Tag: elections

Look out Zuma!

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OK, so he may have other things on his mind today, but Jacob Zuma must also now face the fact that ex-pats are going to be voting in the April 22nd election, as predicted in 6000 miles… January 27th post.

Following court applications by opposition parties (namely the DA and the VF+), the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) backed down on its initial refusal to allow ex-pat voting and – as long as interested people overseas registered their interest by the end of March – allowed them to vote.

Well, the numbers are out and Jacob Zuma and the ANC must be quaking in their boots. A total of 16,300 people are now registered to vote overseas. Assuming a reasonable turnout on the day of say, 50%, that’s about 8,000 votes shared mainly (presumably, anyway) between the DA and VF+. Scary numbers, indeed.

Yes, yes. I recognise that this was an exercise in exercising one’s rights, but honestly, what an utterly pathetic waste of time and money: like the political version of Earth Hour.
I am completely unsurprised that the parties involved have failed to mention the numbers, because frankly, they’re embarrassing. Compare and contrast their response with their spin about “standing up for voters’ constitutional rights” and the fanfare when they won the court ruling over the IEC. You can’t spin figures this poor.

I’m putting this one down as an own goal of note.

Malema visits Orania

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In a move which surprised many, ANC Youth League President and all-round firebrand Julius Malema today visited the Northern Cape white Afrikaner enclave of Orania.

In a move which surprised even more, he didn’t actually say anything particularly stupid.

Orania Movement president Carel Boshoff junior said in describing the mood of the talks with Malema and an ANCYL delegation there was no “shoot out” or “search for control” attitude during the discussions.
Boshoff junior said they did encounter differences in aspirations and vision between the two groups but it would not exclude further talks with the ANCYL.

Malema said he liked the attitude of the Orania community in that they were prepared to talk. He said the ANC government would always be willing to help those who try and help themselves.
“They co-operate instead of working against each other,” said Malema, adding it was a nice reality to be exposed to. [link]

I’m beginning to get a different impression of Malema. Yes, he does say some completely daft stuff, but he is always, always in the news. Never a bad thing during an election campaign. The media follows him everywhere in droves, just waiting for his next ill-thought, inflammatory comment, which gives him plenty of opportunity to put his message across to a huge audience. It’s a clever ploy and I reckon those people who thought he was really that stupid are actually the ones who were being fooled.

A Question of Trust

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This whole “is the case against Jacob Zuma about to be dropped?” thing. Man, it’s getting complicated.
Why doesn’t someone take things back to basics and explain it in straightforward terms?

OK – here you go, then:

Jacob Zuma, out future President (in 3½ weeks) and who can’t be trusted is set to face charges of corruption, money laundering, racketeering and fraud. He is alleging that these charges, which were investigated by Leonard McCarthy of the Scorpions (who can’t be trusted), were instated by Thanda Mngwengwe of the National Prosecuting Authority (who can’t be trusted) and were being pressed by Bululani Ngcuka of the NPA (who can’t be trusted), are politically motivated by Thabo Mbeki (who actually can’t be trusted, either) .

In a new twist revealed this week, it appears that the South African Police Service (who can’t be trusted), and their Gauteng deputy provincial commissioner Richard Mdluli (who can’t be trusted) bugged the phones of the Mbeki camp and of the Scorpions (neither of whom, remember, can be trusted) and recorded some “potentially embarrassing information”, which the Zuma legal team (who can’t be trusted) are now threatening to release if the charges are not dropped.

Suspended national police commissioner Jackie Selebi (who really can’t be trusted) has denied knowledge of the clandestine recording activities of the Scorpions (who can’t be trusted) and other key players (who can’t be trusted) in the Zuma (who can’t be trusted) corruption saga.

All my information comes from The Times… Umm. No comment.

SA Blog Awards Update

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Well, many thanks to both of you loyal readers who nominated me in the 2009 SA Blog Awards. Because of the time and effort you put in (4 clicks and an anti-spam code, I think it was) together with the large lump of cash that I sent through to Glenn Agliotti (no – he’s not a judge, but he has influence, ok?) I find myself a finalist in two categories:

  • Best Original Writing On A South African Blog and
  • Best Personal Blog

I’d like to think that my “composition, attention to detail, advanced levels of subject investigation” in my “diary type blog of a personal lifestory nature” would mean that if there were an award for the Best Original Writing On A South African Personal Blog, I’d have it sewn up already like Helen Zille has the Best White Woman In Charge Of A South African Opposition Party Beginning With D award in her back pocket. Sadly, there isn’t such a category and thus I’m going to have to slug it out with the Patricia de Lilles and Bantu Holomisas of the South African blogosphere.
Of course, this is no bad thing, because this is democratic South Africa, alive with the possibility of finding someone who’ll take a hefty backhander. (I think Brand SA missed a few bits out of that for their official slogan – perhaps wise, but factually inaccurate.)

You can vote by going to the SA Blog Awards site and submitting your vote at the bottom of the page. Or just wait until I stick a widget on here to help you out [I’m currently awaiting widget delivery from the SABA massive]. [EDIT: Widget below] Or do both, from your myriad of email addresses that you really should have consolidated into one handy gmail account. Tell your friends, too and even invite them to tell their friends – start a viral campaign. Remember to use a condom: according to the pope that makes these things spread even faster.

I’m hoping to have some time tomorrow in which to review the finalists and maybe give you some hints and tips as to who else you might like to vote for in the other categories. One which springs immediately to mind (and must be favourite for the win) is blogrollee Po (aka Spindrifting South African SeaMonkey) in the Best Overseas category. So vote for her. And vote for me. Twice.

Thank you for your attention.

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2 parties drop out

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It was with great sadness that I read on the news24.com election site that two of the parties which were to have fought in the upcoming elections on April 22nd had dropped out of the race to finish way behind the ANC.

Not too many tears were shed regarding the loss of the Hlanganani Sakhe Isizwe party – they didn’t pay their R180,000 and were kicked out by the IEC. Not that I have anything against the Hlanganani Sakhe Isizwe party, it’s just that when I’m at a braai discussing the election, I’ve usually had too many beers to accurately say their name.

Far more disappointing was the loss of the SA Determined Volunteers Party from the list of competing parties.

Those guys weren’t being paid for what they did. They were volunteers. And not just any volunteers – they were determined volunteers – and I know for a fact that they had a lot of prospective candidates lined up on their shortlist.
Previous to drawing up that shortlist, they had a longer list, but they rejected many of the names on there because they just weren’t determined enough.
Removing those less determined volunteers had the effect of concentrating the determination of the remaining volunteers until they were the most resolute, decisive, steadfast, unhesitating, purposeful, earnest, firm, unflinching, obstinate, persevering, resolute, resolved, single-minded, unfaltering, decided, strong-willed, stubborn,  unwavering, dogged, intent and tenacious bunch of volunteers this side of Pietermaritzburg.

Sadly, such well-meaning determination doesn’t necessarily go hand in hand with any sort of organisation and the SA Determined Volunteers Party forgot to submit their registration for the elections.

Bummer.