ZAR: September 2007
No fertile land means no foodIan Sample12 September 2007 11:59DisplayDCAd('220x240','1','');dcmaxversion = 9dcminversion = 6DoOn Error Resume Nextplugin = (IsObject(CreateObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash." & dcmaxversion & "")))If plugin = true Then Exit Dodcmaxversion = dcmaxversion - 1Loop While dcmaxversion >= dcminversionClimate change and an increasing population could trigger a global food crisis in the next half century as countries struggle for fertile land to grow crops and rear animals, scientists warned recently.To keep up with the growth in human population, more food will have to be produced worldwide over the next 50 years than has been during the past 10 000 years combined, the experts said.But in many countries a combination of poor farming practices and deforestation will be exacerbated by climate change to steadily degrade soil fertility, leaving vast areas unsuitable for crops or grazing.Competition over sparse resources may lead to conflicts and environmental destruction, the scientists fear.The warnings came as researchers from around the world convened at a United Nations-backed forum in Iceland on sustainable development to address the organisation’s millennium development goals to halve hunger and extreme poverty by 2015.The researchers will use the meeting to call on countries to impose strict farming guidelines to ensure that soils are not degraded so badly they cannot recover.“Policy changes that result in improved conservation of soil and vegetation, and restoration of degraded land, are fundamental to humanity’s future livelihood,” said Zafar Adeel, director of the international network on water, environment and health at the United Nations University in Toronto and co-organiser of the meeting.“This is an urgent task as the quality of land for food production, as well as water storage, is fundamental to future peace. Securing food and reducing poverty ... can have a strong impact on efforts to curb the flow of people, environmental refugees, inside countries as well as across national borders,” he added.The UN millennium ecosystem assessment ranked land degradation among the world’s greatest environmental challenges, claiming it risked destabilising societies, endangering food security and increasing poverty.Some 40% of the world’s agricultural land is seriously degraded. Among the worst affected regions are Central America, where 75% of land is infertile, Africa, where a fifth of soil is degraded and Asia, where 11% is unsuitable for farming.The majority of soil erosion is caused by water, either through flooding or poor irrigation, with the rest lost to winds. “You can sum it up as need, greed and ignorance,” said Andrew Campbell, an Australian environmental consultant. “Some pressures on soil resources come from simple human needs, where people don’t have any option but to grow crops or farm animals. But in other instances world markets demand produce, so farmers try to meet those markets. And sometimes, there will be land that’s cleared that should not have been, or grazed when it shouldn’t have been. All these place great pressures on soil resources.”He warned that increased competition over depleted resources would lead to conflict -- “and the losers will inevitably be the environment and poor people”.The global population has risen substantially in recent decades. Between 1980 and 2000 it rose from 4,4-billion to 6,1-billion and food production increased 50%. By 2050 the population is expected to reach nine-billion.The threat of a food crisis is exacerbated by fears over energy security, with many countries opting to plant biofuel crops in place of traditional food crops. India, for example, has pledged to meet 10% of its vehicle fuel needs with biofuels.Andres Arnalds, of the Icelandic soil conservation service, said the pressures on food production would have knock-on effects all over the world because of the international links in food supply. -- © Guardian News & Media Ltd 2007http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=318879&area=/insight/monitor/
