Malema mustn't have the last laugh - Zille

What are the essential differences between countries that succeed in becoming sustainable democracies, with growing economies, and those that don't? I spend a lot of time thinking about this question, because it is the DA's job to help ensure the long-term success of South Africa's transition. We know there have been more transition failures on our continent than successes. How can we ensure that South Africa does not follow the trajectory of cronyism, corruption and the criminal state?

All failed transitions begin with power abuse. A good constitution, on its own, cannot prevent this. Indeed, power abuse usually begins with an assault on the constitution -- and this can happen without changing a single word of it. It happens when rulers turn the independent institutions of the constitution into extensions of their power. We saw this happening, for example, when Vusi Pikoli was fired as National Director of Public Prosecutions (for refusing to withdraw corruption charges against Jacob Zuma), and was replaced by Menzi Simelane, a well-known Zuma ally who does not believe in prosecutorial independence.

If the constitution cannot, on its own, prevent us from becoming a failed state, what can?

The only guarantee of success is citizens who understand that they are personally responsible for preventing power abuse. These citizens understand the power of their vote and use it to protect the constitution and hold their leaders to account. Their leaders know that if they abuse power they will lose power. For a democracy to work, the politicians must fear the voters, not the other way around.

Voters in a consolidated democracy would never have allowed the rape of their prosecutorial authority. Developments like this show us how far we still have to go.

Are we moving in the right or the wrong direction? The signs are both good and bad.

On the positive side, citizens are increasingly using the power of their vote to change their public representatives through the ballot box. The results of some recent by-elections re-confirm this trend.

But there are also counter trends that we cannot ignore. Take Kannaland, a district municipality in the Karoo where a by-election was held recently. The winning candidate was the Jeffrey Donson, of the Independent Civics Organisation of South Africa. A former school teacher, Donson has long been known for his predilection for young girls. After leaving education for politics, he rose through the ranks to become Mayor of Kannaland. In 2008 he lost his council seat when he was found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison for the statutory rape of a 15 year-old girl. This was later reduced to a suspended sentence on appeal.

Three weeks later, Donson stood as a candidate in a by-election to get his seat back. The voters re-elected him.

Donson lost his seat again at the end of last year when he was found guilty of malpractice and corruption during his tenure as Mayor. Undeterred, he stood once again in the by-election to fill the vacancy that arose after his dismissal. And again, the voters re-elected him.

When this happens, what will deter politicians from corruption and power abuse? Nothing. Unless enough voters understand that it is their responsibility to hold power to account through their vote, the downward spiral towards the failed state can be as rapid as it is inevitable.

The accountability deficit is the biggest threat to our democracy.

It is not limited to small towns in the Karoo. It is the common denominator of governance across most of the country.

Limpopo has been much in the news this week because of the endemic corruption that is the inevitable consequence of the power abuse inherent in the ANC's version of economic empowerment. It is legalised corruption. It enables the ANC in government to award tenders to the ANC in business to enrich the ANC's leaders. That is how companies, of which Julius Malema is a director or major shareholder, got tenders to the value of R140-million. Three bridges they constructed washed away in a matter of months.

According to Sello Moloto, the former Premier of Limpopo, Malema "got those tenders by intimidating mayors and municipal managers that they would lose their jobs if they did not approve the appointments of his companies". Malema did this with the help of his ally Cassel Mathale who, as the ANC's Provincial Chairperson in Limpopo, had the power to appoint mayors and deploy municipal managers. Mathale himself is now Premier of this Province.

The mayors and municipal managers of Limpopo are obviously more frightened of Malema and Mathale than they are of the voters. Limpopo mayors believe that voters will continue to support the ANC whatever they do. On the other hand, the mayors know they will lose their jobs if they refuse to be complicit in Malema and Mathale's schemes. In other words, these mayors conclude that they will be in trouble if they refuse to be corrupt. Indeed, the only way to secure their positions is through corruption. If voters allow this, they have only themselves to blame.

