JACOB ZUMA : PATIENT AS JOB

Jacob Zuma has the patience of Job. Other than patience the two men are incompatibly immiscible as oil and water.

Time and again we have seen Zuma with his back to the wall.  With enduring patience, underscored with chicanery and deception, he has dodged bullet after bullet, ever mindful of end goals to invariably come out on top.

Now, according to a Sunday Times report, Zuma's patient maneuvering will again be rewarded with disgraced Brian Molefe on his way to taking a seat in parliament.  It will be the first step In Zuma's scheme to fire his nemesis Pravin Gordhan , and replace him with Molefe as finance minister.

If Zuma's maneuvering comes to fruition, the nation's finances will be controlled by him, aided and abetted by the infamous Ajay and Atul Gupta.  Molefe, in concert with his puppet-masters, will happily oblige.

A WARNING TO MANTASHE & HIS LUTHULI HOUSE CRONIES

Donald Trump, America's 45th president, is seemingly on a warpath to eliminate trade agreements with the rest of the world.  Within a few days of his inauguration he withdrew the US from the Trans-Pacific trade partnership with Asia, and signed an Executive Order to renegotiate the NAFTA treaty between the US, Canada and Mexico.

Trump believes that existing trade deals have destroyed America's manufacturing base and contributed to the loss of American jobs.  In his words:  "It's going to be America first" inasmuch as charity begins at home and not abroad.

US foreign aid in its various forms is anathema to Trump, particularly when such aid has no nexus to America's national interest.  This is true with respect to the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), allowing South Africa duty-free access for  a variety of its products to the US  market.  Agoa generates billions for the economy and thousands of jobs.

Whether Agoa will be added to the list of eliminated trade deals is too early to tell.  It is not, as yet, on Trump's radar, but will be a priority if Gwede Mantashe and others in Luthuli House persist in disparaging the US.  Trump is by nature vindictive - he will not tolerate such ignorant and stereotypical US bashing.  The end result:  South Africa's economy will pay a hefty price if Agoa benefits are withdrawn.

CYRIL, WHY THE LONG SILENCE?

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has finally dusted off his moral compass.  For  years it had been collecting dust in the bowels of Luthuli House.

At a recent rally in Mthatha Ramaphosa accused ANC leaders of greed "fighting not over politics but over resources and money for our personal benefit".

At long last Ramaphosa has taken the first step in speaking his mind.  Until recently his blind loyalty to the ANC collective was absolute.   His silence following multiple instances of corruption and looting of state resources by ANC comrades was deafening.  The fact that he did not speak out leads conclusively to symptoms of moral deficit disorder wrapped in a reservoir of political expediency and opportunism.

Ramaphosa is a poor choice to lead the country.  But, then again the other contenders for the presidency are even more morally questionable. They, including Ramaphosa, lack the vision, or the qualities of leadership  to inspire the country to unite as a nation.

RULING PARTY MANIFESTO - LICENSE TO LOOT

After the ANC government assumed power it routinely compared and  contrasted its socio-economic policies with those of the apartheid regime.  In simple terms a contrast between perceived good and evil.  But, the dichotomy between good and evil was of no interest to the power hungry, be they of the apartheid regime, or the ANC government.

The  apartheid regime's proclivity to engage in thievery and looting of state resources relentlessly continued to thrive among the power hungry of the ANC's ruling elite, whose rapacious appetite for ill-gotten gains continues to this day.

Now, not surprisingly another bombshell of alleged malfeasance - allegations of fraud leveled against Hlaudi Motsoeneng and Sports  Minister Fikile Mbalula's wife Nozuko.  They are accused in a High Court proceeding of receiving millions of Rand from the Free State government for houses for the poor which were never built.

The allegations against Motsoeneng and Mbalula's wife reinforces the belief that the ANC  has lost the right to claim the moral high ground when compared and contrasted with the record of corruption and looting of its predecessor.  The reason is obvious:  by comparison the apartheid regime's power hungry were rank amateurs.

SOUR GRAPES

Russell Domingo is a very unhappy and overly sensitive man.  The two do not mix well in the "dog eats dog" competitive world of cricket. 

Domingo's contemptuous reproachful reaction to Rilee Rossouw's decision to take up a Kolpak contract with English county side Hampshire was unusual for a man characterised with calm demeanor.  He was less upset with Kyle Abbot's decision for doing likewise, but nevertheless felt betrayed by the dishonesty of both Abbot and Rossouw. 

We have heard from Domingo.  A rebuttal to Domingo's version can be expected from either Abbot or Rossouw, or both.   Until then the jury is out.

But, clearly there are systemic problems that must be addressed by Cricket South Africa, and legitimate reasons for talented players opting to play overseas.  As Faf Du Plessis rightly points out the move abroad is a "red flag".  

It is simply not, according to Domingo,  about players turning their backs on their country.  It is certainly much more than taking childish and daffy umbrage to Rossouw spelling Russell in an email with one L instead of two. 

PUPIL PROGRESSION & OBFUSCATION GO HAND IN HAND

Mathanzima Mweli's op-ed (Why 'progressing' failures works - 10/01/17)  to justify Basic Education's progression policy must be viewed with the skepticism it deserves.

The matric pass rate of progressed pupils, on its face, is impressive, but not believable.  It must be viewed in the context of a rigged system where all is possible, including distinctions in Mathematics, Physical Science and Accounting.

Consider the following scenario:  Grade 11 pupils severely lacking in the fundamentals of education  - the three R's, miraculously experienced a light bulb moment transforming their chronic inadequacies into brilliance.  Give me a break!

A progression policy does little but serve the interests of the Education Department.  What the department should be focusing on is intervention in the early primary grades.  Until then their grand obfuscation will continue unabated.

ITS THAT TIME AGAIN - BRING OUT THE ROSE-COLOURED GLASSES

Rose-coloured glasses are in fashion once again and predictably on the faces of our Basic Education Minister Angie Motshegka and her minions.  The theme for the 2016 matric results is joyous celebration for an increase over the success rate of 2015, notwithstanding an increase of a measly two percentage points.  But, nevertheless cause for misguided back-slapping, and of course drinks all round at the expense of the taxpayer. 

What the bureaucrats conveniently  ignore is the plain and simple truth that passing matric in South Africa is a cake walk, essentially meaningless  in the real world.   Consider the fact that standards are deplorably low with marks graded on an upward curve.  The upgrading benefits both the weakest and the brightest learners.  For the weakest, a matric pass unaccompanied by the pain of learning.  For the brightest, multiple distinctions.  But for the rigging of the system those with distinctions would be relegated to average achievement.  

If those in Basic Education were serious in the pursuit of educational excellence their focus should be on learner performance at university.   The drop-out rate is staggering because of a lack of cognitive and analytical skills.  The tools of outdated rote learning techniques inculcated in school learners is useless in critical and logical thinking required at the university level.  

Surely the matric results, deplorable as they are, should shame overpaid and under-performing bureaucrats to return to the drawing board, and focus on early childhood and elementary school education.  Not likely as they live in a one-dimensional world. 

MR. EDITOR - WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE KIDDING?

LETTER TO THE CAPE ARGUS EDITOR 

Your editorial (The year we will come of age) in the Weekend Argus (31/12/16) calls for a response.

You must be living in a parallel universe if you believe that South Africa has not descended "into the mediocrity and venality that has characterised so many other countries".  If anything,  South Africa is a role model for corruption, cronyism and looting of state resources.   In contrast, other countries seemingly enjoy at least a semblance of good governance.

A 2017 New Year's resolution would be appropriate for your newspaper:  editorialise based on fact, not fiction.