STES DE NECKER'S GENERAL WEBSITE AND BLOG FOR GENERAL MATTERS: 2012
The first time I got introduced to the word “viva” was in the late seventies when Janelle and I visited Argentina. As part of the South African delegation of the firm ICL (ltd) who attended the international sales conference of the Company in 1979, we were invited to one of the traditional Latin American Taverns in Buenos Aires.
On our arrival we were greeted by a huge banner with the words “Viva ICL” written all over it. Being a true South African “Afrikaner” I asked the owner what the word “viva” means and he explained to me that it is an acclamation or salutation that comes from the Latin language meaning "Long live.. !" (or more literally "Live!").
When the political upheavals started in South African in the early and mid nineties, I accordingly had some idee of the meaning of the chant “Viva” used by black South Africans at the time. “Viva ANC” or “Viva Mandela” etc. was heard all over South Africa and simply meant “Long live the ANC” or “Long live Mandela”. Viva this, or viva that, almost became part of South African society since then.
During the opening ceremony of the ANC’s annual congress in Bloemfontein this year, a certain pastor who was asked to open the proceedings with prayer, gave new meaning to the chant viva, when he ended his prayer with the words: “Viva God”!
“Viva God”, long live God! How delightfull! How innocently naïve in its simplicity!
Unpretentious, with no intention of being blasphemous or a crowd pleaser whatsoever, simply honest and truth full; “Viva God!”
How often do we see people who have met Jesus for the first time and after a period of being all fiery and enthusiastic about the Lord, later cooling off and in some instances even reverting back to their old habits and way of living. I have seen many “new” Christians starting with passion, excitement and zeal, and then lose interest. It is important to finish what we have started. Paul says that nothing moves him, except to finish the race strong for Jesus. Sadly there are so many who do not finish the race and bails out halfway. For them, God only existed (lived) for a short period in their lives.
Shouldn’t we all, as Christians, also adopt the salutation: “Viva God"! Long live God in your and my life! God wants to have the intimate relationship with you and me that He had the day we first gave our lives to Him.
The pastor shared the Word of God with the passion that comes from a burning heart and he touched the hearts of others!
Posted by Stes de Necker at Wednesday, December 19, 2012 No comments:
Die totstandkoming van Afrikaans
Artikel uitgegee deur die Afrikaanse Taalmuseum Paarl
Afrikaans het uit ’n wye verskeidenheid van bronne ontwikkel en sy wortels lê oor drie kontinente versprei, naamlik Europa, Asië en Afrika. In 1652 het die VOC, die befaamde skeepsmaatskappy van Nederland, ’n verversingspos aan die Kaap gestig vir sy skepe op hul reis na en van die Ooste.
Die mense aan die Kaap was van verskillende Europese lande afkomstig, byvoorbeeld matrose en die amptenary uit Nederland, vakmanne en huursoldate uit die Duitssprekende gebiede, Nederland en die Skandinawiese lande en die Hugenote uit Frankryk.
Aangesien die taalbeleid van die VOC baie streng was en hulle gretig was om die Hollandse karakter van die Kaap te behou, is die mense almal verplig om Hollands aan te leer. Dit het ook gegeld vir die Khoi-groepe in die omgewing en die slawe wat uit Afrika en die Ooste ingevoer is.
Die resultaat van hierdie beleid was ’n aanleerderstaal waarvan Hollands die teikentaal was. Party navorsers verwys hierna as ’n Kreoolse taal. Reisigers het reeds in 1671 aangeteken dat die Hollands wat aan die Kaap gepraat word nie meer soos die taal van Europa klink nie. Die skryftaal was egter nog dieselfde.
Teen die middel van die 18de eeu, was Afrikaans as ’n nuwe taal met ’n eie identiteit reeds aan die Kaap gevestig. Dit is Kaaps-Hollands genoem, maar het in party streke ook ander name gehad. Só het die taal van die Genadendal-sendingstasie by die Britse owerheid bekend gestaan asGenadendal Dutch. In die 19de eeu het Afrikaans in kontak gekom met Engels en die tale van die verskillende swart groepe in die binneland. Hierdie tale het ook ’n invloed op die ontwikkeling van Afrikaans gehad.
