South Africa: Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – Statement of Opposition Political Parties Represented in the National Assembly (03.08.2022)

Opinion: 4 MPs issues a Motion to praise the SONA 2022 to get some recognition…

When it comes to the recent high commodity prices, caused, initially, by the re-launch of the world economy after the two years of lockdown and, additionally, by the war in Ukraine, our decision, after careful analysis, is to avoid the traps of tax cuts and subsidies” – President Yoweri Tibuhurwa Kaguta Museveni (07.06.2022).

It is really a spectacle when 4 Members of Parliament uses time and energy to make a motion to praise the President for a speech he held on the 7th June 2022. The 4 MPs saw it fit and usage of their valuable time to speak of the glory of His Excellency. They are having a ceremonial act and showering the old man with the hat with positive vibes.

These MPs are:

Mover: Hon. Emely Kugonza, MP Buyanja East County

Seconder:

Hon. Michael Bukenya Iga, MP Bukuya County

Hon. Sarah Kayaga Netalisire, Namisindwa DWR

Hon. Okot Boniface Henry, MP Youth Representative Northern

It is really amazing that Kugonza MP, Bukenya Iga MP, Kayaga Netalisire MP and Okot MP who are all in on it. These 4 MPs have used their time in office to file a motion of praise and appreciation of the State of the Nation Address of 2022. That’s what they are using their time on.

This is clearly done so the President and the State House notice their existence. They wants to score-some brownie-points and get goodwill from the old man. The MPs wants to shed a positive light and show loyalty. They are using their time to give credit to inaction and lack of concern to the rising prices, the inflation and the lack of government help in the middle of crisis. That’s what the MPs are doing and it should be called out.

Going solar:

Once the solar powered irrigation pumps are on the market, the Government will buy them for some of the co-operatives or farming villages, where one pump can be shared by a number of small farmers” (Museveni, 07.06.2022).

The MPs wants to envision the empty pledges which is so common placed in any speech from the President. The MPs must look forward to get “solar powered irrigation pumps” because I think that’s a mirage. The President promise a huge leap when he in the last period or last term was proud of bottle-Irrigation as a way of solving irrigation cheaply. This is just following the pledges of the President during the lockdowns, which was Village-TVs and Village Radios… that no one ever saw. Therefore, people should expect the same of the “solar powered irrigation pumps” as with other pledges, which shows this will never happen under his reign. It is to costly, a big burden and it will not be sustainable…

They are directly acknowledging a speech with this sentiment:

Another danger to our rapid social-economic transformation is the corruption of political actors and Public servants who do not only steal government money, thereby denying the population the services that money would have provided, but they also parasite on our business people. Business people and investors, do not feel beholden to these parasites. Expose both their requests for bribes and their schemes for frustrating those that do not pay bribes. Action will be taken for the benefit of the business atmosphere in the country” (Museveni, 07.06.2022).

It is really vivid when someone calls people insects and parasites. This is a posture and tough talk, as his government is known for being corrupt and accepting graft. The same government that promoted and was proud of the “Presidential Handshake”. That way civil servants got kickbacks for photo-copying papers in a court trial winning the state money. The same President and Government calls the corrupt parasites. This doesn’t add up and still the MPs wants to sing psalms in the Plenary Sessions for greatness of the State of Nation Address of 2022. That sounds stupid, right?

So, I don’t get what the MPs are seeing in this speech. Unless, they are only doing this to give empty sloganeering and show their loyalty to him. That’s the true legacy of doing this sort of motion. Just to signal the State House and the Office of the Presidency. We can just expect a small acknowledgment from His Excellency.

The 4 MPs really wasting their time doing this. Instead of looking into the fallacy of the speech. They uses it to be in the good graces. The MPs are not using their time or their wisdom to actually make a difference. They are just there to bow down to the master and hopefully get a moment to kiss the ring. Peace.

Opinion: Ramaphosa better save his energy…

We call on all South Africans to use electricity sparingly as we work towards ending load shedding and getting more energy on the grid” (Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa on actions to address the electricity crisis, Union Buildings, Tshwane, 25.07.2022).

Today the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa held a speech on the load-shedding crisis in the Republic. This has been an on-going crisis and the black-outs are a re-occurring feature of life. That’s why Ramaphosa speaks about it. However, the parts of the speech that is interesting. Shows, that the African National Congress (ANC) and the President thinks they can trick themselves out of it again.

The South African Police Service has set up a special law enforcement team to help Eskom in confronting crime and corruption. A number people have been arrested in recent days and several others are already being prosecuted for corruption and fraud involving Eskom contracts” (Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa on actions to address the electricity crisis, Union Buildings, Tshwane, 25.07.2022).

