Snippets From South Africa: August 2007
In this article:
*Jacob Zuma Tells the “Church” to Speak Out on Morality!
*South Africa Shows Its True Colours at the UN, Supporting Dictatorships All Over the World
*Increasing Media Freedom Violations in South Africa
*SA Broadcasting Corporation Must Not Give the Perception that It is a Government Mouthpiece, Says the ANC
*Nurses and Teachers Go on Strike: Massive Intimidation and Disruption
*SA’s Dismal Education System
*The Increasing Incompetence and Collapse of Essential Services
*Agriculture Minister Warns the Government Will Expropriate Land from White Farmers
*Mandela’s Answer to the World’s Woes: “The Elders”
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Jacob Zuma Tells the “Church” to Speak Out on Morality!
We have written much about Jacob Zuma before. He is the deputy president of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), and could very well become the next president of SA. But he is a radical leftist, a man who is going to be tried for alleged corrupt dealings, a man with very corrupt friends, and a man who admitted to an illicit sexual relationship with a young woman. He is also a man with more than one wife. And yet this man, speaking at the launch of a group of churches in Rustenburg, called on the “Church” to be vocal on matters concerning morality!
He said the “Church” had a role to play in ensuring that the laws of the country were in line with the wishes of the majority. “The Church was involved in the formation of the Freedom Charter,” he said. “It was there when the ANC was founded in 1912 and it participated in the struggle for freedom.”[1]
He said it was high time that the “Church” confronted the government on laws that were not morally right, and that it should also participate in debates regarding bills before they were signed into law. In this way, he said, it could ensure that laws were morally correct.
His words made it very obvious what he meant by “the Church”. He was not of course speaking of, or to, the true Church of Jesus Christ, but rather he was speaking of, and to, the false, politicised, radical “Church”: i.e. those “churches” which had supported the Marxist revolutionaries as they conducted their evil terrorist campaign against the SA State, which finally brought the ANC to power. That this is the “Church” Zuma meant, can be seen from the fact that he said this “Church” was involved in the formation of the Freedom Charter – a Communist document; and that it participated in what he called “the struggle for freedom” (ANC-speak for the Marxist revolution).
His words made it very obvious what he meant by “the Church”. He was not of course speaking of, or to, the true Church of Jesus Christ, but rather he was speaking of, and to, the false, politicised, radical “Church”: i.e. those “churches” which had supported the Marxist revolutionaries as they conducted their evil terrorist campaign against the SA State, which finally brought the ANC to power. That this is the “Church” Zuma meant, can be seen from the fact that he said this “Church” was involved in the formation of the Freedom Charter – a Communist document; and that it participated in what he called “the struggle for freedom” (ANC-speak for the Marxist revolution).
It truly is a case of the pot calling the kettle black. An immoral man calling on immoral institutions to take a stand on moral matters!
Jacob Zuma is a far more astute politician than many give him credit for. He well knows that the false “Church” carries an immense amount of clout in South Africa. The vast majority of black South Africans are religious, churchgoing people. The vast majority are not true Christians – that is a different matter entirely. But they are religious and churchgoing. The role they played in bringing the ANC to power cannot be overestimated. Thus, their future role in bringing Zuma to power cannot be overestimated either! And Zuma knows this well. And so he fobs himself off as a “Christian”, a moral man, a wise leader who reads the Bible and can wax eloquent on moral matters and others. And the biblically illiterate masses soak it all up wonderingly, and sing Zuma’s praises.
But we must not be fooled. This is a cunning, clever man. The disasters of Mandela’s reign, which were very real, were papered over to a large extent by the world’s adulation for the man. Mbeki’s reign has been disastrous for SA. Jacob Zuma’s reign, should he ever take over, will be just as disastrous, if not more so.
South Africa Shows Its True Colours in the UN, Supporting Dictatorships All Over the World
When are the blinkers going to come off the rest of the world? How long are they going to keep trumpeting the lie that South Africa is a democratic, decent, non-Communist country, standing shoulder to shoulder with the “free world”?
