The Week That Was

Gerald Potash,

Hello again,

Cyril Ramaphosa has lodged a complaint about the person chosen to lead evidence in the investigation into the goings-on at Phala Phala. Phala Phala is Cyril’s game-farm, where the $’s were left on Cyril’s couch and the game paid for game was never fetched. The objection from the President, is causing delaying legal tactics that have prevented the appointed Parliamentary committee being able to look into the matter and put questions to him in spite of their desire to investigate the matter fully. 
The committee chose Adv. Thandanzani Madonsela SC to lead evidence on behalf of the impeachment committee. But Cyril has lodged his objection and various political parties are accusing him of using Stalingrading tactics.

In 2022 Ramaphosa removed Madonsela from the Judicial Service Commission and he believes that Madonsela is therefore conflicted in his relationship to the President. The ANC is battling and still haven’t come up with nominations for the municipal elections. Nor have they indicated who will challenge Helen Zille in Johannesburg. This cartoon from Zapiro this morning in Daily Maverick targets the ANC big-shots perfectly and he asks whether they know the difference between incumbent and recumbent.

Julius Malema can’t stay out of the news. Usually I don’t like what I read but this week he has been sued by AfriForum and they are looking for a R500,000.00 fine and jail-time for inciting land occupation. To improve their lives Malema urged the people living in townships (specifically, Kayamandi in Stellenbosch) to take the open farm land owned by white people right next to their cramped township. The illegal land-grab is contrary to a court ruling in 2017 where Malema is specifically ordered not to encourage such incitement. AfriForum is looking for an 18 months imprisonment for Malema. 
AfriForum is a civil society organisation focusing on mainly Afrikaans rights. It is not a political party but the big-shot, Kallie Kriel gets lots of publicity.
This whole thing could get exciting so watch this space.

In an unrelated matter Malema is likely to face crimen injuria charges for labelling a school principal, Jaco Pieterse a serial child rapist. His claim was based on unfounded allegations and AfriForum has instructed the court to initiate charges against Malema.  Zapiro, too, thinks that Julius has gone too far this time and has shot himself in the foot: He actually does that quite often. There is lots of newspaper coverage of matters leading to the upcoming municipal elections. Paul Hoffman makes a point in a sharp letter to Business Day yesterday that only 16% of the voters cast their votes in the last General Election so allowing the ANC to achieve 40% of the vote.  In November 10 million SAns will not be voting because they simply haven’t registered.

Some good news is that Cape Town harbour, recently ranked worst out of 400 harbours researched, has set up a ‘war room’ to boost efficiency. The Transport Minister, Barbara Creecy has gotten involved and already things are happening. SA is the biggest exporter of citrus fruit in the world and needs the harbour to work better since 80% of our citrus goes through Cape Town.  New equipment including 14 better cranes have been ordered to help with quicker loading and unloading. Transnet has also agreed to upgrade it’s logistics software and is considering an AI IT system. Things are happening and everyone is on board to help improve the situation.
On Monday, India with its enormous market potential has given its BRICS partner, SA, its first citrus order and will be sourcing from us from now on. China already sources our fruit. This Indian alignment is significant for our economy.

More good news is that Eskom is keeping the lights on and they are looking at ways of making electricity less expensive for us all . There have been no outages for 455 days and they report that their diesel costs have plunged by over 80%  this financial year.

Then some really good news is that our inflation rate dropped by more than a ½% in July better than 4.5%. A lot of that had to do with the relative quietness of the Middle East war during July.

And for me, the best news of all this week is that yesterday I had a pacemaker inserted and today I am writing this newsletter from my home. I was diagnosed on Monday, admitted to hospital on Tuesday and am now at home writing. I have been having problems for some time and experienced two blackouts when my kids, Marilyn & Richard were here and luckily on each blackout experience one of them was with me.
The quality of medical care in our neck of the woods is outstanding. I would like to say world class, but you have to be able to afford proper medical aid and live in the bubble that we do. I am not surprised our Drs get poached to other countries. Even the nursing staff, white, black and coloured were amazing in our main hospital in Somerset West,  Mediclinic. 


A story that caught my eye over the weekend was actually the photo of a flashy red Ferrari in the Sunday Times. Many would have seen what was Hangwani Maumela’s Ferrari SF90, now to go on auction for R10,000,000.00.   It is currently garaged at R5,000.00 a month but the insurance is a hundred thousand a year. And that’s only one of his cars. He also has (already attached) 4 blue Lamborghinis worth more than R30 million and several Astin Martins. Oh, to be a cadre and rob Tembisa Hospital of what it needs to run properly….or run at all.

The cartoon from Nesbitt in the Herald this morning is about  cadres.She was our Speaker in Parliament and our Min of Defence. And though she is not connected to Maumela, about cadres this says it all.

The weekend was again rugby with the coach on the couch. Paul Roos, (schools rugby is now widely televised) beat Grey Collage in a thrilling match in Stellenbosch with an enormous crowd at the Markötter  Grounds. I remember the site fondly, I was one of the school boys who planted the grass on that new field 66 years ago.
Then the All Blacks came up against The Bulls (Northern Tvl to you) and even though they won quite easily it wasn’t as easy as the week before. The first test is schedule for Saturday evening and we can’t wait. The All Black’s coach admits that his fellows will have to up their game to stand a chance against the Springboks. Rassie Erasmus, the Springboks coach is not taking this clash lightly, either. He has urged his players to play their very best. 
This is exciting stuff.

I have a problem. The Premiership starts this weekend in England and Spurs are playing at the same time as the test match. For me, that’s a problem.

As always,

Gerald