tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33165227657059820952024-03-27T16:53:55.894-07:00The Scuffle Continues Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger532125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-14920379323960021862024-03-27T03:34:00.000-07:002024-03-27T03:34:36.266-07:00The Wisdom of Collen Malatji <p><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">ANC Youth League leader Collen Malatji says “the ANC pays you for being born, pays you for living, pays you to go to school, pays you to go to university and gives your mother water and electricity”.</span></p><div class="mail-message expanded" id="m#msg-a:r-6808103270532242116" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><div class="mail-message-content collapsible zoom-normal mail-show-images " style="margin: 16px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; user-select: auto; width: 352px;"><div class="clear"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Dear Mr Malatji</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I see that I have been horribly shortchanged. Could I please have my payment now for being born. I have checked my Capitec savings account several times since reading your uplifting message, but, so far, nothing, nada. dololo. Are you sure that you guys have the correct account details? I've included them below, just in case your database is not up to date. That would be a surprise as we all know that ANC spells efficiency.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">As for being paid for living, had I known that, I would not have slaved to stay just over broke for so many years. I suppose that the large chunks that SARS hewed out of my salary were for that purpose. I'd like to collect now, please, having lived almost three score years and ten. Where do I sign up? Not Home Affairs or Labour, I hope, as I've also spent a goodly portion of those years queuing at those fine establishments. Often to no avail, as the staff have to go home sometime.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Yes, I'll be pleased to be paid for my school years. They were boring in the extreme and of little value in the real world. Bartholomew Diaz, his fascinating sea voyages notwithstanding, was not helpful in the acquisition of jobs, loans or anything really useful. Now had we been thoroughly schooled in technical skills, things would have been very different. I refer to the life skills that make the world go round. A practical, useful syllabus would have included:</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">* Strategies and tactics for life without water and electricity </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">* How to make, keep, switch and discard friends in high, political places and low lucrative places</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">* Starting your own political party for profit</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">* Living off the fat of the land in lean times</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">And much more of the good stuff</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Adding insult to injury, we did not have the benefit of being allowed to pass some subjects with a 30 percent score. I don't see why not. Some of the thirty percenters are managing our country quite efficiently - aren't they?</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I paid back my university loan with interest. Why did those cunning bankers not tell me that it had already been paid by the ANC? I plan to sue them just as soon as I can get hold of Mr Mpofu. I think he's done with that futil..., I mean, difficult case for Mr Zuma.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">As for water and electricity for my mother, she has passed on, but I certainly could do with some water and electricity for myself. There's not been much of either, though you couldn't tell that from the bills, which are remarkably regular and consistent.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I know that the ANC has itself had some trouble with bills (for wages, suppliers etc.) but I'm very pleased that they've not been tempted to dip into their fund that "pays you for being born, pays you for living, pays you to go to school, pays you to go to university and gives your mother water and electricity”. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">That's integrity.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Yours in the struggle to ensure that voters are grateful for ALL that the ANC does.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Richard </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><div dir="auto">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto">1378565477</div><div dir="auto">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto">+27 833970723</div></div></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div></div></div></div><div class="mail-message-footer spacer collapsible" style="height: 0px;"></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-4601599560463669492024-03-24T22:27:00.000-07:002024-03-24T22:27:35.845-07:00Vladimir, Well Done!<p>Dear Mr Putin</p><div dir="auto">Congratulations on winning a tough, grinding election battle. That was close.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I am satisfied that your elections are as free and fair as the ones held in Zimbabwe. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I understand that the other three candidates gave you a run for your money. Our ANC government is facing opposition from some two hundred or so parties (we don't play here). Fortunately, their supporters are just as blindly..., pardon, solidly, loyal as yours. It's something to see unforced loyalty based on affection, respect and recognition of a track record of integrity, honourable behaviour and competence. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">It's admirable that you were able to soldier on despite the death of Mr Navalny, which must have weighed heavily on your mind. What with your being that rare creature - the sensitive, caring statesman. You remind me so of our own Mr Zuma, who is all for corporal punishment and other enlightened reforms.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I noticed that a few people, carried away by the euphoria of participating in free and fair elections, ruined ballot boxes and set stuff on fire. I'm sure that this was all just in high election spirits. You know: voters will be voters. Suspended sentences and some meaningful community service should sort that out. I'm thinking, clearing snow and ice, healthy outdoors work - that sort of thing.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">We, too, have had some high jinks by politicians and public figures that went too far. All the way to commissions of inquiry, for example. We elected not to take a primitive, punitive approach. (We're way past that sort of medieval thinking). Instead, we redeployed, promoted, supported, in a cutting edge approach to discouraging criminality and fostering responsibility and accountability. To my knowledge, it's been a stunning success. We have people alleged to have been villains, scoundrels and out and out rotters now in many positions of high responsibility. One should never write rotte..., I mean, people, off. Does one's heart good to see the most modern reform and correction initiatives in action. I have no doubt that we will soon taste the fruits of our reform initiatives. Perhaps just as soon as our parliamentary speaker returns from special leave and we defeat loadshedding (which should be anytime soon - or just now, as we say in South Africa).</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">So, I trust, Mr Putin, that you will take a leaf out of our African book, just as we have often done with yours. After all, are we not both important, impactful actors on the global stage? There you are, striving to bring peace and harmony to various parts of the world, using every means at your disposal: diplomacy, drones, rockets, mercenaries. And here we are, er, doing our best. Incidentally, our minister of defence said that we supplied you with fokol when your ship docked here. With all the demands being made on your military and other personnel, you may be running low by now. Please know that we have an inexhaustible supply of fokol to give and your ships are welcome any dark night.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Yours in the struggle for free and fair elections, even when outcomes are pre-determined.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Richard </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><br />Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><div dir="auto">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto">1378565477</div><div dir="auto">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto">+27 833970723</div></div></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-43890231582801292802024-03-23T02:16:00.000-07:002024-03-23T02:16:32.913-07:00Scuffle On, MK<p>How did I come to have dozens of MK followers on TikTok?</p><div dir="auto">I was praised as a wise man, a legend and other honorifics that would have had me blushing, were I still able to blush.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The reason for this outpouring of praise? This excerpt from a blog post:</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-size: large;">'Dear Mr Zuma</span></p><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">My heartfelt thanks for your wisdom and guidance. I was on the verge of making a terrible mistake at the polling station. </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I understand that you said that a vote for the ANC is a vote for WMC. Now, I mistakenly thought that a vote for the DA was a vote for WMC. Ah, but now I see it clearly. A vote for The DA is a vote for apartheid. Thank you for making that clear distinction. It would be a terrible thing to think that one had made one's mark for WMC only to find later that it was actually a vote for apartheid...'</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div></div><div dir="auto"><p dir="ltr">(The Scuffle Continues : Seeing The Light: <span style="color: #1b95e0;">https://thescuffle.blogspot.com/2023/12/seeing-light.html)</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">A (very) few readers did read between the bull and awarded me a 'fuseg' and 'msu@#$$' or two. These I promptly 'liked', as is my custom.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">I expect many more fusegs and msu@#$$s once the realization dawns that the video was not exactly a paen of praise for the Dancing One. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr">This raises some interesting questions and thoughts.</p><p dir="ltr">Do many South Africans simply cherry pick whatever suits their ideology or theology, without engaging 'drive' upstairs? This could explain the worship of political idols with feet of very fragile clay.</p><p dir="ltr">Are irony and satire lost on many of our people? That could explain why rogues and charlatans get so many rides on the merry- go-round. Particularly when they should have left the playground with tails firmly tucked between legs.</p><p dir="ltr">Yeats wrote that:</p><p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color: white; color: #343434; display: inline-block; font-family: "poets electra", georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin-left: 32px; text-indent: -32px;">Hearts with one purpose alone</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: "poets electra", georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 17.6px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #343434; display: inline-block; font-family: "poets electra", georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin-left: 32px; text-indent: -32px;">Through summer and winter seem</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: "poets electra", georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 17.6px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #343434; display: inline-block; font-family: "poets electra", georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin-left: 32px; text-indent: -32px;">Enchanted to a stone</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #343434; font-family: "poets electra", georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 17.6px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #343434; display: inline-block; font-family: "poets electra", georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 17.6px; margin-left: 32px; text-indent: -32px;">To trouble the living stream.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color: white;">In South Africa, Mr Yeats, we could cannabilise that to:</span><br /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color: white;">Heads with one thought alone</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color: white;">Through summer and winter seem</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color: white;">Enchanted to a block of wood</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color: white;">To trouble the living stream.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr">I quote, for the umpteenth time, because it seems proved time and again:</p><p dir="ltr">'If George Orwell had written 2020 in South Africa:<br /></p><p dir="ltr">The party's ever-present slogans fluttered proudly from deserted dairy farms, vandalized railway stations and scorched public buildings:<br /></p><p dir="ltr">INCOMPETENCE IS HEROISM</p><p dir="ltr">DECAY IS PROGRESS</p><p dir="ltr">BULLSHIT IS TRUTH....'</p><p dir="ltr"></p><p dir="ltr"></p><p dir="ltr">(The Scuffle Continues : 2020: <span style="color: #1b95e0;">https://thescuffle.blogspot.com/2020/12/2020_21.html)</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color: #1b95e0;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr">In South Africa, the satire not only writes itself, but, like good manure, grows richer, riper and darker daily.<span style="color: #1b95e0;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr">Here's to my many temporary MK followers!</p><p dir="ltr">Viva comrades, viva!</p><p dir="ltr"><br /></p><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><div dir="auto">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto">1378565477</div><div dir="auto">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto">+27 833970723</div></div><p dir="ltr"><br /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr"><br /></p><p dir="ltr"><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;" /></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-5928865962379851002024-03-22T09:29:00.000-07:002024-03-23T14:14:23.447-07:00The Land That Commonsense Forgot <p> Dear Jeff</p><div dir="auto">I read the draft of your book, as promised. Interesting title: The Land That Commonsense Forgot'.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">You asked me to be brutally honest with you. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The part about the liberation struggle and the triumph over oppression made good, inspirational reading. