Feeling Negative

[Dave A]

Now; what thought immediately crosses your mind……?

Definitely not a South African minister?

I can't help like feeling we're at a tricky stage at the moment. In fact it smells like the '80s. Right now we have the following:

A strike that seems to be more a power struggle between factions,complete with tactics reminiscent of the struggle times - gov with a propaganda war and labour who seem to have re-activated the struggle network and method.

In the same action, the potential for a power showdown for control of the armed forces, both police and military, by two different factions.

Military road blocks on access routes to hospitals - on the look-out for "teachers."

Spontaneous service delivery protests - again in the manner of the 80s.

Legislation that holds the potential for pre-publishing censorship on the flimsiest of pretext.

Increased centralisation of the civil service, with a bill that could see the president given the power to make appointments down even to municipal level, making the presence of provincial and municipal level leadership pointless and without any authority.

A president who seems reluctant to hand over the reins of power.

The only encouraging sign at the moment is that some members of the COSATU leadership haven't been arrested. I suspect it wouldn't take too much effort to establish just cause right now.

Or maybe I'm reading too much into the situation

[Dave S]

I've been struggling with feeling a bit negative too lately. It sometimes seems like everything that I see points towards us sliding down a slippery slope. At this point I'm hoping for some light to come out of the ANC presidential elections, but I'll have to wait for that.

Not to pee on any more of your batteries, but the coming ANC elections will not change a thing, it's getting worse, and will continue for a few years yet. Somewhere something has got to give (or break completely) then, and only then, will we start to see a change in our country and our econmics. Only when our Government can prove themselves internationally will there be an improvement in our situation, realistically can you see our government receiving international recognition anytime soon...?