GOUDINI SPA CONTINUED

GOUDINI SPA LOOMING ACCIDENTS

On the afternoon of my first day at Goudini Spa, I accompanied my wife to the pools. I accidentally cut my foot on a broken or raised edge of a tile. Looking around I saw several other broken and missing tiles, so I decided to capture it in order to alert other potential day visitors to the looming accidents at Goudini Spa.

The hot mineral water gets pumped into the shallow kiddies pool that is joined to the centre pool by means of 110 mm plastic pipes. Here the water cools  by several degrees and the now tepid water enters the final pool via sluces. This may be a good principal for cooling but we all know that little children will not tell you that they need to pee and relieve themselves into the water source that supplies the other two larger pools. I have even seen the expression on adults faces when they wee in the water. They just try too hard to make the poker face which inevitable gives their game away. This is kinda disgusting, yet adults with the need to pacify themselves that the mineral water helps with their arthritis are willing to wallow in others peoples urine.

I remember the movie adults when someone pee in the water it turns blue. Compared to Caledon Spa it sucks and compared to Club Michanos, it doesn't come close. They don't even have client feedback forms to determine whether or not you enjoyed your holday and if you would recommend it to friends and family. I know of spa that received a bad review room a customer and for the sake of pleasing the customer, gave them a free weekend to any of their resorts as compensation for their poor/ bad service.

This is the metal grating against which I stomped my toe and crack my toenail. Yes it was Eina!

GOUDINI SPA

GOUDINI SPA

The name Goudini Spa plastered against the mountain-side along the N1 enroute Worcester intrigued me, ever since I was a child. As a family, we've traveled past this huge sign on countless  occasions when we were on our way to the Big Hole Kimberley, the Sani Pass Drakensberg Mountains in Lesotho, or to Lost City resort in Sun City  Johannesburg, or the Cradle of Mankind Sterkfontein Caves Pretoria, or the  BMW Motorrad Buffalo Rally via Beaufort West, etc. At least 2 decades later when my son turned 5 during August of 1989 we decided to visit Goudini Spa as a family, but were chased away as if dogs and told never to return. We discovered the hard way, that Goudini Spa was reserved exclusively for whites. Goudini Spa management enforced South Africa's apartheid policies to the hilt and as a "non-white,  though Afrikaans speaking family" we couldn't  even make it past the gate. 

Goudini Vakansie Oord by ETKV 

The Goudini Plaque against the Mountain visible for several kilometers.

Goudini Spa is an initiative of the Afrikaanse Taal  en Kultuurvereniging (RSA), abbreviated ATKA, hence named ATKV Goudini Spa. It was a resort by white Afrikaaners  for white Afrikaaners who subsequently acquired 6 more resorts situated at ATKV Buffelspoort North West, ATKV Drakensville, ATKV 

Eiland Spa Limpopo, ATKV Hartenbos Western Cape (George), ATKV Klein-Kariba Limpopo, and ATKV Natalia on Kwa-Zula Natal beach, all operated on the premise and aims to promote the Afrikaans language and culture. Membership was exclusive to members of the Afrikaner Christian community.  

After the "demise of apartheid"  many non-white families flocked to Goudini Spa to see what the hype was about, but we still avoided it as if a penal colony because of their newly found religious prejudice. As recent as the year  2000, ATKV Goudini Spa management denied a Muslim couple membership because they weren't Christians, a case that ended up at the  SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). By implication Muslims cannot or not allowed to benefit from the 30 percent discount that Christian members are entitled to and enjoy at Goudini Spa. 

In my book, this amounts to open  discrimination and  prejudice and is a violation of the right to religious freedom. If this was done to a Jew, he would very loudly shout "anti-semitism" but ATKV management banks on Muslim complacency. A complacency that virtually guarantees Goudini Spa 100% pax off season. To further this paradox and add insult to injury Goudini Spa has a fast-food restaurant advertised as  "Strictly Halaal" in red writing on a yellow board, seeking Muslim patronage yet they cannot become members. Its a blatant case of, we cannot stand you and nor your religion but we really want your money. 