SA se nuwe tydvak van verdrukkingGeskryf deur Vlad du Plessis Woensdag, 12 September 2007Dit is moontlik dat Suid Afrika tans ’n nuwe tydvak van politieke verdrukking betree. Reeds sedert die onderhandelde oorname het die ANC-regime geleidelik begin om die voorheen opgestelde prosesse en strukture van demokrasie te beskadig. Wydverspreide korrupsie, wanbestuur, nepotisme en verskeie ander vorme van partydige bedrywigheid en staatswanfunksionering het oor die afgelope 14 jaar ’n enorme tol geëis.Sg. onpartydige waghonde en instellings soos die NV, die howe, OKASA, die Menseregtekommisie, die Taalregtekommissie en ander is bykans deurgaans deur die ANC gekaap. Daar is dus nie kans dat enige van hierdie strukture op die lang duur demokrasie sou bevorder nie.Twee dinge het egter oor die afgelope enkele dae gewys dat ons waarskynlik ’n nuwe fase van demokratiese aftakeling binnegaan. Die een is die skorsing van mnr. Mike Waters verlede week oor sy ‚“ongemaklike" vrae rakende die onbekwame minister van Gesondheid (Me. Manto-Msimang) in die parlement. Laat ons net vir ’n oomblik by hierdie aangeleentheid stilstaan.Ten eerste is die Speaker (me. Mbete) ’n lid van die ANC. Dit bring ons terug by die problematiek wat reeds vroeër in hierdie stuk aangeroer is, naamlik dat sg. “onpartydige” posisies deur ANC lede gevul word. Selfs ten beste, wannneer die opposisie betreklik min druk op die ANC plaas, sou dit onmoontlik vir me. Mbete wees om objektiwiteit te handhaaf. Ideaal moet ’n Speaker los staan van enige party. Dat partylojaliteit in die Afrika-konteks soveel te meer ’n rol speel en dat daar dan boonop ’n element van rassevooroordeel is, hoef mens nie eers te noem nie. Ten spyte daarvan dat haar inherente partydigheid haar rol as Speaker kon teenwerk, het dit tot ’n paar dae gelede geen ernstige probleme opgelewer nie. Die toets lê egter daarin as dinge moeilik raak.Te midde van die huidige magstryd om die ANC-leierskap (en dus die presidentskap van die RSA) het die Nosizwe-Routledge-Manto-Msisimang debakel tot groot mate verpolitiseerd geraak. Die hele aangeleentheid het die onbevoegdheid van Mbeki se keuses rondom sake soos kabinetslede na die oppervlak gebring. Boonop is Nosizwe-Routledge oornag tot ’n soort ’nMessiaanse martelaar verpopuliseer. Sy is immers die een wat die “sterwende massas probeer red” het en toe met haar kabinetspos daarvoor moes “betaal”. Christus het die Romeine en Jode gehad, Ghandi het die Britse Ryk gehad, Dawid het vir Goliat gehad en Nosizwe-Routledge het Thabo en Manto. Nou ja, nie dat Nosizwe-Routledge werklik die leiding van ’n Christus, die opoffering van ’n Ghandi of die oorwinning van ’n Dawid beleef nie, maar in die NSA is ’n adjunk-minister van Gesondheid wat haar werk doen amper ’n heilige (veral as sy daarvoor bestraf word). Nietemin, dit is die skynbaar onskuldige weerlose teenoor die ooglopende magtige.Teenoor die populêre protagonis, Nosizwe-Routledge, staan die antagonis, Manto-Msimang (Mbeki se keuse). Nosizwe-Routledge se nuutverworwe “Messiaanse” status gee vir haar selfs meer mag as wat sy ten tye van haar adjunk-ministerskap gehad het. Enige faksie binne die ANC met wie sy haarself sou assosieer sal onmiddelik tot die morele hoégrond verhef word, of so sou sulkes altans kon hoop. Daarenteen is Manto-Msisimang se morele status soos ’n stuk lood in dryfsand. Haar onbevoegdheid en skandes sal enige een wat aan haar gebind is die verdoemende dieptes intrek.Dit kom al meer na vore dat die Mbeki-faksie ’n verbete stryd om oorwinning binne die ANC voer. Behalwe die Zuma-probleem (en dis ’n groot probleem) blyk daar nog verskeie ander faksies en magte aan die werk te wees.Onder “normale” omstandighede sou Mike Waters se ongerieflike vraag dalk met ’n mate van irritasie verduur word. Normaalweg is die DA soos die kefferbrak op die stoep. Basies irriteer die brakkie almal binne die huis, maar tog kan die bure sien dat jy ook ’n “diereliefhebber” is. As daar egter onmin en rusie in die huis is, dan is ’n lastige brak net te veel, veral as die gekef gaan om ’n waarheid wat jou skade kan berokken. Wat normaal weg net ’n irritasie is, word skielik ’n bedreiging. Die Nuwe Suid-Afrika was nog