Gupta's Leaving South Africa

I have been reading some of the news articles and a particular article that has grabbed the attention of many people is the report on the Gupta family leaving South Africa. The past few years the Gupta family have made the headlines and their association with President Jacob Zuma has caused scandalous reactions.

It will seem that comments indicate that almost all of the people are happy to have them leave. Although some of the comments refer to the Gupta family having a fear of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) feisty threats. Julius Malema publicly banned the Gupta’s from attended any of the EFF meetings. There are ongoing investigations of contracts between the Gupta empire and Eskom, and other business related matters.

SOURCE:

http://mini.iol.co.za/business/companies/guptas-to-pull-out-of-sa-1993391

Johannesburg - Just two weeks after their company got Competition Tribunal authority to buy a former Glencore coal mine, the Gupta brothers are reportedly leaving South Africa.
This is according to African Confidential, which is reporting that three Gupta brothers - Ajay, Atul and Rajesh - are in the process of moving to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.

Are the Guptas really all that bad?

African Confidential, citing sources in the ruling ANC, says the move is because many of the family's businesses are under increased scrutiny, especially contracts with government or state-owned enterprises.

The relationship between the Guptas and President Jacob Zuma has been lambasted by opposition parties - notably the Economic Freedom Fighters - and cries of “Zupta must fall” are resonating through SA.

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has also become involved amid concerns that the family is too close to the government. Just days before February’s budget speech, Gordhan - according to the Sunday Times - pulled the plug on the Gupta-owned New Age newspaper's post-budget breakfast briefing.

Gupta deal gets Trib OK

Towards the end of last year, Tegeta Exploration & Resources, a company owned by Oakbay Investments and Mabengela Investments, purchased the former Glencore mine, Optimum, which had been placed into bankruptcy protection for R2.15 billion.

Tegeta is 64-percent owned by Mabengela Investments, which in turn is 45-percent held by Duduzane Zuma, Bloomberg reports, citing people familiar with the matter. The Gupta family’s stake in the venture is held through Oakbay Investments.

The BBC reports Bongi Ngema-Zuma, one of the president's wives, works for the Guptas and Duduzile Zuma, his daughter, was a director at Sahara Computers in 2008, but has since resigned.

According to Bloomberg, Tegeta wants to find more opportunities after being cleared by regulators to acquire Glencore’s Optimum coal complex. “Tegeta is an ambitious business and on the lookout for new opportunities to grow the business,” it quotes an email from Oakbay Investments as saying. “It is our view that any person, or company, should be free to compete fairly for any business.”

The company is now also acquiring the rights to export eight million metric tons of coal through the Richard’s Bay Coal Terminal, Bloomberg reports.

According to the BBC, brothers Ajay, Atul and Rajesh - who it says is known as Tony - Gupta moved to SA when they were in their 40s. They moved, says the UK-based site, from India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh in Saharanpur in 1993.

After moving to SA, the Gupta family started Sahara Computers, a company completely separate to the Indian conglomerate of the same name, which reportedly employs 10 000 people and turns over about R200 million.

The Gupta family also owns uranium assets through its listed Oakbay company. Oakbay Resources & Energy owns 74 percent of Shiva Uranium and Atul is its chairman, with Varun as CEO, according to its website. Shiva Uranium, which owns the Dominion and Rietkuil mines, was previously a unit of Uranium One, formerly run by Neal Froneman, Sibanye Gold’s current CEO.

A Personal Dilemma – part one

I want to share the emotional, traumatic and shocking incident that is currently happening in my life. There is the old saying that, we are never to old to learn and that there is always a first time for everything. It is true there is a first time for everything. Although I have experienced so much drama during my lifetime and have managed to overcome, I find the latest attack against me cruel and downright unnecessary, but I have come to realize that there is a life lesson to learn here, a lesson of trust, patience and ultimately the peace that passes all understanding. A blessing in disguise!

Sometimes in life and as we get older, it would seem that the most important factor is peace of mind, simplicity and good health.  Well for me, good health is something that I can say I definitely have, simplicity is another huge factor that works for me and most important peace of mind. Now my peace of mind was disturbed this week when I was thrown into a predicament that I had never been in before.

Throughout my working career, I have always maintained that was the one area of my life that I would protect, work hard and remain diligent. I am proud to say that although I have worked for about five companies over the last 40 years or so, I always have been perceived as an exceptional worker. I might have made mistakes and taken a stupid decision with my personal life but work was an exception, I remained committed. 

However much trauma I had to endure throughout my life, it was all related to my own personal time, such as deaths, dealing with delinquent children, sick people, poor people, the lonely, the lost and the outcast, and the usual ups and down people experience. I can deal with trauma, insensitive people (at times), crazy people and problems. What I cannot deal with is people who blatantly plot against others, persons who are obsessed with a “mightier than thou” attitude and we have a lot of those around.   

I consider myself to be a peaceful, honest, hardworking person. I am an approachable person and have always remained committed to helping people, especially the underprivileged. It is just how I am, a kind-hearted soul who wants to do good. The problem today is that there is so much evil in the world and kind-hearted people get the worst deal.  The tough people take advantage of the good natured people but it's OK, in my heart I still believe that it is better to overcome evil with good and have a clear conscience. Peace of mind that is the ultimate goal to have inner joy, happiness and contentment.  

Over the next week or so, or at least, until I have closed the entire incident, I will share my thoughts, feelings and actions of my last few days at work. I was handed a letter on Wednesday, March 2^nd suspending me with immediate effect. I am not going to divulge the reason at this stage as I believe it is irrelevant. What I want to share, is the reactions of people, the loyalty and my approach to this incident. 