This is precisely the opposite of how things should work in a democracy.

Malema expects to be re-elected unanimously as the President of the Youth League later this year, and from that point on he will continue his campaign for the country's top job. He believes he can reach his goal -- even though he treats voters with complete contempt.

He exemplifies the accountability gap.  He flaunts his millionaire lifestyle, with his R250,000 Breitling watch and R800,000 car, even as he proclaims he is a "humble man" as he did this week at his 29th birthday celebrations (which cost at least R400 000).

Speaking at his party, Malema said: "I'm still living in poverty today, because as long as a neighbour of mine is struggling, I too am struggling."

Without a hint of irony, he then popped the cork of an R800 bottle of Moet et Chandon champagne.

This perfectly captures the fundamental contradictions of the ANC under Jacob Zuma. While it pretends to be the voice of the poor, its ruling clique makes billions from state contracts. While it pretends to be the voice of the powerless, its leaders abuse their power for their own ends.

It is a kleptocratic elite masquerading as a political party.

And it happens because the majority of voters allow it -- even encourage it.

Jacob Dlamini, a columnist with Business Day, recently lamented the fact that newspapers expose major scandals, that are "here this week; gone the next". That is inevitable if the voters don't take follow up action at the ballot box.

While the freedom of the media is indispensible in a democracy, even the most vigorous press is not sufficient to sustain it.

It is time voters understood that no politician can continue to abuse power without their permission. Voters have the power to withdraw their permission through their vote.

It is our primary duty to get this message across if we want to secure South Africa's transition to democracy and prevent the failed state. We must do so, not because winning power is an end in itself, but because it is essential to establish the principle and practice of accountability in our young democracy. It is essential to address the accountability deficit.

If people do not like the alternative we offer, there is no shortage of others. For our part, we will continue to work day and night to make real our commitment to an "open, opportunity society for all" which we believe is the only alternative that can secure growing prosperity and freedom for everyone in South Africa.

This article by Helen Zille first appeared in SA Today, the weekly online newsletter of the leader of the Democratic Alliance

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter

Services Subscribe to newsletters News feeds Share this article Facebook Google Laaik.it Yahoo! Digg del.icio.us

 

[Malema] exemplifies the accountability gap. He flaunts his millionaire lifestyle, with his R250,000 Breitling watch and R800,000 car, even as he proclaims he is a 'humble man' as he did this week at his 29th birthday celebrations (which cost at least R400 000). Speaking at his party, Malema said: 'I'm still living in poverty today, because as long as a neighbour of mine is struggling, I too am struggling.' Without a hint of irony, he then popped the cork of an R800 bottle of Moet et Chandon champagne. This perfectly captures the fundamental contradictions of the ANC under Jacob Zuma. While it pretends to be the voice of the poor, its ruling clique makes billions from state contracts."

Helen Zille

 

Related links

Articles:

Our plan to fix education - Zille »

Helen Zille's defence of her govt »

SADTU's power grab in education - Helen Zille »

Comments

If you come across comments that are injurious, defamatory, profane, off-topic or inappropriate; contain personal attacks or racist, sexist, homophobic, or other slurs, please report them and they will be removed.

 

responses to this article

@ Helen Zille "For a democracy to work, the politicians must fear the voters, not the other way around." Agreed. But how can politicians in the National Assembly and the provincial legislatures fear the voters when there are no constituencies, and when . .more everything is decided by a collective party list? Personal accountability of politicians in SA is ruled out by the electoral law, the rotten egg in the Constitution. Accountability goes up to the party bosses, not down to the voters. You can thank the electoral law for the mess. . .less by Fear the Voters on March 05 2010, 19:34 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Wise words We have the leader, all we need now is to give her our votes, and to spread the word to all those ignorant voters out there who vote without thinking and fail to see the connection between the problems in their lives and the incompetents presently in . .more power. . .less by Sad days on March 05 2010, 21:28 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

My President! Zuma might have the position, but Zille is my President! by Bongiwe on March 06 2010, 00:41 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