However, as non-members paying the non-christian rate, my wife and her siblings have frequented Goudini Spa and always raved about what a great time they had. One day whilst surfing the net I stumbled on some beautiful photos of Goudini Spa which looked really enticing. The photos of the mountainous region, the vinyard valleys, the fynbos, and above all my wife's incessant nagging to go to Goudini Spa served as the deciding factor to go spend a few days of well deserved rest at the resort, right before their annual price increase which kicks-in on the 1 March.

What follows is a pictorial expose of the three days I spent there. But before I continue, I need to say I was disappointed by the overall Goudini Spa experience, especially by the main attraction which are the Spa pools. Perhaps my disappointment doesn't stem from the resort and its amenities itself  but rather from my expectations of Goudini Spa, considering we paid real money to be there, 30 percent more than any Christian guest.  This blog is not a placard to boycott Goudini Spa nor an attempt at reverse racism but rather an insight into its shortcomings and perhaps what needs to be done to improve relations among  all South Africans.  

The following few pics are really cool and depict the weather during various times of the day over a three day period when I looked out of the front door of our rondawel in which we stayed.

Late afternoon the mist came up and it was quite cold.

Midday  and the clouds were standing still

When the wind came up he clouds blew north

When the sun was overhead but overcast

Hazy weather

The Rondawel in which we stayed

My understanding of the hotel/ resort star rating is that a 1 star is usually a small to medium-sized room /apartment with facilities  and furnishings that  are clean but basic which typically includes a telephone and TV and a bath tub.  The Rondavel in which we stayed, is rated as 2 stars with most of the TV channels TV snowy, the remote control didn't work and the manual buttons to operate were situated on the top edge of the  TV which was perched on a shelf above the fridge. To change the channel of even decrease the intensity of the sound level, one needed to climb on a chair with the hope of pressing the correct button to do the necessary. When we vacated the Rondawel after our stay, we discovered that reception gave us the wrong TV remote - a Hisense remote for an LG TV.  LoL. And all we got was a sooorrrry.

A HiSense remote control for the LG TV below.

TV reception sucked, and the annoyance of a non-working remote control made things worse.

This must have bee a storeroom and not accommodation.

The door scraped every time it was opened or closed while
 the mosquito net had a massive hole in it.

The TV aerial cable just hanging like a cloths line

Cracked window panes... are they serious!

I wasn't prepaired to put my clothing in this damp, musty smelling cupboard

Incomplete tiling in the bathroom is definitely not worth 2 stars.

The outside of the Rondawels looks more appealing than the inside.

My garden tools shed floor looks better than this.

When I touch the curtain it just came off the rail 

So within the first hour we were there, I had to get the plumbers
out to unblock the drain that overflowed with human feces.  

Look at this... This must be the 1 star and the picture below the 2nd star

Certainly not fit to be called a 2 star resort.

The TV aerial was mounted on the rafters of the thatch roof
with the cable hanging like a cloths line 

This is for newly weds. When you close the bathroom door, white confetti falls on your head. 

This is probably the air vent where the steam vapours need to escape.
However when the wind blows the dust comes pouring out immediately after you showered.

This must be the  "Chip" and dale bathroom suit. Lots of chips but no dale.

This is where the Goudini Spa king cockroach lives.
You know the one that walks over your toothbrush when you not looking.

Continued .....

#FeesMustFall

#FeesMustFall

The year 1976 was the year of student uprising and protests that shook the apartheid regime, which brought them to their senses. Using the term "Soweto Student Uprising" just diminishes the efforts and successes of all other student groups across South Africa; and it is therefore more politically correct to say that their collective protesting was the catalyst that fragmented and finally transitioned South Africa from its demeaning system of apartheid to one of majority rule and equal opportunity.  This was a major achievement for the previously disadvantaged, even though apartheid only officially "fell" in 1994. With the "fall of apartheid" universities enrollments were available to everyone and ratio of privileged whites to underprivileged blacks gradually changed. By looking at the figures below, it is very evident that there are currently far more black university students than white students. The difficulty with being previously disadvantaged, money or rather a lack of it was more often than not the problem and to pay exorbitant fees for an education is almost impossible for most previously disadvantaged families.  #FeesMustFall is a student led protest/march/demonstration  that began in October 2015 in response to a controversial increase in  South African universities fees.

