EBRAHIM & TRUMP NOT SO STRANGE BEDFELLOWS

Shannon Ebrahim, Group Foreign Editor of Independent Media, is no shrinking violet. (op-ed Cape Times 3/28/17).  Her writings portray her as uncompromising and dogmatic - it is her way or the highway.  

The US has yet to appoint its ambassador to South Africa, and Ebrahim is at wits' end because the word in Washington is that South African born Joel Pollack, editor-at-large for Breitbart News, Trump's go-to extreme right wing news source, is on the shortlist for ambassador to South Africa.  Ebrahim is of the view that Pollack's appointment as ambassador will be a disaster for South Africa. 

It is widely expected US foreign policy under the Trump administration will undergo radical change, driven by Trump's 'America First Foreign Policy' paradigm. 

Ebrahim has been supportive of the ANC government's anti-US sentiment, which makes it easy for the Trump administration to posit that South Africa is no friend of the US, and more so,  because of South Africa's close alignment with China, evidenced, in part, by its support for Beijing's territorial dispute in the South China Sea, as well as on sensitive issues such as the Dalai Lama.  The same can be said for South Africa's cozy political and economic relationship with Russia.  

By all accounts South Africa has made its decision regarding its place in the global hierarchy.  It is no longer a cheerleader for the west, but rather ensconced in China's and Russia's geopolitical corner and spheres of influence.  

From Ebrahim's perspective Pollack's appointment will not be in South Africa's interests.  From Trump's perspective if the appointment furthers US interests through his 'America First Foreign Policy', so be it, and consequences be damned. 

Ebrahim may not relish the prospect of being compared to Trump, but obvious similarities do exist:  both are uncompromising, dogmatic, hubristic and believers in the ultimatum "take it or leave it".  

Shakespeare must have had both of them in mind when he observed that "misery acquaints a man [or a woman] with strange bedfellows".  

"THE FOOL DOTH THINK HE IS WISE. . . "

There was a time when Nathi Nhleko, Police Minister was utterly powerless.  Armed with only secondary school education, fortune smiled upon Nhleko.  Whether it was luck, or reward for being an ANC loyalist extraordinaire, Nhleko left the ranks of the powerless to become Minister of Police, a position of power, influence and authority.

Nhleko must have missed orientation prior to taking up his ministerial position in the corner office.  Had he done so, he would have learnt of the truism that when people are given power they basically start acting like fools.

There are ample examples of Nhleko's dumbfounding stupidity.  The one that immediately comes to mind was the ridicule and derision that followed his asinine report on Nklandla.

People in power are prone to repetitively act like fools. Nhleko is no exception, and recently did so again in refusing to accept an en banc high court judgment affirming earlier court decisions finding Berning Ntlemeza unfit when he appointed him head of the Hawks.

Nhleko being the fool he is has rushed in and filed a frivolous appeal to delay Ntlemeza's removal.  His abuse of power and process is enough to make angels weep.

DLAMINI'S SELF-INFLICTED WATERLOO

Minister Bathabile Dlamini expressed shock at the prospect of personally having to pay the costs of the social grants litigation.  She believes she played no part in the social grant debacle, and insists on blaming her officials for the crisis.

Dlamini defiance is a classic example of  denialist behaviour - a defence mechanism triggered to avoid a mentally disturbing truth even though established by irrefutable empirical evidence.

Dlamini's response to the court's order to show cause will be filled with denialist obfuscatory rhetoric.  Her response will allay any doubt to order Dlamini to personally pay the costs of litigation.

No amount of castigation or excoriation by the court can rehabilitate Dlamini.  She will, however, be saddled with a huge pecuniary outlay from a punitive cost order as punishment for her especially harmful, outrageous and unforgivable behaviour.  A warranted lesson for the emotional distress she wrought on the poor, and a lesson for her comrades in government to seriously heed.

LET US NOT FORGIVE

A photograph appeared on the front page  of The Times ( 16/3/17) depicting ANC  spokesman Zizi Kodwa and Sassa CEO Thokozani Magawaza outside the Constitutional Court shaking hands and laughingly embracing each other.   The two were at court for Back Sash's application on payment of social grants by Sassa.

