The Week That Was

Gerald Potash,

Hello again

In the Sunday Times this week, William Gumede writes about Ramaphosa’s recycling of failed ministers in his new cabinet. He writes that the ANC is tone-deaf and blind to the change demanded of them by the electorate. Unfortunately, the ANC have insisted that their policies will remain the same and those policies have failed miserably. 

Prof. Gumede further points out that Cyril has appointed four ministers reporting to his office. This is likely to create a parralel cabinet; is this because Ramaphosa does not have faith in the cabinet he appointed? 

The writers in Daily Maverick refer to the cabinet as a confederacy of dunces. And Paul Hoffman of Accountability Now, in his article in that publication writes that the watchwords of the ministers cabinet should be pragmatism, meritocracy and honesty. He further points out that this is not a cabinet of a Government of National Unity (GNU) because only 11 of the 18 parties represented in Parliament have joined. There is still a sizeable group in Parliament in opposition to the government.

It will be more than just interesting to see how the over-bloated cabinet meetings (legotlas) are handled. 

One of the miserable cabinet failures who is still in cabinet and who wields power is Gwede Mantashe.  He has cost the state billions of Rands in lost investments. It’s incomprehensible that he remains in cabinet………but that just goes to show how Cyril does what he is told to by the party insiders.

This week the ANC will be laying down parameters within which cabinet Ministers must comply when the new cabinet meets for its first ‘legotla’.

That is a problem. For starters their views differ dramatically on current affairs. And what about the differing opinions on the war in Gaza?

Will the cabinet even last through the week let alone their 5 year term? Last week Zapiro had this classic in Daily Maverick of the ministers with their deputies heading for the legotla:

Clem Sunter in his talk at the Centre for Extra-Mural studies at UCT last week summed up the current political situation.  

“The shocking news that we lost 67 000 jobs in the non-agricultural sector of our economy in the first

quarter of 2024 signals the urgency of tackling the problem. We are at a tipping point. Either the GNU inspires us all to work together to create a better life for all; or we face the prospect of becoming a failed state full of division, disillusionment and misery”.  Sunter didn’t mention it directly but Cyril has enemies and many of them are in his own party, (ref Justice Malala’s article in the latest Financial Mail). 

Sunter believes that Cyril can overcome the group that want him out. 

I was not really surprised to read that a group of cadres also want Paul Mashatile out. Could we potentially soon be sitting with a new President and a new Deputy President?

Jacob  Zuma just doesn’t stay out of the news. On Monday he warned that the court case against the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is coming. This notwithstanding that the case was thrown out some weeks ago because of lack of evidence. The MK party believes there was fraud in the elections and they claim to have proof of that and want to have the results of the recent general election scrapped. 

It won’t happen.

On Tuesday John Hlope was elevated to serve on the Judicial Services Commission. So this character who was impeached as a Judge by this very committee is now going to sit on the committee to vet lawyers wanting to become judges.

Paul Hoffman of Accountability Now says this is an abomination and I agree!

It was Paul who pointed out that legally Hlope is not even  

entitled to be an MP. Several civil society groups have taken up the cudgels in this matter.

This story will run. So watch this space. This was Brandan’s take on the Hlope matter from yesterday’s Business Day.

A good news story that I enjoyed was on Tuesday when the court case being brought against ANC big-shot and former Defence Minister and then Speaker of Parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula was elevated to the Pretoria High Court for hearing of her corruption and money laundering charges.

The State Prosecutor advised that they have a water-tight case against her for accepting a bribe of R4.5 million Rand of which R2.1m was in cash when she was minister of Defence.    I seem to recall that when the story of her blatant bribery first broke Ramaphosa, the wus, protected her by elevating her from the cabinet to be the Speaker of the House. 

Multiple cold fronts and strong winds have battered our Western Cape this week. Yesterday we had a level 8 warning — winds at virtually cyclone strength and strong, heavy rains. In many Boland towns the monthly record  rainfall figures were already broken by early in the week. The storms are still continuing unabated as I write — thousands have been displaced and homes irreparably damaged as the severe rain storms and gale-force winds play havoc in many areas.  The storms affected not only the shack-dwellers in the townships but also caused flooding throughout the province, affecting us all. There are many sad stories of hardship caused by the severe weather, but our provincial disaster management crews together the voluntary group Gift of the Givers are doing sterling work where they are needed most.

This week we really have been in the Cape of Storms.

Some good news is that on Friday we celebrated 100 days of no load shedding. It has been wonderful to have our electricity working all through the weeks. It has been 4 years since this landmark was last achieved. Not unexpectedly, 7 provinces suffered load reductions from Tuesday, but luckily not the Western Cape.

The Electricity Minister did, however, warn us that we are not yet out of the woods at all and he is doing everything he can to keep the lights on including planning more nuclear power stations.

Air Help Inc. has released its list of top airports in the world. Cape Town ranks at No 2 and Johannesburg at No 6 (really? not my experience) out of 293 airports in 69 countries listed. 

That’s very good news and is sure to attract even more tourists to our country.

Is Somerset West going to get its own casino again?

The gambling board is sitting this week to hear the application by Tsongo Sun. We had one, I didn’t miss it. My view is that we really don’t need it and several views in the ‘papers agree with me, but there is a strong view that it will come. At this stage it is all a gamble.

The rugby. The Coach was back on the couch early on Saterday morning to watch England play the All Blacks in New Zealand. What an outstanding game of rugby that was with NZ stealing a 16-15 victory. If the English kicker had had his boots on it could (and should?) have gone England’s way. Clive and I referred to him not as Marcus Smith but as Mannie Libbok.

Then later on in the day the couch was full. From left to right watching were the World Champion, Linda, the Coach, Corrie & Elise, Oom Dawie, Laetitia and me.

It was a battle of the Titans with the world’s 2 top rated teams (SA and Ireland) playing each other at a packed Loftus Versveld. The ‘Boks won a great game and the final score which attests which attests that it could have gone either way was 27-20. I am sad to say that next week I will miss the return game and the camaraderie because I will be away.

As always,                                                                  

Gerald

PS
I will be away next week so this newsletter will not be in your inbox as per usual. 

PPS

I am sorry that I am unable to load the Zapiro cartoon. I think he may have blocked me from using them in these newsletters  

G