University of Pretoria (UP)

The University of Pretoria has some 62 000 full-time and part-time students and it also has the largest residency in South Africa.  Black students represent about 56% whereas White accounts for some 39% with other race groups and international students composed of the shortfall. They want  Fees #Must Fall

North West University (NWU)

North West University has more than 47 000 students which resulted from the merging of the historically black University of North-West and the  historically white Potchefstroom University. Black students currently  stands at 28%  whereas White  students amount to some 69% and once again the shortfall is composed of other race groups and international students. They want  Fees #Must Fall

University of Johannesburg (UJ)

University of Johannesburg also has some 47 000 students because it was a merger  of  the Technikon Witwatersrand (TWR) and the Rand Afrikaans University (RAU). It has  73% black students and  20% white students. They want  Fees #Must Fall

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU)

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University was formed when the University of Port Elizabeth, the Port Elizabeth Technikon and the Port Elizabeth campus of Vista University merged with a collective of 23 500 students composed of 58% Black students and 25% white students. They want  Fees #Must Fall

University of the Western Cape (UWC)

University of the Western Cape is also known as bush collage and targeted towards the  “coloured community”, since inception. UWC has a long history of activism by disadvantaged groups. The total number of students exceed  15 000, of which 38% are Black,  4.5% are White and the difference is predominantly Coloured. They want  Fees #Must Fall

Stellenbosch University

Stellenbosch University  is traditionally an Afrikaans university and one of the few institutions that didn’t undergo a merger  with a historically disadvantaged institution, even though it is one of the oldest universities in South Africa. Of its 26 000 students 67% are White and 13% are Black. They want  Fees #Must Fall

University of Cape Town (UCT)

University of Cape Town is the oldest university in South Africa and one of its leading teaching and research institutions. UCT was formerly an advantaged institution yet opposed to apartheid, admitting its first black students as long ago as 1920 and also didn't  merge with any other previously disadvantaged institutions. With 22200 students 19% of them are black whereas 38% of its students are white. They want  Fees #Must Fall

#FeesMustFall

The problem with the Fees #Must Fall is that the opportunistic thug element takes advantage of the situation and destroys the property of the educational institutions. Just a few days ago as many as 17 schools were torched /destroyed in Vuwani, Limpopo Province. Resulting in schoolchildren walking  around aimlessly throughout Masakoma and Mashau villages contemplating their future after their schools and their records were reduced to ash. In his Presidency budget speech President Zuma said "A school or two is one thing‚ but when it is 17 schools is not a small thing‚ it looks suspicious"‚ and added that "We must look deeper because there are some rumours that in many of these protests there is some motive and some people take advantage of that". Each school will cost an approximately R30 million to reconstruct. Based on Zuma words, there could be a third force at work. "Third Force" is exactly the term used by ANC leaders during the late 80s to early 1990s referring to a clandestine forces believed to be responsible for a surge in violence in KwaZulu-Natal, and in townships in and around the Witwatersrand.

POLIGAMY VS POLYAMORY

POLIGAMY VS POLYAMORY

There is an old quotation in prose by John Donne that very correctly says "No man is and Island." Sticking to the analogy, it implies that man (island) is intrinsically connected, part of the mainland or part of the continent. In the same vane man is connected to his family and his community, firstly through his family tree, parents and siblings then through neighbours friends, colleagues and acquaintances. This perpetuation continues through marriage and  fosters a genuine sense of belonging. Man invariably has an inherent feeling of belonging called "love and togetherness" hence he finds himself a mate to marry so that he can start his very own family tree and community.   

