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In a few short days Robert Mugabe will run unopposed in a farcical run-off election. His main opposition, Morgan Tsvangirai, has spent the last few days in the Zimbabwean Dutch embassy. Although it is said that he is not claiming sanctuary, he arrived there shortly after announcing that he would not be participating in the election. Tsvangirai felt that it was not only pointless but also impossible for there to be a free and fair election against a government that has embarked on a campaign of intimidation and violence against its detractors.
The only campaign rally the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were officially allowed to hold was interrupted by Zanu-PF supporters who were allegedly bussed in on Zimbabwean military vehicles. Tsvangirai claims the MDC has been barred from entering rural areas and from using their own election observers. Despite having no opposition the run-off will take place as planned.
Many international governments as well as the UN security council have condemned the climate of violence that has taken over Zimbabwe. It’s a pity that no one saw this coming or we could be seeing a very different Zimbabwe today. Nobody would have been able to predict back in 2000 Robert Mugabe would be a power hungry tyrant you would do anything to cling to power. Except that little incident of a rigged 2001 national election might have given a clue.
If the international community had reacted back then with condemnation and economic sanctions Mugabe might have been forced, at least, to adopt a government of national unity. If that had happened then perhaps the slow-motion plane crash that is the Zimbabwean economy would have been avoided. But there is no point in “what ifs now,” what is important is that the global community acts in unity against Mugabe.
It should now be unarguably clear that Mugabe is a tyrant who will do anything to cling to power. He is no more the rightful ruler of Zimbabwe then I live in a giant chocolate factory with an army of Oompa Loompa’s at my command. He should be condemned and the topic should move to how can he be deposed so that the people of Zimbabwe can once again have a say in their future.
The South African government, more specifically Thabo Mbeki, were given the task of aiding Zimbabwe’s transformation into a democratic state. The results have been less then what was hoped. Mbeki continued to punt his quiet diplomacy tactic, much like trying to build a sand castle with a sieve, despite evidence that the man he supports is a brutal dictator. But he is just a man idling through the last few months of his term and watching a legacy come down in flames. And finally the SA government has been forced by circumstances to admit that their is a massive problem in Zimbabwe.
There is a refugee crisis going on in South Africa, we have refugees streaming in from many Southern African states. By far the largest refugee population comes from Zimbabwe. The policy followed has been on of capture and deportation. I believe this is a limited, negative and useless policy. All that happens is people try again and again to get into a relatively prosperous African country.
Its time to realise that the refugee problem is not going to go away and the current methods of dealing with it probably contributed to the rampant xenophobic violence that recently swept South Africa. I’m not saying that it is the only cause, but it definitely played a factor in the way foreign nationals are regarded in this country.
There is a difference between migrant labourers and refugees but my money is on an ever-increasing flow of refugees, particularly in light of further violence in Zimbabwe.
I think its time to stop trying to kick out the refugees. Rather open the gates, open proper refugee camps operated by the UN. Let’s be able to properly document and process the people who can no longer live a free life in their own country. This is the only solution that makes sense. If South Africa is not going to help the people of Zimbabwe by trying to get rid of their power-mad ruler; can’t we at least offer them some measure of sanctuary.
About three weeks ago I woke up feeling slightly off. By slightly off I mean that I had a headache from hell, congestion and nausea. I dragged myself to work and was kindly sent home by my boss.
I rested at home, overloaded on vitamin’s and waited to get better – I didn’t. Eventually I was forced to admit my stubborn – anti-doctor – approach had failed. I visited medi-clinic and was put on a course of Anti-biotics. I still didn’t get better. I went back and was put on another course of anti-biotics. Around this point I started to lose some hearing in my right ear. Fantastic! Ok, so it wasn’t so much loss as a constant feeling of being stuffed. Exactly like when you are traveling by air. It did make my overall hearing blunted.
So at this point I got a little worried.
I am generally a very healthy person, despite being a smoker, and don’t usually get sick for longer then two or three days at the most. It wasn’t so much the headaches – which were very painful – as the complete and utter lack of strength in my body. Maybe I was just being a hypochondriac, or as my girlfriend terms it, a “whiny little bitch,” either way I wasn’t happy. I dragged myself to work a few times but found it almost impossible to concentrate.
My work was very understanding through the whole affair. More understanding then I probably deserved considering the short time I have spent with them. I felt extremely guilty about missing work and being generally useless but they never made me feel bad about it.
So how did I get sorted out and what the hell was wrong with me? Basically a very nasty virus. A bad, evil little thing that crept inside of me and mined my bodies resources. The loss of hearing came from a “stunned nerve” in my middle ear; it’s not serious but could still take anything from a few weeks to a few months for it to be completely normal.
Despite visiting a doctor twice and taking a bucket-load of medication I was ‘cured’ by a another doctor. He quickly examined me, stuck me on a course of anti-viral’s and cortisone and explained very simply what was wrong with me. Within in three or four days I feel a hundred times stronger, the headaches are gone and my hearing is returning.
The point I want to make from all this is that South African doctors are far too liberal with the prescribing of antibiotics (and other medications). There is a feeling of “oh well, I’m not exactly sure what’s wrong. Let’s see if a course of antibiotics sorts it out.” This can turn out to be a waste of money and time. Not to mention usual side-effects that come with such a course.
