It's been a while..
To be honest, there's so much nonsense flying around these days and my total lack of interest in pure hogwash is the main reason behind these very infrequent updates.
I did however have a chat with a domestic worker in Jo'burg on Tuesday. Sally (her real name) is politically savvy. She knows what's wrong and what's right. She knows where South African politics are heading and she's scared of the future.
Strangely enough I mentioned our favourite butt head, Julius Malema (president of the ANC Youth League), and as if on cue, Malema did it again. He called the education minister some names at a rally and got promptly knocked over the head for his stupidity by none other than the ANC themselves. Strange how quickly they react when one of their darlings get lambasted by one of their own? "Fake American accent"? My goodness, Pandor speaks perfect English, better than myself and I daresay, better than most South Africans.
According to Sally in her own words "Malema stuck his finger up the wrong *sshole and his days are numbered". I for one sincerely hope so. South Africa can do without militant youths like Malema. As the editor of the Sowetan wrote (Feb 10 2009) "hopefully their (ANC) more mature leaders will send the message to the excitable youth, emphasizing the danger and futility of intemperate language". He was commenting on the IFP / ANC war in Kwa-Zulu Natal after both parties organised election rallies on the same day in the same area. I'd say this is applicable to the Youth League.
Talking of these rallies. How does the ANC operate? Are they out looking for confrontation so they can turn around and scream foul? Looking at the TV coverage one can see busloads of ANC supporters being transported in. Come on, this is Kwa-Zulu Natal, the Zulu kingdom. Don't go look for trouble and then point fingers. Sure, all parties have the right to campaign wherever they want without fear of intimidation and violence, but put some planning behind it.
Onto some more positive things - the Gautrain launched with no hiccups. So it was a small completed stretch, but it's here and it's working. This is wonderful news. One question though - the units were built in the UK and are capable of doing 360km/h. Locally though they won't exceed 160km/h. Why? A bit of overkill I say, but it's nice to know.
As mentioned before, I was in Jo'burg for some meetings and got a rental whilst up there. South Africans are totally dependent on their own transport as public transport are either nonexistent or extremely volatile with strikes and stoppages and breakdowns etc. We had to get to Pretoria from Kyalami (Midrand) and decided to follow the most commonly used route (big mistake). From Kyalami racetrack (which by the way is hosting two international racing events this year - heehaa) to the Ben Schoeman highway (main artery between Pretoria and Johannesburg) is about 7 kilometers. This took us two hours at 7 in the morning.
What was total mind freeze though were the commercial taxis (main means of transport for the majority of black citizens) zooming past on the shoulder of the road. And by zooming, I mean zooming. Sticks and stones will break my bones, and it does a lot of damage to a stationery car as well. Something you must remember is that these vehicles are not always the usual Toyota Hi-Ace buses, but the bigger, faster and better Mercs, Chanas and the like.
Thanks but no thanks. In our quiet little town three cars at a 4 way stop is a traffic jam. So we don't make the money, most of us don't drive the big fancy cars, we don't live in mansions and we probably don't have health insurance. Who needs it. Seriously.
The global recession has claimed my old company. Kolbenco has been in existance forever. Original piston manufacturer since the days before Kolbenschmidt got swallowed by another major German company. It's been through tough times and survived. But the slowdown in car manufacturing has finally caught up with them. My family of 18 years is no more, and that's sad.
Let's have your ideas -
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