South Africa Did Not See the Great Zuma Tsunami Coming

South Africa Did Not See the Great Zuma Tsunami Coming

South Africa did not anticipate the great Zuma tsunami, and accordingly did not see it coming. Pointing fingers at the previous government does not stop the rolling disaster on the horizon. What happened in 1994, and did the massive betrayal of African National Congress (ANC) members impact on the dangerous situation today?

President Jacob Zuma portrays South Africa as a developing country, and the ambitious plans coupled with job creation is a fantasy blasted toward the majority. The more the ANC flounders from the high employment of cadres and affirmative action, the more the tidal wave of destruction sweeps over the land.

The first ten years of ANC rule was portrayed as a dignified and uplifting spirit of unity among the diverse groups of people in South Africa. Under the Mandela and Mbeki government, the conservative approach of uniting the ethnic groups was paramount. Tearing down the pillars of apartheid and building a new nation of equality, democracy, and respect perhaps rippled caution within the powers of the tripartite alliance. However well Mbeki did with adopting workable policies, the sidelining of the left wing faction allowed the ideology to be blinded to the realities of the situation.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) campaign to win the struggle for the heart and soul of the ANC was not without obstacles. Jacob Zuma was not an ideal candidate to lead the ANC with all the controversies of fraud and corruption charges. A new leader was needed, a leader that would ideally pursue the vision of both COSATU and SACP. The discourse between the tripartite alliance was dominated by points of contention, of who the real frontline party was, and who would be the genuine bearer of national democracy. Both COSATU and the SAPC, being aware of the dependence on the ANC and future viability, campaigned for Zuma to be elected as president.

Zuma has completely abandoned the objectives of freedom. The majority who voted the ANC into power are deprived of inherent rights. Whatever social order is established in South Africa, the essentials of liberty remain hindered by the policies and procedures of communistic elements. The policy of education, the ultimate goal to ensure 100 percent literacy among the people is behind schedule. Literacy, an improvement toward effective democracy, is lost as government inaction to stimulate the importance of education is not a top priority.

South Africa might be regarded as a wealthy country with all the natural and mineral resources, with the bulk of these profits being channeled into the pockets of a few, due to exploitation while leaving the country with social decay. Crime, murder, and theft are widespread in South Africa with a looming 40 percent of the population unemployed. Land issues remain a constant concern, and the slow growing economy is not keeping up with the population growth, problems that the Zuma administration have ignored.

The majority of the South African voters are unemployed youth, oppressed labor strength and disillusioned urban population and are the key to social evolution.The voters receive promises of a better life, prosperity and free services from the Zuma administration, and always believe the lies of the corrupt government.The voters are to blame for allowing the corrupt government to control the future of a once great country.

Zuma was the head of counter-intelligence for the most notorious department within the ANC during 1987 until 1993. A unit that used harsh methods to enforce discipline based on the excited 1984 Mbokodo structure. What happened to the democratic mandate of the ANC? The candidates elected at a national conference to lead the political party are probably chosen by the small cabal of spooks from Lutuli House. A group of cadres that never break a few golden eggs to make a democratic omelet. South Africa’s hopes and dreams are reduced to a backroom surveillance operation; a system that dis-empowers ordinary citizens.

Government fails with a president that fills important positions with cadres of indifferent quality, based on a system that offers no evaluation of individuals. The voter is a pawn in the system and is of no consequence. The finest constitution in the world might be proudly claimed, but the electoral systems subvert the democracy, a system that rewards incompetence.

The people live in shacks, remain unemployed and live in poverty, yet the anger and the blame is not directed at the government, but rather at foreign nationals. The foreigners never voted Zuma into power, never told the president to build a mansion and line the pockets of cadres. Blame Zuma for the diseased state of existence, after all it is the ANC government stealing the money. The lack of laws surrounding border controls leaves our social system open to abuse by foreigners. A condition South Africa cannot afford.

Zuma’s strength lies in the fact that he is not a professional politician but has a massive staunch population of rural blacks and tribal colonies behind him. President Jacob Zuma is a rebel and the head of a dishonest regime. Provocation is ignored. The moral thought of people supporting Zuma as an individual is not party loyalty. People support Zuma through a chain of which some benefit can be attained. There is no party loyalty; there is only ignorance, and nobody cares about the policies, manifesto and freedom charter. The support is all linked to patronage links. The great Zuma tsunami is happening, but South Africa never saw it coming, and people only ignore the looming disaster.

