ANOTHER DAY IN SA ANOTHER OUTRAGE

Revelations continue to emerge regarding the Gupta family's tangled web of influence. Now, another day in South Africa, and another potentially scandalous revelation concerning one Mark Pamensky, a director of the Gupta-owned Oakbay Resources and Energy. Nothing ominous about this until Pamensky's appointment to Eskom's board some three months after joining Gupta's company. To add flavour to the mix, Oakbay's major customer is Eskom - hence questions of the relationship and by imputation symbiotic connection to state capture. A spokesperson for Eskom defended Pamensky's appointment, and added that the parastatal has "a robust system and processes in place to ensure that actual, potential and perceived conflicts of interest . . . are managed effectively". It may well be that Eskom has a "robust system and processes in place", but Pamensky's dual board membership is the quintessential example of actual conflict of interest. Even if it is remotely possible to effectively manage the conflict, the mere existence of dual board roles creates an appearance of conflict of interest that should have stopped Pamensky's appointment in its tracks. There are infinitely more questions than the unpersuasive explanation offered by Eskom's spokesperson. It remains to be seen if the ANC's Gupta investigation will include the Pamensky appointment to Eskom's board. If it does, it may be an indication of its so-called investigative robustness into state capture.

ANC - A TIME FOR SELF-REFLECTION AND RECKONING

Gwede Mantashe, secretary-general of the ANC, is the point man for ANC members to come forward with accusations of state capture by the Gupta family. The open invitation to members was accompanied by a promise of political protection but not immunity from prosecution. So, if the object of the investigation is to "gather all pertinent information" those with unclean hands will decline the invitation. The end result - a window dressing PR exercise. By all accounts patronage within the corridors of the ANC government is at toxic levels. It is not enough, as Manatashe maintains, for the issue be dealt with in-house by "robust discussion" - a euphemistic code for an inconsequential shouting match. In addition his assurance that allegations will be investigated "to tell the facts from the truth" is unintelligible. Fact and truth are inseparable, because a fact is truth known by actual experience or observation. So, if fact and truth, according to Mantashe, are not one and the same, do not expect him and his comrades to separate fact from fiction? At first glance an independent judicial commission should be appointed. In principle appropriate, but unsatisfactory because time is of the essence in ridding the scourge of political patronage. If the ANC genuinely wishes to exorcise patronage and restore its tattered image, it must do so openly and transparently. A secretive closed door investigation reeks of a cover-up.

ANC TURNAROUND & PIGS CAN FLY

The country is in a cacophonous grip of politically harsh and discordant noise. The electorate is being pummeled by spin manufactured by the ANC, it's sidekick the SACP, opposition parties and the infamous Gupta family. Accusations and denials will continue between the ANC, the Guptas and Zuma's role in facilitating state capture. As neither of them can claim the high ground the cacophony of their obfuscation makes it well nigh impossible to discern the call of truth from lies. Does the ANC's really believe that it's in-house decision to thoroughly investigate crony capitalism and patronage is to be taken seriously? When it comes to "investigating" 'high crimes and misdemeanors' within its ranks, the ANC time and again rewards rather than punishes offending comrades by deploying them to diplomatic postings, and high level government and parastatal jobs. Do not expect anything different this time. Cynicism once rooted creates heightened levels of distrust. So it is with the ANC. Implicit in the ANC's announced investigation is the representation that it was blissfully unaware of the Gupta family's influence and devious interactions with government and parastatals. If this is true then the moon is made of green cheese! If the ANC is genuinely interested in the truth an independent judicial commission of inquiry should be appointed. Anything less will be a whitewash, compounded by an abundance of conflict of interest. Even at this late stage the ANC can redeem its tattered image by engaging in one more revolutionary act . . . truth telling.