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I also enjoyed your satirical treatment of the descent into chaotic corruption and decay. Echoes of Orwell's 'Nineteen-Eighty-Four', complete with the tortured reasoning and language of the Party. I think that your treatment of the liberation from commonsense of government, politicians and people was nothing short of brilliant. Corrupt politicians treated as heroes, buffoons feted like pop stars, incompetents promoted to the highest positions in the land - the humour is deliciously dark. It's also quite disturbing and I couldn't help wondering what benighted country you based this story on.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Here's the brutal part. Jeff, you can't expect readers to believe that a country was sold to a foreign family over a few curries. I know that there's suspension of disbelief, but that's asking too, too much. Then there are other really bizarre episodes that no publisher will let ride. Really - medicine carried by head, a trip to Geneva that somehow bypasses Switzerland, political parties that resemble rogues' galleries and circus troupes, the far-fetched slapstick around electricity and water supply! Above all, there are two aspects that I urge you to remove, if you don't want the book to sink without trace. Not even the worst buffoonocracy in the world would spend millions on a commission into treasonous corruption and racketeering and then allow the accused to frolic in high and low places. What on earth were you smoking when you cobbled that up? (I did warn you about Durban's finest). Then there's also the bit about the very senior parliamentarian swanning off on special leave in the midst of investigations into very serious allegations. That doesn't happen. People resign.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">If you remove those bits, I believe that your book will do very well. It has to be believable. The odd stretching of the boundaries of credibility is to be expected in a fiction novel, but this.....</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">If you do not, your family may well buy your book and praise it to you. In all likelihood, they'll be saying privately: "What a load of unbelievable codswallop."</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Harsh, I know, but that's the brutal truth.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Best of luck.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Yours in the struggle to publish.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Richard </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><div dir="auto">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto">1378565477</div><div dir="auto">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto">+27 833970723</div></div></div><div dir="auto"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;" /></div></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-10608358614233068082024-03-08T05:28:00.000-08:002024-03-08T05:29:03.034-08:00Reddy - Willing and Able<p>Dear Mr Visvin Reddy</p><div dir="auto">People are so wicked and irresponsible.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">But then you know that already, don't you?Apparently, devious persons unknown tampered with your speech, somehow editing the video.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I believe you. I do not know you but you look the sort of mature, reasonable type who wouldn't spew out that sort of horse manure. I don't know much about the law but it all sounded rather threatening and bordering on, or crossing over into, incitement to violence. Talk of civil war and preventing South Africans from voting! You do know, of course, that that makes less sense than a bout of flatulence. No, I don't see any grown man embarrassing himself and his family with such mindless gibberish. So clearly, someone tampered with your video.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto">They made your speech sound like a very badly dubbed version of something Mussolini would have done on a bad, babelas day. With some malemarisms thrown in. Or something that a would-be school bully, cum clown, with a juvenile craving for attention, would do. I just don't see you spewing out that vile stuff on a public platform. Especially not in the name of umKhonto weSisu...., sorry Sizwe. (By the by, I have an Afrikaans speaking friend who insists on pronouncing umKhonto quite differently. I don't know if it's a real word that he uses, or what it means. It just sounds rather odd).</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">You have my empathy. I was once in the same leaky boat. A very irritating fellow was running down that fine crime fighter, Mr Cele. I responded that I would fix it up. Do you know what they did? They edited my speech and substituted a different f verb.</div><div dir="auto"> Fortunately during my court appearance, (for threatening violence, of all things!) I had several character witnesses who testified.</div><div dir="auto">that I never swear. WTF, I was properly brought up. I am sure that you could call up a host of witnesses of unimpeachable character and integrity. Mr. Zuma and Dr Ace are but two examples. Incidentally, I know that Mr Cele himself would have responded with dignity and restraint. You wouldn't get him yelling out stuff like 'Sharrap, Sharrap!' Good heavens, the man's a cabinet minister.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I do hope that the people who did this are arrested and get their just deserts. Sir, I think that, in the meantime, you should lie really low. Perhaps lower than a snake's belly. Sinister persons are probably following you around, just waiting for you to say something innocent like: 'Have a nice day'. Just so that they can record you and twist it into something ugly or as stupid as that edited speech. I think stick to sign language in public (just watch out for ambiguous gestures).</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I don't know who 'they' are - yet. I'm sure that they are the same lot who edited Mr. Malema's 'die forZuma' into 'kill for Zuma'. And messed with Mr Mbalula's speeches to make him sound silly. Which, of course, he isn't. A trifle peculiar at times, yes, but not silly. Certainly not a clown.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">It's a wicked world that we live in. People who have no business opening their mouths in public, polluting the atmosphere. People who should know better, breathing fire and slaughter, when we most need common sense and sensible solutions to our challenges. Then we have some, running around, editing fine, inspirational speeches. Making them sound like the garbage dumped on the streets of Durban recently. I would sue them dry. You might want to contact MERDE (Mann Enterprise for Resolution of Dire Emergencies) for assistance in this regard. We have a BBBEE rating (Bloody Bad, Bold, Enterprising Etters). My banking details are below and you can contact me via EFT.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">You started your speech with 'Hear me carefully'. Nice touch. Reminiscent of your great leader's venture into creative numeracy ('Listen carefully: seven hundred million thousand and twenty hundred thousand...). A wise man emulates other wise men.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Yours in the struggle against shadowy manipulators of video material. Onward to the ballot box! </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Richard </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><div dir="auto">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto">1378565477</div><div dir="auto">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto">+27 833970723</div></div></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;" /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-85445587652444436332024-02-28T01:52:00.000-08:002024-02-28T05:07:00.983-08:00The Law is 'a Ass'<p>Dear Mr Zuma </p><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I am so glad that your star is on the rise - for now.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div>I paid rapt attention to your recent speech, which made Churchill look like a fumbling, primary school debater.<div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">You manfully tackled the use of Roman Dutch law in South Africa. Look at what the Romans and the Dutch did in times past. Not exactly exemplary behaviour, looting, raiding. None of that ever happens here.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I find all that stuff about 'audi alterem partem' most unnecessary and irritating. Take the 'Nemo Judex in causa sua' principle. Really! Who better to judge your cases than you yourself? Who knows you better? The commission and all that unpleasantness could have been avoided, and we would have been dwelling at ease in Eskom's pleasant light, universities, bridges, cities and green mealies rising out of the good South African soil. If only we had jettisoned those unafrican, so-called legal principles.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto">It's all very petty and irritating, focusing on fraud, theft, corruption etc. All the while, serious crimes, such as teenage pregnancy, go unpunished. If I read correctly, you would banish the miscreants to Robben Island. Keeping them safely separated, I assume, to forestall any further breaches of the law.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I am delighted that you are leading the charge against immorality, particularly of a sexual nature. Who better? Set a thief to catch a thief. No, I am not saying you are a thief (just a Roman Dutch proverb). Nor am I implying that you ever wallowed in the muddy ditches of sexually immoral shenanigans. I simply think that, in your long adventurous life, you have witnessed much of the seamy stuff. It must have grieved you profoundly. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I understand that you are for corporal punishment. I trust that it will be public, as a grand spectac...., I mean example. This should deter those involved in racketeering, fraud, money laundering and other forms of corruption, which I know your soul detests. Sir, have you considered stoning and similar stuff. I found some interesting and promising methods of deterrence in books on our past history. And I refer specifically to KZN. I trust that you will look into those (the methods, not the books).</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">You pointed out that if we were truly free, thirty years on, people would not be arrested during democracy, as they were during apartheid. I could not agree more. A friend used that very argument after being arrested for redeploying several luxury German vehicles. Where is our democratic right to piss on the rights of others? I say this Roman Dutch law is a proverbial ass. Let's stop with the arrests and allow people their democratic right to loo...., sorry live large in the quest for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and free stuff. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">You mentioned that MK was deliberately not given an English name like "democracy or something that we don't know". A little confusing, as you headed a democratic government for several long years. Perhaps that explains your "I know nothing, nothing' nothing!" and "what have I done?". It might be a little bewildering to head up a democratic government while being somewhat unsure of what democracy is. You said that, in the past, the 'Spear of the Nation' was used to resolve matters. A good point. Very sharp. What was wrong with the old feudal system? People knew their place. There were no teenage pregnancies, as far as I can gather. No Hollywood style arrests</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"> (See The Scuffle Continues : Bollywood- Style Arrest: <span style="color: #1b95e0;">https://thescuffle.blogspot.com/2020/10/bollywood-style-arrest.html.)</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #1b95e0;"> </span></div><div dir="auto">Sure, there was a bit of corporal punishment - the odd beheading. But I never ever heard of anyone protesting or carrying on.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">So inspired was I by your eloquent speech, pregnant with the possibility of a return to moral rectitude and timeless values, that I sang out a few verses of "umShini Wami" (Bring me my machine gun). Okay, so there's only one verse - I sang it several times. Just by the by, if I can't make it to a golf course for some physiotherapy, I find that this song, with accompanying dance steps, does wonders for any ailments that I have (gastric, colds, chronic or terminal stuff etc.).<br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">That speech convinced me that, in your mshini-cradling hands lie the answers to the corruption, inefficiency, incompetence, disunity and aimlessness that so bedevil our nation. And we know who the devils are. I could have sworn at one point in the speech that I heard the music of the spheres. But it might have been my neighbour playing some gqom. That and the sugar free coke that I had in the spirit of the moment.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Bring me my ballot box.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Yours in the struggle for justice and a great leap forward in this century.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Richard </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto">1378565477</div><div dir="auto">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto">+27 833970723</div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;" /></div></div></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;" /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-76378860063912245892024-02-20T10:43:00.000-08:002024-02-20T10:44:09.382-08:00As You Sow / Vote<p><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">We know that voting in South Africa has nothing to do with common sense, reason or even previous experience.</span></p><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">It has even less to do with the survival of our country. Buggerall to do with national security. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">There's no point in talking sense when it comes to elections and voting. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">So here's the bizarre Alice in Wonderland truth.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you want a government that has proven skills in stealing, blundering, exquisite BS and the ability to destroy a country faster than our Zimbabwean friends, then your choice is easy and clear. The comrades are ready, willing and able to deliver. But don't despair. you have five long years to protest. It's worked over the last 30 years, hasn't it? so don't fix what isn't broken. But then again, what isn't broken in South Africa?</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you want a government that has little to offer, apart from noise and violence, then go with the boyz in the hood. That is, Red Rioting Hood and friends. Unfair, you say?. Well, of all the achievements of this particular party what else stands out? </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">You know that they are also alleged to have dipped into various cookie jars . I cannot prove that but it's common cause that they certainly wasted huge amounts of taxpayer money in Ethekwini and elsewhere. With a little help from their coalition friends. I'm not going to bore you with the details, but it's all there to read, if you really want to. And many don't want to, so let's move on.