Marriage is a natural part of living. It is an institution that is highly recommended by all religions because it's a standard of morality. It is that promise to marry your partner with God Almighty as the witness, to honour and love and cherish and share and procreate until death do you part, along with the blessings of your parents that makes the difference in marriage as apposed to living together. These are but a few reasons that makes marriage honourable and worthwhile and sought after. In the same sense a tree is married to the soil, the branches married to its trunk and the leaves married to its branches. All owning a sense of belonging. Like the leaves have a sense of belonging, offspring should also have the same sense of ownership to their parents. Not a warped ownership, because they were born bastards (a child born of parents not married to each other). No moral person would want to be accused of fornication (sexual intercourse between people not married to each other) because it is generally considered disgraceful. Neither would any unmarried young girl take kindly to being accused of being a whore due to an accidental pregnancy, because it is frightfully embarrassing. Yet this does happen, in fact it happens on a global scale. To make matters worse, adultery (voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not their spouse), has become the favourite pastime for colleagues working side by side for at least 8 hours daily. The moral excluded.

Adultery closely follows the heels of  extramarital sex (sexual relations outside of the marriage) as the integrity of some husbands and some wives become blurred. Both forms of infidelity (being unfaithful  to your spouse) are frowned upon by religion as a grave sin. However, living together in sin (sexually intimate) rather than marriage has become a social norm in modern society, yet not socially accepted, it is certainly not condoned by the religious nor tolerated by the majority of women. The old saying "to make an honest woman of her"  implies that a man was dating a woman and was having an intimate/sexual relationship with her, and that its high time that her marries her.  Needless to say in every such a situation women have an expectancy of marriage. Women want to get married, they want to be brides, the want a husband. The obstacle is that globally the gender ratios are out of whack.

Three years ago (2013) this figure stated that 49.59% of the global population were women, implying that men outnumber women on the planet by as much as 60 million. The two countries with the largest populations China and India, both having a preference for sons and due to this now have a major population imbalance . However, they are not the only countries struggling with this problem. Looking back there are as many as 81 countries that have a majority of women, with as few as 37 countries having a majority of men.  The remaining 75 countries were are within 0.5% of gender parity. Russia, Armenia, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania,  Estonia and Belarus  are just a few among the many countries with the largest female populations, most of them potential brides seeking marriage from men in foreign countries. Considering that the global prison population is 90% male which is further compounded by the astronomical global gay figure, automatically excludes a large percentage of available men from marriage.  Looking at the amount of men that gets killed in armed conflicts and war torn zones globally (Ukraine, Sudan, Turkey, Mexico, Syria, Afghanistan, etc,) reduces the available  men for marriage substantially. Then the life expectancy of women outstrips that of men my as 5-19 years and more. The aforementioned countries also lead world statistics in the life-expectancy gap between males (average 66 years) and females (average 77 years). 

This leaves us with a glut of surplus women, all of whom would like to get married but stymied by the lack of available men. But that's not the actual problem. The real problem is the democratic law against polygamy (having plural wives at the same time) and the vigorously condemnation of it by the mainstream church and state. Polygamy has been a customary practice in many cultures and in many societies. Since ancient times this is very prominent in biblical scripture in a Hebrew setting  and in modern times in a Mormon setting. Both forms of polygamy is strongly patriarchal intrinsically tied to a strong sense of mutual acceptance by the families involved beside being part of their religious doctrine. 

However  in the  Reynolds vs. United States case, the Supreme Court  banned polygamy in preference of  heterosexual monogamy but did not outlaw Polyamory (engaging in multiple sexual relationships with the consent of all the people involved) in fact it wasn't even mentioned. Based on this one could quite comfortably say Democratic lawmakers prefer Polyamory  above polygamy, thereby giving both men and women swinging (sexually liberated and rampant promiscuity)  rights which invariably raise paternity issues in the case of pregnancy, bastard children in the event of birth, whores for mothers, mhores (male whores) for fathers. Condoning indiscriminate sex, sexually transmitted diseases, plural single women impregnated by the same man, some of whom  will have abortions, others will raise their illegitimate children with an absentee father who they will sue  for alimony payments and have him imprisoned  if they can't pay. They then become a burden of the state in the form of child support. Law makers also condone gay and same sex marriages leading to confused children. Is this   Democrazy or just crazy?