nooit ’n demokrasie nie. Dit was van die begin af ’n Bantoe-diktatuur oor ’n blanke minderheid. Daar was geen manier hoe die blankes d.m.v. die stembus die regime omver sou kon werp nie. Nogtans het die ANC se verdraagsaamheid teenoor die parlementêre stelsel en die minderhede se samewerking die wanindruk van demokrasie geskep. Eintlik was dit net een groot verneukspul en die een wat die meeste ingeboet het, was die blanke kieser. Valslik is hy onder die indruk gebring dat ’n stem vir die DA ’n verskil sal maak.Die DA en die ander partytjies was uitlaatkleppe vir blanke frustrasies. Dit het voorkom dat blanke frustrasie omsit in woede wat die deksel sou afblaas. Dit het sodoende ’n disfunksionele en verdrukkende sisteem help legitimeer. Hierdie partye het dus inherent ’n aandeel aan die Afrikaner se onderdrukking. Hulle speel dieselfde gekoöpteerde rol as wat die Kleurling- en Indiërpartye in die ou Driekamerparlement gespeel het.Onder die sg. “normale” omstandighede waarin ons oor die afgelope 14 jaar woon, is die opposisie se kritiek bloot afgemaak as wit rassisme. Hierdie effektiewe verweer is keer op keer aangevoer en sekerlik ook tot groot mate geglo, deur beide die ANC en hul ondersteuners. Die “rassisme”-aanklag was bykans elke keer effektief genoeg om opposisie-aanvalle te neutraliseer. In werklikheid was daar nooit ’n kans dat swart kiesers vir enige blanke party, selfs die mees liberale, sou stem nie. Nogtans, as daar die geringste vertwyfeling by die swart kieser sou ontstaan, sou die „wit rassisme”-aanklag meebring dat hy die opposisie geen oorweging skenk nie.Maar wat as dit nie om die swart kieser gaan nie? Hoe gemaak as dit nie gaan oor keuse tussen wit of swart nie, maar wel oor ’n keuse tussen swart en swart? Ook, as die keuse nie deur die massa uitgevoer word nie maar wel deur partylede wat self beroepspoliteke ideale het? Sulke kaders soek immers ’n leier wat hul goedgesind is en wat polities sal oorleef. Gemeet aan sulke standaarde lyk Mbeki se saak sleg; immers moet hy ’n derde termyn bewerkstellig en boonop ’n swak baanrekord as president oorkom. Wanneer die ANC as verenigde front teenoor die wit opposisie staan, is dit maklik maar as die eenheid verbrokkel, is dit ’n ander saak. Dit gaan om die regerende (Mbeki-)faksie binne die ANC se politieke oorlewing. Dat die aanklag (‚rassisme”) wat normaalweg voldoende verweer sou wees, nie nou alleen die ding kan doen nie, dui vir mens presies hoe netelig en broos die regerende faksie se posisie is. Dit dui ook hoe intens onstabiel die ANC geword het.Om weer terug te gaan na die sg. “normale omstandighede” (wat glad nie gesond is nie) sou nóg Mike Waters, nóg die DA enige skade kon berokken. Klaarblyklik is die tektoniese fout(e) wat tans deur die ANC loop so onstabiel dat geen bykomende “versteurings” geduld kan word nie. Eintlik hoef die ANC nooit die opposisie enigsens geduldig gewees het nie. Waar dit dus om die regerende faksie se politieke oorlewing gaan, is die las van ’n demokratiese masker een wat dalk net te veel is.Die DA het altyd die idee van ’n kritiese opposie volgens die liberaal-demokratiese ideaal nagestreef. Die klem het daarop geval om die regering onbevoeg te bewys en die indiwidu daarvan te oortuig dat die DA ’n beter opsie is. Helen Zille het hierdie beginsel ’n trappie verder gevoer deur te onderneem om sulke goeie diens in die bestuur van Kaapstad te lewer dat dit swart kiesers sou oorreed om vir die DA te stem. Nie Helen Zille, Tony Leon, die DA, DP, PFP of hul voorganger het ooit die rassewerklikheid van SA verstaan nie. Helen Zille se verspotte idee het nie net haarself mislei nie maar ook die blanke kieser. Daar is drie realitiete wat hulle (die liberaliste) nie kán of wíl begryp nie.Die ANC sal nooit die mag vrywillig afstaan nie. Dit het R.W. Johnson, wat ’n liberale kritikus van die vorige bewind was, ook onomwonde gestel.In die Afrika-konteks ontvang die bevydingsbeweging vir dekades lank ongekende lojaliteit.Oor die algemeen stem mense volgens rasverdelings. Ghandi se woorde geld: „enige volk verkies sy eie swak regering bo ’n ander volk se goeie regering.” Dit is die rassewerklikheid.Met