The African National congress (ANC) ruling party of South Africa, has financial woes as all the money is gone. The possibility of retrenching staff members is highlighted and can be a reality in the near future. Staff has not received salaries for two months as the party suffers from money problems.
The Secretary General Gwede Mantashe admitted this week that there were problems and the ANC party was in dire need of money to meet all obligations. One of the reasons cited for the decrease in cash, flow was the loss of 16 parliamentary seats in the past May 2014 general elections.
Angry staff working for the ruling party demanded salary increases and Mantashe stated that there was no money for increases or bonuses but the party would consider options when matters improved. Mantashe told staff members to be patient during this terrible time.
Raising funds from private investors had declined, and the ANC party has been threatened with liquidation from angry suppliers. Millions of rands that are owed for services rendered to the ruling party, remain unpaid to service providers.
The revelation of the ANC financial woes came from members who preferred to remain anonymous. During a heated meeting at Luthuli House, Mantashe said the staff members about the financial woes. The staff members were told that if they were not happy with the situation they were welcome to go and find alternative work. Staff members are demoralized and insisted that no increases or bonuses were paid over the past three years. The news of wanting to retrench staff members was received with hostility. Mantashe denied reports that the ANC were planning staff retrenchments.
The former president of South Africa, Pieter Willem (P.W.) Botha is being dragged into the Jacob Zuma Nkandla debacle. Zuma has referenced the former president to the ongoing Nkandla upgrades that have been symbolized as waste of taxpayers’ funds. The R246 million spent on upgrades has caused an outrage of comments by both opposition parties and the public.
The vast sums of money spent on Nkandla the private property of Zuma, the president of South Africa has cast a shadow of incompetence in the public eye. The state provides for official accommodation, and transport to ruling presidents, Nkandla remains an individual homestead. The expenditure on security updates at Nkandla vastly exceeds the value of the property and that spent on former presidents of South Africa.
The Frederik Willem (F.W.) De Klerk Foundations said the comparison of Nkandla to the George Airport raised some disturbing questions. It is a question to determine the distinction between appropriate state expenditure on legitimate plans and disbursements spent on Nkandla that will result in Zuma’s inexcusable enrichment
At a media luncheon this week, Zuma said the airport built-in George was not for economic reasons, and built to serve P.W. Botha, who lived close to the airport. Zuma said the criticism over Nkandla was unnecessary and raised the question, “Is Nkandla not meant to produce a president?” Zuma said the state had a responsibility to protect the president.
Botha served as the last Prime Minister of South Africa from 1978 to 1984 and became the first State President of the country from 1984 to 1989. The wilderness situated in the Western Cape was home to the president and close by George Airport, formerly known as P.W. Botha Airport was built in 1977.
A discovery of natural offshore gas was found during 1969 in Mosselbay, and this led to the development of a refinery. Located close to the George area, the airport construction served to enhance the expansion of gas to liquids. The airport was built during P.W. Botha’s tenure as Minister of Defense, and this was built in a strategic position. The state-owned company struck gas during 1980.
Any state action that results in the enrichment of political officers is inherently wrong and not acceptable. The remarks emerged from President Zuma raise the concern of sensitivity to criticism over the wasteful expenditure at Nkandla. It raises the government’s failure to accept the credibility of organizations findings on the Nkandla issue.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela faces the wrath of the people over a land claim of the Late Nelson Mandela. Whom does the land in the village of Qunu, Eastern Cape belong to, the former president or Winnie? There is a dispute brewing, and it is Winnie that stated certain land in Qunu does not belong to the Late Nelson.
Firstly, Madikizela, the second wife of the Late Nelson Mandela, is stating that the divorce from the legendary Mandela is a forgery. There are disputes about the authenticity of the divorce certificate. The former president’s attorney who attended to the divorce proceedings during 1992 is not commenting about this claim.
The land is a significant issue for Winnie, it is the Qunu house turned into a museum that is raising aggravation among the royal Mandela tribe. Accordingly it is more important the acquisitions of how Nelson acquired the land. According to Winnie, the area that accommodates the famous Qunu home was unlawfully transferred by Nelson during his reign as president of South Africa.
A plot of land in Qunu, Eastern Cape, was given to Winnie by the abaThembu king when Nelson was imprisoned for high treason during the apartheid era. After successful negotiations with the former regime of South Africa, Nelson became president of South Africa at the end of white rule. It was supposed during the term of presidency that Mandela transferred the plot of land into a personal name.
Winnie Madikizela claims that Nelson committed fraud by registering Eastern Cape into a personal name, which would mean the late president used the State Land Disposal Act as a means to transfer the property, constituting land fraud.