South Africa joined the UN Security Council in January as a non-permanent member. U.S. secretary of state for international organisations, Kristen Silverberg, said in late April that SA’s position on certain issues on the UN Security Council agenda is “disappointing”. She said SA had voted more often with undemocratic and unaccountable governments, and this was a concern. She said, “We do not want to see that pattern repeated in the Security Council.”
SA had used its position to attempt to block discussions of human rights abuses in Burma. It joined China and Russia (its old Red allies) in voting against a U.S.-drafted resolution urging Myanmar (Burma) to end its persecution of minorities and opposition groups.
Initially the ANC also backed Iran’s attempts to evade sanctions for defying UN demands to subject its nuclear programme to greater scrutiny. In fact, in various UN votes, SA supported a number of dictatorships and repressive governments – including of course Zimbabwe, which it has consistently refused to take a strong stand on. It opposed a British move to bring Zimbabwe’s suppression of the opposition before the UN Security Council.
Well, what did the U.S. think? The U.S. did everything it could to install the ANC into government in SA; an organisation it well knew was a Marxist-dominated terrorist outfit. And now it’s surprised when SA sides with “undemocratic and unaccountable” governments? SA’s ANC government itself is hardly a truly democratic or accountable government! Birds of a feather flock together. The ANC supports the likes of Burma, Iran, Zimbabwe and other such states, because they are of the same ilk.
It is just another case of the U.S. supporting an organisation which, when it comes to power, turns around and bites it. In the UN itself, SA has made it clear that it is fighting against manipulation of the UN by world powers such as the U.S.
Tom Wheeler, a researcher at the South African Institute for International Affairs, said: “South Africa has created the impression it sides with countries that do not have much respect for human rights. From a public relations viewpoint it has been a disaster.”
Tony Leon, the leader of SA’s official opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), asked: “Do we defend the oppressed in other countries; do we fight for the protection of human rights across the globe? Looking at our current foreign policy, the answer to this question is regrettably too often in the negative.”
So it is; but again – what did the liberals in the DA expect? The ANC, before it became the government, was a Marxist-dominated terrorist organisation, supported by, and supporting, similar terrorist organisations around the world. When it became the government, it did not change its ideology! It still remains committed to the same goals as all other such terrorist outfits anywhere in the world, whether they are in government now, or not yet. Sadly, liberals have fallen for the myth that the ANC cares about the poor and oppressed. It never has and it never will. It made use of them to come to power, certainly; but beyond having such a use for them, it has no interest in them. Nor could it care two hoots for the poor and oppressed in any other country. The game was, and is, all about power: achieving power, and holding on to power. That is all.
SA is also doing its utmost to reform the United Nations in such a way that it could eventually have a permanent Security Council seat of its own. This is its goal, most certainly. But interestingly, although it stands up for developing nations and generally stands against the U.S., UK, etc., few of the developing African nations have actually backed it in these endeavours! One reason for this lack of support for SA is that SA’s ambitions for a permanent seat on the Security Council may overshadow the ambitions of other African states for such a seat, notably Egypt and Nigeria. Thus African jealousy, greed, ambition and infighting may actually scupper any hopes of full African unity on these maters! Which is a very good thing.
Increasing Media Freedom Violations in South Africa
In April the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) criticised what it described as the increasing media freedom violations in SA. It spoke of its deep concerns at the erosion of these freedoms.
In a ranking of press freedom in 167 countries by Reporteurs sans Frontiers, South Africa had dropped to 44 on the list. In 2002 it was placed 16th, showing that as the years go by the situation is worsening.