The ANC and the President is begging the people to save electricity and use less intially. He does it at-least twice. That is really compelling as his making a statement of the plans of the state. Nevertheless, it is fatiguing when you know how the State Capture and the ANC have destroyed Eskom. It has been big business to sell bad tenders to state affiliated associates and get deals, which again earns fortunes for the high ranking officials. Therefore, the talks of fighting corruption within the government company and such seems far fetched these days. It is a systemic practice and it doesn’t change overnight.

As he continued with other aspects like these ones…

All the people I have spoken to have said this is the time when the country must unite to address this challenge. The set of additional actions I am announcing this evening:

Firstly, are aimed at improving the performance Eskom’s existing fleet of power stations;

Secondly, will accelerate the procurement of new generation capacity;

Thirdly, are intended to massively increase private investment in generation capacity;

Fourthly, are designed to enable businesses and households to invest in rooftop solar; and,

Finally, are directed at fundamentally transforming the electricity sector and positioning it for future sustainability” (Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa on actions to address the electricity crisis, Union Buildings, Tshwane, 25.07.2022).

What the most recent load shedding has made clear, however, is that the actions we have taken and continue to take are not enough. We are therefore implementing additional measures to achieve long-term energy security and end load shedding for good” (Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa on actions to address the electricity crisis, Union Buildings, Tshwane, 25.07.2022).

When you read these words… they are fine in themselves, but will the ANC and the President really do it? Are they capable and willing? That’s what I am wondering about. The ANC is already struggling with their reputation and people are tired of their empty promises. It has been generations without any significant changes for others than the middle class. The citizens themselves see little to nothing changing.

Ramaphosa speaks the rights words, but also in his pleas shows how the government is failing. Instead of having a clear plan and such. It is a long speech that could have been a press release. Because very few, if any believes that he will achieve or do these things.

Ramaphosa can come with all the rights citations and whatnot. However, his track-record and what he has done in office doesn’t amount to much. That’s why I don’t believe he will be able or make a difference in concern to Eskom. The way things are operating is profitable for some and the ones in high ranking offices. Therefore, he will not undermine that… I don’t believe that and only time will prove if I was wrong. Peace

South Africa: Mbeki is reading the room…

Comrade Cyril Ramaphosa, when he delivered the state of the nation address (Sona) in February, said ‘in 100 days there must be an agreed comprehensive social compact to address these matters’. Nothing has happened, nothing”Thabo Mbeki (21.07.2022).

The former President and African National Congress Stalwart Thabo Mbeki is speaking facts yet again. The old man is right on the money, but is to late? I have a feeling that his either trying to steer the party in the right direction or give it a lesson. Because, the ones ruling seems lost and only preoccupied with eating. This has been going for ages and only now crippling everything…

Mbeki has seen this go down and the stages are just returning. Ramaphosa and his ANC is just epitome of what is wrong. It isn’t like Ramaphosa is the first ANC to come with empty promises. However, at this very moment… all the years of relentless usage of power to personal gains are coming at a cost. The brutalisation and the commercialization of the high ranking offices is also becoming a burden. The pain, the plight and suffering, which the ANC government could have handled and not cared about. Will now start to haunt it.

The ANC used their time in office to enrich themselves. Find schemes and kickbacks. The ANC used the offices and the government entities to ensure themselves or their family members a safe position. Nevertheless, they didn’t help the slums, the unemployed or the rising poverty within their midst. No, they looked their other way and only praised the new ruling elite. They praised it and looked at the new optics for a new middle class. A middle class born out of the struggle, but now enlarging itself on the entities of the state and the lack of proper oversight. That’s why the ANC will not enforce or ensure the ones in need. No, they are just securing the investors, the upper-class and the ones who has a foot in the door already.

That’s why Mbeki’s words of warning is so striking:

One of my fears is that one of these days it’s going to happen to us. You can’t have so many people unemployed, so many people poor, people faced with lawlessness, faced by leadership in which they see ANC people one after one another called corrupt” (…) One day it’s going to explode” (Mbeki, 21.07.2022).

This is telling about an utter failure. The ANC has had the time and been the majority government. The ANC government could have build a welfare state that could help it’s citizens. Nevertheless, we all know that hasn’t been the priority. It has been a get rich-quick-scheme of the ones in office. This is the reason for why things are not working or helping the ones in need. It isn’t profitable to help the poor. No, it is profitable to secure government tenders and supply government companies with shady deliveries. That’s what has been ordinary actions of the government and is reasons for struggling government entities, which we all have heard about over the last few years.