Instead they punish the  father willing to marry plural wives, seeing to their needs (food shelter clothing etc,) and remains responsible for caring for all his children from these plural wives, all of whom get to share the love of their sisters and brothers and have both their parents as a family unit living under one roof. It is a case of the have's and the have nots. Those women who have a husband tend not to want to share, but those women who don't have a husband are genuinely willing to share a husband.  The reason being, there is just too few men to go around.  And when an  woman's body clock is ticking and can't find a husband, and not willing to embrace a polygamous marriage, may opt to cheat with any available married man,  instead of letting one of them make an honest woman out of her. This is a recipe for a broken marriage and irate wife, a sexually transmitted disease and an unwanted pregnancy and a possible divorce.

In reality all the prospective brides from Russia Armenia, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania,  Estonia and Belarus would like to have a monogamous marriage though many of them would opt for a polygamous marriage providing those cards are on the table. Polygamy is a God send to women but how many are willing to embrace it.

RACISM

RACISM HAS RAISED ITS UGLY HEAD ONCE AGAIN.

South Africa came to democracy fairly late, hence was able to draw on the collective wisdom of foreign democratic countries globally. Its constitution came into effect on 4 February 1997 and is widely regarded as the most progressive constitution in the world, with a Bill of Rights totally inimitable, unique. It is also unusually long because it's been  compiled in all eleven official languages during the transition from apartheid to democracy, with an acute awareness of the injustices of the country's non-democratic past. It is the highest law of the land and no other law or government action can supersede it, and under its protection, human rights and freedoms are given unimpeded priority and prominence. In its founding provisions it emphasizes the intention of establishing "a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights", among which are:

• Human dignity, 
• Advancement of human rights and freedoms, 
• Freedom of expression and association,
• Achievement of equality, 
• Equal political and property rights, 
• Equal housing, 
• Equal health care, 
• Equal education, 
• Equal access to information, 
• Equal access to courts, 

These are just a few basic rights that the democratic citizens of South Africa take very seriously and hold very dear.  However under apartheid South Africa, its citizens were essentially divided into two main categories. The first category comprised the privileged "whites" who collectively discriminated against the deprived  second category which constituted Indians, Coloureds and Blacks. The White Racist South African Government purposely established a Department of Indian affairs, a Department of Colored affairs and a Department of Bantu affairs, to keep these peoples in check, each given less privileges than the other respectively.  Apparteheid was rife  from 1948 to 1994 and  during this time, the general White mind set was supremacy, discriminatory and begrudging. 

Edited from the Population Register Act No 30 of 1950;  A White person is  in appearance
White and not Coloured; A Coloured is a person who is not a White or a Bantu

From the Government Gazette registration of reclassification, 1984. 518 Coloured persons
were reclassified as White persons. 1 White person was reclassified as a Coloured person.

Name calling was "their privilege" verbal  abuse was their "passport" and beating up no-whites was their "right". Non-whites could only be employed as laboures and farm workers,  waters, gardeners, maids, street sweepers, bus-boys, delivery staff and cleaners, etc, who were called, lazy, baboons, apes, monkeys, dumb,  stupid and ignorant because of the gutter education they were given. They were considered third class citizens. Among all three racial groups there were teachers, admin clerks, secretaries, shop assistants, tailors, etc and they were considered second class citizens but the posts of managers, supervisors, postal clerks, bank tellers, policemen, estate agents, train drivers, inspectors, artisans were reserved for whites. 

But in the remote event that a non-white person secured any of these posts, their financial remuneration was normally a fraction of that paid to Whites. Most Whites were raised in affluence with a sense of superiority, an air of supremacy and the legal right to discriminate, but there were exception though few and far between. To put it bluntly, they were raised as White Racists. Racism isn't hereditary, it is learnt, because nobody is born a Racist. They were well taught to hate everything and everyone that wasn't White and no new dispensation / democratic constitution was  going to change them into non-racists overnight. But like I said earlier, there are exceptions.  Admittedly there are some White South Africans living in abject poverty and squaller, yet raised as White Racist as if the colour of their skin made them superior. Even some 21 year old's who were born in 1994 after the "demise of apartheid" are racist because their parents Racists taught them that "Racism was Right".