Die vroegste Afrikaans
EEN van die eerste variante van Afrikaans was die sogenaamde Kaapse Afrikaans wat deur veral die oudslawe in die Kaap gepraat is. Aangesien die meeste van hierdie mense die Islamitiese geloof aangehang het, is die taal sterk deur Arabies en die Moslem-kultuur gekleur. Hierdie mense was verantwoordelik vir die eerste geskrewe Afrikaans toe hulle die Arabiese alfabet begin gebruik het om in Afrikaans te skryf.
“Oewhans wiet die riegtie wieg,” lees ’n mens. Dit lyk nie na Afrikaans nie. Totdat jy die woorde hardop vir jouself uitspreek en besef daar staan “ons weet die regte weg”.
Nog ’n getranskribeerde voorbeeld van hoe die Afrikaans van die Moslem-gemeenskap van destyds in Arabiese skrif voorgestel is, is: "Al die dank an parais es rieg fer Allah alien" (Al die dank en prys is reg vir Allah alleen).
En kyk 'n bietjie na ’n sinsnede soos “waas gawies fantefoewhar”—dis mos “was vantevore gewees” in hedendaagse Afrikaans.
(Transkriberings en verklarings uit "Abu Bakr se 'Uiteensetting van die Godsdiens'" deur A. van Selms, 1979, North-Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam/Oxford/New York)
Die eerste Afrikaanse skool in Suid-Afrika is ook deur die Moslem-gemeenskap tot stand gebring. Die skool of madrasah was in Dorpstraat 37 in die Bo-Kaap en die Moslem-kinders het hul godsdiensonderrig hier in Kaapse Afrikaans ontvang. Die madrasah is gestig deur Tuan Guru, ’n prins van Tidore in die Ternate-eilande (Indonesië) wat deur die VOC as banneling na Robbeneiland gestuur is. Teen 1807 het 375 slawekinders hul onderrig in die Koran en Arabies hier voltooi.
Een van hul leermetodes was om gedeeltes uit die heilige skrifte in hul koplesboeke in Afrikaans in Arabiese letters oor te skryf.
Verskeie Islamitiese heilige geskrifte is aan die Kaap in Arabiese Afrikaans oorgesit en die eerste Afrikaanse vertaling van die Koran is ook in hierdie skooltjie aangepak deur Achmat van Bengale.
Achmat Davids, ’n kenner op die gebied van Arabiese Afrikaanse geskrifte, is van mening dat Afrikaans reeds sedert omstreeks 1815 in die madrasah in Dorpstraat gebruik is. Die eerste gepubliseerde Arabiese Afrikaanse manuskrip het in 1845 verskyn en was die werk van Abu Bakir. Tot omstreeks 1957 het daar meer as sestig publikasies in Arabiese Afrikaans verskyn.
Die ‘Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners’ en hul stryd vir Afrikaans
’n Paarlse predikant, ds. Van der Lingen, het in 1858 ’n private skool met Nederlands as voertaal gestig om Afrikaanssprekende kinders te onderrig. Die skool was De Gimnasium en een van die onderwysers was Arnoldus Pannevis, ’n Nederlander, wat in 1866 in die Paarl aangekom het.
· Afrikaners met Hollandse harte wat nog vasklou aan hul Hollandse verlede en die moederland in Europa wat hulle reeds 225 jaar gelede verlaat het.
· Afrikaners met Engelse harte wat die taal en kultuur van die Engelse regering aanvaar het as hul eie.
· Regte Afrikaners met Afrikaanse harte wat die taal en kultuur van die nuwe land aangehang het.
Die eerste uitgawe van Die Afrikaanse Patriot het op 15 Januarie 1876 verskyn. Aanvanklik was dit ’n maandblad in ’n klein formaat, maar sy gewildheid het vinnig toegeneem en teen die 1890's was dit ’n weekblad in volgrootte koerantformaat. D.F. du Toit (ook bekend as Oom Lokomotief) was een van die eerste redakteurs van die koerant. Die Patriotwas egter nie die eerste Afrikaanse koerant in Suid-Afrika nie.