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Aruna Shanbaug Death Raises Questions

Aruna Shanbaug Death Raises Questions

The death of Aruna Shanbaug this week was raising questions surrounding her attacker’s lenient sentence, nearly 43 years ago. The question of testing the legal system after 43 years, and opening up the rape incident where the attacker was not convicted, could see justice finally prevail. Now that Shanbaug is dead questions will be asked and answers could prove encouraging for women in India.

It is hard for many to imagine living without ever being able to record any historical events, for over four decades. Comatose patients miss out on scores of real life activities through natural and unnatural events. Most unconscious patients, although they appear to be awake, cannot feel, hear, speak, or move. Comas are caused by lack of oxygen to the brain or strokes, excluding drug-induced comas. There is a 15 percent chance of comas caused by trauma to the head, abnormal glucose levels, and malnutrition. A coma can last for a few days, a few weeks, or years.

The story of a Mumbai woman who died this week, after spending 42 years in a comatose state revealed that this was the longest recorded case. As a young 20-year-old nurse with a potentially bright future Shanbaug was brutally raped by a hospital ward assistant on the night of November 27, 1973.

Sohanlal Bharat Valmiki stole food meant for animals and Shanbaug reported the incident to the appropriate authorities. Valmiki wanted revenge and waited for Shanbaug to leave the hospital. Valmiki placed a dog chain around Shanbaug’s neck, raped the young girl, and stole her watch. The dog chain was so tight around her neck that breathing became difficult causing Shanbaug to fall into an unconscious state. 11 hours passed before Shanbaug was found and by that time she faced a grim possibility of recovery.

Valmiki was convicted of attempted murder and theft, but not for the rape. The conviction has been perceived as a lenient punishment for the dark crime. The question being asked now that Shanbaug has died, is whether Valmiki will be tried for murder after receiving a lenient sentence more than 42 years ago.

Over time, her friends and family abandoned the comatose Shanbaug, and it was the dedication of nurses and doctors that helped the young girl. A plea for euthanasia was dismissed in 2011 under the law of India. The right to life under Article 21 did not include the right to die and euthanasia coupled with assisted suicide was not legal in India.

In 1970 Edwardo O’Bara, a young high school student suddenly, without warning, fell ill and slipped into a diabetic coma. O’Bara remained in an unconscious state for 42 years and at the age of 59 died in November 2012. At the age of 59, O’Bara spent most of his life in a coma, as a woman from Miami who was cared for by her family during the difficult years until she finally slipped away.

After Edwards O’Bara had been declared the longest person in a comatose state, Elain Esposito of Tarpon Springs, Florida was noted as the second most prolonged recorded unconscious state. Esposito was in an unconscious state for 37 years. As a six-year-old child, Esposito was anesthetized for an appendectomy in August, 1941 and never woke up from the operation. Esposito died at the age of 43 in November 1978.

Opinion By Laura Oneale

Published today on the Guardian LV

Read more at http://guardianlv.com/2015/05/aruna-shanbaug-death-raises-questions/#d3ToVpbA3iwlHEfm.99

South Africa Sharpeville Massacre Prompted Armed Resistance

South Africa Sharpeville Massacre Prompted Armed Resistance

The Sharpeville Massacre on March 21, 1960 in South Africa prompted armed resistance against the government. After this deadly demonstration, the Apartheid government banned two terrorist organizations and in return received worldwide condemnation. The African National Congress (ANC) Organization and the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) were both termed as terrorist groups.

The ANC became the victorious party and entered into negotiations with the apartheid regime, and rose to be the first democratic government of South Africa in 1994. The lengthy negotiations were not without bloodshed and after the Sharpeville Massacre both the ANC and PAC Alliance infiltrated towns, targeting women, children and elderly. Bombs were placed in public areas reserved for whites in an attempt to draw authority and demonstrate the power of the masses. Thousands of people of all races were killed during these traumatic years.

The objection to the 1949 Program of Action and the 1955 Freedom Charter, and the inclusion of the Communist Party caused several members to split from the ANC and from the PAC. The PAC was launched in April 1959. Ironically, PAC won 5 seats in the first democratic election held in 1994 and popularity dwindled over the past 20 years giving the party only one seat in the 2014 election.

