Let’s vote on Scorpions
One can understand the ANC’s need to heal divisions and consolidate one centre of power, but can the country afford to drain the baby with the bathwater?
So I repeat the question posed by Sunday Times editor Mondli Makhanya: Why the haste? What’s the rationale for the seeming desperation to ‘lose” the Scorpions, which have become crucial to our anti-crime arsenal?
The decision to disband the unit may have been confirmed by the ANC lekgotla, but it was taken at the party’s policy conference and ratified at its national conference. So if South Africans want to challenge it, they had better become focused, articulate and active.
I suggest an extension to Makhanya’s challenge to South Africans to make the disbanding of the Scorpions an issue for the next election. What about rolling mass action, within the ANC and beyond, towards a referendum on this issue?
This might seem expensive until it is compared, in retrospect, to the appalling cost of the historic blunder.
My point is that caution is necessary, because shit happens, often unintentionally. And there are times when an electorate has to demand their right to be informed and have major decisions put directly to them. — Alan Jaffe, Eshowe
The article by Pule Malefane in last week’s Mail & Guardian is a sad reminder of the kind of people who sit in government. He clearly has no understanding of the law.
Cases like Zuma’s can take a long time to finalise, especially with a tenacious accused like Zuma who blocks efforts by investigators to gather evidence.
Malefane advocates what some of us long ago suspected would happen: the case will be sabotaged politically by disbanding the Scorpions and targeting individual investigators. That defeats the ends of justice. — Ndim ke Lowo, Sebokeng
More than just hot air needed
The special parliamentary sitting on the electricity crisis was a good sign. If anything, it showed that Parliament was taking the energy crisis seriously. On the other hand, I would have liked African National Congress MPs to have taken this initiative first rather than waiting for the mostly irrelevant Democratic Alliance to make the call.
Then Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica rose to speak, and made complete nonsense of the process. It was totally inappropriate for her to make light of citizens’ anger and distress regarding the power failures. There are many comrades who fear for their jobs and a possible medium-term economic downturn. It’s no laughing matter. It is a poke in the eye to be told by a “deployed” public official to “go to bed earlier” (like one sends children to bed) in response to a national crisis.
I support elected officials and realise that every citizen has a responsibility to act to get our country through this energy crisis, but we want more than just hot air from deployed representatives. A whole lot of action would be good.
Some years ago when we were talking about renewable energy as a way into the future, the idea was dismissed by Eskom and government authorities because it was seen as “not First World enough” (unlike the pebble-bed modular reactor deity, for instance.) So now, instead of generating high-tech, First World, renewable energy, we eat the humble pie of Third World technology (that is, going to bed early). — C Morrison, Newclare, Johannesburg
The leaders of most opposition parties in South Africa, notably led by Helen Zille and Patricia de Lille, are rightly calling for the incumbent government ministers to resign because of their failure to avert the present power crisis.
However, opposition party leaders along with the nominated MPs of their respective parties receive huge salaries and perks from taxpayers. They are paid to denounce timeously in Parliament any abuses by the government and demand from it transparency, integrity and efficiency.
Why, therefore, did opposition parties not alert the public to the power catastrophe that has crept up on us over the past nine years? Surely they knew what was happening? Or perhaps they are the MPs often to be seen on television dozing in their comfortable leather parliamentary seats, without a care in the world. — Frank Hartry, Kingsburgh
I am a South African living in the United Kingdom. The most obvious solution to South Africa’s energy problems is to stagger the times that different professions or businesses start and finish work. This may result in people having to work longer hours to some extent, but it will solve the energy problem in the immediate future as the load of different businesses and the load of people cooking and using their electrical appliances at home would be spread over a longer period of time.
South Africa is in a very vulnerable position at this stage. The lack of electricity will stall the economy or even cause negative growth, and the government will not have the funds to buy overpriced land to redistribute. Also, crime is sure to increase with the prospect of people from our neighbouring countries swamping South Africa as their electricity problems worsen due to Eskom’s withdrawal of supply to those countries.
To make things even worse, South Africa will probably suffer some disinvestment and further brain drain. Unemployment is bound to rise with the disinvestment and the reduced capacity for businesses to trade, which will further increase crime. To put the cherry on the cake, the 2010 World Cup may end up being the nail in the coffin as millions of foreigners flock to South Africa only to be greeted by power cuts and high levels of crime. God help our poor country! — Roland Chandler
Was it just a nightmare?
