De-idioting his mind, more like

Anyone ever heard a constructed, well reasoned effort at what Black culture actually is? And even harder, has anyone heard the same effort made to explain why it's better than Western culture?

They're the only people whining about Western culture, and it's plain to see why: they simply can't keep up, so their frustration boils over and they lash out instead of addressing their shortcomings. Well I've done my bit to set the record straight.

I have very little hope they'll allow this to be published.

http://voices.news24.com/themba-radebe/2012/12/decolonising-the-mind/

G-man:

You've outlined both nothing (apart from fancy rhetoric with no point) and the partial problems that lie with your culture.

You see, averting your eyes when talking to elders as a sign of respect, explains quite a lot. Your elders take advantage of your given respect by abusing your confidence in them without having to actually EARN that respect like we Westerners have to. Respect - to us - is earned, not granted because of something as trivial as age. And to prove how elders of Black Culture (whatever the hell that is) takes advantage of your misplaced respect I give you exhibit 'A', The ANC and all it's puffed up, swanning leaders who treat all it's citizens like subjects, as if they're kings of their domain. And it's all thanks to you and your silly Afro-respect.

But what else do you hide up your cultural sleeve? What else makes your culture so much better suited for your lifestyle and how you conduct yourselves? On the surface, it doesn't seem like there are any true virtues, especially when you consider how you lot (dis)respect the rule of law. You're already making noises to the effect that laws are White constructs, and you should all go back to the old ways (where these same elders would have you crucified because of some old Zulu grudge they were told about your family 'round the camp fire). It's an excuse to behave like thugs, not to adhere to old cultural principles like you say.

It is plain to see that Africans just don't want any White interference, and by that I mean they don't want our criticism. Surprisingly (to you) we're not taught to hate you, and there's no mass conspiracy to laugh behind your sub-cultural backs whenever you make one of the expected cock-ups we seem to spend time excusing. No, we simply want the best for us, AND YOU. And criticism of your culture - which I understand you would prefer being treated as untouchable - should be welcomed, as it either galvanizes your position, or it makes you take stock of your beliefs. In this way you can improve. That's how we roll.

ALL reasonable people and cultures accept this instinctively. But not Africans. No. You demand special treatment where we lower the bar for you, give you a puddy up mahala, excuse your shortcomings and ignore your obvious, dangerous faults. But not me. I prefer treating you like I would prefer being treated, which ironically means respecting you enough to correct you when you most need it.

Another AAIC does a number

Methinks the hair-trigger race-o-meter used to monitor posts at the M&G will be kicking this to the curb. What say you?

http://mg.co.za/article/2012-12-29-six-traffic-post-applicants-die-after-fitness-test

This is so sadly laughable on so many levels, especially considering Zuma's comments this week on White culture. How desperate are people for jobs in SA?

It's probably safe to assume that these poor candidates died at the hands of some over-preened, under-qualified Affirmative Actionite who did things the 'African' way. No planning, no set rules, no contingency plans and definitely no outline as to what the limits were, or if there were any pre-screening done on these applicants health. In a country riddled with AIDS, TB and a number of other diseases that had been previously wiped out during the awful Apartheid years, you'd think a bit of thought would have gone into this mid-summer nightmare. But no. The AAIC (Affirmative Actionite In Charge) forged ahead with some ham-fisted attempt at weeding out the slower candidates. And some paid with their lives.

But at what point did they stop the 'screenings' and put a halt to their tests? (If they bothered of course). Surely a few tentacles were raised after the first collapse, and surely they would have at least paused proceedings after the first death? Well, that wouldn't be the African way now would it? What do we Whities know?

It is disgustingly obvious that a politically connected half-wit, used to joining hands under the mahogany table for some palm crossing, was the person who managed this stupidity. But will there be an investigation? Funny you should ask. These buffoons are not done with their Afro-charade, they continue the entire pseudo-bureaucratic mess by handling the aftermath in the only way they know how; by ordering a meeting. No doubt this meeting will take place at some swanky hotel complete with bigwigs flown in from the outer reaches of Limpopo (and other hellholes), ostensibly looking for answers, and to be lathered up with the best booze, buffet and baby-oil white South African tax paying money can buy.

They should honestly make you sick, as an honest SA citizen. But I doubt it. The carnage and mis-management will continue unabated and unchallenged, and whites will be ultimately blamed, just like they always are.