De Bode, die koerant wat sedert 1859 deur die Morawiese Sendingdorp Genadendal uitgegee is, het reeds tekste en briewe in Afrikaans bevat.
Gedenkschool der Hugenoten—en die uiteindelike erkenning van Afrikaans
DIE Gedenkschool der Hugenoten is in 1882 op die plaas Kleinbosch in Daljosafat tot stand gebring. D.F. du Toit was die eerste onderwyser. Soos reeds gesien is, was hierdie skool nie die eerste skool waar daar van Afrikaans gebruik gemaak is nie; dit het egter wel ’n belangrike rol gespeel by pogings om Afrikaans as ’n amptelike skooltaal erken te kry.
Ná 1994 het Afrikaans een van elf amptelike landstale geword. Tans is Afrikaans met meer as ses miljoen moedertaalsprekers die derde grootste taalgroep in Suid-Afrika naas Zulu en Xhosa. Daar is ook groot Afrikaanssprekende gemeenskappe elders in die wêreld bv. Londen, Australië en Nieu-Seeland.
Die taal is voortdurend aan die ontwikkel en verander en het reeds ook op ander tale ’n invloed begin uitoefen, soos gesien kan word aan die volgende lys van Afrikaanse leenwoorde in ander tale:
Leenwoord Taal Afrikaans
Ihempe Xhosa hemp
Ifestile Xhosa venster
Ibhulukwe Xhosa broek
Ifestela Zulu venster
Isitulo Zulu stoel
Ibhuku Zulu boek
Ipapa Zulu (stywe) pap
Imfolomane Zulu voorman
Ummese Zulu mes
Isikele Zulu skêr
Ibhulukwe Zulu broek
Isikhebhe Zulu skip
Umata Zulu mat
Mpompa Zulu pomp
Afrikaanse woorde wat dikwels in Engels gehoor word
Davids, A 1991 The Afrikaans of the Cape Muslims from 1815 to 1915 (Ongepubliseerde
MA-tesis, Universiteit van Natal).
Van Rensburg, C (red) 1997 Afrikaans in Afrika, JL van Schaik: Pretoria.
Posted by Stes de Necker at Wednesday, December 12, 2012 No comments:
Diversity - South Africa's biggest Asset.
Diversity – South Africa’s biggest Asset
Unity in Diversity – South Africa’s biggest Challenge
If we look at Southern Africa, which include the areas Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana, there is no other country in the world where you can, within an area of ​​approximately 2.5 million. Km² find 18500 different plant species, 750 types of Butterflies, 336 mammal species, 800 different bird species, more than 60 types of minerals.
According to the international classification of the world's six major floral kingdoms, South Africa's fynbos region, an area that stretches from the Olifants River 250 km. Northwest of Cape Town to Port Elizabeth on the east coast, is the smallest of the six regions. Although the smallest, this region has 8500 different plant species of which 73% can be found nowhere else in the world. Table Mountain alone has more plant species than can be found in the whole of Britain. Compared to South Africa's 750 Butterfly species, only 75 species can be found in the whole of England. Compared to the total of 125 kinds of land animals found in Western Europe, South Africa has no less than 240 different kinds of mammals. No less than 29 different antelope species can be found in South Africa.
Why do foreigners see this potential while the South African government still stumbles over it daily. Is it because the government still finds itself in the crush of bias, or can they simply not succeed in getting rid of their unsuccessful economic policies.
As for as gold and diamonds are concerned, South Africa accounts for 80% of the world's gold production while the bulk of the world's diamonds currently come from South Africa. More than 60 minerals are mined in South Africa, while about 90% of the world's vanadium, 89% of the platinum metal group, 84% of the chrome ore, 93% of manganese and 64% of the gold reserves, are concentrated in South Africa. Coal provides 80% of the country's energy needs while great progress has already been made in the area of ​​additional nuclear power and wind power. Sasol currently supply more than 30% of the country's liquid petroleum needs while the agricultural sector still succeeds to feed approx. 40 mill. people daily.
