South Africa Julius Malema the Consummate Politician

Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party in South Africa, together with Floyd Shivambu knows how to appeal to the anxieties and frustrations of black youths. These young people are mostly unemployed, unemployable and leaderless. Both Malema and Shivambu know how to trade on members’ ignorance and lack of sophistication to the electoral advantage of the EFF party.

The EFF is a typical political party, big on populist rhetoric yet weak on strategy. The Members of Parliament (MP) are ignorant on socioeconomic issues and mask the inability to engage in policy with a wrong type of radicalism. The EFF party does fill the intellectual vacuum that the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) left open. This is typical of the ANC members who are dull, ignorant and unable to see further than the next meeting. Hence, Malema can build a career because the political environment is favorable for mediocrity to thrive.

Malema organized a march to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) to rally against racist whites controlling the South African economy. Organizing a massive protest is not an indication of the ability to govern sound policies that the EFF do not have. The EFF have in the past organized more successful marches than any other political party has yet it has no idea about the implementation of the strategy.

The EFF party is not only based on youthful politicking but also rather preoccupied with bigoted, short-term ideology. A party that is big on the manifesto, yet shallow and irrelevant on policy, mainly relating to the current status quo. The JSE, Reserve Bank, and Chambers are agents, not owners of anything that has an impact on the structural reality of the South African economy. Malema makes the right socialist noises, including on ways to tax corporations, yet nothing on growing the economy of South Africa. Making demands is easy but a self-respecting political party should also have the ability to implement ideas on growth strategies.

Malema is making the right populist noises and demands on companies that already know and have programs along those lines. The EFF has said nothing new; mining companies and big corporations have Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in place. The EFF marched to the offices of large corporations making demands for change, yet these companies had already implemented the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), social and labor plans, bursaries coupled with social responsibilities.

The march to the JSE was all about gaining admiration from members of the EFF party and insulting white business leaders, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, including top leaders of the ANC. The EFF did not deliver anything new or express anything significant relevant to what the BEE legislation is advocating.

South Africa needs solutions to overcome the current economic problems, not mere demands. The EFF is talking about how to take from corporations, not  how to grow manufacturing, tourism or mining. The ruling ANC party has lost insight on how to facilitate the process of tangible change for transformation in all essential aspects of the plight of the affected young, poor, unemployed, illiterate masses of the black society. The ANC are concentrating on the cookie jar for short-term gains, which is now proving to have been miscalculated from the dawn of democracy.

Malema is shouting and preaching a gospel that comes from a script written by unknown people, language that the black people testify to easily. This script was written by people who have lived and experienced the hardships of segregation, economic exclusion, and unequal opportunities. The ANC remains content as the first party to govern the new democracy in South Africa that created a platform for black people to be further excluded economically. This, however, is an insult to the people who have died for ideals of an equal society with equal opportunities. The EFF is grandstanding time, and the movement is a radicalism to renew the struggle for economic emancipation for the majority of black people.

The EFF is a relatively new party, at only two years old, while the ANC was formed in 1912. ANC policies have evolved with time, and although there is a place for strategy, execution, and massive action, the EFF is unparalleled action wise while the ANC is paralyzed in the production of documents and doctrines of prehistoric times. The ANC is weak on execution while the EFF is on the ground every day. Success follows actions and the EFF party has an action-orientated attitude.
Opinion by Laura Oneale

PUBLISHED ON THE GUARDIAN LV TODAY - HERE IS THE LINK

 http://guardianlv.com/2015/10/south-africa-julius-malema-the-consummate-politician/

South Africa Government Promoting a Failing Education System

The African National Congress (ANC), ruling government party of South Africa, continues to fool the public by promoting a failing education system with strategies based on qualifying failing students through matric. By doing so, the matric pass rate is higher than what would be achieved if learners studied; simply a disguise to fool the people into believing the education system is working, when, in fact, the strategy is starting to show a weakness in the system.

It has been disclosed that matric pupils will write only three subjects at year-end and the rest during 2016, thereby ensuring all students receive a fair pass rate. What happened to study, diligence and determination to succeed? Learners will never adapt or succeed in gaining access to a higher education. By promoting students who fail to grasp the importance of or even to understand subjects, the government endorses the success of laziness. The students, happy to pass and not motivated to achieve success by diligently studying, lag behind in a normal society.

The real victims in South Africa are the students being bullied by a government – ironically, to promote fairness. The substance of lowering standards does not help young people move ahead and out of the pitiful past of inferiority. The problem of having no textbooks is nothing new in South Africa; in fact, it is standard for schools to not be equipped nor to function properly.