Twenty five  years of democracy later, racism is still raising its ugly head, prompting the African National Congress (ANC)  to lay charges of crimen injuria at  the  South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) against a number of white South Africans for alleged racist remarks posted on the twitter and facebook social media platforms. KwaZulu-Natal realtor and DA member Penny Sparrow angered many SA citizens with her racist  utterance on Facebook, saying:-

“These monkeys that are allowed to be released on New Years Eve and New Years day on to public beaches towns etc obviously have no education what so ever and to allow them loose is inviting huge dirt and discomfort to others”.  “From now I  shall address the blacks of South Africa as monkeys as I see the cute little wild monkeys do the same pick drop and litter.”

White Racist Realtor Penny Sparrow on Facebook

The TV program 'Durban Beach Rescue' (SA's version of Bay Watch) that's been flighting weekly show cased the masses that flock to the beaches of Durban over the festive season, which gave a gave a fair  idea of what the situation looked like.  Either this or personl attendance prompted the White Racist FatTruckSA  gym owner Justin van Vuuren to facebook:- 

"I don't care what ppl say but I am so  so  so disgusted by by the state of the Durban beachfront these people come from their homes or where ever they live to literally throw all a heir shit all over the floor! There is no control over these animals! Our promenade smells like piss and shit and I hat it! The municipality needs to stop this! These ppl are destroying the beach! Go back back to where you come from and take your 13 kids with you! Also teach them to look left and right before crossing the promenade! They seem to have no depth perception neither! I recommend we make our promenade private! It shouldn't  be enjoyed by the scum of the nation!  I'm in total disgust".

Chris Hart an Economist for Standard Bank tweeted, "More than 25 years after Apartheid ended, the victims are increasing along with a sense of entitlement and hatred towards minorities….".

White Racist Chris Hart, an economist for Standard Bank who doesn't share his views.

Chris Hart has subsequently been suspended pending an inquiry by Standard Bank.  Penny Sparrow was expelled from the Democratic Alliance (DA)  who also laid criminal charges against her for infringing the dignity of all South Africans and for dehumanising Black South Africans. She was also dismissed from Jarwits Real estate pending an investigation. Justin van Vuuren  lost the Futurelife sponsorship. The SAHRC plans to probe into the racist social media comments made by the these White Racists with possible prosecution, even though the constitution doesn't make provision for that yet. But for now, i'ts just a matter of time before legislation will be put in place since all exposed White Racists assumed an insincere apology is sufficient to cut it.  I'm pretty sure, the one thing   these three White Racists have  learnt from their experiences, is that you cannot  fight racism with racism. And I'm certain there are millions of others that can learn from their experience. Amandla!

ZUMA MUST FALL

ZUMA MUST FALL

The latest controversy is the ever falling rand that resulted from President Jacob Zuma's indecision. His ridiculous   move to change three finance ministers in one week upset the masses, so much so, that they took to the streets  of Cape Town and Johannesburg protesting. Protesters gathered in front of Parliament and in the Company Gardens  Cape Town and at the Union buildings to show their support for the #ZumaMustFall movement with 151 000 signatories trending on twitter.  Thousand upon thousand with placards in hand demanded the removal of Jacob Zuma and chanting  Zuma Must Fall. 

The masses protesting against President Zuma

The 73 year old president cost the South African economy close to R2 176 230 000 000, which I'm certain he can't even enunciate. The South African foreign debt jumped to  38.2% and is at its  highest since 1980's. Yet, President Jacob Zuma was willing to spend additional Billions of Rands on nuclear reactors from which he would financially benefit before his term as president ends. And spend several billions more on bailout for South African Airways [SAA] run by his girlfriend Dudu Myeni for new jets, not to mention the 4 billion on his luxurious  personal and jet.  

