Revolutionary

Dear Revolutionaries, Populists and Assorted Politicians  

Like you, I am deeply interested in revolution and the sweet, succulent fruits thereof.

I recently came across some truly revolutionary concepts,  which my revolutionary fervour compels me, dear comrades, to share forthwith. After all, an epiphany for one is an epiphany for all. 

You may well be unfamiliar with these, so I plundered the Oxford and Cambridge for definitions. The sloganeering and placard waving is all rather old school. And, let's face it, as ineffectual as urinating in a howling gale. This is cutting edge without actually cutting anyone. Much as one hates to admit it, many of the revolutions, to which you look, have had less than stellar outcomes. I think it was the poet Ernesto Cardenal, himself a real revolutionary, who wrote of the horns on the revolutionary beast evolving into dictators. Of course, some of us will never accept the capitalist fables about failed revolutionary states. Go to any of the model states and see the sheen of joy and optimism in the eyes of the citizens as they gleefully queue for bread.  Hang onto the dream - even if it becomes a nightmare for others. 

But, to business. Hold onto your stylish, South American, revolutionary headgear for just a few of these startlingly revolutionary concepts:

Service: the action of helping or doing work for someone.

Competence: the ability to do something successfully or efficiently.

Statesmanship:   the ability or practice  of a statesman, wisdom and skill in the management of public affairs

Humility:  the quality or state of not thinking you are better than other people; freedom from pride or arrogance 

Humanity: the quality of being humane; benevolence.

It may be that an absence of some of these causes the seeds of dictatorship to germinate out of the revolutionary soil. But that's for the scholars. 

As you gleefully embrace this novel approach, don't feel obliged to thank me. Anything for the Cause.

Some struggle to process this stuff. That's the problem with counter-revolutionaries. So conservative.

Yours in revolutionary fervour.

Richard

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Capitec Bank, South Africa  

1378565477

O Tichmann 

+27 833970723

Now You See Me

 Out of South Africa, always some comic relief.

'Two suspected criminals, who were carrying muti they believed would make them invisible while stealing from supermarkets, were caught by members of the Reaction Unit South Africa on Sunday.' | @WitnessKZN 

Dear  Suspected Criminals 

Three times thank you:

1. For one of the heartiest laughs I've had in a long time. Rivalled some of the Zondo Commission sittings, Mr Zuma's philosophical musings and Ms Mbete's Al Jazeera special.

2. For proving again that no matter how bad a day one's having, someone's having a worse one.

3. For confirming for me that I am not the dumbest person in South Africa.

The quest for invisibility is not new in South Africa. Politicians were quite successful during the July unrest. Councillors have mastered it between  elections. Mr Cele's had mixed results. I don't know of anyone who's pulled it off in your line of work.

Dear SCs, there are some technical questions begging to be asked:

1. Did you sanitize at the entrance? That would have been a significant clue. Did invisibility kick in only once you were strolling down the aisles?

2. Did people avoid walking into you? That might just possibly have told you something. Or did they bump into you occasionally?

3. We've heard of products flying off the shelves, but how did you plan on dealing with the reactions of shoppers?

4. Were your clothes included in the invisibility cover or were you planning a Capitec approach? Come to think of it, that may explain the nude romp by the lady ìn that bank.

5. Why did you not perform a simple test first? For example, find a suitable person and administer a resounding klap. Their response would have told you all you needed to know.

These questions are, of course, in the interests of scientific research. Also, to assist others who may want to do an alternative trolley dash at, say, Game, or other great retailers. Please respond when your busy schedule permits.

I do hope that you find your muti supplier, after an appropriate period of reflection and meditation. He owes you, at the very least, an explanation. Unless, of course, he has perfected the formula by then.

Yours in the grail-like quest for invisibility.

Richard

Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted 

Capitec Bank, South Africa  

1378565477

O Tichmann 

+27 833970723

Politically Incorrect

 Dear Fellow South Africans 

I have a cynical friend. He said recently that our election results were the equivalent of the Romans voting the barbarians in - time and again.

Ridiculous, right? I mean, barbarians loot, pillage, rape and murder, among other time-honoured pastimes. You don't see any of that, do you? I'm considering cutting ties with him. He's so politically incorrect. Just as I've cut ties with Rupertists, Gordhanists, Stratcommies, WMC puppets (indeed, all puppets, including Chester Missing), counter-revolutionaries and 1652 settlers.

He said that many South Africans are like groupies for Darth Vader, the Joker and Leatherface (something to do with chainsaws and forestry in Texas). As I don't watch soapies, I had no idea what he was talking about. It was like being at a political rally. Far removed from reality.

He went on to say (between my stifled yawns), that we have a trash wish. We will not be content until we hit the slimy bottom of the trash heap (probably just below Zimbabwe). I was rather hurt, as I have good friends in Zanu PF. We are, said he, like a poorer version of Bafana Bafana: comfortable with losing, refusing to learn, passionate about mediocrity.

Being of a cheery, optimistic disposition, I could listen no more. I tuned in to Uyajola for some uplifting content. Some people are unbelievably pessimistic. We have Msholozi, Carl, Dr Ace, Julius, Hlaudi, Mr Manyi, the two Andiles and many other heroes. What could possibly go wrong?

Yours in the struggle for...something.