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">In a normal country, a party with that record not only would have zero votes but would not exist within a year. But then we established at the outset that our normal is a little different. A bit more like the normal of Alice in Wonderland, Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you want a government already tainted by having a figurehead who has managed to dodge trial for years for a dozen or more charges, look east, young man, look east. If that's not exciting enough for you, scandals hang like several albatrosses around his honourable neck. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">As far as I can gather the manifesto of the particular party is to be found in a popular song about a firearm. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">If on the other hand, you long for the return of sanity, law and order and the hope of progress then..... </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ah, but we're not talking about such foreign concepts are we? How could we hope to decolonize our country if we hang on to such colonial notions? Promises of free stuff, dialectical materialism, revolutionary slogans - now that's the stuff of Leadership. A bit of land and some state ownership to top it off.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Never bow before colonialists when you can have your fill of corruption, buffoonery, incompetence, indifference and all the other things that have made our country great. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">So there is no point in saying vote wisely, vote rationally, vote for the future of our country. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Nothing will change your minds, so vote as you please. As the song says: 'there'll be time enough for counting, when the dealing's done'.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">In other words, vote in haste, repent at leisure. In still other words, you will probably get the thoroughly shithole country that you deserve.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is a great pity that your children deserve better, and so do their children. But what the heck. Nothing like clichés, slogans, song, dance and T-shirts to fill the empty belly and soothe the soul. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dear fellow South Africans, don't say we didn't tell you so. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">As you vote, so shall you reap. And, tragically, so shall we all.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br />Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><div dir="auto">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto">1378565477</div><div dir="auto">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto">+27 833970723</div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-2616675334726089592024-02-16T10:22:00.000-08:002024-02-16T10:23:39.732-08:00Best of the Best<p><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dear Fellow South Africans </span></p><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Did you know that Bafana Bafana is the best football team in the world?</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, apparently Mr. Cele told officers at a national police day that the South African police service is among the best police services in the world. So what the heck - Bafana is best. Local is lekker.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">In my eagerness, to assist Mr. Cele - and Lord knows he needs all the assistance he can get - I did some research. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">According to one source, 85.5 percent of murders go unsolved in South Africa. An Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID)annual report stated that more than 5 500 cases of police criminal offences are reported every year. I seem to recall Mr Cele saying once that there is no police brutality in South Africa. The report speaks of more than 3500 cases of torture and assault. Perhaps that was not brutal enough for Mr Cele.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yes, I think we have enough evidence to support Mr Cele's assertion that we sit up there at the summit with the best. Probably just below Scotland Yard and the FBI.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">There was a report in 2019 about the much- maligned, best president of all time , who built roads , bridges and universities and never looked sideways at a ten rand note. That's Mr Zuma. The great man was alleged to have had sleeper agents in the police.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><ul style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; padding: 0px;"><li style="font-family: proximanova-bold, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 16px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 26px;">"Unknown sleeper agents were deployed to and are still integrated into structures in the police and state-owned companies, such as the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa)". News 24</li></ul><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"The High-Level Panel Review Panel on State Security earlier found that Zuma had abused the SSA for personal gain."</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Now, judging from the very large number of photos and videos of police officers sleeping.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">at desks, in cars and in other places where sleep may be found, ther</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">e could well be some substance to the sleeper allegations. They certainly know how to sleep in this top police service.</span></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Incidentally, the report also dwelt on how former public protector, Ms Mkhwebane seemed to ignore the 'sleeper agents' information, in favor of 'pressing' investigators on the SARS rogue unit. A phantom of someone's fertile brain, if I read that right.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-bold, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Just thought I'd mention this to join my voice to the many voices of support for the two much-maligned individuals - Mr Zuma and Ms Mkhwebane.</span></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">What have we here, Mr Cele. Delusions, lies, a passion for mediocrity - all of these? We've had Tintswaloworld, 'loadshedding- is -not-the-end-of-the-world', now this<span style="color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">I can only again quote an earlier post, 2020:</span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">'If George Orwell had written 2020 in South Africa:</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">The party's ever-present slogans fluttered proudly from deserted dairy farms, vandalized railway stations and scorched public buildings:</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">INCOMPETENCE IS HEROISM</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">DECAY IS PROGRESS</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">BULLSHIT IS TRUTH'</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">(<span style="font-size: large;">The Scuffle Continues : 2020: </span><span style="color: #1b95e0; font-size: large;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thescuffle.blogspot.com/2020/12/2020_21.html&source=gmail&ust=1708193878929000&usg=AOvVaw3ZNI74uy07U5w-o-TJUShv" href="https://thescuffle.blogspot.com/2020/12/2020_21.html" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://thescuffle.blogspot.<wbr></wbr>com/2020/12/2020_21.html</a>)</span></div></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">The alarming thing is that, in South Africa, this is not satire, but truth. </span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">The frightening thing is that, in South Africa, we have become so accustomed to delusion, lies and soul numbing mediocrity that we will vote it in time and again.</span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Yours in the struggle for some sanity.</span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Richard </span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: proximanova-regular, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><div dir="auto">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto">1378565477</div><div dir="auto">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto">+27 833970723</div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-53488107229105527442024-02-14T04:07:00.000-08:002024-02-14T04:08:04.185-08:00Wait Until Dark<p><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Dear Fellow South Africans</span></p><div class="mail-message expanded" id="m43485114202404272" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><div class="mail-message-content collapsible zoom-normal mail-show-images " style="margin: 16px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="clear"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto">I trust that you thoroughly enjoyed the Tintswalo story and the one about 'private hospitals good, public hospitals better'. I hope that you have stored these nuggets away for inspiration on polling day.</div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto">Here's another, that will probably top the wonderfully winsome SONA story.</div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto"> Ms Sylvia Lucas of fast food fame is reported to have said that load shedding is not the end of the world. I agree Ms Lucas. That will probably be facilitated by the Middle East or China or Iran or North Korea or the US, or all of the above.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">No, Miss Lucas it is probably just the end of South Africa. Let me reassure you that the fast food places will still fry on, as they probably all have generators. If I had the ability to write children's stories, I would write one called 'Tintswalo and Friends. Here's an example of what would be in the book:</div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto">' See Jane drive to KFC. See her chauffeur go in to fetch a bucket of KFC. See Jane send him back to fetch the other nine buckets. Jane is enjoying her KFC. She thinks of all the people who cannot afford KFC, or any other food. Fat tears roll down Jane's cheeks. Jane has a tender heart (not that 'tender', little ones!). She has another drumstick and feels better. Does Jane have money to pay for the KFC? Children, tell your parents to get a government credit card. Then you can have all the KFC you want. The nice people at KFC smile when they see Jane. She is a very good customer. Children ask your parents the meaning of 'customer'. It means different things in South Africa. If you go to a government department it means peasant'. Don't fret, dear children. You will soon learn what those words mean. In the next chapter, little friends, we see more of Jane and Tintswalo's other friends. Depending on how your parents, uncles and aunts vote, we may see a lot of them - a whole lot. Isn't it fun?'</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">In other news, Ms Lucas's colleague, Doctor Electricity, assured South Africans that it will soon be over. As it is unlikely that he was referring to load shedding, one can only assume that this statement ties in with the whole End of the World theme. Perhaps that explains why Mr Ramaphosa said that we should look on the bright side of load shedding. I think that we are being prepared for a time when load shedding will be the least of our problems. It's good of the ANC to give us these subtle warnings. Quite unsettling when you're not forewarned and the roof falls in.</div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto">Dr Electricity is a most interesting fellow. His dancing skills complement his communication skills. Indeed, it's sometimes difficult to tell which of the two he is actually doing. I seem to recall that on one day he gave three different reasons for stage six load shedding. Now I do know that it's an extremely complex business, so perhaps that understandable. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">He mentioned the ramping up of planned maintenance as one of the reasons. That was just a little puzzling. Fool that I am, I thought that planned maintenance was, er, planned. I could kick myself. Just because the word 'planned' was used, it does not have to follow that any planning actually took place. After all, in South Africa, and particularly within the ANC, words have many meanings. It's a 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' and 'Alice in Wonderland' thing. 'Progress', "Justice', "integrity', 'revolutionary', even 'comrade' and many other words mean exactly what the speaker intends them to mean at a specific time.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, '</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">. ' 'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things.' (Alice in Wonderland).</span><br /></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto">The answer from our comrades in the ANC and other revolutionary parties: an emphatic 'Yebo Yes'<br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I am inspired. I cannot wait to cast my vote. I hope that you are equally inspired.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Yours in the struggle to dodge the end that comes "not with a bang, but with a whimper" (T.S. Eliot).</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Richard </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><div dir="auto">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto">1378565477</div><div dir="auto">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto">+27 833970723</div></div></div><div dir="auto"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;" /></div></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div></div></div></div><div class="mail-message-footer spacer collapsible" style="height: 0px;"></div></div><div class="spacer" id="conversation-footer" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; height: 16px;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-42065450302468757052024-02-13T05:22:00.000-08:002024-02-13T05:22:57.980-08:00Tintswalo Revisited<p> Dear Mr Ramaphosa </p><div dir="auto">We all know that the state of the nation address has nothing to do with the actual state of the nation. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">It's more about the state of the ANC's fortunes right now. We know those are in a shambles. What with the mighty Nxamalala Msholozi Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma and faithful daughter Dudu huffing and puffing at your fragile house in KZN. There's Commander in Chief of singin', dancin' ground forces, the shouting, pouting Julius Red Rioting Hood Malema. Don't let the 0 to 3 percent scores in by-elections fool you. These guys are on the march, fire issuing from their nostrils.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">So, it is somewhat understandable that you would take refuge in the realm of fantasy and fairy tale. Tintswalo tripping through the Mzansi woods, the noble ANC, having vanquished and negotiated with the big bad wolf, now filling her basket with RDP, NSFAS and social grant goodies for grandma and the whole family. Yes, it does make one cringe, doesn't it? When power stations, people and hope are taking a battering as never before. So taking refuge in Tintswalo Land is understandable, but not forgivable. No one serious about our future should forgive you at the polls. No one serious about our survival should forgive you at the polls.