The deputy chairman of the editors’ forum, Thabo Leshilo, said, “South Africa’s ranking in Africa is sixth, a ‘score’ that a country with a fine Constitution and with aspirations to freedom of expression and transparency can hardly be proud about.” We would strongly disagree that SA’s Constitution is a fine one – it is an ultra-liberal document, a threat to Christian freedom and other things – but the rest of his remark was very true. An indication of SA’s attitude to press freedom, he said, was the decision by parliament to invite hearings on the Film and Publications Amendment Bill, a measure the media rejected. The media were not consulted before the legislation was drafted, and despite promises that consultations would be held, none have taken place. “Instead,” he said, “the portfolio committee (in Parliament) has proceeded with this highly restrictive bill affording the media only a last chance to try to stave it off”.
He said: “Sanef condemns the long list of other infringements on press freedom and obstacles to gathering news”; and Sanef noted the following infringements to freedom of expression:
1) a journalist was kidnapped in protest against a story that he wrote;
2) the media were excluded from court hearings and their notebooks were snatched;
3) photographers had images of the president removed from their cameras;
4) reporters were barred by police from demonstrations;
5) civil authorities refused to convey information, such as crime statistics, to the media.
Worldwide, South Africa is hailed as the “miracle nation”, a now-free nation after decades of supposed “apartheid oppression”. But this is just an illusion. South Africa is not a free nation. With all the repressive legislation now in place, its citizens are, today, less free than they ever were under “apartheid”! But of course, the SA government doesn’t want the world to know that. While perpetuating the myth of a “free country”, the New Communists now governing this country are eroding the citizens’ freedoms.In May, various media organisations objected, during public hearings in Parliament, to the draft Film and Publications Amendment Bill. Among other things, the bill’s provisions mean that, if it becomes law, the print and online media will have to submit all news reports containing descriptions of sexual assault, indecent assault and rape to the classification committee before publication!
Another requirement is that descriptions of “propaganda for war” or “incitement to imminent violence” would have to be submitted to the publications committee for classification! This would affect any news report, photograph or article dealing with or depicting declarations of war, violent demonstrations, violent incidents, or civil unrest.
The executive director of the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI), Jane Duncan, said that the bill went far beyond banning child pornography. “If the bill goes through in its current form,” she said, “a wide range of material will be banned or restricted.” The FXI was especially concerned at the potential to ban or restrict political speech.
The National Association of Broadcasters’ advocate Steven Budlender said that, if enacted in is current form, the bill would compel TV stations to submit all their programmes, including news bulletins, to the board for pre-screening. “The effect of the bill on news and current affairs programmes will be particularly devastating – it will mean a delay in the broadcasting of every news bulletin,” he said. “This is plainly undesirable and plainly violates freedom of expression.”
The Publishers’ Association of SA said protecting children from sexual abuse and combatting child pornography could be achieved without crippling the publishing industry.
Sanef said: “Not only do the provisions in question endeavour to regulate expression on the basis of content, but they also constitute a chilling effect upon free expression, a serious threat to editorial independence, and a step along a slippery slope, which is unjustifiable in principle and incapable of proper application in practice.” It also said: “The effect of these provisions is that expression deserving of constitutional protection will now be subject to governmental approval, contrary to the very tenets of freedom of expression.”
The Print Media SA stated: “Any attempt to control expression based on content undermines the concept of editorial independence, which is a widely accepted component of and pre-condition for freedom of the press and other media.” And imposing criminal sanctions for non-compliance, it said, would stifle free expression and encourage self-censorship.
As can easily be discerned, the erosion of media freedom will have a profound effect on the proclamation of the Gospel in this country, by means of literature, etc. This is clearly yet another attempt, by the government, in the words of the late ANC government minister, Steve Tshwete, to control every aspect of life in SA, and to restrict and limit any criticism of the government, as well as to outlaw any publications it deems undesirable – which would definitely include religious publications. We ask for the prayers of Christian believers concerning these serious matters.