The South Africa government has never made education a top priority, and promoting a failing education system will keep people ignorant. The inability to grasp basic reading or writing remains a constant problem, and students wanting to enter university for a degree remain functionally illiterate, demonstrating the ongoing problem created by the government to ensure students are not equipped to tackle higher education. By not encouraging students to work at a higher level, the government has achieved exactly what is needed to keep the ANC party in power; keeping the mass of people uneducated.

South Africa has ignored the importance of education, and top level government members prefer liberation over the significance of knowledge. The ANC set out to liberate the people before educating them, and now the problems escalate. Teachers are incompetent, and mathematics is considered too difficult to master. Math’s literacy has been introduced as a way of short-cutting maths to the masses. Now, even the math’s literacy is too challenging for many to grasp.

Of the 4,073 estimated professors and associated professors, 70 percent are white while only 18 percent are black. After 21 years, South Africa has failed to produce black professors and, assuming not many want to go into teaching, this constitutes a problem for future learning. Had the government had a plan on how South Africa would look in the future, no occupation would be unattractive. South Africa needs new ideas and industries to move forward, instead of eliminating the importance of education.

While the ANC government might be considering free education in South Africa, it might not work and could turn out to be similar to the dilapidated hospitals with no medicine and a shortage of doctors. Free education could be like the primary school education – without textbooks, and will be the death of higher learning in South Africa. The government should invest more money into education and set a standard that will educate the students. Far too much wasteful expenditure has occurred, coupled with corruption; the South Africa government should focus on moving forward and opening opportunities for the masses to receive a decent education instead of promoting a failing education system.
Opinion by Laura Oneale

PUBLISHED ON THE GUARDIAN LV TODAY  - HERE IS THE LINK

 http://guardianlv.com/2015/10/south-africa-government-promoting-a-failing-education-system/

South Africa a Blueprint for Success

The Afrikaners have unveiled a R3.5 billion plan to secure the future autonomy. The Afrikaner is here to stay and does not intend to give up on South Africa. Having deep roots and determination to secure a future for the younger generation by 2020, the summit held in October 2010 proposed a plan of action of commitment. Today, the Afrikaner has almost no choices regarding the future, except to continue to accept the current governance, crime, and elimination of the minority;  emigrate; or create a sustainable future.

The last time the Afrikaners united, apartheid happened and a considerable stable economy was built. The future plans of this determined culture have shaken some people. The Afrikaner has done this before and certainly has the ability, strength of character, and willpower to succeed again.
While Afrikaner independence might not be achievable, or practical, the people have proposed an entirely new concept as a way forward to protect the historical heritage, language, and religious principles. The new plan would include establishing a private Afrikaans university coupled with a bursary for learners. As South Africa has a severe educational crisis, and the future of education does appear to be on the brink of disaster, the Afrikaner will implement plans to ensure the fundamental necessity of education. Besides a university, there are plans for a language center, poverty alleviation, and safety.

Today, many South Africans do not rely on the government for security, medical care, education, and electricity. The past 21 years have seen a decline in service deliveries and destruction of what was built under apartheid. As a democratic country, South Africa remains a Third World country sliding into chaos and a failed state. Although progress by the democratic government to uplift the majority poor people has been marked as positive, there is still much to be done. However, the declining economy and corruption coupled with crime has a detrimental, negative impact on the South African society.

The Afrikaner is focusing on community self-reliance, safety, and quality of life. The Afrikaner is as much an African as the various cultures in South Africa are and want to make a sustainable contribution to the future of this country. Right now, it is becoming impossible for the minority to contribute effectively when doors are closed, unemployment levels rise, and exclusion is the order of the day. The government’s Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) has isolated the minority, forcing many to lose jobs and homes and to live in white squatter camps. The quality of life for many white people has declined into shameful poverty as exclusions continue to block any hope of living a decent life.

The recent spate of vandalizing Afrikaner monuments and statues, the criminalization of the Afrikaner history, racially based legislation, and the abuse of political power has created a challenge for the Afrikaner people. The future identity of the Afrikaner is at risk as the historical past is being destroyed. The Afrikaner’s plan is all about transmitting the history to the younger generation and securing a future in a democratic South Africa. It is not a plan to isolate the Afrikaner, but rather to work with the reality of what is happening in South Africa. The Afrikaner does not intend to retreat away from the challenges, but rather to create circumstances to share with all cultures of South Africa. The Afrikaner cannot live as hostages of the past. Apartheid is gone, and if the Afrikaans people do not take care of the future, nobody else will do so.

For South Africa to become a successful country, there must be a growing private sector, an operative public sector, and active citizens. It would be irresponsible for citizens to leave the future in the hands of a government, as the world has seen the failure in Greece and Zimbabwe. A weak government affects all the people and for too long now the majority has depended on the current government to shape the future of South Africa.