The Monster Staggers On!! Carl Niehaus and Joe Slovo. And aunties Zille, Suzman and Joseph and The Black Sash! Then also the Anglican Communion and Archbishop Huddleston, and one should not forget the UDF men and Boesak!! And Madam Hogan who did her part! And it would be unfair . .more to forget about oom Bey and Bram Fischer! Together they built the most beautiful, the fairest, the most moral and clever Monster! Then they unleashed their Monster!! The Creators of the Monster explained that Their Monster is the most moral, the most beautiful and the smartest Super-Genius Monster who will save us all! All of us!! But the Monster staggers on and he is abusive! There is chaos, anarchy, violence and decay in his path! People flee, and are depressed! The roads have pot-holes and platoons of bandits are shooting left and right! Some people hope that the Monster will divide and die, while other people have given up hope and are living in caves or running in circles!! . .less by JVR on March 06 2010, 00:49 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Mentality Democracy is too complex for Africa, you need a reasonably sophisticated electorate for it to work. But when the electorate identify with an uneducated leopard-skinned polygamist, there's the reason for Africa's continued backwardness. by Kevin on March 06 2010, 08:12 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

It is shameful that our press in this country will not educate the majority of voters The Daily Sun has enormous clout because it speaks to people on the ground. I see every day how many people have it in their hands. Imagine if this article was printed for all to read?? Why don't they take the responsibility to politically . .more educate our masses??? Not one single newspaper has printed and balanced the accusations that Helen Zille is racist by Malema et al. Not one has come out with the facts that she is the last person on this earth who is a racist. Not one newspaper or Radio Station has refuted the accusations by informing them of Helen's history working tirelessly for all non whites. The educated know this is a lie, but it has been repeated so many times that even the educated ANC supporters believe this. Sorry to repeat this but even if it gets one new person to read this, please Google Helen Zille wiki and read her history yourself. . .less by didi on March 06 2010, 10:52 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Transparency According to the DA there are five key components of an open society. No mention is made of full disclosure of political party funding. Deal with that, Helen, and show us that you are not just another self-serving politician? by Carl Wille on March 06 2010, 15:58 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

JVR The NATS, MENEER, BAAS, perfected and institutionalised abuse and oppression. Oom Bey and Bram Fischer are two superb examples of what happened to the FEW men with vision, courage and conscience in what appears to be your tribe. I know you miss the order . .more and the power. Maybe even the abuse? Things may be rather chaotic now. We certainly have our challenges. Life for most of us, however, was infinitely worse under the NATS. All that remains now is for the oppressive, insecure and abusive NAT leaders to face the unfinished business of the TRC. Then we can move forward together, united, as South Africans. . .less by Carl Wille on March 06 2010, 16:46 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Keep your hat on Mr Wille... Aaah Mr WIlle, keep you hat on -- I heard you the first time!! Now I do not have much to say about the Nats - they screwed up badly, that is easily conceded. The ANC, of course, did their own elsewhere, may be worse. But amongst our morally . .more blind Leftists there is only denial about moral culpability in their enabling of the modern ANC. Now let us see, where was President Zuma when The Black Sash Ladies ran safe houses for dangerous men on missions? The ANC was a moribund and disappearing organization in the 1960s before they were resurrected, funded, supported and enabled by the Anglicans and The Black Sash. Without them, SA would have, by bumps and scrapes, still evolved into some kind of decentralized democracy -- demographic realities made that inevitable. But Sire, people like you apparently, wanted the ANC as the vehicle, and so we have the future created by the SAcan White Left under ANC hegemony. We have today the government by the very same people supported by The Black Sash and the Anglican Communion, almost to a man. You should one day, when you come of the high horse, read a book about Western Guilt and the psychological effects it has on White Perceptions such as Yours. I recommend the book by Pascal Bruchner - he describes the difference between me and you well. You have guilt, I don't. . .less by JVR on March 06 2010, 18:30 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