It has been two days since receiving a letter that will ultimately change my life forever. The initial shock was sort of dramatic for me, as I have never experienced such humiliation. Of course, there are feelings of anger, resentment all coupled with a dark cloud of disbelief. 

The mind is incredible, when a sudden unexpected incident happens, the thoughts that crop up are scary. As one sits quietly and tries to process the entire saga and the anger subsides, logic kicks in and a new understanding starts to happen. When your world is turned upside down, it is unbelievable how the mind and body tackle the sudden change and for me, I am thankful, and can say that I am shaken but not defeated. Every day, I am appearing to be calmer, happier and accepting the change that is about to occur.

I believe that the incident is a process to a better future. Although I would never have imagined that I would end my career in this manner, I think there is a higher power that is moving to close this cycle of my life. I say that because I have wanted an exit plan for years and was too afraid to jump into the unexpected. I think sometimes we all need a push in the right direction and this is not the end of my life but a beginning of the new exciting journey, one I eagerly want to embrace. 

In the second article, I will share the thoughts and perceptions of people who are currently helping me deal with this matter and how the most unexpected incidents just happen.

Stay blessed.

50 Murders a Day in South Africa

South Africa has a high crime rate, and recently, statistics showed that an average of 50 murders a day happen throughout the land. Besides the killings, there are 50 motor vehicle accidents and 20 suicides every day. In South Africa, there is a group of rebel criminals who have more power than the ordinary citizens. Weapons are readily available, despite the fact that there are strict gun controls set by the government. However, this does not deter the criminal element from obtaining guns and other weapons to commit crimes in the most heinous manner.

The murders of the farmers are the most horrific crimes committed and the perpetrators have no sympathy for their victims. Often, the torture of farmers is carried out in a brazen, sadistic manner causing suffering before ending the life of the innocent person. It seems as though the killers gain pleasure in performing acts of merciless torture, especially towards farmers.

On Feb. 26, 2016, another senseless murder was committed on a small holding in the Westonaria region. A 73-year-old pensioner was stabbed 12 times in the abdomen and chest by two male attackers. The perpetrators were caught by the farming community and remain in police custody, for now. The deceased was killed for a few clothing items, cell phone, and a firearm.

While crime remains rampant on the streets, the prisons have to deal with inmates stabbing and killing each other. Also, guards are being harmed while trying to stop the futile fighting. Prisoners have guards or visitors smuggle in knives, sharp objects, drugs, and cell phones, with the intention of creating gangsterism inside. Recently, a raid in the Boksburg prison, while inmates were sleeping, found over 27 cell phones, hundreds of weapons, and drugs. All contraband was confiscated.

It might be commendable that the Department of Correctional Services initiated such action but this is only one prison. There are hundreds of prisons that have similar problems, and at times, it is the guards who assist with smuggling in weapons. Until corruption is wiped out, inmates will continuously have access to weapons, cell phones, and drugs, so murders will continue inside the prison walls.

There are times when the criminals have more rights than law-abiding citizens and the government is not doing enough to combat this. Crime increases daily, and with the prisons in South Africa experiencing overcrowding, there is no other alternative but to grant bail to far too many of the accused. While the corruption continues to invade the prisons, inmates will continue their crimes from within the high walls. Until the system changes, 50 murders a day will continue throughout South Africa.

South Africans are afraid and most avoid open spaces, such as parks and public transport. Many crimes are not reported because people believe the police will not do anything about certain offenses. Reports indicate that 47 percent of South Africans believe both violent and non-violent crime has increased during the 2011 – 2014 survey period. Furthermore, 27 percent of respondents are of the belief that not much has changed.

The civil rights organization, AfriForum, approached the courts in an attempt to force police to release the data on farm murders from 1990 to 2015. In 2007, the government announced it would not collect any statistics on farm murders. However, former Police Commissioner Ria Phiyega mentioned that farm murder numbers were kept for operational reasons. The police believe that there is a drastic decline in farm murders, however, Afriforum, who also collects data on these horrific crimes, reported that 316 farm murders were committed in the last five years. AfriForum contends it is important to monitor the killings and safety of farmers, and rightly so, as the security of food for the country is at stake.

PUBLISHED TODAY ON THE GUARDIAN LV -  READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE - HERE IS THE LINK
 http://guardianlv.com/2016/02/50-murders-day-south-africa/

No Comments Please

We are closed to comments from listeners until after the municipal elections. The state-owned South African Broad Casting (SABC)  and linked radio shows have issued a statement informing the public that there will be comments from the public. 

Another African National Congress (ANC) tactic to stop opposition parties and their followers from bad-mouthing the ruling party. The ANC do not want constructive criticism, and it might hurt their reputation as the party with the GOOD NEWS STORY. 

What happened to free speech.  It is a blatant abuse of power; the ANC will use the media and radio to promote their lies and hide their failures.  The uneducated masses, who do not have access to the internet rely on radio stations and television to report on current affairs. It is these masses that usually vote for the ruling party, and they will continue to do so until the situation changes or so one hopes.

Of course, the millions who drive on the highways for hours daily, use this network to comment on a topic will probably be disappointed.  Thankfully, there are millions of people who have the use of social media and can utilise this platform to read between the lines and post comments. I guess not even the ANC can stop it all.

  SOURCE:

http://mybroadband.co.za/news/broadcasting/156769-sabc-bans-listeners-calling-in-to-shows-to-stop-complaints-about-anc-report.html

SABC bans listeners calling in to shows to stop complaints about ANC: report