Gerald Potash,
Hello again,
There are very few “quiet” weeks in SAn politics. This week the budget on Wednesday dominated our news but the fall-out and in-fighting in the MK Party, Ramaphosa being called a liar, and all the usual things with the DA fighting the ANC had again commentators wondering whether the GNU (Government of National Unity) is coming to an end.
So let’s start with the budget.
Our Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana’s job is not a easy one.
On Wednesday all the roads around Parliament were closed off as usual on Budget Day, we were all glued to our screens and then…………..high drama…….….. in a totally unprecedented move the budget speech was not delivered!
Up to 20 minutes before the delivery time of 2.00pm we, the MPs sitting waiting in Parliament and even the gathered press corps who had, a few hours before, been given the to be delivered budget speech had no idea that there would be a postponement.
It seems that a strong objection from the parties in the coalition with the ANC were not prepared to agree to a 2% VAT increase. Is the the coalition government not working as many thought and hoped it would?
Our country needs money and America is not prepared to fund us as they did.
This was Brandan’s cartoon in Business Day, a day or two ago, indicating a massive obstacle with relation to funding before the budget was due to be delivered:
The “we will not be bullied” twice chanted by Cyril shows only too clearly that he is a wuss. The problem is America’s displeasure with SA’s ongoing warm relationships with Iran, with terrorist groups Hamas & Hezbollah, and with China & Russia. Then our continued consistent voting against America at the UNO does not help. What does Cyril think he will achieve by taunting America? Our relationships with terrorists and fascist leaders is not new and Mr Trump does not like being goaded. Then, to make America’s view very clear Marco Rubio, the new American Sec of State says he does not want to coddle anti-Americanism so he will not attend the G20 meeting in SA next week or the Annual G20 gathering at the end of the year in Johannesburg. Now what does Cyril expect? Does he not understand what this communist-induced ANC-policy will lead to? Trump is not a weakling President in America like the last one. His economic threats are serious.
One of the very worst moves the ANC —-because it is not the GNU that makes decisions—- is appointing a rabid anti-Semite and pro-Hamas supporter, Ebrahim Rasool as our Ambassador to America. Rasool failed to make the cut to make it as an MP and has been accused of bribing journalists to write flattering reports about him.
Rob Hersov is one of the commentators who expects serious financial fallout from Trump’s warnings. But the ANC will not hear. And we will all suffer.
In an interview Hersov said that he hopes that America gets really tough with the ANC and he hopes they put Ramaphosa and people like Nalendi Pandor and others in the ANC on the ‘Red list’ banning them from travelling to Western countries on the fear of arrest if they do.
Already SA is feeling the wrath of Trump. On Monday our National Health Dept urged the provinces to dispense 6 months medication for HIV patients. The dept is in total disarray by the USA’s cutting off aid to our biggest health donor, Pepfar.
The fights in the main opposition party, unKontho weSizwe, (MK) made lots of press this week. Johann Maarman in his editorial in the Burger on Monday said it best when he called it a circus with political clowns making fools of themselves.
Floyd Shivambu has become the Secretary-General of the MK Party and Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla has crassly attacked Shivambu verbally. She obviously does not like playing second fiddle in the Party to the ex-EFF big-shot. Her father, Jacob Zuma made her apologise to him, not once but twice, because the first time she wasn’t sincere the old man said.
Then the deputy leader of MK, the disgraced, impeached former Judge-President of the Cape, John Hlope had a spat with his party’s Chief Whip, Mnwanele Manyi because he was told to deliver a prepared parliamentary speech on Tuesday instead of the one he that he himself had prepared. He is not happy at being told what to do.
Michael Bagraim is the DA’s shadow minister for labour. He wrote a short, sharp letter (they are the best) to Business Day on Tuesday calling out the disgraceful state of affairs at Eskom. More than 300 Eskom staff members were involved with Eskom vendors and more than 5,000 failed to declare conflicts of interest. Bagraim wants resigning Eskom workers to have their pensions frozen and he wants to see prosecutions and jailing of those who have crippled our power supplier for so many years.
If only Ramaphosa would read this. But then…..we already know… ….realistically nothing would happen because all Cyril does is kick the can down the road. The ANC does not punish corruption it supports it, or it would have acted years ago.