Ramaphosa isn’t alone in this… no his not alone, but his the current head of state and party. His the man who has the power and is the Executive. However, his character and acts shows his in contempt of doing anything about it. He rather rest and let bygones be bygones. Ramaphosa is also far from transparent and not willing to indulge the public about his inner-works. That’s why he isn’t the person to combat corruption, nepotism or cronyism within the ANC. No, he will prolong the agony and not change the current state of affairs.

The ANC at this stage will only implode on its own. The lack of care or concern will sooner or later backfire. It is inevitable that the disaster that everyone could see from far would suddenly explode like Mbeki says.

Mbeki knows the drill and the game. He has seen everything… Ramaphosa haven’t listened to his advice before and only retorted when he saw it fit. This time around… I don’t expect anything and neither should you. Whatever Ramaphosa and the ANC does now will only be posing and posturing for the Republic at large. They will not reform and if they do… it will only be done if the leaders and the appointed leadership will see fortunes in it. However, that is not how government works or how public service is supposed to create change. This is why this is bound to fail.

The systemic greed is depleting the state and the ANC cannot find a way out. Because, they are only in it for the money now and not for proper governing. Peace.

Malawi: Forum for National Development (FND) – Bravo Parliament on Adoption of Motion on the Independence of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) – (22.07.2022)

South Africa: Public Protector – Response to media enquiries regarding an investigation into allegations of a violation of the Executive Ethics Code against the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excecllecy Mr MC Ramaphosa

South Africa: United Democratic Movement (UDM) – Alleged use of state resources to cover up alleged robbery at President Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm; request for meeting at your office (18.07.2022)

Malaysia: Muda Kenyataan Media – A Step Towards Fighting Corruption (14.07.2022)

South African: African Transformation Movement – ATM warns the Deputy Public Protector to Withdraw her Letter to the Court (07.07.2022)

Opinion: Ramaphosa is so bad that you dream about Zuma

The ballad of Cyril Ramaphosa is certainly not a love song or a song of a favourable moment. No, the Presidency of Ramaphosa won’t be mirrored or written kindly about. That’s all the fault of Ramaphosa himself. He made this bed and he got to sleep in it.

The State Capture case and the connections to the business-family Gupta’s was the end of Jacob Zuma. The way he traded and used office to profit of shady business-deals with Gupta operated businesses. The case is still ongoing and not finalized in the courts. It has been a slow train and the former President still have unresolved allegations against him. Just as bad as that was…

Ramaphosa was supposed to be different. He was to make a difference and a change. However, his just another cog in the machine and a slow burner. His the operator and the benefactor, but not a man of governance or governing abilities. The African National Congress (ANC) is now living on past glories and stories of oppression. Their years in power is wasted and they haven’t succeeded in changing the nation.

Yes, the ANC changed and stopped the Apartheid government. The ANC fought for the rights of all people and released a Freedom Charter, which should be reflected upon the reign of the party. The ANC under Ramaphosa have forgotten the old ideals and is enjoying all the perks of power.

The ANC is corrupted, sullied and compromised. This didn’t start under Ramaphosa. No, this has been going on and has been on going since the procurement scandal of the arms deal in 1999. This is why we can say the party culture and the cultivation of eating of the state plate has been a staple during the ANC era.

Zuma just took it up a notch and Ramaphosa have never cared about it. Ramaphosa maybe haven’t cared because he thought it was his turn to eat. Everything and every scandal surrounding him just shows that. This being questionable campaign funds or now the robbery and kidnapping at his Phala Phala farm.

We know things are bad under Ramaphosa when he dodges questions and suspends the Public Protector. Something is up and it’s grim. Just like the realization that this man isn’t fixing the public debt, the added distress on government owned companies or anywhere else. Heck, Ramaphosa isn’t even delivering any substantial government programs to the ones in need. His just the operator and the head of state by choice.

When you are seeing all of this. The load-shedding, the lack of concern or how to move forward. You just know things has been better under Mbeki and parts of the Zuma years. That why you know that these two actually tried. However, Ramaphosa isn’t even doing that. No, his just clinging on and living lavish. The last Prince of the Republic.

Ramaphosa isn’t showing any signs of improvement. With every month and every year… the ANC and his Presidency things are only getting more grim. There aren’t hope on the table, but a dark realization that these guys only work for themselves. While they are supposed to represent the people and their needs. Which has become a back-burner and a lost cause. Peace.