Richard 

Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted 

Capitec Bank, South Africa  

1378565477

O Tichmann 

+27 833970723

This Present Darkness

 Dear Fellow South Africans 

How's that for a perfect metaphor?  We vote. The lights go out.

On the subject of darkness, we really ought to have cleared up some superstitions long ago. 

1. There is no better devil, no matter how well you think you know him. Devils do what devils do. Your butt is not exempt from roasting because you feel some kinship. 

2. Wolves do not lose their taste for mutton. Their howls of remorse only drown the noise of the rumbling of their cavernous bellies.

3. What politicians say means less than a 'whisper from the buttocks' (French journalist). Deeds, not words  / Ditiro eseng mafoko (school motto).

4. Even great captains suffer catastrophic shipwreck when the crews are woefully inept.

5. The contracts that you sign with the devil are worth less than the used scraps you sign them on. That's a pathetic way to sell your soul.

6. No matter how inflated with wind the clichès, platitudes and slogans are, they have never filled a belly.

7. X does mark the spot. It may well mark the spot where we buried South Africa.

8. And as we shuffle on post-elections, for bullies in politics and government, as elsewhere, silence means hearty consent.

Yours in both hope and the weariness that comes with dreary inevitability.

Richard

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Capitec Bank, South Africa  

1378565477

O Tichmann 

+27 833970723

Heroic Vote Count

 Apologies to Sir Henry Newbolt

There's a breathless hush in the hall to-night

Ten to make and the wards to win

A rock-hard chair and a blinding  screen,

An hour to wait, and the last votes in.

And it's all for the sake of a mayoral chain.

And the desperate hope of a season's seat,

But his comrade's hand on his shoulder smote

"Stay up! Stay up! And watch the count!"

The face of the map is sodden red

 Red  with the wreck of 

campaigns that broke 

The voting's done and the wards are gone,

And the comrades blind with dust and smoke.

The river of gatvol has brimmed its banks,

Uhuru's far and Long Live a name,

But the voice of a comrade rallies the ranks-

"Stay up! Stay up! And watch the count!"

This is the word that each five years,

While in her mould the party's  set,

Every one of her sons must hear,

And none that hears it dare have doubt.

This they all with focused mind

Must bear through life like a plaque in flame,

failing fling to the cadre behind-

"Stay up! Stay up! And watch the count!"

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Capitec Bank, South Africa  

1378565477

O Tichmann 

+27 833970723

Pearls And Swine

Dear Fellow South Africans 

I was paging through the Good Book  today (being Sunday). I came across advice about not casting pearls before swine. Wondered if it had some relevance, as I'll be casting my vote tomorrow. There was also a caution about being trampled by said swine should one be foolish enough to do it anyway. My spider senses did tingle a little.

I found the story of the son who returned from the hog trough most intriguing. He'd blown his entire inheritance and now sought forgiveness. I couldn't really make a link to anything happening here. I filed it away for further rumination. Of course, I'd value input from any theologians who may read this.

Then there was the exodus from Egypt, which one of our politicians referenced recently. He neglected to mention the forty year wandering, which came as a result of worshipping a golden calf, among other things (as far as I could make out). Our record of golden calf worship doesn't fill one with optimism. I don't know whether the past twenty-seven years would be taken into account as time served. I am partial to both milk and honey. I fear that both will be above our pay grade at this rate. Unless Mr Malema triumphs. 

I suspect that fatted calves will also be in short supply. 

There was advice about being wise as serpents and harmless as doves, which I think we've rather got back-to-front over the years. Also about it profiting nothing to gain stuff (I thought t-shirt or tender - don't know why) but suffer the loss of one's soul. I might have got that one just slightly mixed up but that's the general drift.

Now, of this one I'm certain: as we sow, so shall we reap.

Yours in the struggle for clear sight and wisdom.

Richard 

Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted 

Capitec Bank, South Africa  

1378565477

O Tichmann 

+27 833970723

Mistakes

 Dear Mr Mabuza

I agree with you. Things are not functioning. 

Your tweet:

"We recognise that we have made mistakes and things are not functioning as 

they should. We are a strong nation, committed to dealing decisively with 

our issues and improve matters in our beloved country. #VoteANC We can deliver!"

The mistakes now. Was money looted by mistake, as in: "There I was, just a-walking down the street, singing doowa-diddy-diddy-down-diddy-do, when this enormous bag of money fell into my outstretched hands"? Or were the mistakes to do with quantity and timing? Too little, too much, too soon, too late?

Of course there's no denying that voters made mistakes and will continue to do so come 1 November. 

There's also no denying that we are a strong nation. How else could we have survived the last 27 years of dealing decisively with issues?

And, oh yes, your decisiveness shines through in the way that you have dealt with corruption. It's been stamped out, hasn't it? We can sleep now?

The shuffling within the Party has been decisive, too, by shuffle definition: 'walk by dragging one's feet along or without lifting them fully from the ground'. Perhaps that's why it's been so difficult to step aside.

We are filled with confidence.

Yes, of course you can deliver. So can Mr Delivery. It's just a question of what exactly. I, for one, have enough lawn manure already.

Yours in the struggle against mistakes.

Richard

Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted 

Capitec Bank, South Africa  

1378565477

O Tichmann 

+27 833970723