It is hard to imagine a more unbecoming display of jocularity in light of Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng's tongue lashing into Sassa, Minister Dlamini and her department.  It leads to one immutable conclusion:  a complete lack of concern about what is happening around them.   In other words, blind to the catastrophic consequences that will follow if grants are not timely paid to the poor.

Kodwa and Magawaza's display, although disgustingly offensive was not surprising, as it is symptomatic of a callous government they represent.   Should one then, to quote Luke 23:34 "Forgive them for they know not what they do?"  No, because they know what they do.

DREAM ON CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

One can superficially understand Melanie Verwoerd's optimistic assessment of South Africa's future under a Cyril Ramaphosa administration.  Verwoerd is clearly enamored with Ramaphosa's "charming, disarming [and] conciliatory" qualities - not a difficult observation when compared to his deadbeat comrades.  It is true when one digs into the ANC apple barrel of elites Ramaphosa is not one of the rotten apples.  This, however, does not necessarily mean, as Verwoerd believes, South Africa can correct its course under Rhamaphosa's  leadership.

There is another side to Ramaphosa that cannot be ignored, and which militates against giving him the keys to the kingdom.  

 For years  Ramaphosa refused to dust off  his moral compass.  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 indicates symptoms of moral deficit disorder wrapped in a reservoir of political expediency and opportunism. 

In a perfect parliamentary system a ruling political party chooses its leader within a framework requiring focus on the long-term good of the country - this means a leader vested with statesmanship as opposed to being just a politician. As a prerequisite to statesmanship the qualities of integrity, responsibility accountability, conscience and character are essential. 

The enunciated qualities do not, however, matter in the ANC's paradigm for replacing Zuma in 2019.  The dynamic is simply a power struggle between competing factions.  All that matters is factional self-interest between those who support Ramaphosa, and those opposing him. 

Ramaphosa, the well-connected billionaire politician does not need the trappings of the state to enrich himself. He has already acquired his riches by being a major beneficiary of gratuitous empowerment deals. He is beholden to his party for his wealth, and refuses, in the name of party loyalty, to distance himself from Zuma and his political chicanery.  Instead he blindly supports and defends Zuma by dishing up rhetoric over reality, laced with side-stepping infuriating generalities.  His lack of political will and independence raises serious questions about his ability to govern effectively.  

To add to the mix there is paradoxical tension between Ramaphosa's intelligence and his judgment. Regrettably his intelligence does not always equate with good judgment.  One merely has to recall his deafening silence in the wake of Nenegate by allowing political expediency to cloud his judgment.  To put it bluntly:  Ramaphosa is not his own man - he has been consumed by years of ANC relentless collectivism, supplemented by  a generous helping of self-interest and political need.  

 Ramaphosa is not the ideal choice to lead the country. But, then again with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as his leading opponent, Ramaphosa is clearly the prudent choice.  Ramaphosa will be nominated by his faction at the next ANC elective conference, but his nomination will be nothing more than an historical footnote of a failed nomination that was.  Zuma and his cabal will see to it.  

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Note to Melanie Verwoerd:  My apologies for raining on your parade.

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SOUTH AFRICA'S PARLIAMENT - A DUMPING GROUND

A dumping ground is described as a place where unwanted people or things are sent.  So it is with South Africa's premier dumping ground, parliament, where previously employed disgraced party hacks have and will be deployed to willingly do the bidding of Luthuli House.

In the real world disgraced party hacks are deemed unfit to hold public office.  Not so with the ANC government.  When incompetence, corruption, or self-enrichment are exposed, party hacks are elevated to other positions, or if conduct is egregious enough, temporary relegation to parliament.

Recently it was the disgraced teary-eyed, Brian Molefe, temporarily assigned to parliament, now biding his time for a likely cabinet appointment.  He will likely be joined by Hlaudi Motsoeneng if the ANC Youth League in the Free State has its way.  He will likewise bide his time for a likely cabinet appointment as Minister of Communications responsible for overseeing the SABC.

Motsoeneng will have the last laugh, and will happily invite his political enemies to a banquet for a main course of tough old crow in the cabinet's dining room.

