FALSE HOPE AND PROMISE

 ANC general secretary Gwede Mantashe believes that universities should shut down for up to a year if students fee protests continue.

On its face, one can understand Mantashe's outburst.  His ANC government is in the grips of a student revolt that he and his party comrades are are at loss what to do next - a scenario of damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Shutting down universities would, according to Mantashe, bring protesting students to their senses.  A simplistic and myopic reaction to a problem that has been festering for decades. A problem which the ANC elite has purposely neglected, paraphrasing  Mantashe, to deepen the crisis before solving it.  A radical approach that will only stoke the fires of student rage and reinforce implacable resistance to reasoned compromise.

The born-free generation was handed false hope and  promise of "A Better Life For All"', but instead are captives to an endless cycle of poverty and exclusion.  They have finally realized that the ANC government sold them a bill of goods which never pays off.

The clarion call of battle trumpets will continue to be heard, despite the deployment of stun grenades, tear gas and rubber bullets.  It has little impact in drowning out a clear message to government from students: "we have been patient, given you plenty of chances; we have finally learned that your promise of a better life was bogus; no more!"

A MODERN DAY WITCHES' BREW

Justice Malala's column "All the president's men" (19/9/16), highlighted the prevalence of metastasised mediocrity rooted in most of President Zuma's cabinet ministers.  We all know who they are - no need to elaborate.

Zuma and his sycophants are not only failing us miserably, but also putting future generations in great peril.  They simple don't care because their self-interest and welfare comes first.  It is an inescapable truth of political life in South Africa.

Zuma's yes-men and women follow his example by putting their self-serving interests before that of the nation.  It is called "self-preservation", and it is destroying the country from within.

When one adds self-preservation to the recipe for mediocrity, and include ingredients of  incompetence, corruption and wrongdoing, the end result is a modern day witches' brew - a toxic concoction that is inexorably poisoning the lifeblood of the nation.

THE ROT iN THE NPA CONTINUES

A two-judge panel in the Pretoria High Court struck senior prosecution officials, Nomgcobo Jiba and Lawrence Mcwebi, from the roll of advocates.

In a scathing, no holds barred judgment, Judge Legodi rendered an ironclad well-reasoned decision affording Jiba and Mcwebi no basis in law or fact of reversal on appeal.

After the decision Shawn Abrahams, Director of of Public Prosecutions placed Jiba and Nrwebi on special leave at their request.  According to NPAs spokesman, Lufuyo Mfaku, Abrahams based his decision by apparently balancing the integrity of the NPA and the administration of justice "against the integrity and reputation of Jiba and Mrwebi".  Mfaku then added insult to injury by thanking "the two officials for upholding the integrity of the institution as well as theirs".  Hogwash!  The NPA represents the very anthesis of integrity and reputation.

Truth be told Jiba and Mrwebi should have been summarily fired. By placing the pair on special leave will not interrupt receiving their unearned salaries, free to pursue frivolous appeals at taxpayer expense.  The rot in the NPA continues.

ONE PRINCIPLED DECISION IS NOT REDEMPTION

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba's announcement that 'hate' pastor, Steven Anderson, had been refused a visa was consistent with the country's Immigration Act prohibiting foreigners who are "likely to promote hate speech or advocate social violence".

In announcing his decision the minister predicated it on South Africa having .  . ."to work towards reaching its constitutional goals".  A lofty sentiment, but one that flies in the face of the government's refusal of a visa to the Dalai Lama, a man of peace, and allowing Omar Al-Bashir, wanted for mass killing, rape and pillage, to enter and depart notwithstanding a court order preventing his departure.

No matter how principled Gigaba's decision in denying a visa to Anderson was, decisions insofar as the Dalai Lama and Al-Bashir were concerned, will not disembowel the stink of hypocrisy and unlawfulness generated by Gigaba's department and other organs of the state. By doing so, they rode roughshod over the constitution.

THE MORAL & INTELLECTUAL BENIGHTEDNESS OF ANC MP's

When the roll is called in Parliament ruling party MP's  answer "Present".  They then settle down to the people's business by napping, socialising, and when called upon deliver incoherent talking points in defense of ANC government corruption, patronage and clientelism.

More significantly the instruction to ANC MP's is not to hold members of the executive accountable, or from taking stands according to their conscience.  They willingly accept their perfunctory role from the Speaker to the backbencher  in the name of party loyalty wrapped-up in patronage.

ANC MP's must answer "Guilty" instead  of "Present" when the roll is called.  Guilty because ANC MP's have abdicated their constitutional oversight duties including duties prescribed in their oath of office.  They have yet to comprehend that constitutionalism means constitutional safeguards to prevent abuse.  Until then the constitution is an irritant and an inconvenience to be discarded at any inconvenient political opportunity - a classic case of a constitution without constitutionalism.

SOUTH AFRICA IN THE HAND BASKET OF HELL

South Africa's GDP rose an annualised 3.3% in the second quarter.  In doing so, the country avoided a technical recession.

It sounds like good news, but GDP statistical data does not tell the whole story. The fact that a technical recession was avoided is of little or no solace to the millions of South Africa's unemployed.  To the impoverished masses a modest recovery in GDP figures means nothing at all.  They will still face ongoing extreme hardship despite the rise in GDP.

The mining and manufacturing sectors contributed to GDP recovery.  What was not taken into account was the ongoing political chaos, exacerbated by lack of direct foreign investment, drought, low commodity prices  and probable downgrading of the country's sovereign credit rating to junk status. One must also add corruption in the public sector and ANC imploding factionalism to the mix.

An increase in GDP doesn't cut it when the country has been in the hand basket of hell for sometime.

A FLEETING MOMENT

Imagine for one fleeting moment that South African Airways is a publicly traded company on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.  This came about because of SAA's imminent liquidation, compelling the government to agree to a fire sale of SAA's assets to private investors.

It was an express condition of the sale that the new shareholders had the right to remove or affirm the current board of directors.

First to receive her marching orders was SAA's wrecking ball chairperson, Dudu Myeni, Zuma's close friend, set to serve a further term.  When the news broke, SAA's stock trebled in value  - a positive sign of investor confidence in SAA's road to recovery.

As to the remaining 11 directors, approved by cabinet, a decision to retain one or more of them would be assessed solely on merit.  In other words, verification of their education, skills, training, on-the-job experience, and integrity.  The days of over-paid do-nothing incompetent, corrupt parasites in SAA's first class executive dining room would be a thing of the past.  Odds are a number of them will be looking in newspaper help wanted ads before too long.

A fleeting moment - yes, but hope springs eternal for government to divest state-owned enterprises to the private sector.  Imagine some of the benefits -   revenue enhancement to the fiscus, and an end to looting of state resources.