JVR Thank you for the recommended reading. I may have guilt, but it certainly has nothing to do with bringing the ANC into power. I dislike all politicians equally. The abuse and the oppression continue because we have not adequately dealt with the abuse and . .more oppression of the NATS. History simply repeats itself. My guilt has much more to do with benefiting from an unjust, oppressive and abusive system due to my racial classification. Whether or not you have guilt, is really none of my business. Nor is it any of my business whether you have adequately and honestly confronted your past. Or not. You have however failed to address the way Oom Bey and Bram Fischer were treated by the tribe they originated from? How about you come out of the closet and reveal yourself and I will get off my high horse? . .less by Carl Wille on March 06 2010, 22:32 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

There is too little space here for a complete reply, but in short.... Fischer joined the South African Communist Party ("SACP") in the 1940s and soon rose to leadership positions within the party. This was after Stalin, and if he did not understand the viciousness of Communism, then his anti-Afrikaans starting points . .more remain unforgivable. I rest my case about him. Beyers Naude internalized the missionary ideal - and projected it onto his own people. This is, that the sole reason for Afrikaner existence is to uplift Black SAcans, and on completion of that, to step aside, cease existence and go extinct. Now both Fischer and Naude had no sympathy with their own people's unique historical conundrum -- shot into the Union by the Anglos, condemned for the consequences of a population explosion under blacks, and oppositional to forced integration. In short, Naude and Fischer hated their own people... they did not seek to lead them, but to undermine and defeat them. Elsewhere, say in England, such behaviour has names. But rejoice, Mr WIlle, they were truimphant!! . .less by JVR on March 07 2010, 02:59 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Incidently Mr Wille, Good luck with your little project to deal adequately with historical abuse and oppression. Whenever I see such urges, I wonder how far back you want to go? The Nats, OK? How about Kitchener, posthumously? What about Lord Somerset? And how about . .more the Mfekane, shall we do Shaka? How about Dingane? And while I think about it, what about some ANC members for the stuff that went on, shall we say, during the Struggle? Ahem? Now one has to be seriously naive to think that any such trails will be concluded successfully at this time. The witnesses are dead, or crazy, or have forgotten essential details. The documents have been lost or have been shredded. The judges will be appointed by the ANC, and even in The Hague they will project 2010 sensibilities onto the past 30-50 years ago, in a period of a much different case. I mean, as an example, will it be OK to charge Winston Churchill because he led a government hostile to gays, and had pro-white immigration policies, as was universally so in those days? Of course, on the successful conclusion of your trails, the ANC will continue with their projects just as if nothing has happened. You see, this is the nature of the beast. Humans are part of nature. In that context you fight for your place in the sun, and if you don't, then you go extinct. . .less by JVR on March 07 2010, 03:24 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Can we have Malema-Free News? Yes, I admit that the man's wealth is questionable. However, we have important and serious issues than always be bombarded about Malema. Malema seems to be enjoying more media coverage even above the President not to mention Ministers. South Africa . .more deserves better than just this Malema Fever. . .less by magebalife on March 07 2010, 14:40 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Voter education Important Most people vote for the ANC because it has become their beacon of hope notwithstanding the party, as Helen refers, being run by kleptocrats. It's sad but it is reality. I sense that the tables will turn in the next election. I emphasize that we must all . .more support service delivery protests (minus the vandalism) and encourage the use of trusts accounts to force municiplaities to deliver basic services to people. I also think that we should rally behind people like Vavi who is openly opposing tenderpreneurship and looting of state coffers. . .less by IkonoBlakClast on March 08 2010, 00:05 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@ JVR Superbly summed up. @ Carl Wille;- "Things may be rather chaotic now"- love it !. I'm sorry if you are wracked with guilt, I'm sure it will pass, (your privileged life style will no doubt alleviate the pangs a little.) by Voortrekker on March 08 2010, 07:41 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Helen Zille is right, but... ...didn't Helen Suzman give the same advice to white audiences over the years prior to her retirement in 1989? Did they listen? I think it took over 40 years before they accepted, albeit grudgingly. Or they knew all along that she was correct but wanted . .more to live in Apartheid Utopia! And remember - white South Africans never had the glorious benefit of Bantu Education to reason differently. However that is no excuse for Black South Africans for simply blindly following a kleptomaniac ANC administration. Or is it just a case that they are disappointed that the white population has only declined by 1.2 million to the current 4 million. Will they only give the ANC the boot at the ballot box once all pale faces are totally eliminated? It sounds like i'm pulling the race card - but hey - that got pulled all the time from 1652 to 1994 - What were you expecting in return? . .less by Piet Pompies on March 08 2010, 08:03 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Silly old Carl Wille Helen Zille needs to "deal" with party political funding to "show" us that she is not just another self-serving politician? Gosh hey "dealing" with this shows you are not self-serving? How utterly stupid can you get! And : "All that remains . .more now is for the oppressive, insecure and abusive NAT leaders to face the unfinished business of the TRC. Then we can move forward together, united, as South Africans." "We" cannot move forward together until that silly exercise is done? That is all that is holding "us" back? What utter bullshit! Are the ANC cadres and their supporters going to embrace all others once those "insecure and abusive" NAT leaders have faced the music? What planet does this bloody fool come from, or alternatively, what is he smoking? It's as silly as one of his previous offerings : " 10% of the population get everything, and 90% are excluded" later modified to "11% get everything and 89% are excluded". Apart from the silliness and vagueness of the two categories, how stupid must you not be to consider "get everything" and "excluded" to be set-theoretically mutually exclusive and exhaustive categories? Boggles the mind! . .less by mpho on March 08 2010, 08:20 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@JvR I am so delighted that you agree that the Progressive Party was the only Party with a policy that would have worked. by Old Prog on March 08 2010, 09:01 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Okay, but... How do we actually get voters to vote with their heads, not their hearts? No matter what you say, ANC voters will do what they always do. Problems can be blamed on the NP. Malema will be forgiven, all he has to do is say the Whites are trying to get him. by Richard on March 08 2010, 09:39 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