die verjaging van Waters en die inhegtenisname van Zille het die masker finaal afgekom. Uiteindelik het die ANC homself ontbloot vir wat dit werklik is: ’n Eenpartydiktator.Dat Waters geskors is, het gedui daarop dat die ANC nie meer kritiek gaan duld nie. Met Zille se inhegtenisname kom ons by die tweede belangrike gebeurtenis van die afgelope dae. Streng volgens die wet is sy oor ’n onbenulligheid (sy het ’n tegniese aspek van die wet oortree tydens ’n anti-dwelmprotesoptog) in hegtenis geneem. Dit lyk meer asof die regime gewag het vir die geleentheid om haar agter tralies te kry, al was dit net vir ’n paar uur. En, dit is belangrik, want dit laat mens onwillkeurig wonder/besef dat die Waters-insident nie ’n geisoleerde gebeurtenis is nie en dat ons ten minste hier te make het met ’n nuwe styl in die hantering van die opposisie. My persoonlike gevoel is egter dat dit baie meer as ’n stylverskuiwing verteenwoordig en meer waarskynlik ’n geheel nuwe doktrine behels, nl. ’n verskuiwing van geïrriteerde verdraagsaamheid (met ’n aansienlike mate van verskuilde verdrukking), na ’n toestand van openlike onderdrukking.Die boodskap aan Zille (en alle opposisielede) is baie duidelik: “Kritiek gaan nie meer geduld word nie.” Zille se inhegtenisname is niks minder as die intimidasie van die leier van die amptelike opposisie om hierdie punt tuis te bring nie. Soos wat Zille self oor die gebeurde in die polisiekantoor sê: „Die vertoon van mag was duidelik.”Boodskap versend, boodskap ontvang…Of Zille haar aan die boodskap gaan steur of nie is waarskynlik onbelangrik, aangesien Zille se rol in elk geval futiel is. Wat wel belangrik is, is hoe die politieke kultuur gaan ontwikkel met die pylvak na die ANC-presidentskap en veral daarna. In hierdie periode sal dit duidelik word of ons wel ’n tydvak van die absolute onderdrukking van opposisiepolitiek binnegaan. Myns insiens is daar drie moontlike scenario’s wat kan uitspeel. Meer daaroor volgende week.http://www.praag.org/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=918&Itemid=37
From the News Archives of: WWW.AfricanCrisis.OrgDate & Time Posted: 9/7/2007SA: As we PREDICTED, much HARSHER Affirmative Action coming soon...[Manyani refers to these blacks in companies as "House Niggers". But this is an ANC creation. This is what THEY CREATED! They forced big businesses at gunpoint to get black shareholders and blacks in senior positions or face a lot of discrimination. So companies took in any blacks they could find. Most were unprepared for these senior positions. But, GOVT LAWS forced them to be there. So these blacks then, with nothing else to do, put a "black face on a white company". And yes, they are useless. Black owned companies were started up all over, many failed, but white companies used them as TAX WRITE OFFS! A friend of mine worked for such a black owned oil company. It later failed, and it was bought out by Shell Oil, which used it as a tax write-off!! The company I work in is part of a large group, and sometimes in my work I sit in on meetings in lovely boardrooms (a new experience for me). I sit there with anything from 20 to 70 people from all over the group. EVERY TIME I sit in on these big meetings, the first thing I do is count the racial mix of the participants. Some time back I sat in on a very high level NCA (National Credit Act) meeting, and senior business experts from all over the group were there. Of the 45, there were probably less than 4 blacks. During the meeting which lasted a whole day, the blacks sat and listened and said NOTHING. The majority of the representatives were white, followed by Indians. Whites make up 14% or less of the population and Indians make up 3%! But in these high-level meetings, I see White, Indians and Coloureds - in that order - dominating proceedings. Let it be said, in all the technical meetings I attend, the blacks, 95% of the time are nothing more than "House Niggers". They sit there, they listen, and the matters being discussed are way over their heads. They haven't got a CLUE what is going on. In this country, in business, 90%, probably 95%, of the Business Decisions are being made