Samwu strike

DEFIANT: The week long SAMWU strike in Johannesburg CBD, 15 April 2010.

Photo: Nkosana Lekotjolo

NATURE AWESOME

LIKE A PAINTING: Sundown in Johannesburg resembling the artist's painting.

PHOTO: Nkosana Lekotjolo

Serious Leadership

I put my hat off for the new Transport Minister S'bu Ndebele after he bravely announced today that he would be returning the luxury Mercedes Benz and two heads of cattle he had received as a gift.

Ndebele decided to return gifts despite President Jacob Zuma and his party, reportedly told him that he can keep them.

For me, Ndebele demonstrated the kind of leadership that the country is so in dire need of ,especially when one looks at how "corrupt' some of leaders are.

We live in the times where leaders are followed by scandals of fraud, corruption and accepting bribes and even refusing to return the gifts they have receivced under the cloud of "kick backs' and corruption.

Photo: David Harrison, M&G.

A CLOUD HANGS OVER IT

HANGING ON: A white cloud hangs over
the Joburg landmark - the Ponte Building in Hillbrow.
Photo: Nkosana Lekotjolo.

New Man In The White House

Photo: AP

Fire Ball...

A GLANCE: The sun is about to bury its head before sundown in Johannesburg. Photo: Nkosana Lekotjolo.

Lekota's National Convetion Is Just What We Need

In a democracy like ours, perhaps the former Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota's National Convention is what we need at the moment in the current political climate.

The ANC splinter group which comprise of other heavyweights such as the former Gauteng Premiere Mbhazima Shilowa, the former Defence deputy Mluleki George, the axed Cosatu President Willy Madisha and others - could just be the right alternative voice the country has been waiting for.

If the new political party is to be formed by the ANC splinter group is anything to go by, this should be seen as good news for the sake of our democracy. The new political party (in waiting) - a breakaway ANC faction would provide real opposition in the country.

Perhaps what we are seeing within the ANC as far as the split within the ruling party is concerned, is that the one party democracy that has dominated our democratic dispensation was not working and that the ANC didn't have any credible opposition at all.

Maybe this proves the theory that despite many opposition political parties that exist in the country, only the ANC splinter groupd could give an alternative voice. Photo: The Times

The Beautiful Creation...

BREATHLESS: The breath-taking spectacle at a break of dawn at Centani Resort in the Eastern Cape. Photo: Nkosana Lekotjolo.

Move To Remove Mbeki Now Would Be Regrettable

The speculation is rife that the ANC mostly domintated by the ANC President Jacob Zuma was out to tople the country's President Thabo Mbeki.

The Sunday newspapers quotted sources iniside the ANC that the move to remove Mbeki from office before next year's general elections was gaining momentum.

This it seems - not far from the truth. This comes in the wake of the last Friday's Pietermaritzburg High Court judge Chris Nicholson's ruling. For Zuma and his supporters the ruling validated their long-held view that "there was indeed political interference in the NPA investigation into ANC President Jacob Zuma."

It is pretty clear that the Zuma supporters's call - in particular the ANC Youth League president Julius Malema that, Mbeki must be removed immediatedly, is more than anything motivated by revenge.
Recalling Mbeki now won't be a clever move in particular because their accusations against the president's role in prosecution of Zuma don't warrant his removal from office.

For the sake of unity within the ANC and for the sake of the country's interest, Mbeki should be allowed to complete his term.

Photo: The Times.

Jozi's Golden Sky...

SKY MADE OF GOLD: The Johannesburg sky is filled with golden dust in the afternoon.
Photo: Nkosana Lekotjolo

Blogger Buzz: Spice Up Your Blog with Google Gadgets!

Blogger Buzz: Spice Up Your Blog with Google Gadgets!

What Cosatu stands for

The countrywide national strikes by the Congress of South African Unions (Cosatu) protesting against high cost of living was unfortunate to some extend.

Cosatu was successful in convincing thousands of workers to down tools in the month of August in defiance to what they say was the governmen't fault that Eskom had plugged the country into darkness, that the prices of food and petrol were high; and that the interest rates and high electricity increases were fixed by the government and Eskom.

While Cosatu could count its successes of bringing the country to a standstill - which was very costly for the country's economy during the prostests, and boasting that they had put pressure on the government to listen to its people; sadly enough all the marches were not intending at achieving these noble objectives.

