sure that the country has already decided.

I believe (but couldn't find it in this morning's scan) that the ANC has released an official statement supporting the rule of law, independence of the judiciary and all that. Well, what is the President of the ANC going to do about all his supporters who don't seem to feel the same way?

Actually, it's not entirely surprising there seems to be this dicotomy within the party. It's showing up all over.

Pitched battles between different factions of the ANC in the Northern Cape delayed the start of the party's provincial conference last week, among allegations of intimidation and violence.

ANC leaders in the Northern Cape blamed the excessive focus on last year's national conference in Polokwane for the delay. ANC Northern Cape deputy secretary general Zamani Saul said the focus on last year's national congress as a result of the tight race for the ANC presidency meant that the party had lost control of its membership base at regional and branch level.

The Northern Cape provincial conference could not start as scheduled last week because of battles between supporters of ANC chairperson John Block and provincial secretary Neville Mompati. Supporters of both factions insisted that they be accredited as delegates to the congress, even though this meant double representation of some branches.

Saul said the process of selecting branch and regional delegates had been fraught with illegality. He said some regions applied corrupt tactics in nominating representatives for the conference and that in some instances there were two sets of nominations from one region.
full story from M&G here

I wonder what the chances are of a breakaway group forming for the upcoming national elections?

[wynn]

Yes I wonder if we will see a RANC (Real ANC) taking to the hustings?
Or will a large percentage just not vote?

[Dave A]

So much for being the party with a place for all. Mosiuoa Lekota has expressed his concern about the direction of the ANC of late.

In a "personal, open letter" to ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe on Thursday, Lekota said the "unusual situation that has now arisen in the African National Congress and the tripartite alliance requires extraordinary steps".

"I wish to place on record the concerns I see as gnawing away at the ANC with the hope that the leadership might wake up to the dangers our movement faces."

Lekota wrote that he joined the ANC attracted by its policies, political culture, values, history and its commitment to the interests of the country's people -- black and white -- and was still fervently committed to this cause.

"However, for some time now, I have lived with a growing sense that our leadership has veered the organisation away from the established policy priorities and customary democratic norms of the ANC."

And how about this response:

ANC members' criticism of the party amounted to notice of their resignation, its national executive committee said in reaction on Thursday to a strongly worded letter from former defence minister Mosiuoa Lekota.

"Put bluntly, you and those who share your views are giving notice to leave the ANC," Transport Minister Jeff Radebe, a member of the NEC, wrote in a reply to Lekota's letter.

"For the record, the ANC is a voluntary association of individuals who believe in it, and who [are] free to leave as and when they cease to do so," Radebe said.
full story from M&G here

[wynn]

Someone else commented that when it comes down to it in the ANC "The centre will hold"
He forgot that when it comes to politics, if the ANC takes a step to the left, "The centre will also hold"

[Morticia]

Julius falling out of favour???

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_i...4542710C782810

Et tu Brute??

[Dave A]

I reckon the ANC has been well and truly hijacked for the forseeable future.

[Alta Murray]

Very, very busy at this stage, but just had to contribute this bit:

According to our constitution Act 108 '96 Section 143 sub2 sub B a premier of a province can claim him/herself as sovereign of said state :-) So beware..... you never know, fortunately neither do they it seems.

A split in the ANC, which seems inevitable, is a very good thing to mine little ears.

I'm so tired I can't even spell, not that I could before, so perhaps i should refrain from comment?

[Dave A]

It's "wave goodbye to the scorpions" day today.

[Dave A]

So Kader Asmal resigned over the Scorpions issue!

Former Cabinet minister Kader Asmal resigned from Parliament because he did not want to vote for the disbanding of the Scorpions, he said in a lecture on Tuesday evening.

It would have been immoral of him to vote for the disbanding of the elite crime fighting unit, Asmal told an audience at the University of Johannesburg, Beeld newspaper reported on Wednesday.

He said he had made it clear that he did not want the Scorpions to be disbanded and that he stuck to his principles by retiring.

Asmal also said the so-called Travelgate MPs should not have been allowed to vote on the disbanding of the unit.
full story from M&G here