I take particular umbrage at African National Congress secretary general Gwede Mantashe’s statement that “judges must earn — respect from society and act in a way that befits their status in society”. Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke has the right to voice his opinion on any matter, and for the ANC to shoot its mouth off before investigating fully and reviewing all the aspects (as admitted by Mantashe himself) surrounding the so-called “offensive … attack on the ANC” is irresponsible.
In the past months, the ANC has shown itself to be childish and churlish at best. At worst, its more recent actions reek of cover-ups and “conspiracies” that affect the moral fabric of this country. It continues its march toward party-benefiting action at the cost of actions that benefit the country at large.
Moseneke has attained his position in the judiciary for a reason; he has shown himself to be an honourable judge who executes his tasks and responsibilities in a morally justifiable manner, to the benefit of society. That’s more than can be said for the ANC, unfortunately. He and the judiciary should be commended for that. It is as the Mail & Guardian asked earlier: Why is the disbanding of the Scorpions receiving seemingly higher priority than addressing the energy crisis in the country?
Perhaps the answer is that we should all go to bed earlier and sleep more (and don’t forget to boil less water) so that we can “grow and be cleverer” as Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica suggests. In admitting (in hope that is) that her comments were said in jest, perhaps we should all really go to sleep, and when we awake, hopefully all of this was nothing but a badly scripted dream. Here’s to hoping — — Conrad Booysen, Pretoria
Africa Union can save Kenya
Kenya is on fire. What was thought to be “pockets of violence”, as a government spokesperson once put it, seems to have mutated into a wildfire devouring the country. Part of this shocking scenario is the apparent impotence of the state, which holds and controls monopoly of force.
Government officials in the comfort of their air-conditioned offices argue that the ODM party is behind the violence. Others argue that it is genocide! How can genocide be perpetrated by groups of individuals who have no monopoly and instruments of government force and power?
The signal received by the citizenry is that of a government that is not in control and which is in a state of panic. Matters are made even worse when media reports mention the hiring of Ugandan military to maintain law and order in Kenya. The ODM, while presenting a calm face, seems not ready to tell Kenyans what strategies it has in place to keep them safe and help them resettle. ODM leaders should state clearly what they plan to do to rectify the situation without exposing innocent second-generation citizens to trauma.
The chastity of the judiciary was defiled in the eyes of Kenyans on December 30 2007. The chastity of the police, too, has gone down the drain given the fact that the army is seen to be the only neutral arbiter.
I propose that the African Union use its clout to force the PNU into a sober talking mode by rejecting any recognition of the current administration. The AU has always been touted as a toothless dog. Kenya is an excellent opportunity for the AU to rejuvenate itself by using its diplomatic clout to reject strongly the outcome of the flawed electoral process in Kenya. — James Shikwati, director, Inter-Region Economic Network
Expertise on offer
I have always been a staunch defender of South Africa. My only sibling and parents moved to Canada years ago and are permanent residents there already. I was always angry when they lambasted the new South Africa and I tried to show them the positive things. It is getting more difficult (even for me) to find those positive things these days.
I can go to any country purely based on my qualifications. I have a PhD in engineering, but I am working in investment banking at the moment. Both my master’s and PhD research projects involved the maintenance and performance improvement of major power-plant equipment. Due to the power emergency at the moment, I thought that I must do the right thing for the country and contact Eskom to offer my expertise.
Unfortunately I will not go through with my plans after watching Carte Blanche on M-Net. According to an internal Eskom communication, there shall be no white male appointments this year. Well, I am sorry that I do not meet Eskom’s requirements. What future is there anyway for me in a government organisation that looks at the world through racial glasses? Racism did the country a lot of harm during apartheid. Unfortunately racism is doing the same today! — Frustrated patriot
Revisit Tugela plan
Thirty-five years ago, a far-sighted man called David Thorrington Smith produced a comprehensive plan for the extensive development of the Tugela Basin, based on harnessing the waters of the Tugela River.
Apart from the labour-creating development of the vast industrial potential of KwaZulu-Natal, he produced plans for the development of about 10 hydro-electric plants at various sites along the Tugela.
Thorrington-Smith’s comprehensive six-volume study was used as standard study material at various universities, including some overseas.
For some reason, the development was not undertaken. Instead of developing the potential of KwaZulu-Natal, the headwaters of the Tugela were pumped over the Drakensberg for development in what is now Gauteng.
One innovative 100-megawatt hydroelectric plant was built in the Drakensberg, but that is all.
As MP for Klip River (Northern Drakensberg, Bergville, Ladysmith and Estcourt) at the time, and I pleaded to the limits of my frustration for the comprehensive development of the Tugela Basin.