In truth, after 21 years, the Afrikaner is standing united and taking a course of action to determine a bright future by holding on to a vision and building structures to support that vision. The measures adopted by the Afrikaner can help the majority become vigilant and emulate a way to move forward. As the Afrikaner mobilizes toward a future of prosperity, safety, and value, the majority can continue to sit back and depend on the government to shape the future, continuing to live with an inferiority complex, self-hatred, and poverty and call that freedom, or the majority can start implementing and restructuring a secure future.

Opinion by Laura Oneale

PUBLISHED ON THE GUARDIAN LV TODAY - HERE IS THE LINK

 http://guardianlv.com/2015/10/south-africa-a-blueprint-for-success/

South Africa a Dismal Failure as Students Continue to Protest

There is chaos, rioting, protests and disgruntled students who are demanding answers from the African National Congress (ANC) and the failure of a government that is South Africa. The ANC will now have to resolve an extremely dismal situation. It is a moment for national social cohesion and reconciliation. The tensions are high, as stone throwing, clashes between students and police who retaliate with stun guns, and tear gas continue.

The university student protests nationwide are a genuine and legitimate educational matter about fees. No politician or political party has a right to grandstand and hijack the student revolution and make political statements. The students all around South Africa are united in their cause of demanding that education must be free. Students rejected Maimane, the leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA) official opposition party yesterday. The students will reject Shivhambu, a top leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). The students do not want any politician to hijack their revolution.

The ANC are set to join the protest at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, and, in doing so, would be protesting against the ruling party of South Africa. Talk about hypocrisy, anarchy and irony at its best – the ANC has joined the student protest to demonstrate against itself! The ANC are convinced its supporters are stupid and, to some extent, there is some truth in the stupidity of ANC followers. The current situation is now severe, and the president of South Africa never expected such an outcry by the born-free generation. Sadly, many will be like sheep and keep following the leader. The only way now is for all to stand up to all this unnecessary fear and rioting and get a government who cares about the country and all the people.

There are poor students who resort to prostitution, stealing, begging, and living in shacks because the ANC government ignores the feasibility report into free tertiary education. The government does not want to “open the doors of learning” as the Freedom Charter promised, because there are other priorities, such as nuclear power stations. Public servants and politicians are to receive R66 billion wage increase over the next three years, but the ANC does not want to invest in education – the most important investment any country could ever make.

The ANC was created to participate actively in the liberation of non-Caucasian South Africans. They did very well in that department, and many are grateful for the worthy contributions in that regard. The ANC was, however, never created to rule. They hijacked the opportunity and made a mockery of it by trying to fool the very people they helped liberate, hence the unfortunate state of the nation on many critical fronts, including education at all levels.

The quality of education in South Africa is inferior, and entrance level for higher education facilities are not suitable for all the young people. Offering free education will cause congestion within the system. The education system will fail, especially if youngsters enroll at a university just to be there and not really to learn. The repeat rate and drop-outs will become a huge burden and will cost the government. The government is dealing with a multi-layered problem, and there is no easy solution. President Jacob Zuma has announced that there will be no increase in fees for the next year.

There is no doubt the ANC has failed the youth of South Africa, and there is little time for damage control now. The government should not use the notion of autonomy of the university as an excuse for the failure of bad governance. It all goes to show that the ANC government undermines the intelligence of the black people and, in particular, at its constituencies, where someone has to die before the ANC responds.

Opinion by Laura Oneale

PUBLISHED ON THE GUARDIAN LV TODAY - HERE IS THE LINK

http://guardianlv.com/2015/10/south-africa-a-dismal-failure-as-students-continue-to-protest/

South Africa Informal Trading

Keeping the wheels of the SA economy turning. Informal trade at a suburban market. TV remotes, counterfeit CDs, empty buckets, fruit, farm fresh chicken, cow heads and much more. With the high unemployment rate, people try to make a living and at times find this frustrating. 

It's called a "basement market." It is crowded, and offered product items and product lines are similar in character and thus forcing them to compete on price and hence, threatening scale of profitability.

Therefore, reducing income per individual to a below-the-bread-line point. They got here by circumstance and not entirely entrepreneurial spirit. 

Survivalist sector. The hawkers avoid direct competition. Prices are therefore set by agreement. They recognize they are selling to the lower end of the market. Therefore, prices are rock bottom. You can get a quarter or half of everything, be it cabbage, melon, pumpkin or cell phone.

At times, the police arrest the hawkers and confiscate their goods on the pavements, and this is traumatic for these poor people trying to earn enough money to survive. Confiscating goods from vendors is devastating for them because they add very slim markups.

With thanks to Gauta Komane