UFS NEW LANGUAGE POLICY STOKES THE FIRES OF RACE RELATIONS

A daily newspaper recently reported that the Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) had resolved that English would be the main language of instruction. The effect of the resolution precludes students the option of learning in Afrikaans. In the past I have corresponded with Professor Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor of UFS on educational issues. He has written extensively on the plight of education in South Africa, and his recommendations have been thought provoking and highly relevant to improving South Africa's educational system. Concerned by the Council's decision I wrote to Professor Jansen to express my disappointment. In doing so, I said, in part:, "What possessed the university Council to succumb the the forces of radicalism and ignorance? What is more distressing is a report that the Council was unanimous in its decision - not even one solitary voice having the intestinal fortitude to vote his/ her conscience". I pointed out to Professor Jansen that Pretoria University (TUKS) had accorded equal dignity to both English and Afrikaans as mediums of instruction. In doing so, neither English or Afrikaans would be thrust upon students lacking fluency in one or the other language, and UFS should do the same. Moreover, I posited that the UFS new language policy was unconstitutional, and would not survive a court challenge. Professor Jansen responded to my letter in no uncertain terms by stating, in part: "The Council is obviously not a bunch of idiots who just happen to have a different view from your own. There was comprehensive process of consultation with staff and students, inside and outside the university, and countless "hearings" on the subject. Your rather curt dismissal of the decision as giving in to 'forces of radicalism and ignorance' is not only dead wrong, it smacks of arrogance". With due respect to Professor Jansen he is dead wrong. Balancing the needs of students to receive instruction in an official language of preference is set in constitutional stone - it is a fundamental right. Balance is not achieved through a one language policy. It simply does not pass constitutional muster. FSU has had its share of escalating student violence and deteriorating race relations. As recently as last month classes were suspended after Varsity Cup clashes. If, because of student protest and violence, the Council decided to institute a one language policy to placate the forces of radicalism and ignorance, it has concurrently created a recipe for further needless polarisation between competing interests. FSU's one language policy is an obstacle that unnecessarily inhibits the transformation paradigm, and will impede rather than facilitate the process. Surely a fair solution to the language issue is a dual one - both English and Afrikaans as equal mediums of instruction. Professor Jansen, even if my dismissal of the Council's decision "smacks of arrogance", I urge the Council to reverse its decision to prevent the real prospect of further escalating violence. I do hope the Council will reconsider its decision, rather than hearing more telling words from me in the context of "I told you so".

SAFA PERSONS OF INTEREST - YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT. . .

Blood pressure levels must be off the charts amongst certain sporting officials following FIFA's confirmation that South Africa paid a $10 million bribe to host the 2010 World Cup. Although South Africa, through its sports minister, has in the past vigorously denied corruption allegations, now may be the time to recant, and more so, in light of FIFA's wide ranging admission to US authorities by openly accusing South Africa of bribery to secure votes. One must conclude that FIFA's announcement was based on months of intensive investigation in cooperation with Swiss and US authorities. It is highly doubtful that FIFA would have taken this step unless there is clear and convincing evidence of South Africa's involvement in the bribery scandal. Speculation abounds that one or more SAFA members are persons of interest that may explain Danny Jordaan's deafening silence, and absence from FIFA's recent presidential election meeting in Switzerland for fear of arrest by Swiss authorities. The bribery scandal has damaged South Africa's reputation and standing in the international community. Government must desist from further denials and/or cover-ups, and cooperate in ongoing investigations because the country's credibility is at stake. To this end, one hopes that sports minister Mbalula refrains from his usual fatuous comments. A case in point: several months ago in denying South Africa's involvement in the bribery scandal Mbalula offered a gem worth repeating - bribery is "like a ghost. You will never find it". Not so, as high-powered ghostbusters are hard at work unravelling the bribery labyrinth.

A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF SOUTH AFRICA

The march of events in South Africa this week has left me scratching for at least one positive development. 

It was a painstaking search, but inspired by Mathew's, "seek and ye shall find".  I was rewarded for my efforts:  a reference on the bottom corner of page 4 of a daily newspaper entitled "Bashir: State's 'disgrace'.  The Supreme Court of Appeal in dismissing the state's appeal castigated the state and its counsel for "disgraceful conduct".  

It remains to be seen if the state will perpetuate it's disgraceful conduct by filing a frivolous appeal to the Constitutional Court.  Knowing the National Prosecuting Authority's proclivity for stupidity it would be no surprise. 

The decision affirmed the unlawfulness of the government's failure to arrest Bashir. What happens now?  In a democratic state vested in rule of law principles contempt of court proceedings should be initiated against those responsible for allowing Bashir to flee the country.  Who would prosecute those individuals?  None other than the National Prosecuting Authority - the very agency that defended  the government in allowing Bashir to flee the country.  If there are any punitive measures to be taken against the parties responsible it would likely be an ambassadorial appointment to some forsaken and unpronounceable country abroad. 

As to the myriad of negative developments this week, Guptagate, Gordhan/Hawks, Moody's Investor Services, etc., my imaginary therapist has counseled me to withhold commentary.  Her reasoning is sound as it would obliterate the optimism derived from the one and only positive development this week. 

SOUTH AFRICA :THE NEW JUNKYARD DOG ON THE BLOCK?