THE AMAZINGLY IGNORANT DES VAN ROOYEN

The inimitable Des Van Rooyen, erstwhile 'flash in the pan' finance minister never   ceases to amaze one.  At a recent MKMVA media briefing, van Rooyen, its  Treasurer General came to the aid of his embattled comrade Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini.

ANC alliance partners, opposition parties and others, have called on Dlamini to step down for gross incompetence and  negligence in bringing the country's poor to the brink of starvation by playing games with their social grants.

van Rooyen, an ANC loyalist par excellence, pleaded for a timeout to afford Dlamini "and her capable department time to deal with this matter".  A contemptibly ignorant plea that flies in the face of Dlamini's illimitable dereliction of duties, including departmental oversight.  Not surprising, because to paraphrase Benjamin Franklin we are all born ignorant, but van Rooyen has worked harder to remain ignorant.

BATHABILE DLAMINI: THE MORON IN OXYMORON

Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini is the latest in a long line of grossly incompetent and corrupt ANC government ministers who regard the poor as pawns in a game of chess.  She has bought the country's poor to the brink of starvation by playing games with their social grants.  

The term 'social development' and the person 'Bathabile Dlamini' when juxtaposed gives new meaning to the figure of speech 'oxymoron'.  Better yet, in deleting the letters 'oxy' from the figure of speech, what remains is an apt characterisation of Dlamini.

There have been increasing calls for Dlamini to step down.  Zuma will not fire her as she is meeting his needs in campaigning for his ex-wife to be South Africa's next president.  As usual self-interest above everything else. 

AN OPEN LETTER TO HOWARD FELDMAN

Dear Mr. Feldman:

 I read your piece on the women's march, and take issue with respect to your comments on Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky.

Let me be upfront by stating  that Clinton's actions were not only inexcusable, but also unforgivable.

However, painting Lewinsky as the equivalent of a virtuous vestal virgin deflowered by Clinton against her will is fantasy.

Lewinsky was a victim, but not an innocent victim. She was obsessed with Clinton, and set about implementing an agenda to cement a lasting relationship, without regard to the pain and suffering that would surely impact upon Clinton's immediate family.

 It would not be an easy task for Lewinsky to accomplish her goal. But she had a plan.  Lewinsky graduated with an undergraduate degree. Her degree entitled her to apply for the White House Graduate Internship Program. The program offered  academically accomplished graduates internships. Lewinsky was by no means academically accomplished, and would have been summarily rejected.  However, with the help of connections she found her way to the White House.

Interns at the White House are not permitted to enter the West Wing where the Oval Office is situated.  The art of manipulation was no stranger to Lewinsky, and over time she was free to wonder the corridors of the West Wing. The rest is history.

Lewinsky was no shrinking violet - she was obsessed with Clinton. To suggest she was manipulated solely by Clinton is not the case.  Lewinsky was a willing, determined and ardent participant - she did not require any coaxing from Clinton.

Mr. Feldman, you ignored the cardinal rule taught in Journalism 101:  dig up the facts as most of the time there are two sides to a story.  There are clearly two sides to this story.

COLLINS LETSOALO - ARROGANCE GOETH BEFORE THE FALL

Collins Letsoalo's reaction to his sacking as acting CEO by Prasa's board can only be described as one of irrational defiance.   He unjustifiably refused to leave contending he still is the acting CEO of Prasa.  The fact that he never was an employee of Prasa, but simply seconded to the agency from the transport department was immaterial to Letsoalo.

Letsoalo's defiance followed a pattern employed by ANC comrades who after being suspended or terminated from public sector jobs resort to the "the best defense is a good offense" paradigm.  A paradigm that Hlaudi Motsoeneng successfully followed, aided and abetted by the SABC board and Minister Faith Muthambi.  Not so for Letsoalo, who despite his bluster, has been locked out, and on his way back to his employer, the Transport Department, with his tail between his legs.  There he is expected to face disciplinary proceedings.

Prasa's board is to be commended for taking swift and decisive action in removing Letsoalo.  A rare event which can only bode well in the context of good public sector governance.

Kudos to the Sunday Times for its investigative reporting.