by: Whites, Indians and Coloureds. Blacks who make up 74% of the population don't make the decisions. But before you think you can just chuck the blacks in there... I would *LOVE* to see them throwing the blacks in willy nilly. I'd love to see it. Why? Because BUSINESS IS COMPLEX - VERY COMPLEX. We have sophisticated computer and manual systems in place. If the Blacks had to just take over overnight... you'd see CHAOS. CHAOS! I sit in on meetings and planning sessions. I know what I'm talking about. But then again, I like CHAOS! I warned a time back that that AA will get worse! The Mass Media was full of reports that it will be EASED! In YOUR DREAMS!Here are some past articles:-S Africa: The Naked Emperor - why affirmative action failedS Africa: Gender affirmative action questionedHere is where I said Alec Erwin and others were lying about AA going away:-[3 Pics] S.Africa: Black Hitler - Affirmative Action needs MUSCLE!!Note: Affirmative Action only applies to WHITE MALES. Yes, the WHITE MAN - not the WHITE WOMAN - the WHITE MALE, GETS IT IN THE NECK and has done since 1994. The White Male is the *ONLY* member of this society who is CONSTANTLY being discriminated against and attacked. The White MAN! But its making the white man TOUGHER. Its good. The White man is a fighter, and he's learning to fight against even more incredible and unbelievable odds. Jan]By Deon de LangeOutspoken Employment Equity commissioner Jimmy Manyi has slammed corporate "house niggers" who act as "ambassadors of unfair discrimination" for their white counterparts."It is alleged that some black economic empowerment partners and some non-executive directors have become 'house niggers' who are ever ready to defend the malpractices of their (white) partners, all in the name of 'good business sense'," he told members of the National Assembly's labour committee on Wednesday.Manyi was representing the Commission for Employment Equity (CEE) during the second day of public hearings into workplace discrimination.He also repeated a call for white women to be removed from the category of previously disadvantaged employees and suggested much tougher enforcement provisions be added to the Employment Equity Act (EEA).Manyi told the committee he would be presenting Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana with recommendations this week on how to speed up employment equity in corporate South Africa.These recommendations are expected to include a major review of the EEA, including harsher penalties for non-compliance, strengthened monitoring capacity for the CEE and more effective mechanisms to deal with companies who do not submit their equity reports to the CEE on time.He also wants the jurisdiction of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to expand to include adjudication and final judgment on matters involving workplace discrimination.Currently, such cases are conciliated by the CCMA but referred to the Labour Court for final judgment, adding a costly legal step that discourages employees from reporting discrimination.Committee members with the notable exception of the DA's Anchen Dreyer voiced support for these ideas and several ANC MPs echoed Manyi's much publicised view that the country's skills shortage is exaggerated by big business as a means of sidestepping employment equity targets."There are blacks … that can enter these (corporate management) positions if only they were given the opportunity," complained ANC MP Monontsi Mzondeki.Tempers flared when Dreyer criticised Manyi's presentation as "divisive" and "racially inflaming", suggesting it added no reliable or useful information to the debate.In reply, Manyi launched a verbal attack on the MP, questioning her motives, her capabilities as an MP and her knowledge of the subject at hand until Dreyer called for protection from chairperson Rebecca Kasienyane, who appeared to comply reluctantly.But it was the Jimmy Manyi show as the Black Management Forum (BMF) of which he is president followed the CEE with its own presentation in which many of his complaints and recommendations were repeated.The BMF also repeated its previous calls for President Thabo Mbeki to appoint a commission of inquiry with powers of subpoena to look into the state of racial transformation in the workplace.Kasienyane praised both organisations for their contributions and took the unusual step of calling on Manyi to assist the committee with drawing up recommendations once the public hearings end.URL: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20070906113049401C288520http://www.africancrisis.org/default2.asp
