GPSA Weekly Views

Got the terrrible news this morning on the terror attacks in London. I've been back two weeks but actually intended staying to attend the Silverstone F1 Grand Prix this coming Sunday (10 July 2005). Luckily it's a bit expensive to change travelling plans. After being suitably impressed by the British public transport system todays tragedy shows how easily the whole system can be sabotaged. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all.

We are constantly b*tchin' about the price of vehicles here. In spite of the public outcry and competition board investigations, sales of new vehicles have never been better. A reader of a local motoring magazine complained about the 400 grand local price of a luxury 4x4 on which the distributor explained that after a 42% import duty and a further 20% "surcharge", that's the price - take it or leave it. And that when the same vehicle cost just over (the equivalent of) 42 grand in the UK. And for locals who really want to see what it's all about, compare some Subaru prices here. Last time I checked a specific model costing well over 200 grand here can be obtained in the States for R 92,000!

The economy took a R 500 million blow when COSATU led their people in a nationwide strike on the 27 of June. Now this does not make sense to me - cripple industry for a day to protest against unemployment and poverty? Protest against retrenchments? Taking a day off work because the strong Rand is crippling export earnings?

"We are retrenched every day by the capitalists. They put profits before us," Cosatu president Willie Madisha said to loud applause at a march here. What does this idiot think business is all about? Providing jobs without making profit? Does common sense not prevail here or is COSATU just trying to prove a point to their alliance partners - the ANC government? Is there a power struggle on that we don't know about or are the 'people' tired of promises from 'their' elected government?

About a 100 000 workers attended the Johannesburg rally (according to COSATU) with the Gauteng North Chamber of Business reported a 40% workforce absence.

"I don't see how this strike solves the unemployment situation in South Africa. Job growth happens by stimulating business conditions. The strike has made the situation even worse," he said. Bloody right! In spite of COSATUs intentions, can you imagine the damage done in one day to small manufacturing concerns? Less productivity, lower output, less money. Less money, smaller workforce. No money, business close, no workforce. Another strike, more job losses. Makes sense to me, but then again I'm a white capitalist - what do I know.

Cosatu said the Volkswagen and Mercedes plants in the Eastern Cape had stopped production because of the strike. Reminds me of the strike at Volkswagen years ago where they nearly lost a big international export deal, which would've secured more jobs.

Excerpts from the Cape Times - June 28, 2005

Some views expressed :

'It is because of the ANC that we are unemployed'

"We believe the fact we are unemployed is because of the policy of this government"

"It is a bit problematic to destroy production for a day ... to protest about job losses, because it's just going to make the position of the industry worse"

"We are here to highlight the plight of millions trapped in poverty"

'We voted you into power, but what you are doing is wrong'

And onto a feel good story - the fight against crime continues :

The sleepy suburb of Lakeside was caught in a real-life cops-and-robbers chase when helicopters, canoes, a mountain man at a security lookout and a gardener assisted in the capture of four armed robbers.

According to police, the men, aged between 25 and 30, entered Hickory's Sports Bar in Main Road, Lakeside, shortly before 10am on Wednesday, one brandishing a gun.

After threatening the manager with the firearm, they allegedly made off with an unknown sum of money.

'I didn't know they were skollies'
The drama continued when the men ran away and were spotted by a Mountain Security Services lookout from the mountains above Muizenberg.

According to Allan Dillon, of Mountain Security, the "mountain man" radioed in to inform patrol units that he had seen four men running down Main Road.

"The guy on the mountain spotted them running past the Spar. He knew something was up. After alerting us, he saw them run towards the vlei," said Dillon.

"The police arrived from nowhere. All the while the guy on the mountain - Quintin Robain - was tracking them (with binoculars)."

The robbers entered the reeds surrounding the upper reaches of Zandvlei in an attempt to hide.

'I'm happy that they were caught'
Police had deployed helicopters to track the men hiding in the reeds, and security officials borrowed canoes and began combing the reed beds.

Two of the robbers soon left the vlei and attempted to make their way to Steenberg Station, but were blocked by dense reeds.

The men then approached gardener Johnson Mgoqi, who was working on the lawn of a house in the Moorings complex, near the vlei.

Mgoqi, 60, said: "I was cleaning the yard when two men arrived. They wanted to know how to get to the station. So I told them there was no short-cut, they had to go back up (Rutter Road)."

To Mgoqi's surprise, he had unintentionally delayed their escape and the crooks were apprehended at the corner of Rutter Road and Main Road.

"I didn't know they were skollies," said Mgoqi. "Their clothes were wet, but I thought that was because they came out of the vlei. But I'm happy that they were caught because they were robbing people. I helped the police without even knowing it," he said.

Meanwhile, police and security officials were still searching for the remaining two men in the reeds. But radio contact from "mountain man" Robain alerted them to their whereabouts and they were arrested.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Debbie Pheiffer said the men would appear in the Simon's Town magistrate's court on Friday on charges of armed robbery.