He Failed Wood-Work And by this mornings e-news account, he is no good at Brick-Laying(for a road?)or ditch digging(without an excavator)either. So what's next? I reckon we give him a shot at being a Car guard(does not require too much skill) Hell if that . .more does not work then maybe something that requires no skill at all. Maybe he is destined to be in parliament after all! . .less by Fred on March 08 2010, 09:45 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@JVR and Wille I think that you are both right. Go back to the Nats and even the British and if any of them are still alive, then hang them up on the Gallows Nazi style for the 6000 deaths under their rule. Once done then get that little Genocidal Poet we called . .more president that wholesale murdered Millions of his own people(1 Apartheid every 10 days on a body count comparison) back here so we can deal with him appropriately too. . .less by Fred on March 08 2010, 09:56 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

don't hold your breath Every time Zuma opens his mouth these days he reminds me more and more of Laurent Kabila. The man wants to be king. He has as much concept of democracy as my pet labrador has of rocket engines. He really does think he has the right to do . .more and say what he wants. He is totally incapable of running his cabinet and is hopelessly, utterly, and completely compromised. he has not a clue about the state of the nation. The corruption of state infrastructure is so far progressed now that it is hardly possible to stop it. Lunacy and mayhem are around the corner. The only thing that makes me hang around a bit longer is that i do sense an element of opposition within the townships. of course, Zuma will learn from Mugabe (Malema already has) and it will not be long before rubber bullets turn to lead -tipped ones when the police goons get into the townships. . .less by Plutarch on March 08 2010, 10:07 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