In a previous article of mine, "Cry the Beloved Country - Continue Crying" I wrote about South Africa's political strife and that the ANC government (including his youth and other leagues), still can not understand that South Africa's riches belong to all South Africans and not only to the the current generation of ANC members. One wonders who the ANCYL think the minerals and national wealth of this country will belong to if nationalization becomes a reality. The ANC elite? Some State organ? Some black empowerment company? If the black empowerment company Mvelaphanda of Mr. Tokyo Sexwale must serve as an example of the redistribution of South Africa's mineral wealth, nationalization will surely be the final death blow to South Africa's economy.
What became of the ANC’s noble ideals that South Africa belongs to all who live in it? Or does the "all" now have a new meaning and it now only refers to "All in the ANC"? What about the 34% of voters who did not vote for the ANC. Are they excluded from participation in this "communal" wealth?
In "Cry the Beloved Country - Continue Crying" I said that forgotten are the noble ideals of upliftment of the less privileged, equal opportunity for all, freedom of occupation and freedom of association. Instead, there exists today a culture of "Get as rich as possible as quickly as possible." In addition, this culture of self-enrichment is only at the disposal of a few privileged loyalists in the ANC. Differ from this group and your right to economic achievement will be taken away very quickly. It is a culture that embraces a variety of ills, most of which are aimed at the erosion of our constitutional democracy and the maintenance of an unscrupulous and incompetent group of politicians in their fortified palaces, wood-paneled offices and luxury limousines.
The multicolored rainbow of Emeritus Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu is rapidly being replaced with the mirages of a scorched and desolate desert landscape.
If South Africa wants to retain this position, the South African government will very quickly have to review and clearly spells out it’s policies regarding nationalization and economic development, or run the risk to join countries like Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Kenya and many others as the "failed economies" of the current world order.
The late Dr. Anton Rupert, founder of the Rembrandt Group, on occasion highlighted the following ethical principles for business people in a civilized society namely:
• He who wants to keep everything for himself, will lose everything.
• That you can not trade with paupers.
• You do not create development and/or wealth by giving everything away.
• Wealth is contagious. If success is shared, it leads to greater success.
• Place yourself always in the other person shoes and always consider his position.
• You can only earn trust by trusting others. To trust is a risk, but to distrust others, is an even greater risk.
The vast majority of citizens of this country have yet to learn that political survival and economic prosperity can not be created by plundering accumulated reserves. Economic prosperity can only be achieved by innovative thinking, sound economic principles, hard work and strict personal earnings. It can not be "demanded".
Constitutional principle XI provides that:
"The diversity of language and culture shall be acknowledged and protected, and conditions for their promotion shall be encouraged."
To what extent is the current Government fulfilling this principle?
Since 1994, there has never been a beter time like right now, that all South Africans can (and should), unite in diversity!
Posted by Stes de Necker at Tuesday, December 11, 2012 No comments:
South Africa's Political Disease
South Africa’s Political Disease
Can South Africa’s Ailments still be cured?
South Africa's famous heart specialist, the late Prof. Chris Barnard, once said that the one thing he learned in medical science is that most of the diseases or ailments, will progressively degenerate until it reaches a certain point where curative treatment is no longer possible.
The current political situation in South Africa is certainly ideal comparable to Prof. Barnard's theory.
The question is: Can South Africa's political disease be cured?
After eighteen years of ANC rule, we are experiencing the most labor unrest, murder, theft, corruption and civil disobedience this country has ever seen.
South Africa surprise the world in 1994 with it’s peaceful transition to a new political order and the relatively peaceful progress that has been made thus far.
It is unfortunate that the country's president, Jacob Zuma, and the current government, do not realize that the serious socio-economic unrest experienced in South Africa today, is not the prime illness, but merely a symptom of a much more serious underlying cause.
Radical elements within the ANC managed to enforce a totally unrealistic wage demand to the Lonmin mine, blame the police for the unrest that occurred, discredit existing labor unions and rendered the government powerless to control the situation.
