South Africa Land Bill Shock for Foreign Investors

South Africa Land Bill Shock for Foreign Investors

South Africa ruling party African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma tossed another surprise aimed at foreign investors with the new proposed land bill law. Zuma is set to introduce a land bill that would halt foreigners from buying property in South Africa. Zuma and the ANC government want to implement sweeping land reforms across the country.

It is estimated that foreigners own between five and seven percent of the land in South Africa. Foreigners would be allowed to lease land for up to a period of 50 years, although land considered to be strategic would have to be ceded, as the government would exercise a right of first refusal.

There is an urgent need, according to the ANC government to rectify the inequality of land ownership. To end the injustices of colonialism and apartheid and secure the land for food security. Zuma said the land holding bill would be submitted to parliament this year, and the redress of the wrongs of the past is a critical factor.

Individual locals will not be allowed to own more than 12,000 hectares of land, and the government will purchase any surplus land over the set limit for redistribution. The new law will not have a retroactive effect based on the constitution, but the government can invoke the land if it is deemed to be strategic.

The land will be classified into distinct categories, for instance, historical, cultural significance, environmental, security sensitive, and strategic land. Foreign investors or ownership would be discouraged in these areas.

The newly allocated amount of twelve hectares for local farmers is a big blow and is seen as an aim at white farmers who still own much of the best farmland. Farmers would inevitably challenge the ruling, and legal battles will ensue based on the fact that smaller plots will not be commercially viable.

The ANC government is still looking to secure votes and under growing pressure to place more land into the hands of the black majority. There is a wariness of being outmaneuvered by the radical voices calling for land reform in favor of the majority. There is an aim by Zuma to whip the glory from the ANC’s most vocal adversary, Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party. Malema advocates expropriation of land without compensation.

The land reform bill will have serious repercussions on investor confidence in South Africa. The foreign ownership in South Africa is already low, and it is the quality of ownership that is needed. Zuma is effectively saying that foreigners are not welcome in South Africa.

During November 2014 German Foreign Minister Frank alter Steinmeier visited South Africa. German is the second largest trading partner of South Africa, and Steinmeier detected a breach of protocol or an act of negligence upon arrival. The courtesy extended to visiting politicians was ignored by the South African Government sending a clear signal that German is not considered a serious trading partner. It is estimated that there are over 600 German firms in South Africa employing more than 90,000 people. The unfriendly climate and disrespect for Germany is indeed a worrying factor.

The political turbulence in South Africa and the economic policies of the Zuma administration appears to be heading in the wrong direction. The unfriendly climate for investors and the safeguarding of investments harbors considerable risks for foreign investors.

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What type of Chicken are you?

Caged Hen or a Free Range Chicken?

In South Africa, people live like caged hens, in a plastic safe environment created by others. People live with 2.5 meters (or higher) walls, with electric fencing (backed up by a battery or solar system, for when ESKOM implements load-shedding). Security systems, linked to armed response and to protect your CCTV cameras from being stolen. Firearms are a must to protect the family from possible dangers. Every window has burglar proofing and security gates are installed all around the houses.

There are enormous things happening in South Africa and people do not want to leave their secure homes or security clusters to venture out into the crime infested cities and shopping centers. Motor vehicles are equipped with alarms and bullet proof windows. Air conditioning is a necessity to have when driving through the streets of any South African city. One cannot roll down windows, the chances of being hi-jacked or shot are too high a risk. Stopping a vehicle at robots or intersections is a stress activator for drivers, the fear and the reality of being another victim becomes overwhelming.

Security is big business in South Africa. Everybody needs protection from the rising criminals that roam the streets freely. It is not just petty crime that forces people to remain caged like hens, it is the real and unbelievable horrendous torture people have to endure. The blatant attacks by groups of seemingly inhuman people who hack an innocent person for the sake of proving the superiority. The cold callousness of removing body parts for performing diabolical black magic. It is about the evil merciless actions of people who roam the streets seeking victims.

Adults are not the only caged hens, children are forced to forsake the freedom for the purpose of staying alive. No longer can children roam around the streets or use public transport (not that there is much in the way of public transport). It is far too risky, kidnappings happen all the time. Parents have the added pressure of ensuring their loved ones receive protection and this is the typical way of life in South Africa.