Qunu is the final resting place of Nelson and in shocking claims this week; Winnie has approached the courts to settle this dispute of land and divorce. The deed to the property was initially obtained by Winnie and not the late Nelson, thus sighting misrepresentation or fraud over the Qunu plot. Customary rights are cited in court papers.
A royal family member stated that the claims against former president were not recognized. Winnie’s actions are opportunistic according to Dalumumo Mtirara. The royal family member said the determination to tarnish the late president’s legacy was unacceptable and queried why these claims were not raised previously. The royal family has rejected all claims by Madikizela-Mandela.
The Late president left the Qunu home to the Mandela family, Madikizela-Mandela was not mentioned in the Will. Winnie wants the Qunu property set aside from the Will testimony based on the unlawful registration of the property.
Almost 3,000 convicts are released from prison each month in South Africa and rejected by society. The past cannot define the future as communities try to support ex-convicts released back into society. In many instances, society rejects convicts forcing ex-convicts to go back to prison.
The conditions of South African prisons are appalling, dirty, unhygienic, overcrowded and ruled by gangs. Criminals placed into the prisons have little or no chance of rehabilitation. Gangs operating within the prison structures affect people who want to rehabilitate. The trauma of spending months and even years in South African prison does not disappear when the inmate is released back into society. The rehabilitation during jail time is not sufficient to escape the harm experienced within the prisons. Gang leaders within the prison walls operate in conjunction with criminals on the outside, thereby ensuring crime continues as forceful as before. Often there is no hope of leading a crime free life upon parole.
There are rehabilitation programs providing support and therapy for prison convicts both within prisons and in society. The change must come from within and choices need to be made. Prisoners are encouraged to have a positive attitude toward life, attend rehabilitation and stay away from crime. The optimistic approach of criminals leaving prison soon dwindles away as rejection by society becomes a reality of a harsh world for most.
Offering support for prison convicts becomes nearly impossible with residents preferring not become involved. The obstinate attitude of society often leads to the prisoners entering the criminal surrounds in an attempt to survive. Drugs are often a cause of repeated crime by ex convicts.
South Africa is a racial stereotype country and goodwill within communities’ lack trust. The rise of crime does not help prison convicts to enter society and live an ordinary life. Prison convicts often meet with rejection from companies when seeking employment and this demoralizing impression forces most to return to crime. The high unemployment levels within South Africa is another factor in convicts’ inability to find work.
The stigma attached to ex-convicts is a major problem causing rejection from society. Prison convicts often believe that the rehabilitation received does not lead to an active role in society. Community organization can assist former prisoners through spiritual guidance and skills development. By doing so, they would be raising hope of leading a life without crime for ex-convicts. Trust is often the cause of failure within communities dealing with former inmates. The tarnished reputation of prison convicts leaves little hope for the future.
The reintegration into society for prison convicts is difficult. In South Africa, many people believe that offenders should not be allowed early parole and struggle with forgiveness. The eye-for-an-eye mentality indeed exists in South African communities. Prison prisoners serve time in prisons and overcoming the public’s judgmental perception is often the most difficult trauma for ex-convicts to bear. Rejected by society after serving a prison sentence in South Africa for crimes committed is often a harsh criticism for prison convicts to understand.
Attitude can be defined as a
mind-set, an approach, a feeling, position or an opinion. What is your attitude
and does your attitude change with circumstances or do you remain impartial to
feelings and people? Does your attitude have no direct involvement or interest
in world events and do you really present an unbiased outlook on life?
The Peace that Passes all Understanding
May the peace that passes all understanding dwell in your heart? Can you imagine living with the peace that passes all understanding in your heart? The bliss from this peace will radiate from within and dispel any gloom or suffering, misery and pain. The harmony from this peace will radiate and dispel any darkness.
Walking in such peace would cause your attitude to change immediately. Obtaining the peace that passes all understanding would require a change of attitude and that would require action.
Take action to walk in the light! To take action without a motive, or without reason and without attachment is to attain a balanced frame of mind.
Action is not a decision; anybody can make a decision. Action is the knowledge to bring balance. It is the wisdom that the action will have, there will be no expectations, no desires, and there will be only love of light.
Can you love without the ‘if’ or the ‘because’, probably not, we are not saints but we can try to by changing our attitude and transforming our world. First and foremost is the command to ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.’
The peace that passes all understand will guide us to love the Lord without any ‘if’ or ‘because’ simply by our understanding the real, powerful and unshakable love. We need to look within our hearts and understand and love ourselves without hindrance and rejection, and then we will be free to love, to life and fill our lives with the peace that passes all understanding.