A few days before the massacre, the PAC party organized a campaign against the pass laws. Gathering people in the townships of Sharpeville, and Langa where the president Robert Sobukwe along with other top leaders was eventually arrested.

On that fateful day, more than 5000 people congregated in the center of Sharpeville. In other areas up 4000 gathered in Vanderbijlpark and were dispersed by police using tear gas and batons. The largest gathering was estimated at 20 000 people who gathered in Evaton and dispersed by low flying Sabre jets.

The crowd at Sharpeville did not move away and the impact of the low flying jets had no effect on the people who wanted to hear the statement by PAC leaders. Many conflicting stories have been told about the massacre and it was deemed truthful that the South African Police walked into the crowds to arrest the PAC leaders. The PAC leaders did not refuse arrest and officials asked the people to move away from the fences. Many heeded the PAC leaders words yet about 300 people remained. The small contingent of police at the gathering was soon boosted when armed police in armored vehicles arrived to help disperse crowds. There is no of factual evidence of why the police fired shots into the crowd. It was stated that the police retaliated after stone-throwing by the crowd. The group of people thought blanks were being fired and only when people dropped to the ground did the crowds disperse. Several witnesses claim that an order was given to shoot.It was a horrific day, for both the people who wanted liberty and the inexperienced police officers who tried to quell a riot.

The Sharpeville Massacre is a day in South African history that marked a change for the masses. The agonizing historical recollection is a memory that painfully bounces back when crowds of people die at the hands of police. Recently the Marikana Miners who were shot by police after being given an order to “shoot to kill” by ANC top officials brought back the distressing Sharpeville massacre into the minds of people in South Africa.

The Sharpeville Massacre did not end with the killing of innocents. There is the revenge factor taken by both the ANC and PAC terrorist groups. The hardline stance by PAC members who adopted African Revolutionary thoughts to revenge those who massacred people in the millions, slaughtered, raped and stole the land did not end in 1994.

Perhaps the PAC political party is the only unforgiving organization in South Africa and has stated that the 1994 elections were only a transfer of managerial task from white colonialist to black neo-colonialist represented by Nelson Mandela. The PAC have sworn to lead the African people, who have entrusted their whole future into the leaders of this party. To lead the people away from death to abundant life in a non-violent manner but have forewarned that they have the capacity to demonstrate how brutal they can be.

Opinion By Laura Oneale

Published today on the Guardian LV
Read more at http://guardianlv.com/2015/05/south-africa-sharpeville-massacre-prompted-armed-resistance/#kXKuQdlAtGfOV6YE.99

Pope Francis Is No Turkey When It Comes to World Matters

Pope Francis Is No Turkey When It Comes to World Matters

Controversial Pope Francis is no turkey when it comes to world matters, and with delighted officials preparing for the September visit by Pope to the United States, there are hints of aggravation on the rising. The scheduled visit will include Washington, Philadelphia and New York City.

The Vatican has confirmed that the Pope will visit Cuba before commencing the U.S. trip. Speculation of what the Pontiff will say upon his visit is a talking point among officials, and there are assumptions that the Pope will challenge the “American Idea” of God-given rights exemplified in the Declaration of Independence. The question on everybody’s lips is whether Pope Francis will embarrass both the Vatican and the belief of Catholics by taking on this challenge.

The Pope is not the first non-Italian to hold the top post. However, the Pope is first in other aspects; he is the first pope from the Americas the and first from the Southern Hemisphere, being the first Jesuit pope to hold office. Pope Francis is also the first non-European pope since the year 741. As both a religious leader and an individual, the Pope is known for commitment to improving relationships between people, and for having a profound concern for poor people and humility. The Pope has displayed a humble approach to the papacy, an act far less formal than his predecessors.

As people prepare for the Pope’s visit, there will be hysteria and attacks on issues the Pontiff will debate. Pope Francis is deeply involved in reforming Communists in Cuba, combined with people outside of the Catholic faith (including Muslims, Jews, and Protestants). The Catholic faith is divided on issues the Pope continues to debate. On one hand, there is the need to build up the faith, and the pace at which the Pope is leading is far too slow. On the other, there are the cynics who remain displeased by most of the words uttered by the Pope, including the actions taken.