The marches were a politically culculated move aimed at unsettling the government of President Thabo Mbeki. What characterised these marches more than anything else, from the speakers of Cosatu, SACP, ANYL, Young Communist League, SASCO and others was a fierce defence for the ANC President Jacob Zuma.

Zuma's backers believe that it is Mbeki and his government who are behind the move to prevent the ANC president from becoming the country's president.

During these marches again , the main focus was focused on throwing attacks at the NPA (Scorpions), the judges and a cry to put "hands off Zuma."

Once again, the workers were used as a political tool to win political battles.

Photo:

Miriam Mannak, M&G.

A Man's Best Friend

Photos: Nkosana Lekotjolo

The future of ANC leadership

I always believed that there was no credible youth leadership or organisation in South Africa at this stage - that has the interest of young people at heart.

ANC Youth League (ANCYL) President Julius Malema's utterances saying the youth of South Africa would die in supporting ANC President Jacob Zuma; was the affirmation of the kind of young leadership we have in the country at the moment.

Malema shocked the world when he spoke on behalf of South African youth when he said: "We are prepared to die for Zuma .We are prepared to take up arms and kill for Zuma." Malema is "supposedly" one of the best one young leaders after he succeeded the Fikele Mbalula.

It really shouldn't be a surprsise about why Malema is the current ANCY leader and his utterances concerning Zuma, becuase he is the reflection of the organisation that elected him. It is only "natural" that Malema will one day join the rank and file of the ANC leadership and might be in government one of these days.

I Am Ashamed of Being A South African

For the first time in my life I have never felt so ashamed of being a South African untill recently. My embarrasment is fuelled by the ongoing xenophobic attacks that have cripped Gauteng province. I have never seen such hatred that "we" South Africans show to other fellow Africans. I don't care who says what, but there is absolutely no excuse for anyone to deliberately kill another human being. The horrible scences we see in the media recently are the reminiscence of the apartheid. The only difference is these are only senseless killings. Photo: Gianluigi Guercia, AFP

Pic of the day

TALENT UNLEASHED: Dr Mary Malahlela Primary School Marimba Band performs during Ikusasa Lami Orientation Day on 14 May 2008 at the Carnival City, Gauteng. Photo: Nkosana Lekotjolo.

South Africans must renounce Xenophobia

Xenophobia in South Africa is not something new. But the xenophobic attacks reported in the media in Alexandra and recently in Diepsloot - against fellow Africans, is something not only the country should be ashamed of but it's also inhuman to say the least. There is absolutely no excuse for any human being to inflict pain and kill another because they are illigal immigrants and "will take their jobs away."

I don't buy the argument that suggests that African foreigners in the country are the main cause of crime. We seem to have forgotten quickly how we lived and were treated under apartheid. Photo: Antoine de Ras, Daily News.

Poverty is a new war against Africa

With everyone in South Africa feeling the pinch of the forever price increase in oil, interest rates and the soon to be the highest increase in electricity by over 50%, the poor will be hit the hardest. But most significant pressing issue of our time at the moment in the world - in particular in Africa, is the increase in food prices. The media has reported that these increases in high prices have a potential to invoke protests in poor countries because of shortage of food. In South Africa, the highest inflation to be recorded recently was food inflation. It goes without saying that those who will bear the brunt of the escalating food price are the poor in Africa. Poverty is a new war facing Africa and it calls for immediate attention. Unfortunately some stand to benefit from the hungry and poor as they make huge profits from the food demand all over the world. Photo: M&G

Sundown in Jozi

These are some of the beautiful afternoon scenes in Jozi. The main pic looks like a huge hand in the sky on the 22 April 2008.

Photos: Nkosana Lekotjolo

Parreira's depature is not a crisis

Many South African socccer lovers and maybe some in the continent and abroad, - feel that the departure of the Brazilian-born coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira amounts to crisis to the South African national squad.

Also there are already talks of another Brazilian coach Joel Santana who is said to replace Parreira and take reign of Bafana Bafana. For me there is no crisis to the departure of Parreira. But however, what seems to be a crisis though, is the fact that we in South Africa are not able to find a suitable coach in the country or in the entire Africa who is capable to lead Bafana Bafana to the World Cup. This says a lot about our confidence in our African coaches.