From the News Archives of: WWW.AfricanCrisis.OrgDate & Time Posted: 9/8/2007Brilliant: Explanation of Robert Mugabe, Mbeki & the CIA[This letter to the editor on News24.com is brilliant. The writer explains succinctly and clearly what the Grand Strategic Logic of ALL the major players are. He explains why America helped end Apartheid and what the game is in South Africa and Zimbabwe. I do not know who the author is. He clearly supports Mugabe. I do not. But, I agree 100% with his logic and description of the world and the local political situation. He is DEAD ON. Whoever the writer is, he knows a lot. It is worth revisiting what Dr Richard Cummings, ex-CIA wrote, and which I have drawn attention to:-Original Article: How the CIA defeated Apartheid & placed the ANC in powerSource: From International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, Summer 1995This letter in News24, coincides clearly with Dr Cummings' explanation in the International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence.I am so glad to see that someone else in S.Africa has seen the light and clicked on what exactly is going on. The writer obviously spurns Mbeki for shooting at the blacks to keep them in place, in order to continue "Western Economic Policies". I spurn Mbeki for another reason. There are key things in that article, such as the writer's admission that the ANC's "struggle heroes" did not get rid of Apartheid as much as the Western world did. It was the WESTERN WORLD which dismantled Apartheid. In another excellent recent analysis, the CATO Institute also mentions the "ANC Mythology" wherein it over-emphasises its victory over Apartheid without giving credit to the Western Liberals. (It actually pees off Western Liberals that the ANC gave them no credit for ending Apartheid. When I spoke to PW Botha personally, I asked him about the "Total Onslaught" which they foresaw. He told me that it was not just Military. They also understood that normal Western nations were involved. The attacks might not have been military, but South African Intelligence knew that all those nations were working together with the aim of bringing white rule to an end here.So as you can see, now that the dust has settled - we've seen all the different sides of the story and now all the stories are coming together. Some people laughed at PW Botha when he spoke of the "Total Onslaught". But it was not just attacks by Communists he was referring to - it was also "political and diplomatic and economic attacks" - if you will - from the Western world. To me, this represents the most succinct, and accurate description of the game as everyone played it. I might therefore as well include the discussions of FW De Klerk, about the strategy of LIBERALISM, as adopted by FW De Klerk, in an attempt at getting the Western World's Liberals off our backs - and the short and long-term consequences of such a strategy:-What if Apartheid had carried on? That should give everybody a good basis for understanding all the players and *ALL* the games going on over the last 40 years. Now... to figure out where it takes us in the future. You do realise of course, that if Mbeki betrays the Liberal Western World's faith in him, that the USA and the West will look FOR A NEW BULWARK AGAINST "Black African Freedom" as defined by Mugabe! Think about that. Jan]'Mugabe is the guiding light'07/09/2007 12:01 - (SA) Dear Editor, Mondli Makanhya is trying to draw a parallel between the struggle against apartheid and the current struggle in Zimbabwe against the "freely elected" government in that country. There is however no comparison if one views the two struggles at a higher global political platform. In 