MALEMA'S LAST LAUGH Unfortunately this country will go the same way as other states in Africa purely and simply because of the sheer volume of uneducated voters who continue to support politicians who make idle promises. by Eddie on March 08 2010, 10:29 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@JvR I take exception to the fact that you say that oom Bey hated his own people. I knew him well and I know that he loved his own people as well as he loved all other. Seeing that you are such a history boffin, I suggest you read up on the history of the . .more Naudes and what role they played in the Boer War. . .less by Koos on March 08 2010, 11:08 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Time to look foward Like it or not the time for being bogged down with past mistakes is over For those brave enough its time to shine a light into the darkness, for all of my fifty nine years of life there has been no vision of future in this country. Malema and . .more his antics are no different for what we have heard before from the white verkramptes, the days of SABC banning certain pop songs and so on. Malema is out of date and primitive so is the president. It is time to go off the defensive. It is time to create a new blue print for this country and leave those stuck on the 1960s corrupt Africa behind. Its the only way out of the mess. . .less by Nationless on March 08 2010, 12:07 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

The Blacks unfortunately cannot run a country the way the whites want them to and that is that That the millions of poor blacks are worse off under black rule and will continue to be worse off is irrelevant. They will vote ANC everytime. Thats is what they do and it is in their brains, imprinted for life. That the whites can see the folly of black . .more corruption deployment Malema BEE and poor silly old men who like sex so much like Zuma does not make any difference to black thinking. The evidence is there. Watch as SA continues to sink to the African level as is so aptly demonstrated by that horrible human being Mugabe. . .less by Despair on March 08 2010, 12:29 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

ANC following the ZANU PF election model By fooling and misleading the uneducated people in the countryside, every election. Our Electoral Commission should be fired because the people does not understand democracy. The voters must be better informed and the politicians mature and responsible, . .more for democracy to work. Difficult to think that the richest, most developed country in Africa is following the election model of one of the biggest disasters! The only hope is stronger opposition, for Cope to merge with the DA, then you have black political insight and white management structures. . .less by Jan on March 08 2010, 12:46 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Good Words Too bad ANC voter's dont see it this way, the top dogs are well looked after and then too me as ordinary citizen cannot go agaisnt this, look at the dude that zapped Zuma and his motorcade, locked up, and there are many more, this is how the ANC rules, if . .more Blacks in Balfour thought the white regime treated them unfairly, look at the ANC , shotting killling their own kind, and why because the local governemnt does not deliver on the national governments promises. Its a shame, all government officials are corrupt, right from Zuma to the dump idiot in the local muncipality, and whats worse, they believe they don't do wrong. . . pisses me off. (as they say power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutly) . .less by Buddy on March 08 2010, 12:51 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Yes let's waste our lives living in the past Wile I don't care what anyone says but when white people side with blacks, while there is an obvious onslaught on white people ie, corruption, fraud, tax, murder, hate crimes etc etc, from blacks, then my white friend, you should just commit suicide because . .more you are like the odd penquin traveling inland, away from the coast. Your brain is malfunctioning and evolution is busy decommisioning you because you are flawed, so just do us a favour and expire yourself today because we don't need any more enemies, least of all a joiner like yourself. . .less by YT on March 08 2010, 13:06 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