This article was originally published on page 3 of Cape Argus on June 30, 2005 - sourced from IOL

Weekly View
	07 July 2005
Got the terrrible news this morning on the terror attacks in London. I've been back two weeks but actually intended staying to attend the Silverstone F1 Grand Prix this coming Sunday (10 July 2005). Luckily it's a bit expensive to change travelling plans. After being suitably impressed by the British public transport system todays tragedy shows how easily the whole system can be sabotaged. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all. We are constantly btchin' about the price of vehicles here. In spite of the public outcry and competition board investigations, sales of new vehicles have never been better. A reader of a local motoring magazine complained about the 400 grand local price of a luxury 4x4 on which the distributor explained that after a 42% import duty and a further 20% "surcharge", that's the price - take it or leave it. And that when the same vehicle cost just over (the equivalent of) 42 grand in the UK. And for locals who really want to see what it's all about, compare some Subaru prices here. Last time I checked a specific model costing well over 200 grand here can be obtained in the States for R 92,000! The economy took a R 500 million blow when COSATU led their people in a nationwide strike on the 27 of June. Now this does not make sense to me - cripple industry for a day to protest against unemployment and poverty? Protest against retrenchments? Taking a day off work because the strong Rand is crippling export earnings? "We are retrenched every day by the capitalists. They put profits before us," Cosatu president Willie Madisha said to loud applause at a march here.* What does this idiot think business is all about? Providing jobs without making profit? Does common sense not prevail here or is COSATU just trying to prove a point to their alliance partners - the ANC government? Is there a power struggle on that we don't know about or are the 'people' tired of promises from 'their' elected government? About a 100 000 workers attended the Johannesburg rally (according to COSATU) with the Gauteng North Chamber of Business reported a 40% workforce absence. "I don't see how this strike solves the unemployment situation in South Africa. Job growth happens by stimulating business conditions. The strike has made the situation even worse," he said. Bloody right! In spite of COSATUs intentions, can you imagine the damage done in one day to small manufacturing concerns? Less productivity, lower output, less money. Less money, smaller workforce. No money, business close, no workforce. Another strike, more job losses. Makes sense to me, but then again I'm a white capitalist - what do I know. Cosatu said the Volkswagen and Mercedes plants in the Eastern Cape had stopped production because of the strike. Reminds me of the strike at Volkswagen years ago where they nearly lost a big international export deal, which would've secured more jobs. Excerpts from the Cape Times - June 28, 2005 Some views expressed : 'It is because of the ANC that we are unemployed' "We believe the fact we are unemployed is because of the policy of this government" "It is a bit problematic to destroy production for a day ... to protest about job losses, because it's just going to make the position of the industry worse" "We are here to highlight the plight of millions trapped in poverty" 'We voted you into power, but what you are doing is wrong' And onto a feel good story - the fight against crime continues : The sleepy suburb of Lakeside was caught in a real-life cops-and-robbers chase when helicopters, canoes, a mountain man at a security lookout and a gardener assisted in the capture of four armed robbers. According to police, the men, aged between 25 and 30, entered Hickory's Sports Bar in Main Road, Lakeside, shortly before 10am on Wednesday, one brandishing a gun. After threatening the manager with the firearm, they allegedly made off with an unknown sum of money. 'I didn't know they were skollies' The drama continued when the men ran away and were spotted by a Mountain Security Services lookout from the mountains above Muizenberg. According to Allan Dillon, of Mountain Security, the "mountain man" radioed in to inform patrol units that he had seen four men running down Main Road. "The guy on the mountain spotted them running past the Spar. He knew something was up. After alerting us, he saw them run towards the vlei," said Dillon. "The police arrived from nowhere. All the while the guy on the mountain - Quintin Robain - was tracking them (with binoculars)." The robbers entered the reeds surrounding the upper reaches of Zandvlei in an attempt to hide. 'I'm happy that they were caught' Police had deployed helicopters to track the men hiding in the reeds, and security officials borrowed canoes and began combing the reed beds. Two of the robbers soon left the vlei and attempted to make their way to Steenberg Station, but were blocked by dense reeds. The men then approached gardener Johnson Mgoqi, who was working on the lawn of a house in the Moorings complex, near the vlei. Mgoqi, 60, said: "I was cleaning the yard when two men arrived. They wanted to know how to get to the station. So I told them there was no short-cut, they had to go back up (Rutter Road)." To Mgoqi's surprise, he had unintentionally delayed their escape and the crooks were apprehended at the corner of Rutter Road and Main Road. "I didn't know they were skollies," said Mgoqi. "Their clothes were wet, but I thought that was because they came out of the vlei. But I'm happy that they were caught because they were robbing people. I helped the police without even knowing it," he said. Meanwhile, police and security officials were still searching for the remaining two men in the reeds. But radio contact from "mountain man" Robain alerted them to their whereabouts and they were arrested. Police spokesperson Superintendent Debbie Pheiffer said the men would appear in the Simon's Town magistrate's court on Friday on charges of armed robbery. This article was originally published on page 3 of Cape Argus on June 30, 2005 - sourced from IOL	Past Views Current Joke Past jokes Gallery Links Current Exchange Rate Daily News Headlines Articles
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