The finance minister, Pravin Gordhan, and his delegation recently returned from an overseas road trip in an attempt to prevent a downgrading in South Africa's credit rating to junk status. At a report back press briefing by the finance minister, it was apparent that his meeting with investors and rating agencies did not produce a positive outcome. South Africa will in all likelihood be downgraded to junk status. The market is troubled with South Africa's economic indicators which portend poor growth leading to further deterioration in the ratio between government debt and GDP. Besides the economic indicators there are unavoidable political, labour and social issues that affect the decision to downgrade South Africa's credit rating. Government compelled by economic necessity has only recently begun to pay attention to the myriad of problems facing the country. A first step was co-opting the business sector for advice and counsel. It must do considerably more, including zero tolerance to chronic theft of the country's resources through graft, corruption, neglect and crony capitalism. For years investors and rating agencies paid scant attention to the diversion of public funds towards private interests. As long as world demand for South Africa's commodities remained high, the ruling party's predilection for feeding at the trough was tolerated by investors and rating agencies. No more - with the country's commodities no longer supporting the economy, international investors are running scared, and have no interest in waiting to learn if South Africa can pay its debts. Investors are driven by return on investment. Investing in South Africa is no longer considered prudent. Simply ask Barclays Bank and others who will likely follow Barclays decision to disinvest. The country can expect trying economic times if it's credit rating is downgraded. On the bright side it will give the country the opportunity to correct it mistakes, and reinvent itself with new, competent and charismatic leadership.

ZUMA'S PALACE OF INTRIGUE

A cast of dubious characters are caught in the whirlwind of a political back to the future. They comprise the nucleus of the modern day equivalent of a medieval palace of intrigue. The characters include Jacob Zuma , and his entourage of official and personally-chosen unofficial companions - also known as "patrons for the bread" at the great man's table. The intrigue now revolves around a reported offer extended to Deputy Minister Mcebisi Jonas by members of the Gupta family and by ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte to be the next finance minister. It was also reported that Jonas turned down the offers to replace Nene, which led to Zuma's appointment of Van Rooyen. The debacle that followed, and its financial ruinous consequences, will plague the country for many years. As expected there have been an avalanche of denials to the allegations reported by the reliable London-based Financial Times. Nevertheless evidence continues to mount that the Gupta family played a pivotal role in Nene's firing, underscoring their influence as the arbiter in the selection of ministerial positions to facilitate their benefiting from a nuclear procurement programme. The collective mindset of the ANC requires all its members, including its alliance partners, to close ranks when faced with a crisis. Not so with the South African Communist Party (SACP) who have broken ranks with the ANC on the Gupta scandal. It's deputy general secretary called on ANC leaders to stop defending the Guptas and take action against them, because "it can't be that we have a state that is run by a family . . . " At first glance one may be inclined to commend the SACP for its public spiritedness. But, then again altruism has never been an ingredient of its totalitarian ideology. The SACP's concern is more basic and self-serving: break ranks with the ANC on the issue, publicly expose the Gupta family, and in doing so, regain its sphere of influence over Zuma, and those in the ANC supportive of the Gupta family. It will not be long before Zuma's Palace of Intrigue enjoys the popularity of the Game of Thrones. One is real and the other fiction - sometimes difficult to tell them apart.

SOUTH AFRICA: NEWEST MEMBER OF THE JUNK CREDIT RATING CLUB?

Moody's has placed South Africa on review with a downgrade in its credit rating lurking around the corner. Expect the blame game to begin and over time to intensify. The government will blame the poorly performing global economy for the downgrade. The business sector will blame the government. Truth be told they are both to blame - the government for its destructive economic and fiscal policies, and the private sector for not holding the government accountable for its reckless mismanagement of the economy. Not to be forgotten are the trade unions for contributing to the economic calamity through crippling strikes and unrealistic wage demands which the country can ill afford. The economic perfect storm approaching the country is no surprise. The government has for years ignored repeated warnings, and will now have to face the consequences for its deeds done in the past. International investors have concluded that South Africa is a credit risk no matter assurances from Pravin Gordhan to the contrary. Remedial measures announced to soothe investors is way too little and far too late. It will not prevent the deteriorating ratio between government debt and gross domestic product adversely impacting on all-important growth. South Africa is on the cusp of becoming a poorer country, and no one in their right mind will invest in a poor, let alone a poorer country. It is about return on investment, stupid! The list of countries joining the junk credit rating club is growing. Will South Africa be joining the club? The answer does not require an understanding of esoteric economic principles.

ANOTHER NAME FOR THABO MBEKI IS IMBECILE

Thabo Mbeki is an imbecile, notwithstanding the amount of pipe smoking pseudo-intellectualism he puffs into the public arena. Between 1998 and 2004, the former president denied HIV/AIDS patients access to antiretroviral treatment. He was accused of contributing to over 300,000 deaths by delaying treatment. Despite incontrovertible scientific evidence, Mbeki in his recent weekly letter again questions the efficacy of antiretroviral drugs in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. The temerity of the man is astounding. He has no training in bio-sciences or medicine, yet engages in fallacious revisionism. But, then again he had the advice and counsel of his atrocious former health minister Tshabalala-Msimang, who advocated vegetables, fruit and olive oil for AIDS treatment. Their two cents worth to the AIDS pandemic adds new meaning to the expression " fools never differ". Mbeki should have made use of his weekly letter to express remorse and apologise to the nation, and in particular to the grieving families of those who died of AIDS. Mbeki's ignorance reminds one of Alexandre Duma Pere's quote: "I prefer rogues to imbeciles, because they sometimes take a rest".

