I was not going to write a follow-up to my previous post but was compelled to by an email response from a “friend”. This “friend” managed to spoil my thorough enjoyment of Koos Kombuis’s Lisa se Klavier. His email made me think quite a bit about why he wrote the email, what my response would be and why it was important to write a response. My “friend” typifies the sickness we now see in South Africa.
You see, my “friend” and I go a long, long way back, unfortunately too way back! He is very strong-handed and this led to his heavy-handedness extending to his wife. No matter how many people encouraged her to leave him, she never did. In the end, he killed her! Yet today he is a free “man” and his behaviour is typical of what we now see in the ruling party and their tendencies.
You see, nobody and no organisation owns or can claim credit to the freedom of South Africa as so many eloquent people have pointed out. South Africa belongs to all who live in it, the wealth belongs to all who live in it. It is our country, not one party’s country. (There were many bodies and organisations pushing for change.) They may want to believe this to be “true” and because of the spoils, plunder, pillage and disregard the populace. They, the privileged few, have managed to convince themselves of this “truth”.
We, The People, are my “friend’s” late wife. We continue to take this abuse. We voted for change and we continue to get nothing. We opposed the dismantling of the Scorpions, they dismantled it anyway. Did we take further steps to oppose this? Mind you, crook and political hack Jackie Selebi, who was tasked with dismantling the Scorpions, was found guilty by a court of law. Worse off, when his acts were highlighted to the then president of the country he said “trust me”. This trust was “well-earned” because we have obviously seen a thorough investigation of the arms deal. When did we lose our sense of decency and ability to take a stand, perhaps not on the legality of matters but, on right and wrong? Unlike my “friend’s” late wife, I refuse to continue to take the abuse.
Legal scholars pointed out the flow with the release of Schabir Shaik. He was released nonetheless as he obviously belongs to that privileged few club. Why would this be the case unless the perpetrators believe and know that they can and we as a populace will continue to take it? Unlike my “friend’s” late wife, I refuse to continue to take the abuse.
We have people like Judge Hlophe wasting the taxpayer’s money to fight for their jobs back. We have people like McBride using the taxpayer’s money for no other reason than the fact that they think they are more deserving. Why can we not say: “You were employed by the state. You think you should fight against your dismissal, you pay for it out of your pocket. Should you succeed in a court of law, then the state will pay your bill.” I would like to see how many of these frivolous legal actions would be going on. Why do we take the abuse?
When you read something like this, are we not owed an apology? Nku Nyembezi-Heita’s attempt to justify this is an insult. The political connection is what has been bought. Call it what it is! That way perhaps the abuse might be easier to take.
I would like to ask JZ Junior for a small donation to fix my lower primary school in Emdeni, SOWETO. To fix the heating so the kids don’t freeze during the cold, winter months. The school’s name is Ezibambele Lower Primary School, your donation would be greatly appreciated. Let’s get this BEE thing right so that it doesn’t only benefit the politically connected. Perhaps there is another approach.
Let’s use the much-talked about HSBC acquisition of Nedbank as an example. Instead of giving X% to the connected, the CEO of Nedbank might propose to the board members that the money be used to start a national education fund. This fund will provide bursaries to all, ALL, South African children who aspire to attend tertiary institutions but may not have the funds. Now that would be a start to BEE that would benefit the nation. I refuse to continue to take this abuse like my “friend’s” late wife.
How dare I point out the obvious in my blog? Because I care is my answer! Because the blood of many in this country who made the ultimate sacrifice, of different skin shades (as if it should matter), because not only the privileged few political hacks contributed and surprise, surprise, because I am South African and the Constitution affords me that right. I will continue writing and speaking my mind. I refuse to continue to take this abuse like my “friend’s” late wife.
Opposition parties from all spheres said do not appoint the political hack Rasool as ambassador to the US. He is now in DC as an ambassador. Does it not matter that the ruling party had recalled him because of his behaviour? When did we as a country lose our sense of wrong and right? Do we not deserve better? I refuse to continue to take this abuse like my “friend’s” late wife.
The assault and abuse continues with the media tribunal “proposal” and Protection of Information Bill. “Overwhelming support?”. How dare you now also assault the intellect of the nation’s people? What support? How many people were canvassed to come to this conclusion? Party branches do not represent the views of the population as a whole. Which firm is responsible for the audit so We The People can be assured this is just not another one of the assaults to make yourselves feel good? If there is a need for bad publicity to be exposed it is because of the political hacks who ride the gravy train. Why is the private sector not voicing its opinions loudly? Why do members of Parliament grow more silent on this by the day? I refuse to continue to take this abuse like my “friend’s” late wife.
Lastly, because We The People pay the taxes which pay the salaries of all national and provincial civil servants and as the recipient of the assault and abuse, I have one request, the names of all the ANC deployment committee members. I think that as a taxpayer I have the right to know who selects the people whose salaries I pay. If I knew who they were this would make your continued abuse somewhat tolerable. I am sure that thus far I have been very compliant with your assault, abuse and attempts to erode my sense of decency but I refuse to continue to take this abuse like my “friend’s” late wife.