A lesson in writing and The NuSA

Even simple blogs are torn asunder by the idiocy of your local AAites in SA. Thoughtleader should have higher standards, but they don't. It's all very typical of The NuSA: one set of higher standards for whites, and a lower bar for blacks to jump over.

Of course, none of them will see it this way.

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/levikabwato/2012/12/26/on-zims-wounded-political-beasts/

G-man:


Just a word to the wise here Levi - and a bit of soft advice - when you write a commentary or blog such as this, you're supposed to have - what we in the industry call - a 'point'. In addition to this, you come to your 'point' by giving the reader, what we also in the business call, an 'opinion'.

We have none of those in this piece.

But to aid you in this, and to divert attention away from the fiscal train-smash that calls itself an economy North of The Limpopo, I draw some parallels that should cause some resident NuSAns to reach for the Maalox. To wit, to what lengths will The ANC go to, in order to hold onto power if they ever find it slipping? This question never seems to be raised by those of you who are die-hard ANC voters, and never will. But what of those who will become disillusioned? We only have recent ANC chair-chucking history to go by, and unfortunately it tells a rather alarming tale.

So, be afraid New unimproved South Africans. You live in a one party totalitarian state. Come to grips with this and you will begin to understand why your country is being run into the ground. You might also pause to reflect on your future under this regime; your water sources Delamatised, industries Affirmatively Actionised, civil society Umtatified and your simple cleanliness and general maintenance Yeovillised.

Thank goodness I don't have to deal with this certainty. Saw it coming a mile away in '96 and promptly left. I feel for you all.

In a way.

Zuma's dog

I woke up to read about whites driving bakkies in the rain with blacks exposed in the rear to the elements, while their pet dog is nice and snug in the front. I'll wager that if you hook up every one of these filth who believe this to be true to a lie detector, they'd all prove to be the liars they are. Even the most ardent racist of white farmers wouldn't do this, ESPECIALLY in the NuSA.

But what amazes me is that Zuma makes a racial slip, the media reports it, and suddenly this is all about white people. If I still lived in The Pit I'd be standing in the middle of a city square looking at everyone exclaiming, "Who me? What I do?" The simple truth is Zuma blamed whites for looking after their pets. His scurrying, snapping dog (appropriately) comes quickly to his defense and manages to pin this entire manufactured nonsense by a nation leader on the minority who are nothing more than innocent bystanders to this horrible racial mess.

But not to allow Gillian off the hook for not posting my last rebuttal, I tied this response into Zuma's recent tirade against whites.

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/gillianschutte/2012/12/18/unpacking-the-discourse-of-domination/

G-man:

The definition of hate-speech appears to be anything that disagrees with a Left winger's warped views.

But what EXACTLY is 'Whiteness' according to you Gillian? The rule of law? Social order and cohesion? Respect for the individual? The right to progress, work, live and generally behave like a model citizen as long as it does not impede on the rights of others? And if you do manage to pull off the anti-rhetoric-pro-logic impossible by explaining this definition, can we then assume that there must be a 'Blackness'? And if so, can we assume that in the event that Whiteness becomes inconsequential (as you believe) and irrelevant, that it will be replaced with a new - improved - dominant culture of Blackness? If so, please define this for us mere hoi-polloi.

We received a nice note commenting on our Whiteness yesterday from none less than Pres. Zuma. It seems that this 'Whiteness' lark is catching on, and worthy of some criticism. Whites seem to look after their pets and he takes issue with this. (A quick read up of the link between those who abuse animals and psychotic behaviour might be worthy of some of his Std 2 time).

But when called up on this ringing endorsement of Blackness, his patsy comes quickly to his defense and blames - you guessed it - WHITES! Not only that, they've conjured up mystery whites who drive in the rain with blacks in the rear of the bakkie with pets in the front seat.

Liars and race-hate-stirrers. And promoted by Gillian.

Domination, is the new key word

These angst filled, guilt wracked white libbies are really quite pathetic. It is obvious to me that these past two decades of attempting to lift up the average black above subsistence level has proven fruitless. Now that they are left not knowing what else to do (even after removing white private property at an alarming rate), they resort now to blaming whites for not doing enough. Could it all possibly be because blacks in SA simply can't hack it? They're not whites' betters? They can't keep up? Not so according to Gillian. White people are eveil by the fact that they seem to impervious to economic change (no matter the unfair laws), and that they seem quite resilient to these crippling laws.

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/gillianschutte/2012/12/18/unpacking-the-discourse-of-domination/

G-man:

What a load of race-based pseudo-intellectual piffle.