The crafty drug lords employ the services of the ignorant, uneducated people to expose children to drugs. The merciless drug lords live in huge houses, use state of the art security to actively protect their families and continue to live a life of opulence all from drug money.  Drugs are a severe problem in South Africa when children as young as twelve are exposed to the dark world of drugs, their entire future is ruined. Education becomes a pipe dream and prostitution becomes a reality. The need to have a fix exposes the youngsters to crime and this escalates the current problem facing the country. Therefore, the caged hens use whatever means to protect their young from the dark, dreadful world of drugs.

What does the government do – NOTHING?

Living like a caged hen is not only frustrating but unhealthy. There is no protection from the African National Congress (ANC) government and its president Jacob Zuma. Over the past twenty years, South Africa has become the crime capital of the world. It is as though it is the new way of life. Life, on the other hand, has become meaningless, an existence of ignorance. The government contributes to the downfall of South Africa by allowing the corruption to expand. In South Africa, it is easier to pay a bribe than do an honorable action. The saddest part is that the reckless leadership of the ANC does not step up to STOP the destruction of South Africa.

South Africa is one of the worst countries on the planet. AND there is so much more..................

I want to be a freaking FREE RANGE CHICKEN!

Zuma Has No Intuitive Spark like Goofy

Zuma is the clumsy, dimwitted Goofy leader of South Africa. (No offense to the cartoon character, who occasionally did spring a clever, intuitive spark in his own eccentric way). No Zuma would never be able to have the uniqueness of Goofy the Walt Disney character.  Zuma, I think is more like the dumb cartoon character Spongebob Squarepants. You know that feeling when he is so stupid and

irritating that you want to throw something at him, yes that is who I think Zuma reminds me of.

Zuma and the entire African National Congress (ANC) party should start behaving themselves and end the charade of superiority. After-all change can come and it can happen in the blink of an eye.

Zuma failed miserably as a president, leader and Zulu warrior. The SONA2015 was a total disaster and lacked the leadership of a president who could rise above distractions. Instead Zuma stood back, handed the reigns to the speaker of the house Baleka Mbete and grinned profusely throughout the entire chaos.

Insulting the constitution by allowing the police into Parliament, sent a message to the citizens of South Africa that the Zuma clan WILL do whatever it takes to stay in power.  Scrambling cell phone signals, dissing the opposition parties and who knows what else was on their secret hidden agenda. 

The world does not give a S*&# about what happens to South Africa, and there is not much patriotic people who care about the land can do. The world has stood back and watched Zimbabwe crumble into a pile of dust, under the dictatorship rule of Robert Mugabe. Sanctions, of course, do not help end the unjust suffering of people who do not deserve to be treated worse than animals. So does the world care about South Africa, no, when it is abundantly clear that South Africa is ruled by a dictator who does not give a fig about the people.  It is greed, money and more money and the ongoing pilfering of the resources until the land lays barren and forgotten.

The Zulu nation have forgotten that it was the European that brought money and set up an economy for growth. The natives were living in primitive subsistence economy. Barely able to survive.  

 

A Commission appointed by the Governor-General of the Union of South Africa in June 1930, submitted their final report in 1932. The report is lengthy and well-documented finding of the Europeans who arrived in South Africa and the natives living in the country. The culture, the economic factor and many other issues surrounding the unity of the country.

Yeah alright Zuma is the Zoomer of Zumas!

Valentine’s Day Murders

Valentine’s Day Murders

Valentine’s Day is not a day for murders; it is believed to be a day of love. On the other hand, for some it was the day of heartbreak, tears and sorrow. Murders that happened on Valentine’s Day are not always linked to romance, jealousy or controlling spouses. The romantic day shared by millions of lovers worldwide is a happy day of love, romance and good fortune. As Valentine’s Day has a significant impact on the world, any murders or traumatic events occurring on this day do spark a frenzy of never forgetting the disaster happening on Valentine’s Day.

On February 14, 1971, Jesse McBane, and Patricia Mann attended a Valentine’s Day dance in Durham. Patricia never returned home after the dance. A missing person file was opened after roommates and family members notified the police. Days went by, there was no sign of Patricia or Jesse, and on a cold winter’s night a survey worker, working in the woods northwest of Durham noticed an unfamiliar sighting of what seemed to be a mannequin’s leg. Curious about the finding, the worker took a closer look and discovered a dead couple covered with leaves.

The murdered couple had been tied to a tree with thick ropes, knotted around the neck. A medical examination revealed the couple was tortured and strangled several times before dying. The murder became big news on Television, radio stations, and local newspapers, and dubbed the Valentine’s Day Murder.

