Restless times

[Dave A]

Looking at the news, it seems we're in restless times.

Lots of strikes and threats of strikes. And perhaps more disturbing - service delivery "protests."

I don't know about you, but I think the term "protest" seems a bit light looking at the footage. How far away is it from what used to be called riots? The sight of people throwing stones, burning tyres and police firing rubber bullets looks somewhat similar to events now revered in public holidays.

So what's going on?

Are the unions just trying to bring pressure to bear on JZ?
Are the people expecting too much too soon, or is it a reaction to their "representatives" driving past in flash cars and living in fancy houses?
Is there a connection between the strikes and the "protests?"
How much of this is due to corruption?
Is this the ANC harvest finally arrived?

How serious is this?

I'd love to hear your views.

[IanF]

Dave
My take is there has been a change in government, from Mbeki led one to a Zuma led one. So there are the purges going on with this which is upsetting a lot of people. This is then used to stir up the masses who where used to empty promises and baffling explanations for non-delivery. Now the the cadres who are now purged are stirring up for their non-delivery as they are out and have nothing to lose.
Also I think that this will hopefully lead to the breakup of the Tripartate Alliance and we can get some decent opposition to ANC. Just think if the communist Party won a few cities in the the next local election or a COSATU labour party. I hope this happens as we need a change in some governments to wake up the ANC. Look now they want to scrap provinces just because the DA won the Western Cape. So this is exciting times indeed.

[Alan]

Never mind the DA just winning the WP, but actually making all the other provinces look bad........if the DA were as incompetant as the rest , i wonder if this would be an issue. Sorry slightly off topic.
I would agree that it is a purge after the elections, makes me laugh when the goverment has to stare into the face of reality and have to face the same mass action that they used so many years ago.

[tec0]

All hell is lose where I live.

Murders are happening every day now and it is not real murders but executions done in the worst possible way. Old people are cut up and mutilated! Really it is terrible stuff. Then there is the growing political tension and random strikes. Everyone demanding to speak to JZ and ask him why there is no improvement in crime, housing and jobs.

I fear that the worst is yet to come. Our police are unresponsive and basically none existent. Criminals have taken notice and they are raping, killing and steeling more than ever before!

We are living in fear, it is on the faces of shop owners, and it is visible at schools and the local shopping malls. Our power is out constantly as is our water. This just adds to our misery. I know of families that moved into a single house just so that they can be less afraid. How sad is this?

But you are right. You can feel it... something is really wrong...

[Marq]

Its really depressing, but when I see this

Just think if the communist Party won a few cities in the the next local election or a COSATU labour party. I hope this happens as we need a change

I just want to run for cover. Do you have any idea of what you have just wished for Ian? This will not lead to exciting times - this will lead to a world that does not include this forum or any other forum. I am sure the esteemed communist town clerk of durban is happy with your thoughts - apparently he lives in a rate free zone of durban. Seems that some really are more equal than others.

[IanF]

Marq
I would really hate to have the communist party in power in even 1 city. But realistically I think they would have a better chance than DA. Now something interesting I read about how close COSATU is to the communist party. This is from Lyndall Beddy

Cosatu, however, is an affiliate of the SACP. To hold any office bearing position in Cosatu, or to be a shop steward, one has to be a member of the SACP, not of the ANC. Cosatu’s constitution recognizes the SACP, not the ANC, as “the workers party”. Which means, of course, that there is no trade union representation not only for workers who are members of the DA, Cope, the IFP or any other democratic party, but even for any ANC member who is not also a member of the SACP. During all the decades of exile to be a member of the ANC NEC, one also had to be SECRET member of the SACP. From Richmark

Who is in power if COSATU was the Zuma kingmaker?

[Dave A]

I took Ian to want to see the political monopoly broken up rather than being pro-communism.

Unfortunately I suspect a seriously competitive politic environment might also result in even more social instability, at least over the short term. In a way that's what I'm wondering anyway - is what we are seeing the result of a political struggle that is running under the surface?

JZ certainly isn't the malleable pawn some had hoped for.

[Marq]

I think this is definitely the underlying theme. The IOU's from pre '94 are coming out into the fore and the anc are going to be constantly reminded as to how they got into power and through whose help.

JZ was part of that original alliance with the communists and the current individuals in power. Mbeki was a hardened communist who indirectly set this all up. It is going to be interesting to see who leans to which side. Remember Sam the man with his little trade union communist hat on who later on when the bucks talked, stood in front of a new crowd, with gucci shoes and clothes on, sprouting a different story and then started the cope one.

The alliance has probably already been broken with cope taking some of the opponents away and now the battle lines have been drawn for the balance of the anc vs the communists. To break it properly we need the da and some real democratic input into the picture not a reinforcement of the communist angle, who if successful in one area, are likely to grow into others as a result of the naivety of the sheeple. This will take the country down to a low that may be hard to get out of. The unfortunate part is that we may see a huge increase in civil unrest involving all aspects of society and race groups which does not augur well for us.

[Dave A]

When I read something like this, I can't help thinking the unions are determined to strike no matter what.

The South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) and Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union, which say they represent 150 000 municipal workers, resolved to strike, after rejecting a proposal of an 11,5%increase.
full story from M&G here

Is 11.5% so unreasonable?

[IanF]

Here are extracts from a letter to news 24:

The one thing I have come to accept is that the current ANC team governing this country will play dirty politics unashamedly. .....
Now, the Minister of Human Settlement Tokyo Swxwale tells us that the government is three months old and people are merely trying to send the message to the new administration by protesting.

How convenient for Mr Sexwale to say that. I thought he was a Premier of Gauteng yet the former premier it seems has experienced some memory loss. I thought President Jocob Zuma was the deputy President of the Country at some point; and was he also not an MEC or so in KZN. Who was the Minister of housing? Was it not the current Minister of Defence Lindiwe Sisulu, and was Trevor Manuel not Minister of Finance?

What really is so new about this administration?

Now these are Mr Sexwale's words in Sunday Times: "They voted us into power three months ago. They are simply saying leaders in the past have done things wrong and they want to tell us..."
News24 letter

It is getting harder for the politicians to spin there way out!

[tec0]

In the early 1600 a change took place that could be felt today. It was a time when if you were not for the church you were against it. Thus you were killed in the name of God. Statues where destroyed and history was rewritten to the point where we can no longer separate the truth from Fiction.

The same took place in 1994, statues were removed and suddenly everyone was slaves to the old world. Those in power demand freedom yet there promises where never realized not for the next 15+ years. Townships got bigger because the cost of living got higher.

Crime is out of control because criminals get a “get out of prison free” option. Our police are powerless. Those who live in poverty understand this more than most. Hunger, knows not skin colour nor does fear.

The powerful demand more power and the power of the people are suppressed. Yet blindly they will follow. I fear the worst is yet to come.

[wynn]

This in todays Daily Dispatch