But I've been waiting for this. You've had 19 years where the black majority have held political, judicial, military and police power over the state with nothing but meek and mild contest from their opposition. Not only that, they have a compliant white tax paying base who seem all too willing to support this unfair and skewed system.

You've had almost two generations of kids squeezed through the black controlled education system. A generous black government all too willing to pass laws, hand over money and pressurise the private white sector to hand over their property to black folk, mahala. Not only that, but an unbelievable massive political con where white tax money is used to purchase white mines and farms only to hand it over to suspect black owners who have no idea what it takes to farm at a scale larger than stocking a fruit & veg stall.

But no. This isn't enough. Whites need to give MORE, because blacks aren't improving their lot.

Recent statistics show that more whites open new businesses than blacks. Not pro rata, but in absolute terms. Why? Culture perhaps? Fact is there's no conspiracy, no 'whiteness', nothing. Just blacks not keeping up, so the race-pimps believe it's because of oppression.

All this goes to prove that conditions are never quite perfect enough for Africans to thrive.

When will black Saffers have the guts to examine their own cultural shortcomings? Will that day ever come?

African ineptocracy at work

A 'must read'

http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/old-houghton-wall-a-heritage-disaster-1.1440932#.UMwCMW9X3Sg

This is quite unbelievable, and on so many levels!

Firstly, these keystone cops couldn't solve a crime even if their pathetic Affirmatively Actionised lives depended on it. Look at the photo. It's perfectly cut metal sheets shielding whatever is going on behind them, from the street. As if this isn't clue enough, we have the next door neighbours having the same front yard adornments. And last, but by no means least, there is the trashed trucks and vehicles in the front yard. Chop-shop anyone?

But at risk of embarrassing these 3rd world retards any further, I just HAVE to take issue with how it's all being handled. NO ONE has suggested - naturally - that there could be any criminal activity going on behind these tin walls (well, you may say, innocent squatters want privacy too), and no one has asked for a warrant to search. Instead, we have the usual bumbling, passing-of-buck and otherwise circle-running we have become accustomed to when reading of these idiots.

First a Ward Councillor has her antennae raised, who in turn confers with her local MP to discover that the property is government owned. But not to be outdone in the buck-passing department, the ANC government gets involved when the question of ownership is raised in Parliament. Do they not have tax registers in the NuSA? It then goes full circle when the Minister of Public Works goes back to Norwood Police Station and asks them to do some further investigation. This has the desired NuSAns effect and they snap right to it, and promptly pass this dossier of complaint over to the Yeoville police station.

And is if there isn't enough idiots taking part in this Chinese fire drill, a state attorney has gone back to the minister to request that a legal representative (with BEE credentials no doubt) be appointed to 'attend to the matter'. And so it sits.

But in the meantime, a deputy director of a Heritage Department (immovable) in the city has put his tuppence worth in by washing his hands of the entire affair and suggesting the public works department is responsible.

Who ARE these people?

And now - folks - you MIGHT begin to understand why things cannot and will never be done in SA.

What a shambles. What a lark. How so very African.

Barbara needs a lesson in logic

Had to add to my previous points while I was thinking about it.

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/readerblog/2012/12/10/the-unbearable-unrightness-of-whiteness/

G-man:

Just thought of this.

Ms Ruwende attempts to make an 'happens everywhere and we're all equal' point by giving two isolated incidents involving white people (who may or may not have mucked up the toilet in Chicago during a marathon with obviously over-stressed ablutions). This actually proves the point that these examples are evidently not the rule, as you couldn't point to streets of white booger spitters, or entire neighbourhoods of whites accepting broken toilets day-in-and-day-out.

But no, she only had these two incidents. And they in no way can be compared to Brendon's experience which was over a considerable amount of time in one area populated overwhelmingly with black South Africans, which he attempted to clean up to the cackles and brays of his lovely neighbours. So, what does that say about THEM? No one appears to want to take these miscreants to task. Not ONE black South African has spoken out against the filth who live so unhygienically, or because they don't live according to African values. Why is that?

Hmmm?

But let's take the easy route. Let's attack the message bringer. Much easier and politically correct. And Yeoville will remain in filth, but the race-baiters will feel as if they've accomplished something once Brendon just shuts the hell up and accepts that he's nothing but a scummy racist.

Not so?