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">As for the parties mentioned above. Why anyone would take them seriously; why anyone would think them capable of addressing complex problems and restoring some hope and optimism to a battered nation, is a question beyond rational analysis. The burner burns. The destroyer destroys. Only a very few understand and have the skills to build. Breathing fire and slaughter, revenge, hatred and impossible Uhurus also belongs in the land of fantasy. Tintswalo reloaded. Dark cave stuff from the dark past. There it needs to stay. We have had our fill of darkness. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">A little light, please, South Africa.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Mr Ramaphosa, the man-who-preferred-the-public-<wbr></wbr>hospital folk tale was insensitive in the extreme. We do expect insensitivity from the ANC. It's how you roll, blue lights accompanying. Let the people who queue all day, daily, tell you how crass that was. You wouldn't understand the misery, especially for the elderly, of being ill, weary, shunted, disrespected, treated in grudging, cavalier fashion, waiting, waiting, waiting. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Why should you? Tintswalo.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Yours in the struggle for some truth and decency.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Richard </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><div dir="auto">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto">1378565477</div><div dir="auto">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto">+27 833970723</div></div></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-60754599991109898112024-02-12T06:00:00.000-08:002024-02-13T00:42:15.416-08:00Trump, Zuma, Malema for President <p><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Dear Mr Trump </span></p><div class="mail-message expanded" id="m-2000155411552912878" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><div class="mail-message-content collapsible zoom-normal mail-show-images " style="margin: 16px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="clear"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">You could have destroyed your campaign with that remarkably witless comment about NATO. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Fortunately for you, it doesn't matter to the cult members what you say. You could sing 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' to thunderous applause. We, in the sh..hole countries (as some clown once referred to us), know this well. We have our share of populist politicians with mandibular dislocation (python-like mouth stretching). </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">And you call Joe Biden a mental basket case.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">It's intriguing that you so resemble our own Zuma, Malema and others. Every time you open your mouths, you destroy any remaining illusions about your fitness for office. I'm not saying that you couldn't be presidents - of, say, a small football club. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">This does beg a question. Which came first: sh..hole politicians or sh..hole voters? Important, because we seem to be digging ever bigger sh..holes around the world, wielding our democratic rights and privileges as a mean brat wields a hammer.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I'm glad that we are not NATO members. We sometimes have a little trouble paying bills. And you said that bills must be paid. Or else. (I love it when you go all persuasive and diplomatic). Terrible if you encouraged Russia to attack us for unpaid bills. Of course that's academic. Russia would never attack us. They are our loyal mast..., pardon, mates. When the West was giving them the cold shoulder, we even loaded a uniquely South African product, fokol, onto one of their ships one night. (See The Scuffle Continues : Bringing Fokol to the World: <span style="color: #1b95e0;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thescuffle.blogspot.com/2023/05/bringing-fokol-to-world.html&source=gmail&ust=1707899883811000&usg=AOvVaw2WPtYcaPopNWJ3ayScjMix" href="https://thescuffle.blogspot.com/2023/05/bringing-fokol-to-world.html" rel="noreferrer noreferrer" style="color: #4285f4; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://thescuffle.blogspot.<wbr></wbr>com/2023/05/bringing-fokol-to-<wbr></wbr>world.html</a> )</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #1b95e0;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto">Nevertheless, your idea is not without merit, applied elsewhere. Banks could not only refuse to help errant debtors, but even encourage willing third parties to attack them. As I was saying to my bank manager when he complained about my....er, that's not really relevant here. Mr Trump, when you were in business, did you....., nah, perish the thought.<br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Well, sir, thank goodness for sh..hole politics. I wouldn't be too concerned, if I were you. Prattle on.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Yours in the struggle for significance on the global stage.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Richard </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><div dir="auto">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto">1378565477</div><div dir="auto">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto">+27 833970723</div></div></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #1b95e0;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div><div class="mail-message-footer spacer collapsible" style="height: 0px;"></div></div><div class="spacer" id="conversation-footer" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; height: 16px;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-7568917920193472772024-02-10T04:26:00.000-08:002024-02-10T04:27:35.966-08:00Promised Land <p><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Dear Mr Ramaphosa </span></p><div class="mail-message expanded" id="m-1476922426675414973" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><div class="mail-message-content collapsible zoom-normal mail-show-images " style="margin: 16px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="clear"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I joined your electrifying (in a purely figurative sense) State of the Nation address rather late. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I was delayed while compiling a letter of commiseration to Mr Malema. I agree with him that the barring of EFF politicians from disrup....., pardon, attending the address is undemocratic. I might add: racist, white-tendencied, bloody agent-like, counter revolutionary and also not nice. I am willing to kill and / or die (or all of the above) for the principle that highly paid, privileged legislators may behave like nyaope inspired hooligans if they so desire. Also that nyaope users may behave like honourable members if they so desire.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">But, to the purpose of my letter. I was moved, inspired, intoxicated by your address - between brief power naps. I do not understand why some people responded negatively. I suppose that's what one can expect from recipients of white privilege, who will complain at the slightest inconvenience e.g. rampant, brutal crime, occasional daily power outages, some regular corruption and other minor irritants.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">What I'm really interested in is the country of which you spoke so poetically. The land of Tintswalo. It can't be the Western Cape, because that's run by that party whose sole preoccupation is to bring that Apartheid thing back from exile. Then we'll all be in worse shite than we already are. They disguise the intention and the activity by pretending to provide good services and law and order. Cunning. But, like the Daily Sun, some of us see through the subterfuge ('Die Son Sien Alles'). As for me, I was moved to tears of laugh..., I mean, joy and a bit of inexplicable retching.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Fascinating, this land of which you spoke, sir, flowing with the milk of government kindness and the honey of money lavished on the people's most urgent needs. In some countries that would be international court cases, statues, tender projects in progress, song and dance in council meetings. It so reminded me of the song Big Rock Candy Mountain. To honour your eloquence, here's an excerpt from White Rock Candy Mountain:</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 16px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;">On a summer's day in the month of Feb, the president came a walking</span><br style="max-height: 999999px;" /><span style="max-height: 999999px;">Down a carpet red, past the honour guard, his outfit smart and striking</span><br style="max-height: 999999px;" /><span style="max-height: 999999px;">As he strolled along he sang a song of a land of milk and money</span><br style="max-height: 999999px;" /><span style="max-height: 999999px;">Where Tintswalo grew and laughed and played in a garden oh so sunny</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 16px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;">The opportunity and the BEE, the gushing money fountain</span><br style="max-height: 999999px;" /><span style="max-height: 999999px;">Where the good stuff is and a life of bliss in the white rock candy mountain</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sir, please provide more detail on the land of Tintswalo. </span><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Who would want to leave South Africa, with its glittering promise of peace, prosperity and harmony, its friendly people (just dive into X and see for yourself) and visionary leadership in the ANC, EFF, Mkhonto weSisu and other progressive organizations.</span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">But you have been to the mountain top (White Rock Candy Mountain) and seen the promised land. </span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Who can resist?</span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yours in the struggle and the long trek to the promised land.</span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Richard</span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><div dir="auto">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto">1378565477</div><div dir="auto">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto">+27 833970723</div></div></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;">.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; max-height: 999999px;"><span style="max-height: 999999px;"><div dir="auto" style="margin-bottom: 16px; max-height: 999999px;"><br /></div></span></div><br /></div></div></div></div><div class="mail-message-footer spacer collapsible" style="height: 0px;"></div></div><div class="spacer" id="conversation-footer" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; height: 16px;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-14692635265946865772024-02-09T01:38:00.000-08:002024-02-09T01:38:18.329-08:00RIP Tintswalo<p><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Dear Mr Ramaphosa </span></p><div class="mail-message expanded" id="m-8232951378025106999" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><div class="mail-message-content collapsible zoom-normal mail-show-images " style="margin: 16px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="clear"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto">I am very sorry to put a damper on your inspirational and eloquent State of the Nation address.</div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto">I tried to rush this message through to you earlier but was hampered by load shedding, which I know will end very soon. I thought that I should let you know that Tintswalo was tragically killed this morning. She was caught in a crossfire, during a cash- in- transit heist, carried out by some heavily tattooed villains. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The ambulance carrying her to a private hospital was delayed by some strikers, who blocked the road. they also tried to pull her out of the ambulance. Perhaps she would have been better off being taken to a public hospital. Yes, she might have waited all day, but apart from that, I am sure that the service would have been excellent, as per the example that you gave last night. By the way, please do let us know where this unique public hospital is. It has to be the exception of exceptions. But these things do happen. </div><div dir="auto">After all, I've heard of Home Affairs officials who can organise documents with nice names like Lerato Ndlovu in a remarkably short time. Not sure whether it's a free service.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Incidentally, Mr Cele was right to focus on alcohol and illegal smoking during the lockdown period. The villains were reported to have been chugging on beers and chain smoking while discharging their AK47s and other weapons. Loud gqom music almost drowned out the gunfire (I think he warned us about gqom, too).</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">This leaves Tintswalo's elderly parents in a rather difficult situation. Of course the magnificent ten rand increase in their pensions is a great help. But, as you know, prices tend to rise almost daily. I think that had they been receiving the R350 grant as well, they might have been able to open a flourishing ice cream or sandwich shop business.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Tintswalo's mother collapsed while queuing for the third full day at Home Affairs to replace her lost identity document (lost during a minor mugging).This was after the ever-helpful security person told her that there is no special queue for seniors. "This is not SARS", he added helpfully. She has had some difficulty accessing various services as a result. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Nevertheless, one hopes that the ever helpful Home Affairs officials will be able to assist her. I know that they did a great job for some newly arrived immigrants from neighboring states. Perhaps her local councillor can help as well, when he's not at a budget function or SALGA training to improve service delivery.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">She is due to pay her fourth visit to her local clinic today and hopes to finally get to see a doctor or nurse. The clinic has been rather busy providing excellent services to a flood of investors from various countries. (Great how we attract investors across, or under, the border fences).</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Tintswalo's father is a graduate who paid his own way in the days before NSFAS. Unfortunately, despite Mr Patel's sterling efforts in trade and industry, his sector shrank dramatically and he was retrenched. His age was against his finding other employment. Well, you and I know that even young people can find employment only by divine intervention or that of relatives or blessers in government. For older people, the gates of the economy are firmly shut. I'm sure that, in the Uhuru to come that you spoke of last night, Mr Patel or some other energetic, innovative comrade will address that.