THE DONALD & SOUTH AFRICA

The election for the next president of the United States is a peripheral matter as far as most South Africans are concerned. However, the election will have far reaching consequences if Donald Trump is the republican nominee, and wins the national election over the presumptive democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton. The republican establishment has never had to contend with the likes of Trump, and have gone into overdrive to stop him in his tracks. The gloves are off, and political gamesmanship has given way to unprecedented attacks against Trump heretofore unseen in American politics. Former republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, called Trump a phony, a fraud, dishonest, a misogynist, a bully and a threat to national security. To add to Romney's list one must include Trump's scapegoating of Muslims, Mexicans, a predilection for support from white racist separatists. In fact, there are not enough derogatory adjectives to describe the man's loathsomeness. Trump enjoys strong support from working-class angry white and evangelical voters. What the white working class and religious fundamentalists have in common with an egomaniacal billionaire defies explanation! Assuming Trump emerges as President what can South Africa expect from a Trump administration? An inimical relationship at best. Even prior to running for president Trump slammed South Africa as "a total-and very dangerous-mess". Inasmuch as the ANC government and the Obama administration are sometimes at odds with one another, the relationship with a Trump administration will be far more contemptuous and truculent. Dealing with a government composed of communists and trade unionists with be an anathema to Trump . Furthermore his myopic and ignorant world view will exacerbate matters, particularly because of South Africa's alignment with China and Russia. The US election is about to enter stormy seas - hopefully the electorate will wise-up, and elect the first woman president of the United States. A choice far more preferable. Stay tuned!

AFRIKAANS AND ATTEMPTS TO KILL IT

The University of Pretoria's EFF Student Command has demanded that Afrikaans be scrapped with English as the sole medium of instruction.

The EFF, according to its Gauteng spokesman, Ntobeng  Ntobeng,  "cannot allow the continued bias towards the Afrikaans language at the expense of mother-tongue languages that are not only indigenous but also official languages in South Africa".

South Africa's official languages are called equal languages, but some are more equal than others, namely, English and Afrikaans.  In spite of the ethereal principles set forth in the Constitution, the use of indigenous African languages as mediums of instruction at the tertiary level are a non-sequitur for reasons related to insufficient vocabulary development for wider academic domains.

The EFF well knows that the university gives equal dignity to English and Afrikaans as mediums of instruction. Afrikaans is not thrust down the throats of those students who lack fluency in the language.  However, there are thousands of students who prefer instruction in Afrikaans.  It is their constitutional right, and the asinine antics of the EFF merely accentuates their indefensible stupidity to  scrap Afrikaans.

Perhaps the EFF Student Command should concentrate on indigenous mother-tongue development to facilitate instruction therein.  They should use the privilege of tertiary education to this end, instead of inflaming already existing powder keg racial tensions to further their self-serving agenda.

A wise man once said "there is no shame in not knowing. The problem arises when irrational thought and attendant behaviour fill the vacuum left by ignorance".  Wise words for the EFF Student Command to embrace.

TOKYO SEXWALE - AN ENIGMATIC CHARACTER

Now that the FIFA election is over, one wonders what possessed Tokyo Sexwale to throw his hat into the ring for president, and then withdraw his name at the eleventh hour. The selection of a FIFA president was under a global microscope. Any candidate's questionable past conduct, including even the slimmest appearance of impropriety would doom the prospect of electability. FIFA was compelled to elect a candidate with a squeaky clean background coupled with requisite executive skills. Sexwale's business acumen is not an issue, but his past business and political dealings are too controversial and laced in secrecy to satisfy FIFA delegates seeking transparency and reform of the scandal plagued organisation. Sexwale is a controversial man, and the last thing FIFA needed was controversy in the man to replace Blatter. Sexwale was never considered to be the popular choice for president. The fact that the South African Football Association (SAFA) went along with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decision not to endorse Sexwale speaks volumes. Sexwale must have known early on that lobbying for the presidency was a futile exercise. Why then did he wait until the eleventh hour to withdraw? Was it narcissism with a large dose of egomania? Maybe, but it is too simplistic, and belies Sexwale's political shrewdness. Consider Sexwale's motive that on the eve of the election he took Infantino, FIFA's new president, on a tour of Robben Island. Sexwale lost the battle, but not by default. He is imbued with too much political savvy and acuity of mind to lose. Do not be surprised if Sexwale has the last laugh at the expense of SAFA and CAF.