Yet with these attempts to stifle and control the media in SA by the ANC government, it then turns around and tries to give the impression of supporting freedom of the media by saying –
SA Broadcasting Corporation Must Not Give the Perception That It is a Government Mouthpiece, says the ANC
In its discussion document entitled Transformation of the Media, the ANC said in March that the State-controlled South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) needs to improve its image to avoid “the perception and the reality that it is an uncritical mouthpiece” of the government! It said it was important for the SABC to remain a reliable, credible, accurate and balanced news source, reflective of the diversity of South African society.[2]
This again demonstrates how the ANC works: giving the impression of favouring all the things it hates in reality. It is a master at Marxist doublespeak. And it is able to fool most of the people most of the time, who gullibly fall for its clever tricks and games. The fact is, the SABC is the mouthpiece of the ANC, and has been so since the ANC came to power! It is not reliable, credible, accurate or balanced in its news reporting, and by its deliberate suppression of the interests and concerns, the history and aspirations, of the white community, it certainly is not reflective of SA’s diversity. Worldwide, Marxist governments use the State-controlled broadcasting machinery as a propaganda machine, and SA is no different. The ANC does one thing and says another – and the naive and the gullible fall for it.
And why did the ANC come out with this discussion document at this time? It did so because of increasing concerns among opposition parties and others that the SABC, and especially its news content, often seeks to promote the image of the ANC government!
They are very right to be concerned, for this is precisely what the SABC does. It is the voice of the ANC. And no amount of nice-sounding words from the ANC can alter that.
Teachers and Nurses Go on Strike: Massive Intimidation and Disruption
South Africa was brought to its knees by a nationwide public sector strike called by the trade unions (always in the vanguard of Communist disorder and disruption). It ended up becoming the longest public service strike in South African history. Public sector servants were demanding a 12% pay increase but the government was unwilling to pay so much. The general secretary of the giant Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), Zwelinzima Vavi, made it very clear that the strike would become violent when he said: “Workers will soon be angry, they will be frustrated and they will see anybody going to work, irrespective of how genuine their reasons are, as basically betraying their cause. And very soon the strike will turn violent.” In other words, everyone is expected to strike, and those who don’t will be intimidated and even attacked. And these are men who call themselves “democrats”! Plainly, Vavi was inciting people to violence. For Communists know the value of mob violence to achieve their goals. And sure enough, the strike very quickly turned ugly, becoming violent and intimidatory. Workers who did not want to strike were intimidated, threatened, and in many cases forced to strike. Worst of all was the immense damage done to hospitals and schools, to the health care and education sectors. The Red trade unionists talk loudly about “democracy”, but they behave like the thugs they are.
A black woman who called an emergency number in an attempt to save her pregnant daughter’s life was told “there are no workers and there is no one at the hospitals”. Her 19-year-old daughter was eight months’ pregnant when she started having a fit at their home in Illovo township. When the mother dialled the emergency number to get an ambulance, she was told they could not help her because of the strike. After a harrowing night, over 12 hours after the call to the emergency number, she was finally taken in an ambulance. However, as her condition was deteriorating the ambulance stopped at Kingsway Hospital instead of Addington Hospital in Durban to which it was bound, to stabilise her; and there the doctor found that the unborn child’s heart was not beating. She was then to be airlifted to Addington Hospital, but before take-off the crew were told they were not allowed to land at the hospital because of a “staffing problem.” They were given permission to proceed to St Augustine’s Hospital in Durban. There she was finally stabilised, but of course her unborn baby was dead.
This tragedy must be laid squarely at the feet of the striking health care workers, as must the following one:
A black man who was turned away – twice – from Edendale Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, died. He died after staff refused to admit him, saying there were no beds available and no staff, as a result of the strike. His brother said, “We reasoned with the nurse to admit my brother, but she said they could not. We requested that he be put on a drip. We had to take him back because we could not leave him.” The following day they returned to the hospital when his condition deteriorated, but were again told that he could not be admitted, although he was put on a drip this time. “The nurse said the nurses were on strike and the wards were already under stress with admissions,” the man’s father said.