<br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Mr Cele might want to attend Tintswalo's memorial service (may her soul rest in peace). It would be a great comfort to hear him speak of population growth, alcohol and other matters that give us hope in the darkest times. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Sir, you yourself, if not occupied with some think tank or task group, might want to take the opportunity to campai.., pardon, comfort us. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">In addition to conveying the sad news, I wished to congratulate you on a confident, upbeat performance at the SONA.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">So good to know that, apart from crime and corruption run wild, depthless bumbling, incompetence and waste, we are doing well. Mr Gigaba did once prophesy that "we gonna be alright".</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">One cannot but admire the unquenchable optimism of your Party. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">'Dreams are good friends', says the song. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Particularly when you have alienated all others.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><br /><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><div dir="auto">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto">1378565477</div><div dir="auto">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto">+27 833970723</div></div></div><div dir="auto"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;" /></div></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div></div></div></div><div class="mail-message-footer spacer collapsible" style="height: 0px;"></div></div><div class="spacer" id="conversation-footer" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; height: 16px;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-83851097970673274702024-02-08T06:36:00.000-08:002024-02-08T06:37:24.887-08:00Racist Perverts and the CIC<div dir="auto">There is much to marvel at on X, as the 'best minds of our generation' unburden themselves of the deep things in their hearts and minds.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The tweet below should be compulsory reading for students of literature, philosophy and psychology.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><i>"Twitter should bar racist fools and perverts from tagging the CiC's account!!because whenever they are bored from their lives characterised by denial of old fast approaching old age,erectile dysfunction and permanent sexual fantasies and they just tag CiC for attention."<br /></i></div><div dir="auto"><i><br /></i></div><div dir="auto">I wonder what was said to trigger this clearly, carefully thought out analysis. Racism, perversion, erectile dysfunction, the dread of approaching old age, permanent sexual fantasies - all deduced from brief comments on X. Man, you are as sharp as a cutthroat razor. You sound like a practising psychiatrist. I lose sleep over the volume of execrable stuff that oozes out on social media. Do you think you might be able to help me too, after analysis of this article? </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Yes, I can well imagine that some bugger in the thrall of perversion, permanent sexual fantasy and the other stuff, would look up from whatever perverse thing he or she was doing and exclaim:</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">"I know what! I'm going to tag the CIC's account. Ooh, the ultimate thrill. Pant, moan, gasp..."</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I suppose tbe CIC is that sort of chap.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">How well you know these perverse, racist types, sir. There's a whole niche practice for you there. You need to go out there and heal our land. Just a small point. If they have permanent sexual fantasies, could they be bored as well? Perhaps they are boring fantasies. You would know about this sort of stuff.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I certainly agree that they should not disturb the CIC with their racism, perversions etc. One doesn't disturb a high priest of the revolution with that sort of stuff. He has high priestly and revolutionary things to do that affect the fortunes, not only of South Africa, but also of Africa. The cul..., I mean, the organisation depends on it.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I have no doubt that you can spot racism a county away. It's all around us, isn't it? I'm reminded of a song (apologies for tinkering):</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I feel it in my fingers,</div><div dir="auto">I feel it in my toes,</div><div dir="auto">Racism all around me,</div><div dir="auto">It's everywhere I go.</div><div dir="auto">Ooh, it's blowing in the wind</div><div dir="auto">That's how the feeling goes.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Thank goodness for you eagle-eyed spotters of racism, erectile dysfunction, permanent sexual fantasies and other dire threats to the nation. Under the EFF, South Africa will be safe and serene.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Just as long as racist, old age dreading perverts keep their erectile dysfunction and permanent sexual fantasies to themselves.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Mr Musk, please act promptly.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><div dir="auto">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto">1378565477</div><div dir="auto">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto">+27 833970723</div></div></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-27012705913229981882024-02-07T04:37:00.000-08:002024-02-07T04:49:57.924-08:00To Serve and to be Kind, Comrades <p>A 'bag lady' walks into the most elegant and expensive department in a well-known store. </p><div dir="auto">She gets the treatment that any well-off customer would get. A man of the cloth, who has been watching curiously, asks the sales assistant why she treated the lady with such patience and courtesy, knowing that she was most unlikely to buy anything. The assistant replies:</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"> "Sir, we are here to serve and to be kind."</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The cleric is so impressed that he makes the incident the subject of his Sunday sermon. He asks his congregation:</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">"Are you here to serve and to be kind?"<div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Dear South African civil servant, what would be your answer? Dear Mr President, dear cabinet, dear MPs, what would be your answer? </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Staying with our store chain, a top executive visits one of the stores. As is customary, a flock of senior staff accompanies him on his store walkabout. He peels off suddenly in mid-conversation to serve a customer that he has spotted waiting.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"> Let me follow time-honoured South African practice, and state the obvious, as do our politicians and political commentators. There are several self-evident truths. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"> 1. The culture of a company, government department or even a country is seen and felt only in encounters between people. The rest is words. Of no value whatever.</div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto"> 2. Nothing teaches more effectively than example. It's simple but it has never been easy. Certainly a lot cheaper and of longer lasting impact than a six million rand state of the nation show. Among others this is what managers, politicians and presidents are paid for. Handsomely. To set the best example.</div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto">There's more to the 'bag lady' story.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">In the congregation that Sunday were a couple of journalists. They wrote about the incident and the chain's brand, already strong, became legend.</div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto">The other obvious lesson is that, out of such intangibles as values and vision, come the greatness of an organization, a country, a people. If they are lived consistently. It would be foolish to think that success comes without the other elements - planning, competence, knowledge, among others. I suspect that we, and in particular our government score extremely poorly on all of these. Well, it's more than a suspicion. The evidence Is all around. </div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto">We have had citizens battered senseless by blue light bodyguards. We have a member of Parliament who simply drops her tray to the floor on an aircraft because she, a great ANC MP, cannot wait any longer for it to be collected. We have the member of ANC royalty, who, when questioned about the bewildering circumstances around the acquisition of her driver's license, answered:</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /><span style="background-color: rgba(127, 127, 127, 0.125); color: #353535; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", times, serif;">“I don’t have time to stand in queue. I am not required to stand in queues at airports and things.”</span><br /></div><div dir="auto"><span style="background-color: rgba(127, 127, 127, 0.125); color: #353535; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto">As they say in the adverts, there's more, much more.</div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto">Dear voters, out of such arrogance and indifference, you really expect caring service? <br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I have not mentioned betrayals and blunders. But a leadership that never misses an opportunity to act unworthily and dishonourably in the little things, is going to lead you nowhere but to decay and disintegration. No matter how great the promise of your organization or your country. A brand of shame.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">That is a fact.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><div dir="auto">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto">1378565477</div><div dir="auto">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto">+27 833970723</div></div></div><div dir="auto"><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;" /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-4871861043067104842024-02-05T06:44:00.000-08:002024-02-05T06:44:36.478-08:00The Far Gone Country <p><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Brits are hopeless at politicking. At least if the recent interview of the leader of their opposition is anything to go by.</span></p><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">How does the man expect to become a political demigod if all he does is to speak quite rationally and sensibly about plans for the economy? One can't worship a fellow who sounds like the bloke next door, or at least a couple of doors up, in the wealthier area. There was no foaming at the mouth, yelling threatening and cursing; nothing to get the blood pumping and the heart rate up. He wouldn't last a week in South African politics.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">This man missed the golden opportunity to blame the Vikings, the Germanic tribes the Franks, the Dutch for all of the UK's present ills. I would have issued a couple of thinly veiled threats to everyone in the UK named Frank, that he / she / they needed to depart for their ancestral homelands. And leave the UK to the original Celtic people, who dwellt in peace, harmony and prosperity for many long years. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">I just received an email urging me to earn cash from my couch. It was from one of those survey companies that pay ten cents for an hour's worth of survey work. That reminded me of how creative our own politicians are. They have made advances in banking, real estate, the ultra-modern, multi-use furniture movement, construction, farming and any other endeavour that you care to name. Genuine Renaissance men and women. Our future is bright. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">I wish I could say the same for your country, Sir Keir Starmer. It's no wonder that we thrashed you at iSandlwana and could probably do the same today with our elite, modern, well equipped military. You may play soccer reasonably well but Bafana would whip your national team on any good night - say one with intense Durban humidity and loadshedding.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">I sent the good knight a couple of videos of Mr Malema and Mr Zuma in action. I like to be helpful. Now that's how it's done, sir. I would pay close attention to the dance moves and the stirring lyrics of the Boer bashing song and the one about weaponry. This is the sort of stuff that appeals to the discerning, analytical voter. Of course, if you don't have those in your country, it does pose a slight problem. We have nothing but.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">I fell about laughing when I read of politicians in the UK resigning, or being sacked, for mistakes and misdemeanours. Resign - whatever for? (Or, as we'd say here: For who? For what?). There are promotions, deployments and redeployments galore for the loyal cadre. What's a small mistake involving a billion or two, compared to years of unflinching loyalty to the Party? </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">These fellows actually forced a prime minister out over a couple of Castle Lites or whatever they drink there. Ridiculous. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div dir="auto">We have a fellow dodg..., pardon, facing over a dozen charges. Many people ask, quite reasonably:</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">"Where's the evidence?" and</div><div dir="auto">"Why don't you report him at your nearest police station?"</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">You see, we South Africans are nothing if not scrupulously fair. After all, all that there is to date is a few hundred hours and pages of testimony. And the condition of various state departments, after his enlightened reign, though that can be traced back to apartheid - and van Riebeeck. Obviously, that evidence needs to stand the rigours of the trial process before there's any talk of 'proof'. Now that would have happened long ago, but for the state's bewildering resistance to Mr Zuma's reasonable request for a different prosecutor. And illnesses - something no - one can predict or plan for. Not even, Mr Zuma, who prophesied of the end of the ages.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The other thing that makes the UK lag behind us is the limited choice of parties to vote for. (I tell you that this is what will destroy the US as well). We have over a hundred or over two hundred, depending on what one reads. That's real democracy in action - lots of kak parties to choose from. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Sir Keir Starmer, those videos are on the way, with a bonus collection of the wise sayings of Hlaudi Motsoeneng, Dr Ace Magashule and Fikile Mbalula. They are a bit short, but dense.