With Eskom’s present problems, I would suggest that Thorrington-Smith’s plan be revisited. Hydro-electric power generation is environmentally friendly and sustainable. — VA Volker, Pietermaritzburg
South Africa has not only one of the world’s highest Gini coefficients, which measures economic inequality, it is also one of the top per capita carbon emitters per unit GDP.
We could make inroads into both of these disgraces, as well as that of ‘Eish-kom”, by adopting a new payment scheme for electricity in residential areas: a free basic electricity ration followed by a steeply progressive rate for increasing electricity usage.
The free units should only be enough to cover an average home’s cooking and lighting. Consumption above this threshold would start costing 10 times the current tariffs, discouraging over-consumption and making it cost-effective to invest in solar heaters and the like.
The 15% price hikes announced by Eish-kom provide nowhere near sufficient incentive to curb consumption. — Chris Kenyon, Hout Bay
We are not the only country to suffer. In Nepal, shortages are taking place because of the low levels of the rivers, which hampers hydro-electric generation.
Elsewhere, however, these things are better planned. Part of the difficulty for most people is in not being able to plan one’s day and work schedule, because in South Africa the cuts seem totally unpredictable. — Peta A Jones, Tshitandani/Makhado
I have put my two geysers on swimming pool timers and in the past seven months have saved an average of 1 000 units, or about R460, a month. That represents a 45% monthly saving.
Imagine the effect if all governement departments turned off their geysers at night and on weekends! — Carl Muller
It has been reported that one of the government’s responses to the energy crisis is ‘developing a new type of nuclear reactor”.
This is not correct. The government is spending R16-billion on trying to develop a pebble-bed reactor, which may or may not work. This is not something that will help South Africa out of its energy crisis; it has pushed the country towards the crisis. The money could have been used to build a new power station.
Similarly with the R20-billion cost of the Gautrain. What will it run on? Electricity. The government spends this money on something that will consume electricity, when there is not enough electricity to run the gold mines. — Donovan Gericke, Stilfontein
An idea for a Zapiro cartoon: Zuma shouting ‘Amandla” from the podium at an ANC meeting in a hall lit only by a few candles; the response from the barely visible audience is not the usual ‘Awethu”, but ‘Awekho” (there is none). — Oliver Ransome, Ramsgate
Further to the calls for solar energy use, we should not forget wind, wave and biogas as energy sources.
The world wind energy market grew 30% last year, with China experiencing a threefold growth and the US market doubling in size.
Farmers in the US, China and New Zealand use biogas from manure to power generators and then fertilise their crops with the residue.
German engineers are working on a ‘Combined Power Plant” that links and controls 36 wind, solar, biomass and hydropower installations throughout Germany, making the power supply as reliable as any conventional power station. — Andrew Taynton, Linkhills
Energy scarcity is a global problem, because our civilisation is fundamentally unsustainable. South Africa’s current problems foreshadow a future that ultimately all of us will have to deal with. This crisis will require effort and participation by all South Africans to resolve.
What can I do? How can I help? We need structures and coordination. Tell us all about it on every channel and in every paper. Tell us where we can spend our effort and energy.
We are a tough, clever bunch; let us help solve the problems. Leave your Eurocentric theories, sacred cows, populist rhetoric, clichéd ideologies, legacies of apartheid and hangovers from liberation to the side.
We need to work practically towards making the best future we can. — Gerry van Heerden
Motlanthe has no backbone
ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe is not an angel in the infighting between the ANC’s factions. To me he is a more Machiavellian politician than Thabo Mbeki.
The tripartite alliance holds secretariat meetings almost every month, but when the SACP and Cosatu attack President Mbeki, Motlanthe does not reprimand the general secretaries of those organisations.
Before the Polokwane conference, he elevated himself above the Zuma and Mbeki factions of the ANC — despite being on Jacob Zuma’s list.
What he really wants is for Zuma and Mbeki to continue fighting and thereafter emerge as a unifier and a better leader.
He was quick to reprimand Terror Lekota but is silent when Zuma violates many aspects of the ANC constitution.
Not once has he discouraged the wearing of T-shirts with the slogan ‘100% Zulu Boy”.
The ANC secretary general is the enforcer of the code of conduct, so where is the report on the booing of Mbeki at the Harry Gwala stadium? Why has not a single person been expelled for burning ANC T-shirts with Mbeki’s face on them?