After the weekend the family decided to try again to get him admitted. This time he was admitted, and his family were told he had pneumonia. But the following day they were informed that he died during the night. The family blame the strike and the health department for his death, saying it could have been prevented if he had been admitted the first time he went to hospital.
And the following tragedy must also be laid squarely at the feet of the strikers:
A pregnant Indian mother from Tongaat and her unborn baby both died after they allegedly failed to get immediate medical attention at a local clinic. The woman was almost full-term. She developed stomach pains and was nauseous. She began bleeding and asked for an ambulance, but after three hours it had not arrived. The paramedics were apparently on strike. A neighbour rushed her to a clinic in Tongaat. She needed to be transferred to Addington Hospital in Durban, but when she arrived she had to wait for over an hour before someone attended to her. The maternity ward was packed and there were only a couple of nurses on duty. She was then transferred to Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital in Durban for emergency treatment. There it was learned that her unborn baby was dead and she was in a critical condition as her organs were failing. She had an emergency caesarean to remove the dead baby, then she was on a ventilator for about an hour, and passed away. The postmortem results revealed she had died after her placenta had burst, and the baby died because of a lack of blood flowing to his heart.
A KwaZulu-Natal Health Department spokesman, Leon Mbangwa, said, “Disadvantaged people rely on the provincial hospitals, and we should not be striking because lives are at stake. It’s a very sad and unfortunate incident and I sypathise with the family. I cannot say what led to their deaths, but I am sure they would have been comforted if they received the best medical care possible.”[3]
Precisely. If a death occurs despite the best efforts of medical personnel, this is understood to be out of their hands; but if a death occurs as a result of the fact that those providing an essential service such as health care are on strike, making it impossible for the few remaining health care workers to cope with the huge workload, then the death is the responsibility of those striking people. They have blood on their hands.
A dead baby could not be moved to the Grey’s Hospital mortuary in Petermaritzburg, after staff there joined the strike. Protesters, wielding sjamboks (whips), demanded that the staff at the mortuary join the strike.
Nurses at the hospital were dragged out of wards by strikers, who demanded that patients be sent home.
The hospital was badly vandalised. “The entire first floor of the hospital was flooded,” said a terrified nurse who spoke from a locked ward. Management advised staff to remain locked in their wards, while managers locked themselves into the boardroom. The casualty and out-patient sections of the hospital were closed.
Hospital staff who wanted to work were assaulted and had buckets of bleach and water poured on them by striking hospital staff when they arrived at work. The same thing happened again at lunchtime – staff were threatened as they waited for taxis outside the hospital gates and were again doused with bleach. “We are fearful for our lives. We have to disguise ourselves in civilian clothing and come to work. Some of us were sjambokked (whipped),” staff said.
At Albert Luthuli Hospital in Durban, retired nurses who were brought in to help keep the hospital running were threatened by striking nurses who blocked the hospital gates and the freeway by parking in the middle of the road – despite a heavy police guard. “You old people are sell-outs, you are too dedicated and that will land you in trouble,” a female striker shouted at an elderly nurse.
Patients fled the hospital, some limping on crutches, as there were no drivers to take them home.
At R.K. Khan Hospital in Chatsworth, Durban, where 700 nurses and student nurses went on strike, patients in the intensive and critical units had to be moved to private hospitals.
Clearly the zeal of Florence Nightingale burns none too brightly in these striking health care workers, who demonstrated such callousness and indifference to suffering, sadly a very common thing in Africa. That people sworn to serve the sick could act in such a manner is more than disgraceful, it is disgusting. They have no concept of what it is to be a nurse. They should have all been summarily fired, but of course, despite the threat that this would happen, it didn’t – not on the large scale that it should have. If a South African’s life is in the hands of such people, then we are in deep trouble.