On the same day as Bagraim’s letter in Business Day in the Citizen newspaper, the Deputy Gen Sec of the ANC, Nomvula Mokonyane, who used to be our Water Minister gets fingered by a reader, ‘Drikus’ in their letter column. She was labelled by the Zondo Commission as a major player of State capture. Millions and billions of Rands have been “wasted” (stolen?) in uncompleted contracts under her watch but she goes along prancing and dressing to the 9s at the State of the Nation address. She should be in jail. Oh, yes I almost forgot, but she is a loyal ANC cadre.
What ‘Drikus’ did not elucidate was that Mokonyane is one of the top 7 of the ANC and wants the name of Sandton Drive in Johannesburg to be changed to Leila Khaled Drive. To quote Mokonyane “We want the USA embassy to change their address to No 1, Leila Khaled Drive. It must be in their face, it must be in their computers, in their letterheads.” For those who have forgotten Khaled was the Palestinian activist who highjacked a TWA Flight in 1969 and was active in the four simultaneous highjackings in Dawson’s Field. She was released from prison in a prisoner exchange and then was wined and dined in SA as a hero by the ANC.
In Politsweb on Wednesday Tim Flack highlights the many organisations tied to terrorist groups that use our NGO’s—Non Governmental Organisations— to raise illegal funds for groups like Hamas & Hezbollah. The NGO’s claim to provide humanitarian aid by organising events in SA. Then the money they collect gets channeled to extremist groups due to our lax financial oversight. Do you see Imtiaz Sooliman, with his Gift of the Givers charity relief fund in this sort of thing?
Not only Johannesburg is without water in their taps. Tswane (Pretoria to you) has been given notice of a week of possible no water. The reason: poor, inefficient (& corrupt?) management of the ANC city council. Ironically it hasn’t stopped raining in Gauteng as this cartoon from Rico in Business Maverick shows:
The sporting weekend had the coach and I watching rugby on Saturday and football on Sunday. Our Stormers were lucky to lose against the Lions in Johannesburg by only 7 points (23-30). The Lions were the better team and even-though our new fly-half kicked well it was not enough.
The soccer in London went a lot better though. The high-profile match between Tottenham Hotspurs and Manchester United is always a thrilling event and this game had us on the edge of the couch for all of the match. Spurs scored early in the first half and notwithstanding some wonderful plays Man U could not score and we both heaved a sigh of relief when the final whistle blew.
As always,
Gerald
| Email: gpotash1@gmail.com Phone: +27 82 557 5775 |
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The DA have made the anc look good, this to the extent that the anc’s share of the vote at the next election will increase, perhaps to the extent that they will be in power, alone, again?
The DA are a disappointment. Their job is oppose what the party’s voters sees as wrong, finished and klaar.
I’m afraid I’m a little lost for answers on this one; damned if they do and damned if they don’t. But I don’t like Steenhuizen parroting the ANC line on the Land Bill.
The DA have made the anc look good, this to the extent that the anc’s share of the vote at the next election will increase, perhaps to the extent that they will be in power, alone, again?
The DA are a disappointment. Their job is oppose what the party’s voters sees as wrong, finished and klaar.
The budget speach – was the 2% VAT hike a surprise to the DA? Did the ANC just slip that in without notice? I think not.
ANC to DA “We cannot borrow any more, so we need extra income to balance the budget. We would like to increase the VAT rate by 1%. But there is going to be a riot. 1% is a big cost to all consumers, especially the poor.”
DA to ANC “I hear you. If you tell the people its 2%, then they will really cry, riot, burn stuff and toyi toyi. Then tell them that there is a postponement of the budget, and after a month, tell them its been reduced to 1%. The people will celebrate, and everyone will be filled with joy.”
ANC “Clever man. We will get the 1% we really need and the people will think we are heroes. DA will also be popular as they fighting for the whites and others. Bonuses all round.”
Is the DA really on our side? Isnt John Steenhuisen the Agriculture minister? He would then be responsible for endorsing BEE / EWC in the land expropriations? All that glitters . . .
I must say I’ve lost respect for Steenhuizen, he’s trying to be all things to all people and pleasing nobody. But between a rock and a hard place; if they leave the GNU will that not expedite the country’s demise?