Lots to write about seeing I haven't updated this page for a while now. As we say in these parts - stick around, there's lots of fun awaiting us! (hier gaan dit nog lekker raak).

Jackie Selebi has resigned his Interpol post - very noble of him and about time. His day in court will be in March and charges against him include corruption and defeating the ends of justice. In a strange twist the Scorpion chief in Pretoria (Gerrie Nel) has been charged and jailed only to have all charges withdrawn. Nel is heavily involved in the Selebi investigation.

The press calls it a struggle for survival for the Scorpions. As far as most people are concerned, the Scorpions are the only obstacle between total lawlessness and law and order. Someone has to watch the watchers, and they're it.

JZ is also getting his day in court. Zuma has now been formally charged and with his biggest benefactor still in jail his ANC cronies elected as the new top order in the organisation, are now rallying to his side. What is strange though is that in spite of claiming poverty and riding on the financial support of Schabir, he still has the money to take a fourth wife. Then again, the more the people suffer and the more extravagant the leaders' lifestyle, the better the people feel about their own prosperity. Never mind the fact that they might be living in poverty and dying of hunger - as long as their leader shows wealth and happiness.

This past week a youngster (white) went on a shooting spree in a township. He shot and killed three people and wounded a couple more (black). Outright racist attack yes? We can safely assume that. The episode is nothing but sinister and revolting. We will only know the whole story once this 17 year old has his day in court.

What does get me though - immediately after the shooting the township demanded a meeting which Cosatu (what the hell a labour union has to do with this no-one knows) organised with the local minister to discuss the safety of these people. Not long after the meeting the guy got caught and jailed. Great, we don't need this nonsense so many years into equality. In the meantime people still get killed and maimed for nothing more than a perceived cellphone. Farmers get killed in apparent senseless attacks with very little stolen. The people scream and shout, organise meetings (with mostly no ministers in attendance) and arm themselves amidst police warnings that they'll be jailed for shooting and killing perpetrators.

Kids are being abducted, raped and killed for muti with highly placed government officials promising action, yet the slaughter continues.

But let one white person be the perpetrator and the press is all over it like flies on fresh cow dung. This only serves to support my viewpoint that the ANC government is out to destroy what little self-respect the white man has left.

I am ashamed of being a South African. I'm even more ashamed of being a white South African. We don't do things like this. We don't rape women never mind kill innocent defenseless women and kids.

Eskom (our electricity supplier) has applied for an 18% increase in their fees. Government turned them down and allowed 14%. Since, our country has been suffering black-outs just about every day. Two and a half hours per day and sometimes twice a day. On the odd occasion we count ourselves lucky if there's power all day. The metro cops cannot handle these so-called "brown-outs" and cities come to a total standstill. Business are the biggest loosers. At the engineering firm where I use to work, a sudden loss of electricity can cost thousands in damage. And then there's the lost manhours and getting things going again. Does Eskom really think these companies won't sue? My business (which is a really small retail and repair shop) is extremely vulnerable as we depend on electricity as much as major retail stores does. Our losses are less but substantial considering our turnover and overheads. Does government consider us as much as they care about big business? They don't give a toss!

Mbeki apologised to the nation for ignoring the warning from Eskom in 1995. Much help that is. Trevor Manuel wants at least a 6% annual growth for South Africa which our ANC fat cats with X5s, luxury Mercedes, mansions and bulging back pockets think would happen by itself. It can't.

In spite of a soaring gold price, foreign business will not invest in this country with a failing (or rather failed) power grid.

Thousands are stealing electricity with more than half of certain townships powered by illegal connections but nothing is done about that. Local municipalities cannot pay their electricty bills directly because of theft, but our government conveniently looks the other way. Just like Mbeki telling us we have to get used to the thousands of Zimbabweans crossing our borders illegally.

The first new nuclear powerplant will only commence construction in 2010. It might be completed five years later. I wonder what the power demand will be like by then?

 

Let's have your ideas -

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