This is what Zuma's 4 Billion Rand Private Jet looks like.

Although he already spent R 250 Million  on Nkandla, his private residence. To crown it all, when Nhlanhla Nene refused to give financial guarantees and declined to grant Zuma’s staff exemptions for using expensive hotels and flying first class, Jacob Zuma fired his ass and replaced him with his "yes man" David van Rooyen. In the last State of the Nation address, Zuma promised 1 million jobs. He over promised and under delivered by more than half, failing the poor and  the working class and South Africans as a whole. This Zuma styled unity and democracy, is certainly not the kind of unity and democracy envisioned by the late Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo and our beloved Madiba, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.

President Jacob Zuma has been playing Russian Roulette with the South African economy during his term of office causing irreparable harm, yet the ANC condemned the #ZUMAMUSTFALL marches, saying they go against the spirit of reconciliation even though the Day of Reconciliation commenced with inter party animosity. Instead of dropping Zuma like a hot potato as they should, the ANC executive supported Zuma despite the party losing  more public support than at anytime during their history. From this it is quite evident that Zuma will remain as president until the next elections and the ANC will do their utmost to milk black sympathy by constantly reminding its voters about the apartheid struggle. 

A huge flag tied to table mountain below the cable car - saying ZUMA MUST FALL

The ANC spokesperson Kodwa, accused former Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille of using Reconciliation Day to engage in partisan politics and trivialise the significance of nation building. But the DA's underlying message remained "no reconciliation with corruption".  Zwelinzima Vavi, former Cosatu General-Secretary warned that South Africa could become the next Zimbabwe if President Jacob Zuma isn't stopped from usurping the coffers. Julius Malema, EFF leader whose been picketing "pay back the money" predicted  that President Zuma won't not make it to next year's State of the Nation Address, even though he swore allegence to JZ. 

Students protesting outside the Union Buildings Pretoria.

THREE FINANCE MINSTERS IN ONE WEEK

R4 billion jet crashed South African economy

Something as ridiculous as going through Pravin Gordhan can only happen in South Africa. Yep, never mind the consequences to poor South Africans and the business sector, especially importers because the ZAR just got flushed down the toilet for the n~th time since the "ousting of apartheid." Over the past four years the the Rand has lost so much value that it's starting to resemble the free fall of the Zimbabwean Dollar under  Robert Mugabe's presidency.

South Africa as a whole is still reeling from this ridiculous move made by President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, who reshuffled his cabinet for the second time in five days. After appointing  unknown lawmaker David van Rooyen and axing Nhlanhla Nene on Wednesday the rand tumbled to a historic low and bond yields jumped to the highest point they have ever been in seven years. This appointment gave the global community a sense of insecurity making them feel their investment in South Africa is turning sour hence they disinvested as fast as the river Nile flows during a flash flood. Forced by the market reaction and that of South Africans from all sectors including fellow politicians within the ANC. Jacob Zuma reconsidered the folly of his decision and hastily reappointed Pravin Gordhan as Finance Minister. As a consequence the rand  immediately improved after a week of market turmoil which triggered the  #zumamustfall campaign, as well as a planned march with a petition to remove the president from power.

President Zuma  is panicking beyond comprehension because his whim was in fact political suicide leaving him more vulnerable than ever for bringing South Africa on the bring of a recession. His political wrangling arose over a planned nuclear deal and questionable spending at the struggling national airline carrier. And there is speculation that Zuma axed Nene because of his refusal to approve the purchase of new Airbus jets  from airline chairwoman, Dudu Myeni, who was known to be a close ally of President Zuma.

However, the South African Rand firmed by as little as one Rand closing of R15.88 which is nowhere near to what it was before 2011. I distinctly remember a time when the 1 ZAR was worth 2 USD but since we've had 5 presidents. It appears that tribalism is beyond good governance seeing  that  JZ was elected into office not because he was the best man for the job but that it was the Msholozi clan's turn to lead the people of South Africa even though he had no formal education as a child.