1981 I came to South Africa and was informed by the locals that apartheid was on its way out. In 1986 I wrote to a friend in Holland that Apartheid would not end until the Berlin wall had fallen. There lies the significant difference between what is happening in the current Zimbabwe and the then "apartheid government". If one cares to look at the events in SA following the fall of the Berlin wall, one can see the direct connection between the two events. After the collapse of the old Soviet Union, there was no need for the West to prop up the apartheid regime any longer. It had served its purpose as custodian of a strategic sea route in this part of the world. It had served its purpose to contain the Russian expansion in Africa. Apartheid had been a mere by-product of this strategy.The time had now come for the West to show its humanitarian face and make sure that South Africa would not fall in the hands of some reactionary group who would show the West the finger. They could well do without another Lumumba, Idi amin or Ghadaffi in Africa. Western economic policies The African National Congress won the first general elections and Mr Mandela became the President of a benevolent government. Uprisings with an unpredictable outcome had been prevented and all were happy. As in Europe in 1945, it was not the underground movements that liberated Europe from the Germans. How heroic they might have been. It was the allied forces and the Americans who did not want Europe to fall under Russia and communism for their own benefit. Similarly, it was not the ANC in SA or the struggle heroes that liberated South Africa; it was the West that did not allow apartheid to continue and handed SA over to the ANC under conditions that they would stick to western dictated economic policies. Trevor Manual did just that. Zimbabwe is of little interest to the West. Zimbabwe is landlocked, has a relatively small population and does not play a major political role in Africa in support of the West. Its mineral resources are not unique; it does not have oil. At 80, Mr Mugabe is on his way out sooner or later measured in the global political time frames of decades. Quiet diplomacy works well for SA. It supports the one without upsetting the other. Fruits of the West The long-term goals of any African government should be to strive for independence from the West. Robert Mugabe is the guiding light for what lies ahead for African countries if they want to free themselves. One day, African leaders might have the guts to do so but it will come at the kind of price that Zimbabweans are currently paying and worse. Freedom is expensive and demands sacrifices as the history of many European countries can teach you. It will get a lot worse before it gets better. The majority of African countries are - for all intents and purposes - still economically and culturally colonised. Despite our President's statement, name changes will never make South Africa an African country. For the time being, African leaders prefer to enjoy the fruits of the West at the price of paying lip service to their demands and a little unhappiness amongst the poor. Nothing a rubber bullet cannot control. Benzo,Pretoria http://www.news24.com/News24/MyNews24/Letters/0,,2-2127-2129_2176915,00.htmlhttp://www.africancrisis.org/default2.asp
burn witch, burn...............eish sounds like America in the 1500SA pupils burn 'witches' to deathTwo South African women have been burned to death after a group of students accused them of bewitching their high school with evil spirits.Msaba Zungu and Thabitha Thusi, both 60, were seized from their homes near Manguzi in KwaZulu-Natal province.Students and adults dragged them to a sports field where they were doused with petrol and set alight on Sunday.Manhlenga High School pupils accused the women of being witches after they began to suffer strange crying fits.Investigators said Ms Zungu died at the scene and Ms Thusi succumbed to her burns injuries on Monday.Police captain Jabulani Mdletshe told the BBC News website: "On 17 August, the students at the mixed high school began to cry randomly and they did not know why."The students held a couple of meetings and allegedly decided the problem was these two women were witches who had cast a bad muthi (spell) on the school."At 8pm on Sunday, some students and community members allegedly took the women from their homes to a football field and set them on fire."No arrests have been made but police are following a positive line of inquiry, said Capt Mdletshe.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6980439.stm
