The Week That Was

Gerald Potash,

Hello again

Three stories dominated our news this week. Thursday and Friday were all about SA taking Israel to the ICJ (International Court of Justice) accusing them of genocide. This story has carried over to this week and particularly by Iqbal Survé’s newspapers, like the Cape Times and Argus. They have had plenty to write about and their anti-Israel bias has been blatantly laid bare. 

Our Justice Minister, Ronald Lamola “explaining” at The Hague that SA’s application was not anti-Jewish but anti-Israel then him going on to say that “we live beside Jews who are the shop keepers and the hotel owners”. He did not say living next to Jewish professors, doctors, teachers or lawyers in our country. The old trope of referring the local Jews as “smouse” is still part of the make up of the anti-Semite.

You must be aware that the application taken to The Hague has spewed very different opinions. The pro-Hamas group of locals paid homage to the SA legal team and congratulated them when they returned…They were greeted with a hero’s welcome at the airport like a winning sports’ team with most of the team still wearing their keffiyahs and ANC scarves.

But the pro-Israel articles in the press explained exactly what errors the SA group had made and they are certain that the judges will find that the application to the ICJ will not succeed because of the flaws in argument and the lack of understanding of genocide by the SA team.  Ivo Vegter’s article in Daily Friend on Tuesday exposes the SA team’s weaknesses in their presentation to the Judges and if you would like to read it I can forward it on to you.

This was the cartoon from DavidDToons in the Daily Friend that was rather telling don’t you think?

The cost to SA of this high-powered delegation was huge and there is a theory doing the rounds that Iran is financially behind the SA attempt to clear Hamas of any immoral or criminal blame. The ANC was so broke just a few months ago that they could not even pay their staff salaries. Repeatedly that made the press. Then, on top of that a case where they were sued for +R100 million that had been outstanding for years now suddenly that debt has been settled.  Is Iran driving this whole affair?  Some very bright journalists consider this to be a highly likely situation. (Is this also the financial reward for SA arguing so ardently & successfully to have Iran join the BRICS countries?)

The next big story is all about the January 8th speech. Cyril delivered the annual founding (112 years ago) anniversary speech to a filled  Mbombela stadium on Saturday. 

It was interesting to observe the crowd, presumably bussed there free and all given ANC T-shirts and no doubt lunch too.

But notwithstanding Ramaphosa’s chant about how much has been achieved in 30 years of governing the press was not complimentary about his performance or the performance of his Party. The ANC has messed up everything that could be messed up. Their governing has been a disaster and Cyril even acknowledged “some mistakes”.

Without naming names Cyril had a “go” at Jacob Zuma when he called leaders who break away from the Party, snakes. They are dangerous and must be avoided, he told the crowd.

Another story running, and you won’t be surprised, is about Jacob Zuma and his “new Party”  umKonto weSiswe or MK to you.

Ace Magashule, the disgraced long-time Sec-Gen of the ANC before being turfed out of the Party has joined up with his former boss. One of the telling statements, made by Ace at a press briefing, is that they are not going to allow the rigging of elections. Does this mean that some ANC secrets will be revealed? Ace had been an important cog of the ANC in previous elections and he knows what happens and what rigging has taken place. 

JZ & Ace are two of a kind if ever I saw one. 

Both Ace & JZ are experts at attracting the limelight and make no mistake they are seriously hurting the ANC, particularly in KZN.

This cartoon from Siwela in The Citizen yesterday gets the whole thing right:

Money for their campaigning is said to be coming from Iqbal Survé. I wonder if the trails of all this funding cash will one day be revealed.

Survé is suing Cyril, the Presidecy and certain state organs for R75 million. According to Iqbal it has to do with his companies loss of earnings. Talk about chutzpah!

I am not putting any money on Survé winning this one.

One of the really big news stories of the week is the stripping of David Teeger (18) as the captain of the national under 19 cricket team by Cricket SA (CSA). The junior cricket world cup tournament begins tomorrow in Potchefstroom. Teeger’s ‘crime’?….. being Jewish. The excuse the SA Cricket Board used to remove his captaincy is that they are afraid of protests at the SA matches. 

When the youngster, head boy of KES, recently won an award at a Jewish function and was presented with a medal for his wonderful cricketing talent he dedicated that award to the Israeli soldiers fighting in the Gaza war. Now the SA Cricket Board believes it will mitigate any possible protests at the tournament by removing his captaincy. There have been statements from all sorts of people from Ali Bacher to government lackeys but the fact remains — Teeger has been dumped. 

Prof. Karen Milne, Chairperson of the Jewish Board of Deputies made the strong point that sports’ bodies are there to protect players not to bully them. The Cricket Board can make any excuses they like but it is clear to see this is blatant anti-Semitism.

The DA have indicated that unless Teeger is re-instated as captain they will lay an official complaint to the  South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).

The DA keep losing high-profile (black) members. This week Khume Ramulifo, who stood for leader of the Party in Gauteng and has been a loyal member for 25 years, resigned and indicated that he would be joining Rise Mzanzi, the new Party headed up by Songezo Zibi. I have told you before to watch this new Party.  

When(?) we go to the polls there may be 360 parties to choose from. The IEC–our electoral commission— has registered them all but indicates that it is not certain how many of them will contest the upcoming general election.

Now some good news. 

Cape Town has never seen so many foreign tourists as last month. The country still has so much to offer and for foreigners everything is so cheap. And remember everything works here in the Western Cape.   Our airport accepted 317,000 visitors last month. That is a whopping 25% more than we welcomed last year in December.

Jeffrey and Rene have a holiday home in Gordon’s Bay. Suddenly it seems the world champion and I have season tickets to this hospitable couple’s place at Harbour Island and we were back there on Sunday. Clive and Christine, with whom we brunched last Sunday were there too. And we also met a lovely Sea Point couple whom we had never met before, Roydon and Elaine. The B’s are leaving this week and we will miss this hospitable couple.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   The coach was on the couch to watch Spurs play Man United in Manchester on Sunday evening. With Spurs falling behind twice but eventually managing a draw, it was as tense as a game could be.

As always,                                                                                               

Gerald