Thought Leader

Again Patricia De Lille has left her political home and has once again established a new political party. I think back to 2003, when I was an intern floating about the Parliamentary Precinct, doing nonsensical things; and Patricia De Lille left the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) and established the Independent Democrats (ID). Resplendent…

We have been giving the ANC the opportunity of controlling the state of the Republic of South Africa since 1994. Every five years we have renewed that authority, through the instances of the ten million or so voters who voted African National Congress. The ANC has had access to and authority over the state without…

Just a quick thought: I have noticed that, quite apart from the large percentage of the debilitating fuel prices in South Africa being due to government taxes, our fuel is much more expensive than in the African countries surrounding us. (Check out these comparisons). What strikes one when you look at these comparisons, is that…

Avidity defined as: keen interest, enthusiasm or “a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something”. Now that we’ve got that out the way I can focus on what it is that has conjured this feeling that I have. It is not just the freedom of a new keyboard, typing hasn’t been this comfortable…

By the day I am more and more astonished that the ANC — with a leader whom I used to regard as an intelligent man — is forging ahead with an expropriation policy that can have only one result: lowering the economic status of South Africa to rock bottom, where it can rub shoulders with…

A thought for the day: When the First World War ground to a halt exactly 100 years ago, Germany was heavily penalised financially. Financial reparations to the Allies were set at 369-billion gold marks, equivalent to about 96 000 tons of gold, but after complaints that the payments were bankrupting a struggling nation the amount…

Everyone knows the story, or myth, of Pandora (etymologically meaning ‘all-gifted’ or perhaps ‘all-giving’), who was ancient Greek mythology’s counterpart to Eve of the Old Testament — that is, the first woman created by the gods (out of earth, or clay), all of whom gave her a gift of some kind. Her notoriety derives from…

The current elective conference of the ANC makes me think, involuntarily, of the decline of this once-proud, 105-year old organisation, to the point where it has been too weak to do the obvious thing, namely to ‘recall’ (their chosen euphemism for discharge, or fire) their current (and soon-to-be-replaced) president, Jacob Zuma. The funny thing, which…

Today is the final day, a day made available to the Top 8 and the NEC to speak. They will speak carefully, they will speak responsibly and they will talk courageously. Don’t believe any of it. The last day’s speeches is a notorious opportunity for the Top 8 and the NEC to get it out…

Today the big wigs will be reporting what emerged from the caucusing, making it seem like they care. The big wigs are just winding you up with some touchy feely nonsense to keep you energised about your homework to help achieve policy goals. They will spend the entire day reminding you that it is only…