The election of Pope Francis by a conclave of cardinals in the Vatican, the African National Congress Youth League’s NEC being dissolved by the ANC and the Oscar Pistorius shooting incident have been dwarfed into insignificance again this week as “recordings” of “Steve” from beeb Bank to FNB customers are played and replayed on 94.7 […]
FNB
Posted inNews/Politics
Don’t let the ANC bully you
I recall a conversation I had with my Iranian-American friend Farhang Erfani when I was living in the US and despairing for that country after George W Bush’s (to my mind) fraudulent election as president ahead of Al Gore. When I expressed my misgivings about America’s future under ”presidents” like George Dubya, he pointed out […]
Posted inMedia, News/Politics
ANC and FNB, my new favourite soapie
I have been following the soap opera between the ANC and FNB with interest and more than a little cynicism. The reaction in the aftermath too has been very intriguing. It seems that some banks are determined to be involved in matters which make me wonder if they really are banks or wannabe retailers, politicians, […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Truth and treason
This is not per se another article on the ANCYL’s comments regarding FNB’s new advertising campaign. If it were, it would probably devolve into an angst-filled rant at the ANCYL’s stupidity and FNB’s corporate power, much like the others I have read. Instead I want to focus on just one word, the word that the […]
Posted inNews/Politics
FNB, the national anthem and patriotism
What’s a national anthem? Well, according to the Oxford Dictionary a national anthem is defined as a “solemn patriotic song officially adopted by a country as an expression of national identity”. That’s a pretty clear definition. Now, the question begs, how many South Africans stop where that definition ends and see it as nothing more? […]
Posted inBusiness, News/Politics
So how did FNB manage to tickle the ANC’s studio?
When I heard about the troublesome First National Bank advert causing a stir with the political bigwigs I was on the Lyon TCL tramway, on my way home from a rather unpleasant encounter with French bureaucracy. I became so excited I was literally pacing up and down, hoping to use my superpowers to command the […]
Posted inBusiness, Gender violence
Banking on sexism
Earlier this year I told Standard Bank that they could stick their dishwasher where the sun doesn’t shine. The reason? It replicated 1950s sexism assuming that men in the family are breadwinners, sit around watching TV all day, and that the women in the family do all the cleaning. Accordingly men were given the opportunity […]
Posted inGeneral
So there is hope (and you can help)
“Do you get As?” I ask. The two girls – they must be around 11 – giggle and exchange looks. “Yes!” they say. “How many?” “Five!” “How many As will you get for matric?” “Six!” I’m at Home of Hope in Kensington. It houses 24 girls rescued from the Johannesburg inner city and as the […]