There were tense scenes at suburban schools in KwaZulu-Natal province, as mainly black members of the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) confronted parents and teachers, demanding that the schools close. Striking teachers from SADTU actually invaded schools, even preventing staff and children from entering or leaving the premises, and justified this thuggery by saying that “it is now a war situation” and “in a war there are no rules”. Reporters were threatened with death. At one school in Pietermaritzburg, striking teachers were chanting, “No work! One bullet!” At another school in the city, the white principal was forced to cancel exams that were in progress, after striking teachers – overwhelmingly black – forced their way onto the premises and told him they would kill him if he remained at the school. The school also received a bomb threat. “Their rowdy, crass and threatening behaviour included shouting, banging on doors and insulting educators and pupils,” said one teacher at the school. The scene was described by police in attendance as “total chaos”.
Striking teachers caused such disruptions at many schools, and threatened the lives of non-striking teachers and principals. As threats were even made to terrified children who came to school, the Education Department in KwaZulu-Natal gave schools the option of deciding whether to open or not. All mid-year exams were postponed. The strike had a huge impact on schooling in the province, with a teacher absentee rate of between 80% and 90%.
How could grown men and women behave like this towards terrified children? What utter collapse is occurring everywhere when such criminal behaviour can be tolerated and permitted in schools across the country! Just another sign of the ANC government’s inability and unwillingness to maintain law and order, even when the lives of children are threatened.
Eventually, SA’s longest-ever public service strike ended, with the majority of unions agreeing to sign the government’s final wage offer of a 7.5% increase.
So what was the strike all about? Was it really about an increased wage? No. That was merely the excuse. The strike was really all about the ongoing struggle about who, in the end, will control the ruling African National Congress. The ANC has always been in alliance with the SA Communist Party (SACP) and COSATU, but there is at this time deep division within the tripartite alliance and within the ANC itself over how to go forward. COSATU wants former Deputy President Jacob Zuma to become the country’s next president. Many within the ANC want the same thing. The rest want President Mbeki or one of his cronies to be president. COSATU and the SACP want Zuma because he is perceived as more left-leaning, more traditionally Communist. Mbeki and his supporters favour the “new-style” Communism, that which has recognised that economically at any rate, Communism has failed worldwide, and they have thus embraced certain Capitalistic economic policies, while retaining many other aspects of Communism.
Worldwide, in fact, there is today a clash between “old-style” Communism, as represented by such governments as those of Cuba, Zimbabwe, etc., and the “new-style” Communism as found now in Russia, much of eastern Europe, and of course South Africa. Communism did not die after the momentous events of 1989-1992 in the Soviet Union and eastern Europe, it merely changed shape, adapted itself to changing times, and became stronger than ever before.
The SACP and COSATU want South Africa to be governed along old-style Communist lines, whereas many within the ANC, Mbeki included, want it to be governed along new-style Communist lines. Hence the clash within the tripartite alliance.
This strike was an attempt by COSATU to flex its considerable muscle, to show the Mbeki-supporting ANC leadership that they had better toe the line and go in the direction demanded by the SACP and COSATU. But the ANC called its bluff, and the strike, although doing immense damage to South Africa, did not achieve the result which the SACP and COSATU wanted.
All of this explains the response of some ANC government officials to the nationwide strike. “The ANC supports the strike of the workers,” said Transport MEC Bheki Cele. Well, certainly many within the ANC supported it. And KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Ina Cronje said her department supported striking teachers because it is within their constitutional right to strike.[4] This is the same woman who said, “We can’t force a school to stay open if there is no one there to look after the children. This [measure] is to safeguard the children.” This is the same woman who said she does not want children going to school and facing the prospect of being attacked.
One is tempted to think we are living in an insane asylum. But of course there is sinister method behind the madness.
SA’s Dismal Education System
The terrible intimidation that occurred at schools throughout the country during the strike was shocking in itself. Sadly, however, the education system itself is in a state of crisis, even without any striking teachers.
