Digital Vibes

Dear Ms Athi Geleba

You are Head of Digital Vibes..., er, sorry, Digital Communications,  in the Presidency.

Thank you for the list of presidential achievements tweeted recently. It was like a Twitter version of War and Peace. 

Most striking was:

"Since 2028, the Hawks have secured 4 500 convictions for corruption and other priority crimes"

A magnificent achievement - the time travel. Do you have anything from 2024 for us? A large band of suspects and dubious characters is still at large. They roam the land like Marvel Comics villains, giving the finger, vying for high political office, preaching....I suppose their turn will come, perhaps in 2028?

Continuing with the sci-fi theme:

On Starship Tenderprise there must be many wondrous things to behold. Ideas, plans, nebulous successes swirl and glisten in the rarified atmosphere. On earth, South Africans are raped, murdered and robbed hourly.

"SAPS, Hawks, NPA and State Security Agency all strengthened with new leadership to ensure stability, integrity & capability to fight crime".

Led by that world authority on the links between alcohol, gqom music, tattoos and crime? 

Some official statistics put unemployment at about 34%. But hey, 

"The Youth Employment Service established by Mongameli with private sector partners has to date created over 86 500 work experiences"

I cannot tell you how great a comfort that is, as we sip our ecoli-flavoured water, in lieu of a more substantial meal.

Let's not be negative. So our cup runneth over with sewerage in the streets, arterial haemmorhaging of public funds and more.  But we need to see the glass as half-repaired,  not half-shattered.

Unfortunately, you omitted the heartening employment statistics about some 28 cabinet ministers and 37 deputies just getting by on six-figure salaries, two cars apiece, free flights and other little perks. Did you mention the R19 million spent on luxury vehicles (according to City Press) while South Africans stooped under lockdown?

These are also good stories. Don't be shy. Lay them on us.

Viva New Dusk (or whatever natural phenomenon it is we're supposed to be experiencing). 

We'll be back, like Arnold, for more.

Yours in the struggle to find good stories and good digital vibes.

Richard

Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted 

Capitec Bank, South Africa  

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