Nkosazana Zuma admits she likes un-democracy

At the recent Home Affairs budget debate I spoke about the difficulties that people continue to experience when dealing with the Home Affairs department. Acknowledgement was also made for some of the success the Minister has achieved. Included in these was the training of officers at the OR Tambo International Airport. One of the Members of Parliament queried why training was received by Cubans as linguistically, culturally and circumstantially we are such different countries.

When Minister Nkosazana Zuma replied to the debate she chose not to reply to any of the pressing matters tabled confronting her department. Instead, she spent her whole reply time to praise Cuba. To quote the Minister, “Cuba, I love it”. I couldn’t’ believe my ears.

It’s now on record that the Minister loves a country that Human Rights watch, in their 2009 report concluded that, “Raul Castrol has kept Cuba’s repressive machinery firmly in place … since being handed power by his brother Fidel Castro.”  The report expanded that “scores of political prisoners arrested under Fidel continue to languish in prison, and Raul has used draconian laws and sham trails to incarcerate scores more who have dared to exercise their fundamental rights.”

Freedom House which classified Cuba as being “not free” and states that Cuba is the only country in the Americas that consistently makes freedom Houses’ list of the worst of the worst:  the world’s most repressive societies for widespread abuses of political rights and civil liberties.

There are no free and fair elections in Cuba and that country’s constitution recognises only the Communist Party (CP). All candidates are required to be pre-approved by the CP candidacy commission. Presently there are at least 194 provisional prisoners who have been denied a fair trial.  As many as 5000 persons have been convicted of potential “dangerousness” without being charged with any specific crime.

So this is the country that Nkosazana Zuma “loves” so much. I wonder if this is the vision she has for South Africa? One with an all-powerful party; where freedom to speak and relay information is the order of the day (the secrecy bill?). Where an all-powerful (and power hungry) party will use its power to “deal” with anyone it doesn’t like. A terrible thought! I can’t help seeing these trends day by day right here in South Africa. Zuma must then be smiling.

The DA march clearly shows two different visions for South Africa

The Democratic Alliance Youth march on COSATU House today highlights precisely the two visions that exist for South Africa. The DA Youth expressed its voice today by marching in solidarity with all unemployed South Africans, and in particular on behalf of unemployed youth whose chances of finding work are being blocked by COSATU. Basically the march was about jobs and how COSATU is ensuring that hundreds of thousands of people remain unemployed. Additionally, the DA Youth demonstrated support for the Youth Wage Subsidy which COSATU has blocked at  Nedlac. 

From the very beginning when this march was announced the DA unambiguously stated that the march would be a peaceful one and that all it wanted to do was express its constitutional and democratic right of expression.  

On the other hand, COSATU threatened violence and declared that this was “open political warfare” and that they would mobilise their members to “meet” the DA at COSATU House. COSATU hates the fact that the DA is highlighting its indefensible hypocritical opposition to the Youth Wage Subsidy.

The DA however is more resolute than ever to stand up for the right of all South Africans find employment and to enter into the economy.

Today’s march thus demonstrated to us the different visions that COSATU has for South Africa as opposed to the one that the DA has. Whilst COSATU staged an illegal gathering outside of COSATU House, the DA had permission to have theirs. Whilst COSATU threatened violence, the DA promised peace and order. COSATU wants to ensure that people remain unemployed; the DA wants people to get jobs. COSATU threw rocks at DA members whilst countless numbers of these members were rushed to hospital because they had been physically hurt by rock-throwing COSATU members.

The DA simply wanted to express its right of free speech and expression, like the old apartheid police COSATU didn’t like that. The DA has a vision of a growing economy where more jobs are created, COSATU doesn’t want that.

These are the two visions that exists – that of a retarded backward looking vision with minimal growth and little employment prospects, generally adopted by the ANC, and that of a future of growth where more and more people have job opportunities.       

Jessica and Tshidi need our support

Jessica and Tshidi need our support

Much has happened and been said about Jessica dos Santos and Tshidi Thamana, the two fashion and beauty models that revealed that their physical beauty doesn’t match their inner beauty. What they said was hurtful and not in line with the vision that most South Africans have; of a united vision of reconciliation and redress. Like most South Africans I felt personally offended and hurt by both these young ladies.

Their subsequent apology and agreement to demonstrate their remorse and lessons learnt has given me hope again. Although these are just 2 individuals, the symbolism of their reconciliatory actions will echo throughout the nation.

Let’s use this as a lesson for all South African. Every South African carries a responsibility; of personally building our new nation. To reconcile and to unite all South Africans. To understand each other particularly those of a different community to our own.

Thank you Jessica and Tshidi for showing South Africa that it’s never too late to repair any harm we may have caused.

Home Affairs actions an admission that it does not control its own records

Home Affairs actions an admission that it does not control its own records

The publishing of 29 000 names of people who share an Identity Number with someone else and do not know who possesses it, is an unambiguous admission by the Department of Home Affairs that it does not control its own systems.

These names have been posted on the Home Affairs website and published in large daily newspapers in an attempt to get affected persons to come forward to have their ID documents rectified. This is an admission by the Department that it cannot identify these duplicates themselves and require the public’s help.

If the department had a true handle and control of its records it would be able to identify duplicate documents and would be able to rectify these themselves. If the department had a complete control of its own records and systems it would not be generating duplicate ID numbers in the first place. 

Additionally, the department does not have the required computer experts and relevant skilled officials, but instead have deployed cadres who are unable to fulfil the duties for which they have been employed but are there only because of their ANC membership. Had such experts been in the department they would’ve been able to identify duplicate ID numbers using computer systems.

In reality most persons with duplicate ID numbers are unaware of this in the first place, as a result a relatively small number of affected persons will be identified through this campaign.

Time will tell if this campaign by the Home Affairs department will yield significant results. The department should rather start setting itself up in such a way so that it will become more efficient to better serve all South Africans.  

I will be asking questions to the Minister in this regard and will also be addressing this matter with her in Parliament.http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?sk=info#!/profile.php?id=648156204