Lonmin was forced to concede to the strikers's wage demands, the police were forced, under severe provocation, to defend themselves and experienced trade unions were discredited as not representing their members. A deadly recipe to overthrow the current system and to place it in the hands of irresponsible and uneducated radicals.
Patchwork, whenever trouble arises, will not solve the problem. On the contrary, it only give those radicals, who want to overthrow the existing order, more power in their quest for revolution. Forced economic adjustments, adjustments in the education system, changes to agricultural policy and a host of other “laslappies” only aggravate the situation even more!
Drastic changes in government policy is needed to restore the situation. Drastic changes which are unfortunately impossible to introduce under current government policy.
• To end strikes and riots with force when the nation's security is under threat;
• To give the police full power to defend themselves when their lives are threatened;
• To effectively eradicate corruption and self-enrichment when the country's economy is threatened;
• To get rid of inefficiency when service delivery doesn’t happen.
Unfortunately, the South African government for too long has neglected to treat ailments in the system effectively. Since 1994 un-popular decisions were postponed, serious deficiencies were not addressed and painful corrections were not done.
Is the situation in South Africa still treatable, or are we already past the point of no return?
I, for one, believe that we are already past that point. South Africa faces a total political meltdown and still the ANC government is busy dancing around the fire of political opportunism and denial of the reality.
The day will come when the word "Comrade" will also be a slang word in this country as is currently the case in Russia.
When the world still thought communism was indestructible, it was already just an empty shell.
It will serve the government well to realise that, like communism, "ANC-ism" is not infinite and indestructible!
Posted by Stes de Necker at Monday, December 10, 2012 No comments:
"Cry the Beloved Country"... and we are still crying!
South Africa Quo Vadis
The best example of one such ill is surely the government's controversial tender system. It provides the opportunity for every friend and family member of the ruling elite to obtain extremely lucrative contracts, the vast majority of which are never carried out, or otherwise being performed so poorly that the work or service needs to be redone anyway.
For those who are not sufficiently blood related to the ruling elite, there is always the possibility of a lucrative position somewhere in the ANC's cadre deployment. Once you’re in that position, theft and corruption is also not that gig a problem.
At the very worst you can be suspended, with full pay, which means that for the next ten years you can sit at home and do nothing. By the time the inept legal process eventually commence, so much time has already been lost that any trial or hearing instituted against you will inevitably be found to be unfair and unlawful, with the result that there is little or no chance that you will ever be found guilty of the charges against you!
South Africa is littered with failed agricultural projects while millions of economic development funds ended up in the pockets of corrupt ANC leaders and supporters.
Self-enrichment and personal interest is the order of the day. The inability of the government to take effective action at the stage when they were suppose to do it, caused this ill to proliferate to the point that one gets the impression that there exist a belief that, if you do not grab your share now, don’t cry the day when there is no longer anything left to grab!
Corruption, in all organs and levels of government, certainly has the best profit to risk ratio in South Africa, since less than 5% of all corruption cases are successfully prosecuted in our courts.
South Africa's problems are bigger and more deep-rooted than what most South Africans wants to believe. As long as this minority political elite remains in government, and in power, it is unlikely that any significant improvement in the prevailing conditions will occur in the near future.
Posted by Stes de Necker at Saturday, December 08, 2012 No comments:
That versatile F' word
1. Greeting: Fucking nice to see you!
2. Command: Watch the f...n road!
3. Surrender: I f....n give up!
5. Aggression: F..k you!
6. Jealousy: F..k me!
7. Confusion: What the f..k..!
8. Daft: I don’t f....n understand!
9. Admiration: That’s f....n beautiful!
10. Despair: F..k this!
12. Lost: Where the f..k are we?
13. Disbelief: I don’t f....n believe this!
14. Retaliation: F..k off!
16. Pain: Ouch f..k!
17. Unsympathetic: I don’t give a f..k!
18. Suspicion: Who the f..k are you?
20. Directive: Get the f..k away from me!
21. Resistance: Never in my f....n life!
22. Surprise: Oh fuck ...!
Posted by Stes de Necker at Friday, December 07, 2012 No comments:
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