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;"><br />Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">Tymebank , South Africa </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">51090259373</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">O Tichmann </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">+27 833970723</span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-25420114492474227512024-02-01T12:59:00.000-08:002024-02-01T20:41:22.719-08:00Mbalulafication<p><span face="sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Dear Mr Mbalula </span></p><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">In these difficult times, a good laugh is always a welcome thing. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">I just viewed a wonderful video in which you said that the ANC fought load shedding, corruption and state capture. And also creates jobs. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sir, it is not wise, sensible, or even normal to boast of all the thrashings that one has been dealt in fights. Worse, you've been thrashed by the Frankensteins of your own inept creation. It was horse manure, but hilarious horse manure. Up there with some of your best performances at the open mic.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I hope that the ANC appreciates what an absolute ass..., er, asset you are. 'A gem of purest ray serene'. Cometh the election, cometh the man.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">If these had been school examination subjects, you and your party would have been lucky to score F-minus on each of them. What's more, we will not be allowing you to rewrite in 2024. Demotion to kindergarten is now your best and brightest prospect. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">One assumes that you Mr Malema and many comrades attended the same classes in buffoonery. And excelled. Topped the class.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here are some suggestions to beef up your campaigning. Take a leaf out of the book that your comrades are reading aloud. Haltingly, but aloud.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Make subtle threats about losing grants and the return of apartheid. Via the DA's sinister back door. And where will the ice cream empires come from then?</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"> 2. Expand on the apartheid theme. Remember that every ill that has ever beset this country can be laid at the door of that still - lurking villain. Without apartheid, there would be no corruption, no inefficiency, no incompetence. Uhuru and Utopia would have arrived long ago were it not for the van Riebeeck legacy. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Don't forget that you now also have Zuma to blame. There is a wonderful treasure chest of stuff that you can lay at his feet. Just be careful to omit that he was an ANC member, president and your boss. One hopes that we too, with our notoriously short memories, will have forgotten. You must grasp that mkhonto by the shaft. Before your party is shafted.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">4. You also need to vigorously attack the DA for resisting decolonization of the Western Cape. They have severely impeded the revolution by making it safe clean and orderly. What clichés, slogans, dances, songs and stand-up routines have they given to the people of South Africa? None, I tell you. On second thoughts, in view of their dismal performance in those critical areas, perhaps you should not mention them at all. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">5. Don't forget Bafana's terrific victory over Morocco; inspired, of course, by your own performance. Who knows what would have happened had Mr Zizi Kodwa not taken the time to coach the team last week? It needed a comrade to set right what that white coach was failing at. Pretty much the same as what happened at Eskom.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sir, there's a fair chance that you will take a bit of a bollocking at the polls but don't let that stop your mbalulaficating. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">As I said, we need all the laughs we can get in these dreary times.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yours in the struggle for good, South African stand-up comedy.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;">Richard </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;"><br />Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">Tymebank , South Africa </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">51090259373</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">O Tichmann </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">+27 833970723</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-81195808394412389332024-02-01T00:12:00.000-08:002024-02-01T00:28:29.596-08:00The Beloved Country <p><span face="sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Dear Mr Musk</span></p><div class="mail-message expanded" id="m-5404307813455742184" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><div class="mail-message-content collapsible zoom-normal mail-show-images" style="margin: 16px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="clear"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto">You should never have left South Africa. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">You would have had a ball here. Of course you would need to share your ball with some BEE partners. Our unions are a reasonable bunch. All that they want is to control the means of production. And, perhaps, a couple of other less important things - like who is in government. That would take a lot of worry off your mind - you know, rockets exploding on takeoff, that sort of thing. Why, I think that you would have had people on Mars already. </div><div dir="auto">(Perhaps having some trouble bringing them back, but let's not fret about unimportant details).</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Most importantly, you would not have been subjected to the indignity of that ridiculous Delaware judgment. It's almost as absurd as charging Mr Zuma with corruption, racketeering and other fascinating stuff. The man's clearly as pure as the Texas snow. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Here, in our great country, you could happily have stored your fifty-six or fifty-eight billion in a couch. Okay, I know that doesn't sound quite right. Admittedly, you would need several couches, I imagine. If you had launched your star thingamajig (the internet thing) here, we would have feted you as we celebrate Bafana. Once you had decided, of course, to give all South Africans free access. That's because we get buggerall</div><div dir="auto">else for free here.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">According to reliable sources on X, South Africa is run by a Mr Rupert, a white fellow. It could just as well have been you. you certainly have more style and charisma than Mr Rupert, who never even appears on television. We like our leaders to have a high public profile. The Guptas at least appeared regularly. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Of course if the whole Great White Leader Behind The Scenes story is true, then perhaps you could even veto the sharing of the ball. What's left of South Africa would be your oyster or perlemoen.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">There would be a challenge or two. But which country does not have such little challenges as intermittent electricity, incompetence, corruption, buffoonery in high places, runaway crime, porous borders, suicidal foreign policy and so on? Nothing that a man who aims for Mars could not handle. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">You would also have to put up with being called a settler, land thief, colonialist and other complimentary stuff. All of these are meant with respect and affection. I wouldn't worry too much. A couple of brown envelopes or black refuse bags tend to settle differences in South Africa. Many conflicts on matters of principle have been effectively resolved in this way. Mr Liebenberg and Mr Mazzotti, for example, apparently gained acceptance and a reputation as fine upstanding citizens, because of their philanthropy. Bosasa carved out a reputation as an outstanding corporate citizen, after donating cash and groceries to those in need of more.</div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto">I could list many more advantages. Our consistent, ethical and moral approach to foreign affairs is but one. Our ability to turn a 350 rand a month grant into a thriving ice cream business is another. We are working on ways to turn said grant into wine farms and factories. One could go on but I believe that the case has been made. It's a no-brainer. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">On the subject of brains, if your chip can improve government and voter decision making here, it's going to be a major success anywhere. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Come back, Elon. All is forgiven.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Yours in the struggle for a business-friendly environment where entrepreneurs like you can flourish like the sage in Texas.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Richard </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.84px;"><br /><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.84px;">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.84px;">Tymebank , South Africa </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.84px;">51090259373</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.84px;">O Tichmann </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15.84px;">+27 833970723</span></div><br /></div></div></div></div><div class="mail-message-footer spacer collapsible" style="height: 0px;"></div></div><div class="spacer" id="conversation-footer" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; height: 16px;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-25548304163361859792024-01-31T05:16:00.000-08:002024-01-31T05:17:10.166-08:00Bafana 1, ANC 0<p>Dear Bafana</p><div dir="auto"><br /></div>When someone complained that you do not enjoy the same support as the Springboks and the Proteas, I responded that it is because you play kak.<div dir="auto"> (<span style="color: #1b95e0;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thescuffle.blogspot.com/2024/01/bafana-and-buffoonery.html&source=gmail&ust=1706793091910000&usg=AOvVaw3e-4Cthm5dQwCTlr1ycWXw" href="https://thescuffle.blogspot.com/2024/01/bafana-and-buffoonery.html" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://thescuffle.blogspot.<wbr></wbr>com/2024/01/bafana-and-<wbr></wbr>buffoonery.html</a> )</span><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">You answered most emphatically last night, with a sparkling victory over that top Afcon team, Morocco.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I ate my words this morning, with my breakfast cereal - delicious. I was glad to admit being wrong. Something that most of our comrade politicians would never do. Not even under threat of waterboarding or, worse, being forced to listen to Zuma tapes played backward. </div><div dir="auto">(Pretty much the same as Zuma tapes played forward, I've heard).</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The next time that Mr Kodwa, (minister of sports, arts and culture) comes to coach you, as he seemingly did last time, you might want to coach him instead. Lord knows his party has crying need of some good coaching in self-correcting (an ANC favourite). You guys did that, cutting out the buffoonery and pointless passing of the ball back and forth, without actually going anywhere. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">They (the ANC) have forgotten what the goalposts look like - if they ever knew. They have scored more own goals than all the goals scored in the Afcon competition to date. I mean all Afcon competitions. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Please give us some more to cheer about in the next encounter. Heaven knows, we've had little enough these past thirty years or so. And less before that, with team Verwoerd, Vorster, Botha and others. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Please don't do a Mabena ("Disappoint me again, Mabena!"). I'd like to avoid tracting and retracting in successive articles. Yes I know, 'tracting' is a new word. So many articles waiting to be written about corruption, incompetence, buffoonery. And tomfoolery, buffoonery and clowning. And.... </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">This is epecially so, as our next probable own-goal disaster looms at the polls this year. We will, in all likelihood, do one of those useless back passes to the ANC. Or, Lord forbid, to the EFF or the brand new uniquely South African joke, MK.</div><div dir="auto">Sorry - pause to recover from uncontrollable gusts of laughter.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Of course, if it's the ANC, expect the usual fumbling and dropping of the ball. Followed by the usual howls, boos and protests from the very fans who voted the team in. There will be calls for changes in team management. Some will opine that things were better under the Zuma team. I suppose the word 'fan' has links to the word 'fanatic'. A word that rhymes badly with 'common sense' and 'reason'.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Team South Africa, under the comrades, is also moving along in the world rankings. Bound for the Corruption Quarter Finals, according to an item on this morning's news. 'Flawed democracy' was a term used. A foul-mouthed friend asked if there is an 'effed democracy' category. As I abhor gratuitous vulgarity as much as the ANC abhors corruption and deceit, I told him to fu..., I mean, bugger off.</div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto">Your performance last night was a ray of light amid the usual ANC / Eskom gloom. Winning really means a lot when, as a nation, you've been taking a beating for so long. Particularly, when the new management team promised so much and carried so many hopes.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Well played, Bafana.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The struggle continues, along with the scuffle.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Richard </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><br />Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">Tymebank , South Africa </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">51090259373</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">O Tichmann </span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">+27 833970723</span></div></div><div dir="auto"><br style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;" /></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-62069762570263636562024-01-29T04:41:00.000-08:002024-01-29T04:44:34.444-08:00Love of the Common People <p> <span face="programme, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">And you will live</span></p><div class="mail-message expanded" id="m4803424764046491008" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><div class="mail-message-content collapsible zoom-normal mail-show-images" style="margin: 16px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="clear"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><span face="programme, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">In the love of the common people</span><br /></div><div dir="auto"><span face="programme, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span face="programme, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins: Love of the Common People</span></div><div dir="auto"><span face="programme, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span face="programme, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span face="programme, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">He said: Delores, I live in fear</span></div><div dir="auto"><span face="programme, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">My love for you's so overpowering </span></div><div dir="auto"><span face="programme, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">I'm afraid that I will disappear</span></div><div dir="auto"><span face="programme, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span face="programme, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Simon and Garfunkel: Slip Sliding Away</span></div><div dir="auto"><span face="programme, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span face="programme, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div>This morning I read a comment by Cameron Dugmore that had me pausing in midcook. Actually it was the load shedding.