Eliminate all resistance

[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.

[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?