GPSA Weekly Views

The class divide is getting bigger by the day. Went to my boss's house today to sort out some computer issues there. This house is in Illovo, one of those "old" rich areas. Picked up a Sandton Chronicle there.

Headline news - the E-coli bacteria levels in the Juksei river has reached dangerous levels. Now you must understand that this river runs through Alexandra, a township next to the Marlboro industrial area situated next to the Ben Schoeman highway which serves as the main road between Johannesburg and Pretoria. The E-coli bacteria can cause a cholera outbreak in the township. Now, historically Sandton and surrounds "sponsor" Alexandra township as well as a couple others. Historically means in the past five years or so. Since October 2003 some 830 tons of waste was removed from the river area between Buccleuch and Modderfontein bridge. Whatever the cleanup plan was, it's obviously not sustainable.

On the second page there's an outrage about the expansion plans of a local garage and on page 3 a resident is complaining about a R86 thousand Rand bill for water. "There are only two people living on the property and we have a borehole, yet Johannesburg Water claims we've been using an average of 22 000 liters of water a day" says Richard Howson. Valid and ridiculous you would agree. But look at this!

Our local newspaper screams "Vermoor" (killed). The story tells us about robbers who attacked a couple on their smallholding, robbed them of money, jewelry and then killed his son who came to visit after a church service on Sunday. Seven suspects were arrested. With a justice system and a police force that regularly fail the victim, not to mention overcrowded jails a positive conviction is a hope and not a certainty.

Makes you think that this little article in The Sun (March 2004) is being enforced by racist blacks. Makes you think, doesn't it?

Back to Trevor Manuel. A short history on how he's been using his "sin" taxes to fund the budget :

Sin taxes up by 50% in 1997. Beer up by 3c a can, wine 8c and spirits 66c a bottle. Cigarettes up 54c a packet of 20.

1998 - Spirits up by 65,7c a bottle. Cigarettes up 46c and fuel up by 10c a litre.

1999 - Spirits up by 56,6c a bottle. Cigarettes up by 41c a packet of 20. Fuel up another 4c.

2000 - Spirits up another 51c a 750ml bottle. Cigarettes up another 38c. Fuel levy another 5c a litre. International travel up by R100 per departure.

2001 - Beer up 6% with spirits up 10%. Tobacco up between 12% and 20%. Fuel up by 4,4c.

2002 - Alcohol increased by 8 to 10%. Tobacco 12%.

2003 - Wine up by 6,7c a bottle (750ml), smokes up by 37,7c and fuel got another 9,2cents.

2004 - Spirits increased by R1,76, beer by 4,3c and wine 20,6c. Cigarettes up by 64c with fuel 15c a litre.

Who says common people like me don't contribute towards the economy?

Yeah, that's me on the right. Some Metallica goes down well when you feel "done in"!

Weekly View
	2 March 2005
The class divide is getting bigger by the day. Went to my boss's house today to sort out some computer issues there. This house is in Illovo, one of those "old" rich areas. Picked up a Sandton Chronicle there. Headline news - the E-coli bacteria levels in the Juksei river has reached dangerous levels. Now you must understand that this river runs through Alexandra, a township next to the Marlboro industrial area situated next to the Ben Schoeman highway which serves as the main road between Johannesburg and Pretoria. The E-coli bacteria can cause a cholera outbreak in the township. Now, historically Sandton and surrounds "sponsor" Alexandra township as well as a couple others. Historically means in the past five years or so. Since October 2003 some 830 tons of waste was removed from the river area between Buccleuch and Modderfontein bridge. Whatever the cleanup plan was, it's obviously not sustainable. On the second page there's an outrage about the expansion plans of a local garage and on page 3 a resident is complaining about a R86 thousand Rand bill for water. "There are only two people living on the property and we have a borehole, yet Johannesburg Water claims we've been using an average of 22 000 liters of water a day" says Richard Howson. Valid and ridiculous you would agree. But look at this! Our local newspaper screams "Vermoor" (killed). The story tells us about robbers who attacked a couple on their smallholding, robbed them of money, jewelry and then killed his son who came to visit after a church service on Sunday. Seven suspects were arrested. With a justice system and a police force that regularly fail the victim, not to mention overcrowded jails a positive conviction is a hope and not a certainty. Makes you think that this little article in The Sun (March 2004) is being enforced by racist blacks. Makes you think, doesn't it? Back to Trevor Manuel. A short history on how he's been using his "sin" taxes to fund the budget : Sin taxes up by 50% in 1997. Beer up by 3c a can, wine 8c and spirits 66c a bottle. Cigarettes up 54c a packet of 20. 1998 - Spirits up by 65,7c a bottle. Cigarettes up 46c and fuel up by 10c a litre. 1999 - Spirits up by 56,6c a bottle. Cigarettes up by 41c a packet of 20. Fuel up another 4c. 2000 - Spirits up another 51c a 750ml bottle. Cigarettes up another 38c. Fuel levy another 5c a litre. International travel up by R100 per departure. 2001 - Beer up 6% with spirits up 10%. Tobacco up between 12% and 20%. Fuel up by 4,4c. 2002 - Alcohol increased by 8 to 10%. Tobacco 12%. 2003 - Wine up by 6,7c a bottle (750ml), smokes up by 37,7c and fuel got another 9,2cents. 2004 - Spirits increased by R1,76, beer by 4,3c and wine 20,6c. Cigarettes up by 64c with fuel 15c a litre. Who says common people like me don't contribute towards the economy? Yeah, that's me on the right. Some Metallica goes down well when you feel "done in"!	Past Views Current Joke Past jokes Gallery Links Current Exchange Rate Daily News Headlines
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