Pope Francis has changed course by not following past Popes. An open-minded religious leader, he is often speaking on emerging issues. The Pope continues to voice concern over world problems, and dips into politics from time to time.

Not everybody wanted to hear the recent discussions on topics of climate change and poverty yet. However, Pope Francis did not back down on these pressing issues. The Pope wishes to lobby politicians and religious leaders to sign in new goals regarding climate and anti-poverty issues.

There are a few people who are unhappy with the Pope’s decision to tackle issues where little expertise is held by the pontiff. His getting involved in political areas raise the fear that the Pope will falter from the course, and end up leading people into deeper religious matters.

Pope Francis should pray more, especially for world peace and reconciliation, instead of garnering around Muslims who have no intention of converting to the Catholic faith. The humble attitude of the Pope is admirable and adored by many; at the same time, however, it both confuses and incites anger toward the Holy Father. Pope Francis is different, a man committed to the faith and committed to changing the world for all humankind. Perhaps the adored Pope will succeed where politicians and world leaders have failed.

Opinion by Laura Oneale

Published today on the Guardian LV

Read more at http://guardianlv.com/2015/05/pope-francis-is-no-turkey-when-it-comes-to-world-matters/#eVks7u9QRxVWm0qQ.99

South Africa We Gave You Power You Gave Us Poverty

South Africa We Gave You Power You Gave Us Poverty

I had the opportunity to visit a squatter camp in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, and it is a place of poverty. The people gave the African National Congress (ANC) party the power to rule and after 21 years the poverty is shocking. It is disgraceful to walk around a place of utter filth, dirty and unsanitary conditions.

The roads are covered with sewerage spilling over from one or two hired toilets allocated to thousands of people. There is one tap supplying water to the residents of a squatter camp. The makeshift houses are crumbling down, and people are starving. Children running around totally unaware of living conditions that will impact on their lives. The stench is unbearable to visitors yet residents have become accustomed to the unhealthy smell. There is no sewerage infrastructure, no electricity and a small quantity of water.

 

Illegal electricity connections brighten up the dark lives of people living in wretched poverty. Dangerous and often the cause of untimely deaths, the illegal connections are a constant concern to parents who cannot stop the small children from being electrocuted. Many of the residents are unemployed and open their hearts to visitors who never actually enter the dark world of squatter camps.

Men sit playing a game of cards to pass the time away, the women try to scrounge around for food and the kids walk around bored and hungry. I was fortunate to be invited into one of the tiny makeshift homes and the residents although poor had a sense of pride. Crying out for food they willing allowed us to photograph their homes and families. Sometimes up to four or five families have no alternative but to share a home. They are friendly and excited to meet people. The women explained that they never see anybody and their world is a lonely place.

These are local people of South Africa, people who were promised a home, electricity and a better life. After 21 years, there has been no home or work thus forcing families to find a piece of vacant land and build a house from any available resources. The squatter camps do not have any facilities and school children returning home find life unbearable.

I asked one member of the group how he coped living in a squatter camp. He told me, it was worse than prison. Quickly other members wanted to share their stories of anxiety, pain, and hardship. There was no good story to tell in South Africa.

This is only one squatter camp in Soweto and there are dozens more springing up on any vacant piece of land. There are no homes for the people and the ANC government has reneged on the 1994 promise to provide homes and work for the oppressed people. For a moment, I felt utterly ashamed of being a South African. Visiting this group of people helped me to understand the plight of millions who frequently join protests for a better life.

After 21 years, the deterioration of townships in and around South Africa, is something the ANC government should be ashamed of. Allowing human beings to live in filthy and degrading conditions is nothing but selfishness. It is all about self-enrichment and throwing away the very people who gave power to the ANC. It is sad and a harsh reality that South Africa has more problems to resolve than the building of statues commemorating ANC cadres. It is a beautiful sight when entering Soweto, the roads are clean, there are street lights, trees, and flowers. The statues of Walter Sisulu and old ANC offices are remarkably clean, but a few meters away, where visitors never go, is the real story. A story of poverty and shame.

Article published on Guardian LV today

Read more at http://guardianlv.com/2015/05/south-africa-we-gave-you-power-you-gave-us-poverty/#LsT9E8VCLyaDIFea.99