The World Economic Forum released a scathing report on SA’s education system. It is so bad that it even ranks way behind Zimbabwe’s education system! SA came 100th in the world on quality of the education system, whereas Zimbabwe came 40th. And in quality of maths and science education, SA came 120th in the world, whereas Zimbabwe was placed in 71st place.
“The fact that our neighbour, Zimbabwe, has been in the midst of an economic, political and social meltdown for many years now, and yet its schools are still of a significantly higher standard than South Africa’s, says volumes about the functioning of our schools,” said the opposition Democratic Alliance’s spokesman on education.
Time was when South Africa had an education system comparable with, and in many cases superior to, the best in the world. Those days have gone, ever since the ANC came to power and started meddling in the education system, trying to “fix” what wasn’t broken, all in the name of Socialist “transformation”. And now the country is reaping the results. No wonder increasing numbers of South Africans are opting for homeschooling, which enables parents to give their children a quality education, far superior to that offered in government schools, which have become nothing but indoctrination institutions for moulding young minds in the ANC’s image and in secular humanism, via the discredited “Outcomes-Based” teaching methodology.
A Sign of the Increasing Incompetence and Collapse of Essential Services
In May, when a house was on fire in the little town of Howick, in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, the fire truck arrived too late to save it, and a family lost their home. Reason? The vehicle had an expired licence. Yes, you read right! I kid you not.
When the Howick Fire Services were summoned, they sent a small vehicle that ran out of water while attempting to douse the flames. The main fire truck arrived about an hour later, when the house was already destroyed. It was escorted by a policeman, as it could not leave its premises due to an expired licence!
The home owner said, “The response from the fire department was appalling.” A Howick resident, who assisted at the scene, said that she and a number of residents in the area made numerous calls to the local municipality telephone number, which rings through to the fire department; but there was no response, even though the fire had been reported. She then drove to the fire department and saw that the main fire engine was locked up inside the carport area. She hooted (honked) and shouted but received no response. She then drove to the municipal offices, where she was informed that there was a woman on duty at the fire department, and that she had to enquire from her what was happening regarding the dispatch of the large fire engine. She then went back to the fire department, where a woman eventually came out, telling her she “had been busy.” The woman told her that the large fire engine could not be dispatched as “it was broken.”[5]
Such utter incompetence and lacklustre response would never have happened in the “good old days”. But this incident is just one of thousands which could be mentioned, showing the phenomenal collapse of essential services under the ANC, even while its fat cat councillors and politicians receive enormous salaries and vote themselves massive increases all the time, for doing little to nothing.
In early July it was revealed that seven hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal have been without a single doctor for two years or more, and only 15 of the province’s 64 hospitals have vacancy rates for doctors of less than 50%.
A senior Health Department official stated that lack of specialists continues to dog provincial hospitals, leading to a downward trend in essential service provision.
Without doubt the cause can be directly attributed to the fact that so many doctors are emigrating, due to the crime holocaust, as well as the conditions under which they are forced to work, and to the government’s ongoing interference in all aspects of the health care industry, just as in all others.
Agriculture Minister Warns the Government will Expropriate Land from White Farmers
Agriculture Minister Lulu Xingwana said in June that the government would expropriate land from those who do not support the so-called “land restitution” programme. She warned Pieter Groenewald of the Freedom Front Plus, an Afrikaner party, to advise his friends “or his drop-in-the-ocean constituency” that “we are going to expropriate” from those white farmers who do not want to comply and support the government’s “restitution” programme.
In other words – you either support us taking your land, or you have your land taken anyway. This is the ANC’s idea of “consultation” and “fairness” in its land grab policy!
And people think there is an essential difference between the land grab in Zimbabwe and what is happening here? Essentially they are one and the same. True, the government here offers to purchase the land from the white farmers; but if they refuse to sell, their land is expropriated anyway. Not much difference then. Either way, if the government wants the land, they are going to get it.
Mandela’s Answer to the World’s Woes: “The Elders”
Oh, this one is priceless.
