The Week That Was

Gerald Potash

Hello again,

What has taken place in the Middle East this week has shunted our political focus to the back-burner. Everybody, the whole world, was watching America going after the nuclear facilities of Iran and the spill-over of the bombings has ramifications for nearly everyone. From our South African point of view it is certain is that Donald Trump does not like our closeness to Iran (SA was instrumental in getting Iran to join the BRICS nations and for taking Israel to the ICJ on genocide charges) and Trump does not like SA’s very visible support of the terrorist groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. To many of us watching this unfolding scenario it looks as if SA has backed the wrong horse.

What is extremely disconcerting is that anti-Israel and anti-Semitic actions are growing in SA and all over the world. On the weekend a procession of more than 40 cars, with Palestinian flags held high, while hooting to draw attention, drove down the main road of Sea Point with the passengers shouting “Free Palestine”.  As expected this got lots of press from Iqbal Survé’s newspapers but it also got lots of TV news coverage.

You will not be surprised to hear that Julius Malema was quick to side with Iran when America struck. He was keen to advise that the EFF sides with Iran, “a country under seige of Western imperialism, to strike back at Israel”. I must admit that I enjoyed learning that Malema had been refused a visa to the UK. They deem him “undesirable” to enter their country because of his support for Hamas and Hezbollah.

Our Deputy President has connections. To say that Paul Mashatile lives extravagantly is an understatement.  Even on his very substantial salary (paid by us taxpayers) he cannot possibly afford the home he has in Johannesburg or where he stays in Cape Town. It is quite clear that he is being funded.  And funding on this scale always entails a quid pro quo.  Just like Jacob Zuma’s connection to Shabir Shaik. 

Adriaan Basson of News24 writes that like Zuma, Mashatile loves money, like Zuma Mashatile has benefactors who finance his lifestyle, like Zuma Mashatile has no clear political ideology other than to enrich himself.  Mashatile loves the high life, and it’s usually someone else who is paying. 

Cyril does nothing about it because Cyril is a wuss. Or possibly he does nothing because, could it be, that is how he became wealthy?

On the same tack, day after day we read about how the ANC supports their cadres. The ANC has a policy of not allowing MPs doing business with the government. Some policy! Their cadre support just goes on and on and I don’t report all of the stories because it is always the same thing simply with different names and different amounts of money.          This week’s exposé is the hugely lucrative multi-billion Rand Lotto licence awarded by government.  Who is connected this time?  Paul Mashatile’s sister-in-law.

This is Brandan’s take on the situation from yesterday’s Business Day:

Mmusi Miamane, once leader of the DA and now leading his new party, Build One SA (BOSA) has warned that the new ‘National Dialogue’ suggested by Ramaphosa might be highjacked by the ANC to deal with its own problems. He points out that our economy is imploding and that race relations are at their lowest point since 1994. 

Peter Bruce in his article in the Sunday Times this weekend is also highly critical of Ramaphosa’s new talk-shop. “Cyril can always be trusted to wrest defeat from the jaws of victory.  This was supposed to be an inspired moment for our country.  Instead it has turned into a debacle”. Bruce ends his op-Ed by suggesting that this talk-shop will only cause more confusion.

Floyd Shivambu has been in the news all this week and last week, too. It was a big surprise when he left Julius Malema’s EFF Party that he was so instrumental in setting up and running to join Jacob Zuma’s MK Party. No sooner had he joined MK than he was made Secretary-General of that Party.  Then, two weeks ago he was unexpectedly fired from that position (by Duduzile Zuma,  JZ’s daughter who seems to be running her fathers’ Party) and was left to be a backbencher….. and now it seems his name has not been forwarded to even remain an MP.

Although he claims still to be a remember of MK he has threatened to start a new Party, called Mayibuye iAfrika, which he believes will solve many of SA’s problems.  Does SA need a new political Party? No, we have far too many already.

This is Zapiro’s cartoon that talks for itself:

Some very bad news is the way our labour market is shrinking. In the first quarter of this year, SA lost 74,000 jobs. Our statistics show that our commercial and construction sector are suffering worst. Frankly we are in heading for a dismal economic disaster.  South Africa’s GDP data published last week was worse than economists expected, showing that the country’s economy is stalling and the promise of recovery is fading fast.

Strangely our Rand has strengthened this quarter

Several articles in the press this week have highlighted our defenceless situation. Billions of Rands were spent to obtain submarines and other vessels, like frigates for use along our shores.  10 years down the line we have one working submarine and one operable frigate. 

Yesterday our Minister of Defence admitted that our air force is not at an acceptable standard and has been “bleeding” aircraft. 

What has the ANC not ruined in their term?

Johannesburg is in a mess. Poorly run for many years the next few weeks will see both water and electricity in short supply while both of these vital household components get maintenance upgrades. Johannesburg owes billions to Eskom and they have been put on notice that unless back-pay begins immediately they will have no power.   The mayor of Johannesburg will face a motion of no confidence later today.

When it comes to hiking you can’t do much better than Cape Town. SportsShoes has offered these towns as the 5 cities as the best in the world for hiking:

Rio de Janeiro is top, then comes Mexico City, then San Fransco and Los Angeles comes fifth after Cape Town in fourth place.

Cape Town is preparing for the first Springbok rugby test of the season. Well, playing the Barbarians is not an official test but it is very much part of the hype indicating the start of the season.  Meticulous records are kept of these games where several nations fill the opposing team. Cape Town Stadium will be filled to the rafters with Springbok supporters, all tickets were sold weeks ago.

As always, 

Gerald