Raad soek nou nét swart kleinsakeSep 04 2007 11:58:21:987PM - (SA) Druk artikel E-pos storie aan 'n vriendDisplayDCAd('220x120','1','');dcmaxversion = 9dcminversion = 6DoOn Error Resume Nextplugin = (IsObject(CreateObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash." & dcmaxversion & "")))If plugin = true Then Exit Dodcmaxversion = dcmaxversion - 1Loop While dcmaxversion >= dcminversionDisplayDCAd('220x120','2','');Cobus ClaassenDie Tshwane-metroraad gaan voortaan géén kleinsake-transaksies met wit ondernemings doen nie.Dít is die interne opdrag wat die raad se aankope-afdeling verlede week uit die bloute gekry het.Mnr. Kiba Kekana, munisipale bestuurder van die raad, het verlede maand ’n verslag goedgekeur wat behels dat geen wit ondernemings voortaan in ag geneem sal word wanneer die raad goedere van minder as R30 000 aankoop nie.Dieselfde geld ook aanvaarding van tenders.Beeld het ’n afskrif bekom van die verslag wat Kekana op 6 Augustus goedgekeur het (uittreksel hiernaas).Die veranderinge wat goedgekeur is, het al op 1 September in werking getree.Luidens die verslag sal slegs klein- en middelslagondernemings (KMO’s) “wat in uitsluitlik swart besit is” en op die raad se databasis is, oorweeg word.Kwotasies moet bekom word van ten minste drie verskillende diensverskaffers.In die verslag word onder meer voorgestel dat alle delegasie van magte met die aankoop van goedere herroep moet word nadat die raad se nuwe alternatiewe diensleweringstruktuur op 1 Julie in werking getree het.’n Amptenaar van die raad wat nie sy naam genoem wil hê nie uit vrees dat hy sy werk kan verloor, sê wit ondernemings het in die verlede die jawoord gekry as hul kwotasies goedkoper was.“Ons het verlede week opdrag gekry dat daar nou nét by swart ondernemings aankope gedoen mag word. Ek het vanoggend (gister) tussen R6 000 en R7 000 méér betaal vir goedere om aan die nuwe vereiste te voldoen.“Dit gaan nog ’n duur opdrag word,” voorspel hy.In die verslag word aangedui dat ’n “afwykingsverslag” deur mnr. Hamilton Hhlom, die uitvoerende direkteur van verkrygingsdienste, goedgekeur moet word wanneer daar nie drie sulke kwotasies bekom kan word nie en daar noodgedwonge van ’n wit onderneming se dienste gebruik gemaak moet word.’n Eienaar van ’n onderneming wat die afgelope 15 jaar sake doen met verskeie departemente van die raad, het gister gesê hy sal sy onderneming se deure onmiddellik moet sluit.“Ek het eers gedink dis ’n grap toe ek die gerugte hoor. Dit is egter alles behalwe ’n grap as jy weet dit is die einde van jou onderneming. Hoe vertel ek dit vir my werkers?”Me. Natasha Michael, DA-hoofsweep, sê die DA het gister met skok kennis geneem van die verslag.“Die raad doen tans sake met verskeie swart ekonomiese bemagtigingsondernemings (SEB). Jare se ervaring gaan egter nou net geïgnoreer word.”Volgens Michael is dit nie nasionale wetgewing se “bedoeling” om sekere individue te isoleer op grond van ras nie.“Dit is bloot daar om vorige wanbalanse reg te stel. Die verslag gaan egter daartoe lei dat nuwe wanbalanse geskep gaan word.”Mnr. Conrad Beyers, VF+-raadslid, het die besluit gister as skandalige ANC-rassisme bestempel.“Die ANC steek nou alle grense van billikheid oor. Dit gaan alles oor ideologie en selfs mense wat hul brood en botter verdien, bly bloot op grond van ras in die slag.”Mnr. Louis McLaren, nasionale verteenwoordiger vir SEB van die Afrikaanse Handelsinstituut, het gesê dit lyk of die raad begin voorberei vir die bemagtigingstelkaart waarvolgens hy aanstaande jaar oor SEB en transformasie verantwoording sal moet doen.Die raad het nie gister op Beeld se navrae reageer nie.http://www.news24.com/Beeld/Suid-Afrika/0,,3-975_2177255,00.html