ALLEGED USE OF TAXPAYERS MONEY TO FINANCE THE ALLEGED GREED OF SOME POLITICIANS. THE MEDIA IS IS FULL OF REPORTS ABOUT POLITICIANS AND SOME MUNICIPAL MEMBERS WHO ALLEGEDLY MAINTAIN THEIR LAVISH LIFESTYLES THROUGH FUNDING BY TAXPAYERS AND RATE PAYERS. THESE ALLEGATIONS IF TRUE SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND THE PERPETRATORS . .more EXPOSED. WHERE ENRICHMENT IS OBTAINED BY CRIMINAL MEANS THE ALLEGATIONS SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED AND THE PERPETRATORS SHOULD BE TRIED IN OUR COURTS. THE PUBLIC IS GROWING RESTIVE BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC FUNDS REQUIRED TO DEFEND ALLEGED POLITICAL AND SEMI POLITICAL PERPETRATORS OF CRIMINAL ACTS. PUBLIC FIGURES SHOULD HAVE EXEMPLARY CHARACTERS IN ORDER TO SET AN EXAMPLE TO THE ORDINARY CITIZEN. WE ARE QUICK TO SAY TO ORDINARY CRIMINALS, THAT ALL LAWFUL MEASURES WILL BE USED TO COMBAT CRIME BUT WHEN SOME OF OUR LEADERS COMMIT CRIMES THEN IT IS WE WHO HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL IN AN ENDEAVOR TO PROVE THEIR INNOCENCE. SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT PEOPLE WHO DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO AVOID LIFESTYLE AUDITS MUST HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE. STRANGE WORLD WE LIVE IN MASTER JACK. SIDNEY COAD WILLIAMS HEALTH ACTIVIST. . .less by SIDNEY COAD WILLIAMS on March 08 2010, 13:16 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Why should people who make no economical contribution be allowed to vote? If you can't read or write, or don't have a job, you will become a charity case so you should not be able to vote. Only intelligent educated people with a job should vote. This way we can eliminate the 90% parasites and prevent them from sabotaging and . .more destroying our lives. And the voters can carry arms incase the mass idiocy decides to 'protest' with their destructive ideas. Sounds familiar, but it is time to take back the power and fight this disease called democracy because it is flawed. And malema should just go stratight to jail for fraud, theft and corruption. I cannot believe how weak and P******* society has become to even tolerate the likes of him and his ilk. And those who think I'm racist, well you are the racist. . .less by YT on March 08 2010, 13:43 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

The DA needs to be more visible Counter Malema's published indiscretions with news of successes that the DA is having. by Ghettogladiator on March 08 2010, 14:21 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

thats my boy-girl yew meik me snow proud, boy-girl. fetch my a stick. by YT's mom on March 08 2010, 14:44 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

no votes for idiots and non-tax payers Absolutely right, the road to hell is paved with idiots, who wouldn't know what they were voting for even if you spent years trying to explain it. Once again democracy is a farce and all those idiots have been bedazzled by a loin- cloth- wearing serial . .more fornicator. In future, politicians and public representatives should have to pass exams to hold public office - this will weed out the likes of Zuma and Malema. . .less by rd on March 08 2010, 15:15 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Koos, take all the exception you want, you will not shut me up. I am very well aware about the entire history surrounding General Beyers, and that his grand child is Beyers Naude. Missionaries, including the bunch of English missionaries of the London Missionary Society, had a critical role in . .more Christianizing SAcan blacks. These missionaries internalized the Noble Savage philosophy of Rousseau, and in that context saw Boers as interlopers who spoil the African paradise. Hence their historic and persistent anti-Afrikaans politics. This continues to this day, and underlies the Anglican Church's anti-Afrikaans ideology. The Grand Holy Project of the missionaries were to save Africans and to lift them up, as if Africans could not do this for themselves. In other words, a paternalistic approach with the white man (the missionary) freeing the African from his bonds of nativism and lack of modernity. Beyers Naude was a missionary in this tradition, and saw Afrikaners as disrupting his life's work. That is why he worked to undermine his own people - they stood in the way of the Grand Holy Project, which is to save Africa. I stand by my characterisation of this man. Saviours of Africa are still very much with us, and they will continue to cause more harm as long as their paternalism continues. Steve Biko, I believe, understood this, hence his philosophies. . .less by JVR on March 08 2010, 16:44 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

JVR You talk about LIFE - more people are killed now in SA than ever before in the history (source United Nations Stats) - yes, thats LIFE. by death in house on March 08 2010, 17:27 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@JvR You have just given away how little you know.....from now on, I hope all readers of Politicsweb will take you with a large tumbler of salt. Go and study the Boer War again and you will see that your facts are totally wrong. How could you have made such a . .more fool of yourself? Beyers Naude was the son of Joshua Naude, who was the secretary of General Kemp. If he was the grand child he would be about 65 today. You don't even know when the Boer War took place. . .less by Koos on March 08 2010, 17:46 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Yvonne Malan I would think that if a poll were to be held amongst Afrikaners "Was Beyers Naude a traitor to his people?" the outcome would be an overwhelming "yes". The guy was on an ego trip and found all his support amongst the ANC. by Koos Malan on March 08 2010, 18:01 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