<div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">When a hero of one of the struggles and/ or revolutions speaks, one is bound to listen carefully. Particularly when one is in the middle of experiencing one of the benefits of that heroic struggle, namely thoughtfully rationed electricity. Trotsky spoke of a permanent Revolution and I'm not sure whether we are now in phase 6, 7, 8 or 9 of said revolution, but the scuffle continues. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Mr Dugmore said that the DA does not like black people. I Immediately canceled my membership and would advise all people of other than pale or rosy pink hue to do the same. I also sent the DA a message, telling them that I don't like them, too. It became clear to me that all of the good governance and improvements that they have made are entirely for white people. I stopped using some of the amenities here in Cape Town immediately. (Been on the Peninsula and Winelands tours already anyway). </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"> I will instead only use whatever the ANC has provided out of love for the people - SASSA and Home Affairs offices, trains, the house of parliament.... The ANC's passionate love for the people has been clearly demonstrated over these many years. Need I enumerate:</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The clean, healthy, safe, orderly environments in Durban and the Eastern Cape, among others.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The wonderfully long queues at government offices, where one may engage in animated chat and exchange love with fellow South Africans. To be served, eventually, with ubuntu and love by caring civil servants.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The champagne drunk on our behalf (as once explained by an ANC person).</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The redistribution of wealth to deserving persons through tenders and various initiatives.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The many, many wonderful things that they have done to transform South Africa from a deadly dull country to the laughing stock of the world. Still deadly of course. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The ANC's love for people has been dramatically demonstrated in the case in which they fought so hard and passionately in the International Court of Justice to ensure that people elsewhere have what we have in plentiful supply: </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">electricity,</div><div dir="auto">food,</div><div dir="auto">water,</div><div dir="auto">medicine and compassionate medical care,</div><div dir="auto">protection from gratuitous and random violence,</div><div dir="auto"> peace.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">What more can one ask, Mr Dugmore?</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Some years ago, a gentleman in Zimbabwe was charged with tearing down a campaign poster of Bishop Abel Muzorewa. He explained, that on seeing the poster, he was overcome with love for the good bishop and tried to hug it. A perfectly reasonable, plausible explanation. Happened to me several times. Mr Dugmore's useful, inspirational, purpose-filled comment again filled me with love for the Party. I want to run out and rip..., I mean, hug some ANC posters and t-shirts. Let my love flow. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">We do know that the EFF overflows with love for all people in Africa. That is, except those who had the bad judgment and malice to be born Indian, Coloured or White. We know from experience, scientific research and wise judgement that such accidents of birth determine whether a person turns out to be a credit to the human race or a blood and oxygen sucking leech on the country's backside. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Mr Malema wisely associates only with those white people who have demonstrated remorse over past oppression and are determined to make reparations. Mr Mazzotti is a prime example. A simlar symbiosis, I think, exists between Mr Zuma and Mr Liebenberg, that avowed lover of folk of colour. Yes, there is a very small group of white people who are thankfully free of ghastly white tendencies. The record of the two gentlemen mentioned speaks for itself. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Mr Dugmore, thank you again for that inspirational message. Having just resumed my loadshedding-interrupted cooking, I now float on a cloud of optimism and onion aroma. I shall avoid the DA like the plague, or the latest Covid variant, while making use of the facilities that, in their wickedness, they provided here in the Western Cape. Had I read your piece earlier, I would have canceled the visit without hesitation. Too late now. Well let's not throw out the baby with the bath water (though why anyone would do something so careless is beyond me). I shall take full advantage of the clean, safe environment with all its citizen- friendly amenities, while cursing the racist, neo-colonialist wretches in my heart. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Lots of love, affection and fondest wishes to all the caring, thoughtful comrades in the ANC, EFF, Mkhonto and other struggling (in the good sense of the word) revolutionary movements.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; margin: 16px 0px;"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">1378565477</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">+27 833970723</div></div></div></div><br /></div></div></div></div><div class="mail-message-footer spacer collapsible" style="height: 0px;"></div></div><div class="spacer" id="conversation-footer" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; height: 16px;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-1278751490148785432024-01-28T03:43:00.000-08:002024-01-28T03:43:25.617-08:00The Air Up Here<p> <span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I went camping this weekend. </span></p><div class="mail-message expanded" id="m-7342545793857406433" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><div class="mail-message-content collapsible zoom-normal mail-show-images " style="margin: 16px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="clear"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">It's wonderful to escape the noisy, crowded suburbs to a noisy, crowded resort and campsite. Seriously I'd highly recommend this venue- if I were being paid. As I'm not, it shall remain nameless.<div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">People at the campsite enjoyed themselves with family and friends. There was not a politician in sight to tell them why they shouldn't. Or to point out that the neighbours had a larger tent and more wors.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I am not an experienced camper. My camping family erected the complicated tents and gazebos with a speed and efficiency that would have sent your average tenderpreneur into a dead swoon.</div><div dir="auto"> "Eish! And they're not even being paid. Something is not right." </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I met a West Indian couple once, while out of the country. On hearing that I was from South Africa, they exclaimed:</div><div dir="auto">"Ah, the friendly country!"</div><div dir="auto">I thought that we had gone about decolonising that particular notion over the past decade or two. Aided by our snarling, finger-wagging, fist-waving, nation-building politicians. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Not so. People tossed out friendly greetings at campsite, pool and even the communal bathrooms. Many called me 'sir' and I wondered whether it was my knightly bearing or the gown and mortarboard from my teaching days. (I like casual, comfortable camping gear).</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I wondered whether it was just the Western Cape. But I remember an elderly gentleman in a Johannesburg minibus taxi complaining that passengers didn't greet anymore. I've found that they often do. I recall growing tired, in a Northern Cape town, of returning waves from passing motorists, while sitting out in the cool evening air. In Durban, you can strike up a conversation even in a lift - provided it's in English or isiZulu. It seems to me that we have not yet sufficiently heeded the inspirational calls ftom our Great Leaders to behave like savage packs of hyenas. Not for want of example from that Honourable lot. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The exception was a gentleman at the campsite, who chose the late hours to expound loudly and at length on what he planned to do to someone who had clearly upset him. Shades of the State of the Nation address. His superior logic and linguistic ability reminded me of a party whose name escapes me now. His skilful use of the f verb in every sentence was a thing to marvel at. People said that he was inconsiderate. I disagree. It was thoughtful of him to outline the detailed plan. A terrible thing to get f...d up without the benefit of a thorough briefing first. I recall Mr Malema extending similar courtesies to a gentleman at a pap (Pan African Parliament) meeting. He explained to the gentleman that he would f...k him up and kill him outside. Location is important. As is the precise sequence of events.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">As is the case with the party mentioned earlier, (still can't get to the name), nothing actually happened, following the yelling, the hot air, the verbal flatulence.</div><div dir="auto">Fortunately, unlike the great party, the man did shut up after an hour or two. How splendid it would be if they, too, would run out of steam in 2024. It is impossible to run a modern country, hungry for peace and progress, on steam alone.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">As with all things South African, Big Brother would not be ignored and made his clumsy presence felt with a contribution of two sessions of loadshedding. Even that did not dampen the spirits of the campers. In the dark, a group sang with gusto, Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika (God Bless Affica). </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Of course, I was delighted that this camping trip took my mind off the absurdities of South African politics entirely.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I salute the campers and the folks who run the wonderful campsites of our country.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Yes it is OUR country, comrades. Move forward, not backward.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Again, quoting Mr Khayyam, with minor tinkering and apologies:</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The moving finger writes</div><div dir="auto">And having writ, moves on</div><div dir="auto">Nor all thy thuggery nor sh..t</div><div dir="auto">Shall lure it back to cancel half a line</div><div dir="auto">Nor all thy threats wash out a word of it.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><div style="margin: 16px 0px;"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">1378565477</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">+27 833970723</div></div></div></div><div style="height: 0px;"></div></div><br /></div></div></div></div></div><div class="mail-message-footer spacer collapsible" style="height: 0px;"></div></div><div class="spacer" id="conversation-footer" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; height: 16px;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-28700926353047488652024-01-26T01:26:00.000-08:002024-01-26T01:26:32.341-08:00The Big Lie <p><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The nouveau racists and professional victims in our country would have us believe the following.There is a chasm fixed in our country between people of various hues. So it is and so it has always been. Good resides in one group and evil in the other. It's the kind of arrant nonsense that no adult with a gram of common sense would entertain. Unless they wanted to - for reasons unrelated to truth or reality.</span></p><div class="mail-message expanded" id="m-5353042232899716606" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><div class="mail-message-content collapsible zoom-normal mail-show-images " style="margin: 16px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="clear"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">This is no different from the Verwoedian drivel that we endured for so long. With tragic, disastrous consequences. Some of our current social engineers, professional and amateur, even indulge in the same fine distinctions and categorisation as did their Nationalist role models.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Many people that I and others know, paid the price for seeking justice and equity during the apartheid years. Some paid the ultimate price. And the yahoos spit on their graves. Unlike some of the comrades, I don't see the need to dwell on the details of their struggle (a term now so devalued). Those that lived, moved on with their lives, memories and lessons learned. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Being black, green or puce of skin does not absolve one from the duties of being truthful, fair and reasonable. Nor is one released from the obligations that go with being a human being worthy of the name. We all know what those are.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">This is not a plea for reason. There are those who prefer to dwell in the dark alleys and dingy places where the lust for hatred, revenge and the dubious pleasures of victimhood live, mingle, copulate and breed detestable offspring. Best to forget them there, in the hell of their creation. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">This is merely a comment on the Big Lie that marches through South Africa to various populist tunes. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I leave the last word to well-known South Africans, quoted in Helen Joseph's book, 'If This Be Treason':</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"> 'The amount of support we received when news of our arrests became public was quite astonishing, certainly far beyond our wildest expectations. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">What is more, that support came from every quarter; black and white worker and businessman, local and International.....