Friendliness to all equals – Part 1 of the four-fold
Is it difficult to be friendly toward everybody? In our society today, openness of genuine friendliness is missing. The friendliness should be beneficial toward everybody.
Gracious, pleasant, responsive and sociable. Stop using selective friendliness. Do not show partiality and cultivate a high social status toward those considered inferior.
Are you an elitist? If you do then change, become aware of whom you are friendly toward, and you will soon realize the beggar, the shop assistant, the boss and the government are not enemies. Show neighborly friendship to everybody and stop being selective. Demonstrate friendliness without hostility let your attitude radiate friendliness at all times.
Do not let your friendliness be bound to fear. There should be no fear of being friendly toward everybody. The only fear you will have is if you are afraid of people wanting to extend the friendship or ask you for something. This will mean that you are attached to the material world and not living in the blessing. This is no reason to fear, your smile, your kind word, your goodwill is sufficient.
Change your attitude and let the warm, comforting, affectionate and benevolent friendliness become the real you.
Compassion for those of a lower status
Compassion is the thoughtful concern for others. Why do we not have compassion, is it because of the judgment toward others that we hold in our minds. Show compassion by offering sympathy for the suffering of others and include a desire to help. The misfortune of others and those of a lower status should not be ignored. Compassion, the care, concern, sensitivity and mercy to all humankind is indeed a rare attribute among people.
More importantly show compassion to yourself, be kind to who you are and develop a sympathetic consciousness and cultivate a desire of warm-heartedness. Love yourself, understand who you are and then you will develop a compassionate nature that will radiate your love.
Give birth to compassion for the nearest yet unfamiliar aspect of yourself, as you do for the one outside who feels like a stranger. — Neil Douglas-Klotz in The Hidden Gospel
Absence of envy to those above us
Can it be said that jealousy stems from an immature mind? Is
jealousy a disease, where love is a healthy condition? Can the mind mistake one
for the other and assume that the greater the love, the greater the jealousy? These
two powerful emotions entwined can produce unbearable turmoil.
Envy is the resentful feeling of another’s good fortune,
success, qualities or possessions. It is the desire to possess something that
one does not have. Envy causes resentment, an aggrieved feeling and a sense of
being treated poorly. It is a strong feeling or emotion of grievance and
displeasure.
There is no joy in being envious; this can make a person
feel inadequate. Envy creates a feeling of not being able to reach a certain
standard of contentment. The fear of lack, incompetence and hopelessness are
consequences of allowing envy to control your mind.
There will always be people above us whether it is through
higher education, social standing or creativeness. Why envy these people, they
are who they are, and you are who you are. It is your attitude that can make a
difference, just as it is the attitude of the people above us that can make a
difference when they to show compassion. It does not matter where you are, or
who you, it only matters that you obtain the peace that passes all
understanding.
Total indifference to those who
regard themselves as our enemies
Indifference can be a lack of interest, care or concern. Precisely,
your enemies will provoke, slander and attack you, and by showing total indifference,
you will emerge as the winner. The enemy will not be able to provoke you to the
cause or occasion of an emotion or a response.
Indifference can be identified by being unresponsive,
detached, aloof, unmoved and unconcerned.
Remaining indifferent will be choosing to remain neutral in
a time of danger, struggle and especially by not making a choice to enter, a
dispute will imply total control over emotion.
It is not to live a life being indifferent to all
situations; it is about being indifferent to the enemy. Certainly, there will
be indifference to governments or politics and that is not the enemy, unless you
make them your enemy.
A person can love one person and be indifferent to others,
and this is not love but the personality of selfishness.
The secret of how to live without resentment or embarrassment in
a world in which I was different from everyone else. was to be indifferent to
that difference.
This is the four-fold attitude of friendliness, compassion,
absence of envy and indifference that can transform your world.
Remember the opposite of love is not hate – it is the
indifference.
Life is simple; it is about walking in love, and not
complicating matters. Life is about attaining the peace that passes all
understanding. Life is not about changing the world, it is about being a better
person, by letting your light shine and let others change their world through your
impact of radiating light and love. Life is about how you respond to events,
actions, thoughts and people. There is nothing to fear, life is meant to be
happy and inspiring and guided by knowledge. Life is beautiful and to
understand yourself and refuse self-rejection, principles, the choices and the
change.
Life is about living, therefore, love life and
life will love you back. Cultivate a love of life and gain clarity, coupled
with compassion and your actions will generate the peace and love of a life
lived abundantly.
Seemingly,
man has learned to live without God, preoccupied, indifferent toward Him, and
concerned only about material security and pleasure.