Perhaps the most notorious killing on Valentine’s Day was the massacre on February 14, 1929 when Al Capone masterminded a plot to slay members of a rival gang. Al Capone was known for often displaying a violent temper combined with a high sense of honor and loyalty. Capone had an extensive spy network in Chicago, and plans of assassination were never successful. Capone ordered many killing and remained skillful at isolating rivals and enemies. On the night of hit, two of Capone’s men were dressed in police uniform. Capone’s men stormed into the garage, headquarters of bootlegger George Moran’s north side gang, the seven men dropped the weapons and stood against the wall suspecting the raid to be a police one.

Capone’s men fired over 150 bullets from shotguns and machine guns into the victims. The operation was quick and members of the Moran gang were killed instantly together with an unidentified visitor. The target was to kill the leader, Moran, who, fortunately, survived the onslaught by not being there on Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s day 2001, Susan wife of a successful doctor John Hamilton was murdered. Known as a perfect couple, happily married for 14 years and appeared as a loving couple to the world. In defense, Hamilton said that on February 14, 2001 upon returning home with a bouquet of flowers found Susan lying in a pool of blood with a slit throat. Hamilton did not have the chance to show Susan the symbol of love on Valentine’s Day.

At first, Hamilton was not a suspect and played the role of a distraught husband splendidly. It was information given by one of Hamilton’s expert witnesses that triggered a successful conviction for the murder of Susan.

Tara, the wife of Stephen Grant, went missing, and a distressed Grant called the police on February 14, 2007. The police wasted no time and immediately began a search,after a short investigation found the mutilated body of Tara in the garage of the home the couple shared. Grant unable to deal with the devastation gave a voluntary confession of the killing. Grant was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 50 years in prison.

Is it rejection that causes a ruthless killing to take place? In the case of Tomicka Peterson, it would appear that rejection caused a premature death. Peterson told then-boyfriend Gibson Paul that the relationship was over and unable to accept this statement, Paul shot Peterson five times. Peterson died instantly, and Gibson was sentenced to life imprisonment after convicted of first-degree murder.

1993, Valentine’s Day is the day the Manriquez family will never forget. Ignacia Manriquez was shot in the head by jealous boyfriend, Juan Manuel Navarro. The tragedy of that day will haunt the four-year-old daughter who witnessed the killing. Although the couple was in a long-term relationship and had three children, the anxiety and jealousy became a problem, Navarro wanted out of the relationship and the couple amicably, agreed to end the broken union. After a period of wandering, Navarro wanted to renew the relationship and girlfriend Manriquez did not want to, resulting in a sudden death. It took almost nineteen years to convict and sentence Navarro for the murder of girlfriend Manriquez. Navarro was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of Manriquez.

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Zuma Lacks Leadership Credibility

Zuma Lacks Leadership Credibility

Zuma, visibly displayed a lack of leadership credibility during the South African State of the Nation address (SONA) in parliament.  Jacob Zuma, the president of South Africa, appeared to find the commotion and disruptions during the SONA presentation amusing and made no attempt to bring order into the house.

A few moments before Zuma arrived at Parliament, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) began chanting, “Bring back the signal” when it was discovered that all cell phone signals were blocked inside the building. Members of other opposition parties and journalists soon joined in.  Leaders of opposition parties took this opportunity to ask the speaker of the house, Baleka Mbete, to switch the signal back on and stated that whoever blocked the signal was in direct breach of Section 32, of the Constitution and access to information. Mbete appeared poker-faced and said the secretary would investigate. The opposition called for the SONA speech to be delayed until the signals were switch back on.

It was evident that the EFF would continue to disrupt the procedure until the signal was returned. During the interruption, an obviously visible note was passed from Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to David Mahlobo, State Security Minister and soon after, Mbete announced the signal was unscrambled.

Zuma began his anticipated speech. Making no reference to the first disruption of the night. Grinning broadly, Zuma began reading a poorly prepared report, welcoming members and guests. Members of the EFF wasted no time and soon began to toss questions toward Zuma regarding the money spent on the Nkandla homestead. Zuma ignored the issues and tried to continue talking. At that point, Mbete intervened and told the EFF member it was not a question and answer session. The intervention did not help, and EFF members continued to ask the same question.

The EFF had no intention of heeding Mbete’s orders and continued to raise questions aimed at Zuma. A scramble broke out, and a conspicuously exasperated Mbete called for security forces to have the members of the EFF party removed. The outburst was hilarious and exceptionally undemocratic behavior from leaders of South Africa.

The grinning president appeared unmoved by the commotion and could not string a few words together for the sake of clarity regarding the chaos.

Article published on the Guardian LV


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