I stand corrected Koos OK, I stand corrected, he was named for Beyers Naude, rather than being a grandson (my (old, oral) source was wrong about this - or was he?). But the association is close - just checked the Wiki page, his father served under Naude, rather than under . .more Kemp, as you claim. Perhaps you care enough to correct that entry? And no, I have never claimed to be an expert in history. But sorry, I stand on my assessment regarding Oom Bey - with the others they created a monster which is consuming us. Now death in the house, where did I talk about LIFE? . .less by JVR on March 08 2010, 18:40 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@JVR "...while other people have given up hope and are living in caves..." Sounds like you never emerged from the cave, you're a real Neanderthal. Time to stop dragging those knuckles on the ground and make the big step up to Homo Erectus. Eventually . .more you'll evolve into Home Sapiens Sapiens. It took the rest of us millions of years. You've only got to overcome 40 years of Afrikaner nazism. Go for it JVR you can do it. . .less by Jeff on March 08 2010, 19:14 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

JVR and his ilk Trouble with Afrikaner nationalism is that after World War 2 the whole world was moving away from colonialism/imperialism and racism to recognising the many injustices that these had brought to peoples who were not white. While the world moved one way the . .more Afrikaner Nats moved in the opposite direction. They had sympathised with the Nazis and Fascim during the war to the extent of attacking South African troops on the way to aid the Allies. They were too stupid to see that Fascism had been defeated. They really thought they could become the Herrenvolk and get by without the rest of the world. When I first came to this country I was astounded at the blinkered views of many Afrikaners who I came into contact with. Lack of education I suppose, no critical thinking and individual thogught, the Chosen People were all that mattered. Stupid! . .less by Jeff on March 08 2010, 19:45 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

The ANC has a policy to keep the masses uneducated - just look at the shambles of the education system and the DECLINING pass rate - stupied people will vote for the party that liberated them. So yes, SA will go the way the rest of colonial africa went by Piet on March 08 2010, 19:58 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Was your Mommy in The Blach Sash, Jeff? Aaah the Brave Jingo Jeff speaks again!! Sorry Jeff, I have moved on -- and unlike you, I did not loose my brain in 1994. I fail to see where I made statements about Fascism, WWII, or even about Europe in general. I know nothing of the . .more place, otherwise. Now Jingoes such as yourself will in due course find out that history does not take prisoners, not even in Fair England. Now methinks you protest too much... Now tell us, was Mommy in The Black Sash? Aaah, when this all dies down and the history is written dispassionately, then perhaps the Black Sash will be angels, who knows. But right now, everybody with a brain knows that they created a Monster...... . .less by JVR on March 08 2010, 20:54 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Yes - Hofstede's cultural dimensions holds the key And it happens because the majority of voters allow it -- even encourage it. Power Distance Index (PDI) that is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is . .more distributed unequally. This represents inequality (more versus less), but defined from below, not from above. It suggests that a society's level of inequality is endorsed by the followers as much as by the leaders. Power and inequality, of course, are extremely fundamental facts of any society and anybody with some international experience will be aware that 'all societies are unequal, but some are more unequal than others'. . .less by JWise on March 09 2010, 01:46 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Who was Oom Brey ? And why do we give a rats. about someone who is dead and cant help us now. Or history about colonisation or the boor war or Dingaan. What we need is current Leadership that addresses current problems, not rear view mirror . .more Politics. Unfortunately all the the ANC has ever had to offer is stuck in the past(we fought apartheid from the comfort of our London "exile" homes and Oxford Dorm rooms 30 years ago so vote for us now.) By these standards is Huntley (the Canadian Exile) a future struggle hero? Will he return one day to become president? . .less by Fred on March 09 2010, 09:28 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Name
Subject
Comment