On the occasion of Nelson Mandela’s 89th birthday in July, what was described by Mandela as an “extraordinary collection” of world leaders assembled in Johannesburg to commit themselves to tackling global problems. The group is to be known as The Elders. How sinister! It conjures up the African tribal concept of a group of “wise men”, in this case from around the globe, supposedly having such great wisdom that they can somehow solve the world’s problems. And by calling the group The Elders, the impression is given that they should be listened to, as elders are listened to in Africa; that somehow they are special, filled with deep wisdom. But when one considers precisely who the founding members are, it inspires no confidence whatsoever. What a motley crew of scoundrels! In addition to Mandela himself, viewed by a fawning, blinded world as a “secular saint”, the founding members include the Anglican archbishop, Desmond Tutu; former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan; former U.S. president Jimmy Carter; former Chinese foreign minister Li Zhaoxing; former Irish president Mary Robinson; and philanthropist and economist Muhammad Yunus. Oh deep joy – don’t we all just breathe easier knowing that this lot are now to be termed The Elders. Carter couldn’t solve America’s problems, Annan couldn’t get the UN to make the world a better place in any sense, Zhaoxing’s credentials are that he worked for one of the most brutal, repressive governments in the world, Tutu is a terrorist-supporting, Communist-praising ultra-liberal – and we’re supposed to believe that these men can make the world a better place?
Mandela was approached by business tycoon Richard Branson and rock singer Peter Gabriel some years ago with the idea of a group of “elder leaders”. Again, this hardly inspires either confidence or joy. Branson thanked the group for what he said was its almost “1000 years of collective wisdom.” Sorry, Mr Branson, but looking at this bunch, we don’t see evidence of a single year of true wisdom, let alone a thousand.
Mandela said, “This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions needs to be taken.”[6] He added: “The efforts of a small dedicated group of leaders working objectively and without any vested personal interest in the outcome can help resolve what often seems like incredible problems. It brings together an extraordinary collection of people with the skills and resources to undertake what we know is an enormous task.” Aside from showing that the much-hyped Mandela humility is a myth – for as he is one of “The Elders”, he was referring to himself, along with the others, as “an extraordinary collection of people with the skills and resources” to solve global problems – his words are simply not true. Are they really working without any vested personal interest in the outcome? Of course not! These “Elders” sound like nothing more than yet another front group, another branch, of the Illuminati and other connected and secretive organisations working for global control.
Tutu, who chaired the group, said of Mandela, “We work inspired by his example, the example that tells us that human beings are good. That it is possible for enemies to become friends.” Here is a man claiming to be a “Christian”, who says that “human beings are good”. And what does he base this statement on? On Mandela’s supposed great example. Yet the Bible tells us that human beings are depraved sinners! Clearly, Tutu believes Mandela’s “example” above the Scriptures he professes to follow! He went on to praise Mandela for what he said was Mandela’s “incredible inspiration to so many”. And he thanked Mandela’s wife Graca for looking after South Africa’s “priceless national treasure”. He even added, “Madiba we thank God for you.”
We say: we thank God that not everyone is blinded to the truth about Nelson Mandela. Not everyone is a fawning sycophant like Desmond Tutu. And true Christians thank God for opening their eyes to such deception, and delivering us from the absurdity of looking to an assortment of foolish politicians and others for answers to the world’s problems.
August 2007
Shaun Willcock is a minister of the Gospel, and lives in South Africa. He runs Bible Based Ministries. For other articles (which may be downloaded and printed), as well as details about his books, audio messages, pamphlets, etc., please visit the Bible Based Ministries website, or write to the address below. If you would like to be on Bible Based Ministries’ electronic mailing list, to receive all future articles, please send your details.
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ENDNOTES:
[1].Daily News, March 26, 2007.
[2].Daily News, March 26, 2007.
[3].The Post, June 27, 2007.
[4].The Witness, June 7, 2007.
[5].The Witness, 30 May, 2007.
[6].The Witness, July 19, 2007.
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