Disclaimer: The characters in this blog are fictitious and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
I agree with you 100%. I am sick of people claiming to represent me and they I have not been allowed to even voice my opinion. What really upsets me is that there seems to be nothing I can do about it. There only time I have a voice is when I make my mark on a ballot paper. I really wish that we could have more referundums in these country. Maybe then the people in power can really be doing the peoples wishes… By the way does anyone know why the last referundum held in South Africa was pre 1994? I find that a insult to my rights as a citizen.
Wow! Pity it won’t change a thing. Your pleas will fall on deaf ears.
@Lindiwe on August 27th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
this is a war and it cant be won overnight lets continue until someone takes action
BRAVO, BRAVO, BRAVISSIMO. Rant on Mr Ntuli. Keep shouting, you will create momentum, and change will happen.
Lucky says it like the majority of We The People feel it. That could be the campaign name used to drive a voice on behalf of all of us. Trouble is how do we get word out to those truly suffering (unable to access blogs and papers) and the younger gen who are lied to about who delivers and who doesn’t and what national unity means…especially when it comes to elections? The mark on the ballot matters and We The People need to be widely educated (lack of education being the most wicked part of apartheid) on our rights and how to preserve them. 5 million have to support 15 million over and above what the government takes because they just don’t use our taxes properly. It’s not sustainable tho because we keep being taxed for all sorts of things. In Switzerland you pay 50% of what you earn in tax but everything WORKS! Lucky I would like to see “rant III” which includes a couple of big ideas on how We The People can positively oppose the current (lack of) government!!
…Excuse my rant too
. ….someone said it this week, “FIFA for government!” (FIFA said, “Do this.” And the nation jumped and whipped itself in to shape. What if we ALL didn’t pay our taxes for 6 months…we certainly couldn’t all be jailed? Total anarchy never helped either I guess.
Keep up the rants! It’s people like you who give people like me (nicknamed the nay-sayers) the strength to believe that the country has any credible future.
Ethics and integrity are the right of every person and are cheap to come by; it’s just getting so difficult to find the ones with it! Your ‘friend’s’ wife should not have died in vain. His next girlfriend should not be living in poverty!
How much does any one person really need?
The Gates’, Winfrey and others have realised this, but it’s not a concept that has reached our shores via osmosis. I would like to know, for instance, how much the Aurora bosses are worth. Could they not at least have fed their ‘striking’ workers since Feb? Opened a once-a-day soup kitchen? Provided safe drinking water? Surely that’s not too much to ask of a wealthy man, his uncle or his grandfather?
Sadly, the more we learn, the more we realise that even those we once respected have feet of clay…
This should be printed and distributed. In fact I am going to put a copy on the notice board at my local Spar.
Halala Lucky Ntuli. Trouble is, civil society is indeed concerned but power does not listen to what Thabo Mbeki felt free to call ‘noises’. Maybe, maybe, we’ll see a grassroots change at the local elections polls next year.
“I refuse to continue to take the abuse.” ??
Lucky, my man … you lost all decency and honesty, and you accepted Abuse the moment you allowed your friend to abuse and kill his wife. Why did you allow that crime to happen?
Mouth off all you like on these blogs, but your actions measure your sincerity more than your words.
Very impressive rant. Well written!
Powerful and courageous. Thanks
I also enjoyed KK’s ‘Lisa se Klavier’, which i had never heard before, being played on Classic FM’s “K” composer morning, a week or so back… gave me a congenial additional insight into his blog as i was reading his cereal tale.
As for the “interruption” this is normal… and will last at least another century. We can whine but ultimately when people continue to vote in the imbicilic [sic] fashion that they currently do [admittedly there is no one else to vote for] then we are stuck with the abusers for who knows how long…
And by the time the “people’ do wake up to reality, it will only be to give some other gang of kleptocrats a chance … [ IMagine for instance this COPE crew who seem to be stealing as much as they can while only having about half a dozen seats... that is a scary augury] . This is the way countries “develop”, and we are behind the curve when it comes to development. There is a reason why the people suffer… Apparently they were meant to.
@Belle thank you for your response. You are correct, I am as much culpable for her death! I accept the accusation and have in the last ten years been working on correcting this action or lack there of from my part. Hence the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog, but be assured that mistakes can be undone when one gets back to doing something about it. I thank you all the same!
How about spearheading a resistance movement? A lack of resources hampers most of those affected by this bad governance. Those whose energies go into survival and vote for the devil they know. They need to be taught that life could be different, that some men don,t beat their womem.
@Belle – You have never had a friend stuck in a bad relationship that you could not help because they would not listen to advise?
I refuse to take the abuse by ensuring that I am registered to vote and by standing in a line for hours on end sometimes, voting against the abuser, knowing full well that it might be futile, hoping that it counts.
As far as that goes, my conscience is clean.
Brilliant, triple bravo.