I am not advocating any kind of mistrust in doctors – it is important to trust and respect medical professionals – but it is also important to have an understanding of whether you are just being given medication to see if it sorts you out. The immune system is an incredible thing and will often fight back if given enough time and rest. However, don’t be like me and wait too long to go to a doctor from belief in an invincible immune system and then waste time and money on useless medication.
I went to a media briefing at the Alexandra police station yesterday. Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula spoke to journalists in a small conference. It was so packed that it was necessary to literally force your way inside. A bit of better planning on a bigger conference room would have made the whole exercise a lot easier.
The Minister’s points boiled down saying the situation in Alexandra was no stable, “…tense, but stable,” thanks to increased police presence in the area.
The new line by the government is that criminal elements are behind the attacks. From the Minister’s mouth:
…no amount of economic hardship and discontent can ever justify criminal activity and bigotry that these attacks represent… Any suggestion that poor service delivery and rising cost of living is to blame for these attacks must be rejected with the contempt it deserves.
While there is no doubt that the violence that exploded in Alexandra was exacerbated by opportunistic marauders to indulge in some looting and pillaging. It is still a fact the poor of South Africa are worse off (purely from an ecomomic perspective) then under Apartheid. And so they turn on a convenient scape goat – the foreign nationals who have sought refuge in South Africa and built lives for themselves.
Many of these foreign nationals are educated or trained in a profession. Whereas, getting a higher education is still very difficult for many South Africans. Not to mention the state of our secondary education where learners face apathy from teachers and second-rate facilities.
It seems a bit late for the xenophobia workshops that the government thinks will solve the problem. Perhaps there should have been a greater emphasis on delivering the service and resources that so many South Africans still desperately need.
There us an excellent article on Politicsweb which argues the blame for the current situation should still be placed at the feet of our ruling political parties and not “criminal elements” in the townships.
The minister said the xenophobic attacks had not spread to Diepsloot and violence in the area was unconnected. The times has uploaded a video that refutes this.
SABC 3’s flagship investigation program, Special Assignment, ran a story about rape victims in South Africa. Quoting from their website:
In South Africa a woman is raped every 23 seconds… and most of these cases go unreported. Of those that do, only 4% end in conviction. There is massive fallout of cases from the point of reporting through to prosecution. Many blame poor treatment at the hands of the police and courts for discouraging women from seeking justice.
The program showed hidden camera footage of rape victims attempting to get help and follow-up their cases at various police stations around the country. In almost every case they were met with apathy, disbelief and, in some cases, open hostility. According to the show only two percent of rape cases are fake.
While I am not sure of their statistics – another source has put it at 62 rapes a day (rather then 3756 as Special Assignment has it) – this does not diminish horror of rape.
This is not a new development, but a social crisis that has been fermenting for years and seems to be becoming worse every year. We have one the highest violent crime rates in the entire world and a large part of that is made up of rape cases.
It is a complicated task to determine what underlying factors have led to the culture of violence and rape
that is present in South Africa; and I will not attempt to find them.
Whatever these factors are, things will not change unless we have an effective, committed and skilled police force. Although there are some dedicated individuals and departments; most police officers in South Africa feel little to no passion for justice. They join the service because there are few other opportunities for them
The requirements for joining the SAPS are:
- You must be a SA citizen
- Have a driver’s license
- Be 18 -29
- physically fit
- Have a matric certificate
To have a matric certificate you must have attained a grade of at least 50% in your subjects. This evidences little more then a basic level of education. A friend quoted a conversation with a high school headmaster who stated that he considered employment in the police service the only option for many of his poorer students.
This does raise questions about the image of the police that is passed on by educators. However, so as long as a job in the police is only considered as a last resort, nothing will change.
Police need to be better payed, better trained and be considered important members of our community. Ask yourself this: Would you want/encourage your child to join the police?
In Whitman’s classic poem a Captain manages to bring his ship to berth at the cost of his life. Thinking about the South African cricket team the opposite is true. The team has foundered again and again while its Captain has escaped unscathed.
The team’s performance last night against India was truly disappointing. We came in strong and committed error after error. Not taking anything away from the superb Indian team, who are playing like champions at the moment, the game was ours to lose not theirs to win.
I know the blame cannot be laid completely on Smith’s shoulders, but Smith has proven time and time again he is not up to the responsiblities of leadership.
He is barely a capable player at the moment. During the original world cup and the T20 tournament Smith has seemed incapable of posting any kind of respectable score. This is just not good enough for an opening batsman. When he bowls he might take a wicket or two but he is so expensive it becomes a real question of ‘is it worth it?’
Leadership was thrust upon too early and he has failed to live up to his promise. perhaps if he had been given time to consolidate his skills as a player without the burden of leading the team he would have developed into a world-class player. At the moment there is no reason why he should even be in the team.
It is difficult when there does not seem to be another option for Captain in the team. But that should be sorted out by the selectors. Let Smith concentrate on his cricket.
Its about time the South African team put their reputation for choking behind them. We have world class players, they just need the leadership to prove it.