</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">A fund was set up immediately to raise bail for the accused and one of the great liberal church men of the time Bishop Ambrose Reese, then Bishop of Johannesburg, headed the fund. A treason trial committee was set up in Johannesburg to provide legal aid and welfare assistance and its efforts extended around the country.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"> Under Canon Collins of St Paul's Cathedral a similar fund was started in Great Britain and was to become known as the Defense and Aid Fund....</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I should add that among those who stood bail for us was the late Doctor Ellen Hellman, a distinguished anthropologist, who was later to become the president of the Institute of Race Relations and the late Walter Pollack, QC, a leading member of the bar and a great lawyer. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Walter M Sisulu</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">'The trial has been an inestimable blessing, because it forged together diverse men and women of goodwill of all races, who rallied to the support of the treason trial fund and to keep up the morale of the accused. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">What would have been the plight of the accused without our Bishop Reeves, Allan Paton, Dr Hellman, Canon Collins, Alex Hepple, Christian Action, Archbishop de Blank, Archbishop Hurley and all the other loyal men and women without whose help and cooperation chaos would have prevailed in our ranks?</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"> ... I should like to say on behalf of all the accused that our future course of conduct will justify your help, for in all things we shall be motivated by the noble urge of human unity rather than division and separativeness'.<br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Chief Albert Luthuli</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">There is truth.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">And then, there is the Big Lie.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br style="color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </span></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">1378565477</div><div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">+27 833970723</div></div></div></div></div><div class="mail-message-footer spacer collapsible" style="height: 0px;"></div></div><div class="spacer" id="conversation-footer" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; height: 16px;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-5120977796798951082024-01-23T08:31:00.000-08:002024-01-23T23:19:44.087-08:00Just the Job, Mr President <p><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;">'President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on businesses in the country to remove prior work experience requirements for job positions, in a bid to boost the employability of South Africa’s job-seeking youth.' - from a news website </span></p><div dir="auto"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="color: #212529;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="color: #212529; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;">Dear Mr Ramaphosa <br /></span></span><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;">I really like your proposal. I'd like to take you up on it. Consider this as taking one for the country.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;">I am realistic about having to start at the bottom. The Sports Ministry would suit me fine, as I am an ardent Sharks supporter. Ditto for the Springboks and the Proteas. I even watch Bafana on the rare occasions that they go beyond the first round of any competition.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;">Second prize would be Arts and Culture. I am a bit of a culture vulture and I like the KZN approach, which apparently once involved downing R6000 worth of booze at a function - very artistic, very cultured. Hard work but someone has to do it. 'If it is to be, then it is up to me'. (William Johnsen).</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;">Your own job would be safe for now. (Or until Mr Zuma or Mr Malema or Hlaudi could well mould your seat of power to their powerful bottoms).</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;">I cannot claim to qualify as a youth. In a parliament filled with persons glowing with youthfulness, that could be a challenge. I am sure we can get around that, as we get around corruption, criminality and everything that stands in the way of the Revolution. And progress.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;">At any rate, I can sleep with the best of them (in the purest sense of the word). I also have a talent for bulls..., I mean, bold public speaking. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;">I am not entirely without experience, having worked in a creche and a circus in my long, undistinguished career.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;">To be mentored by the ANC's intellectual giants would be marvellous. There's Fikile Mbalula who fu..., sorry, fixed up so many ailing departments (damn these almost identical English vowels). I would love to sit at the feet of the minister who landed in Geneva, bypassing Switzerland. (I'm trying to bypass Zimbabwe, on the way to Harare). Only in the ANC is such wisdom and experience to be found. Where else could one learn of carrying medicine in the head, smallanyana skeletons, crime detection by tattoos, firepools?</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;">Mr Ramaphosa, why not build on your idea? We could cut out work altogether and just pay. I know that that approach has already been pioneered in parliament. Let's push the brown envelope further. Granted, it would be unfair to say that all politicians don't work at all. There's arduous, demanding stuff to be done: strenuous dinnners, gruelling business class flights, unveiling of taps, foreign shopping, reading off speeches and complex numbers.... Lord, I feel weary just listing some of these. If you think this a joke, you try shopping for products with labels in a foreign language.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;">I need to mention, sir, that I have extensive experience in modern banking practice, combined with knowledge of the very latest in furniture fashions. I'm not sure how, but that may be useful down the track.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;">Yours in the struggle for shortcuts to the top.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;">Richard </span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">1378565477</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">+27 833970723</div></div></div><div dir="auto"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;" /></div></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span face="lato, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-55325927023426568872024-01-23T00:39:00.000-08:002024-01-23T00:40:16.663-08:00Transparent Corruption <p>We all know that Africa was a corruption - free, peaceful, thriving continent until the colonialists arrived. Okay, so there was the odd war, but these were fought in friendly, amicable fashion. (In fact, the term 'friendly fire' originated here, after a chieftain set his neighbour's house on fire, during a friendly cattle raid).</p><div dir="auto">I acknowledge the research of Twitter historians and several reliable, unbiased ANC and EFF politicians for the above historical background. We now know that colonialists brought syphilis, Covid, corruption, gender-based violence and much more to our tranquil shores. Having introduced us to corruption and its succulent fruits, said colonialists then tried to snatch it away by introducing unjust anti-corruption laws and a deceptive judeo-christian moral code. Also patriarchy and other bad stuff.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Nonetheless, we took to corruption as a duck takes to water or ecoli to the Durban coastline. Perhaps Ms Zille was right in saying (reportedly) that colonialism had its benefits (or something equally profound).</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I was very glad this morning when someone suggested that companies build in budget to accommodate the, no-doubt, righteous and reasonable, requirements of the construction mafia. It's time we were pragmatic, realistic and transparent about our most successful business model and business activity. Doesn't government already do that (build in capacity) for various projects? With great success?</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">It's time that we brought corruption out of the shadows and Eskom-inspired darkness. And gave it its rightful place in our national life. We do it well. What's to be ashamed of? Some of my best friends are rotten, thieving bastards.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">We need to get corruption into the school curriculum. I know that we already have it in other spheres in education. I can't recall any recent scandals, though. I'll check with Dr Blade.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I see such challenging, thought provoking modules in the syllabus as:</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Ethical considerations in conducting corrupt business </div><div dir="auto">Creative accounting and the alternative balance sheet</div><div dir="auto">A history of successful corruption through the ages</div><div dir="auto">Einstein's theory of relativity applied to corrupt activity </div><div dir="auto">The corruption theme in Shakespeare's works</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I feel a rising excitement. We could become world leaders in the transparent corruption 'space'. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Oh, hang on, aren't we already....</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br />Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">Capitec Bank, South Africa </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">1378565477</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">O Tichmann </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;">+27 833970723</div></div></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3316522765705982095.post-43017753036718753312024-01-22T01:55:00.000-08:002024-01-22T01:55:53.052-08:00Venom<p><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">After David Teeger was removed as captain of the under-19 South African cricket team, one of our many, bright Twitter philosophers made the scintillating observation that:</span></p><div class="mail-message expanded" id="m-7086451160391468128" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><div class="mail-message-content collapsible zoom-normal mail-show-images " style="margin: 16px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="clear"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"> "The child of a snake is a snake",</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">First sir, we bow to your superior first- hand knowledge and experience of the ways of snakes. You are clearly steeped in such mysteries. One might respond that the child of a brainless buffoon is a brainless buffoon. It is quite likely, though, that your own parents are sensible, courteous people. They are probably grieved at the what you have become. They probably know that being a Mensch means treating people the way that you would like to be treated. It also means being sensible about commenting on people or matters that you know little or nothing about. Therein lie the seeds of the racism and discrimination that so offend your sensitive soul.</div><div dir="auto"> </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Of course if you are of the self- flagellating self - hating order, that does present difficulties with following the golden rule. How kak must your life and lack of self- respect be to spend your days vomiting bile on social media? Lately X has been teeming with your fellow snake poison philosophers and commentators. What on earth are you guys eating, drinking or smoking that you should be so miserable? Come on man, you're going to do yourself an injury. There's more to life than lying in the grass like a fat puff adder, waiting to inject your venom into the first pale foot that dares tread nearby.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Of course, you might fling the 'kak life' accusation back at me. I just thoroughly enjoy pointing out the rich talent in the room, which might otherwise go unnoticed or unchallenged. What the heck, let's celebrate your valiant, uniquely South African struggles against the ghosts of van Riebeeck, Apartheid and other real threats to the revolution.<br /><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">If you are really so concerned about justice and equity, do something more useful than spewing whatever you're feeding on into the twittersphere. Go help someone. Lots of people in South Africa do just that. Or you could write something (seeing as you are a person of letters) vaguely useful. But please to engage brain before speeding off. Used brains are more in demand in South Africa than the no-mileage models.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Ah, but of course, this is all racist, colonialist nonsense that trivializes the lived experience of the black child. Right? What shade of child thinks and writes this is immaterial. White tendencies, bloody agents, Uncle Toms, house negroes, sellouts - these are at the root of your unbearable misery. I feel for you, snake expert. The sensible thing is to ignore your flatulence and that of your ghoul club. But hell, you are as repulsively fascinating as a nest of fat, hissing reptiles (sorry, Durban snake chap).</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Some members of your sad Whatsapp group have been complaining about lack of 'white support' for the national football team. They bitterly contrast it with support for the Springboks. And they, of course, have the latest stats on support by shades of paleness or tan? That sounds so ludricrous, doesn't it? Just enjoy your soccer and your Castle Lite man. Leave people alone. Let's cut to the chase: they play kak. Most of the time. I, for one, don't see the passion and determination of a Kholisi, Etzebeth, Miller or every other Springbok and Protea player. I don't see it in our soccer players. It truly seems to be a case of separating the men from the bafanas. Perhaps I'm as biased as you are when it comes to Bafana.. Or perhaps you snake experts should just grow up.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;"><br />Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted</span></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">Tymebank , South Africa </span></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">51090259373</span></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">O Tichmann </span></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.84px;">+27 833970723</span></div></div><div dir="auto"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.84px;" /></div></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div></div></div></div></div><div class="mail-message-footer spacer collapsible" style="height: 0px;"></div></div><div class="spacer" id="conversation-footer" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; height: 16px;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0