It was Motlanthe who believed in the hoax emails created to divide ANC leadership along tribal lines, so that non-Zulus like Mbeki, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Frank Chikane and Saki Macozoma were perceived as opposed to a Zulu leader.
It was only at the conference that he blamed the hoax emails on a ‘third force”. The damage was already done.
Motlanthe is not on the left — his business interests are well known to ANC and business circles.
In a cunning way he is building himself up using Zuma as a step ladder. He is clever, but has no backbone. — Owen Mkhari, Pretoria
No help
My friend Abel Kutu, a former political prisoner involved in the Upington 26 case, died in poverty on December 2, aged 43. Only one local ANC official, Gift van Staden, attended his funeral.
After his release, Kutu received no help. He had no home and was unemployed for many years. He suffered from cancer, but the ANC offered no help with medical costs.
Abel, I and others have constantly pleaded for help, until our dignity is no longer a priority. We ask only for what political prisoners elsewhere have received — jobs and a home. — Zonga Mokgatle, Upington
Punishment
The Johannesburg Heritage Trust and the Egoli Heritage Foundation appreciate the M&G‘s coverage of Imperial’s demolition of a heritage building in Jo’burg, in violation of the National Heritage Resources Act and stop orders imposed by the city and the Provincial Heritage Resources Authority of Gauteng.
However, the M&G‘s claim that the offenders faced only a R10 000 fine is incorrect. The Act provides for a fine or imprisonment of not more than five years, or a fine and imprisonment. — Herbert Prins, chairperson Egoli Heritage Foundation
Watson review misses the point
In your January 25 edition Shaun de Waal snipes at the latest work of South Africa’s foremost poet, Stephen Watson.
De Waal does precisely what he unfairly accuses Watson of. He appears more intent on showing off what he considers to be his own writing skills, rather than giving a fair and balanced assessment.
He concedes that Watson is a ‘master poet”, that he admires his poetry and that the volume contains some superb lines and exceptional rhythmic qualities. But he then says it feels like a retread of older works and that (some of) the poems often feel ‘slack, wordy and long-winded” punctuated with ‘overworked commas”. Nothing could be further from the truth when one journeys through this fresh and powerfully intimate volume.
He continues: ‘… the style feels all too easy. His exceptional rhythmic quality is doing too much work here.”
De Waal has missed the point. Watson has made poetry accessible to those who might not readily read poetry, without dumbing it down.
I have given it to many of my friends who, although they read widely, are not generally conversant with poetry as a literary form. The unanimous feedback is one of utter joy at picking up a book of poems and being able to comprehend each one and revel in its beauty, lyricism and meaning.
Now that is a talent that many poets can aspire to. — John MacRobert
In brief
Having left South Africa three years ago, I still marvel at the blatant racism there. For your paper to call the untried suspect in the Skielik killings a murderer is shocking. I thought the Mail & Guardian was non-prejudicial. I was wrong. — N Williams, Cardiff, Wales
With regard to Ryland Fisher’s article ‘No more first black stories” (January 25), I would like to be the first white person to note that he is the first black person to say anything meaningful on this issue. — Leon Kukkuk, Luanda, Angola
Your comment that ‘our country has lost standing. I realised this as ANC president Jacob Zuma fell backwards on his arse during his fourth wedding” (January 18) was offensive not just to Msholozi but to the entire Zulu nation. The ‘falling on the arse”, as you so loosely put it, is part of the Zulu dance and culture we pride ourselves on. — Siyanda Mzotho
I’ve been following with concern editorials from certain sections of the media pertaining to immigrants. Constantly labelling such people aliens and showing palpable support for the Soshanguve disturbances and gross disregard for the strong historical links between South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe is worrying and fuels hatred. — Mqhubi Nyathi
Your January 25 edition managed to interview no less than four politicians — Mathews Phosa, Kgalema Motlanthe, Gwede Mantashe and Penuell Maduna. Clearly the M&G is not content with the other papers’ standard fare of ‘he could not be reached for comment”. I hope other rags are watching and learning. — Bongani Majola, Midrand
Dear Mr President and ministers Erwin and Sonjica: Thank you for admitting that government is to blame for the power crisis — it is very big of you. Can we see your letters of resignation now, please? — Karel du Toit, Knysna
I have just returned from visiting South Africa, but was quite bemused by the constant anti-Australian rhetoric blurted out by the South African media and public, especially when this attitude is not mutual from this side of the Indian Ocean. I left wondering what exactly South Africa’s problem with Australia is, because there certainly seems to be something amiss? — Ian Brenner, Australia