The contradictory NuSAns

I like Sarah. Hope she posts this, but she has no stomach for controversy, which I understand considering how pedestrian her columns are. So I gave it a whirl anyway.

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/sarahbritten/2012/12/14/angry-people-verbal-diarrhoea-and-other-things-that-make-me-tired/

G-man:


Expanding on a few of your points.

South Africans today appear to have no middle ground, they sway from extreme melancholy to misplaced delusions of grandeur. They're either so depressed and frustrated over their political future they'd make Hamlet look like an hysterical optimist under the influence of laughing gas, or they're (usually) suffering from some mass Dunning-Kruger Effect where their beliefs in themselves is really way out of kilter with reality. This comes into play when dealing with SAns in the international business arena. They're usually first to voice their worthless opinions, and complain over why they don't have enough time, money or anything else we all seem to have to grapple with. We're then given a list of reasons of why they need special treatment. Personally, I won't have a bar of it.

The happiest South Africans I've met don't live there anymore. They ALL appear to have knitted in with their new communities, stopped chasing newer model Beemers and generally accepted that they have something to offer life, and it may not be all that unique.

Not so your New unimproved SAns. They're still delusional and believe that SA is the center of the universe. That the most violent nation in the world is the friendliest, that the most unproductive workforce I've encountered somehow houses cheap labour, and that the most unequal society is populated with people who are all equal under their laws. And they believe it. They're your NuSAns.

Vlismas paints himself into a corner. Again.

Vlismas does an excellent job of taking aim, pulling back the hammer and shooting his own foot. I believe I've done him the favour of showing the err of his live-and-let-live ways.

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/johnvlismas/2012/12/12/dear-these-blacks/

G-man:

People who say they do not judge are not just liars they're cowards, giving themselves a get-out-of-an-argument free card. It's gutless.

Until we as humans denounce bad cultural practices: de-clitoring innocent girls, chopping foreskins with rusty blades and blaming colonialists for your lot in life (See? Your belief that the dead should have no sway works against you), we condemn ourselves and our fellow man to a life of acceptance, and NOT one of improvement.

The British abolished the practice of Sati in India when they colonised it, denouncing it as savage and having no place in the world, and they were right. And India - to it's credit - accepted it and I'm sure 100's of millions of widows have been thankful ever since.

But what of 'These Blacks'? Should they be molly-coddled, excused and patted on the head when they deserve criticism? What makes them so special? And of what service do you do them when you continually excuse the most horrid of acts or neglect, by NOT correcting them? Do they not at least have the right to be treated as grown-ups, and held to the same standards as the rest of us, or would you simply prefer taking the easy, yellow route?

Low productivity, casual acceptance of criminal acts against whites and base savage behaviour deserve to be corrected, but it won't be while we have Vlismas en kie finding excuses for them, or blaming whites for not being more understanding.

And no, I don't blame Apartheid, I blame NuSAns of today.

Gillian makes no point. Just hurls abuse.

Read her piece if you have the stomach for it. She's screaming at we whites to be more understanding, I think. If anyone else can decipher this, I'll be forever grateful.

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/gillianschutte/2012/12/10/i-know-whiteness-through-and-through/

Guinness Holic:

You have blurred the line between racism, and libbie patronising. I will grant you that patronising black people is even more destructive than racism. And white libs are adept at it.

Poor old Brendon has learnt a valuable lesson in engaging with the race-pimps out there, who seem capable ONLY of condemning those of us who find some loose fault with Africans. He has discovered - ironically enough - that there is no point in laying bare your soul and voicing valid opinions, when they would prefer you continue to pay lip-service, excuse shortcomings, patronise modest progress and ignore cultural baggage that seems to get heavier as the post-Uhuru years trot by.

The truth is that Africans are completely incapable of finding any cultural fault with themselves. They'd rather wave their fist and scream race-filled epithets at those of us (apparently we whities) who plan our lives, put in the spade work when it comes to bettering ourselves and have a history of ensuring the standards of living of our children will be better than ours. That's what whities generally do!

I always love those who drag up Saartjie from the Victorian era of freak shows. She was one of 1000's of freaks on display over the years. Why is she singled out? What about the rest? How we're all expected to be our white brother's keepers who died a hundred years ago, is more a testament on how you lot like to keep the hate alive. Racism has become a cottage industry for those who can't keep up.

Brendon still getting stick

Think Thoughtleader has put my posts on high alert. I'll eat my chocolate hat if this gets posted.

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/readerblog/2012/12/10/the-unbearable-unrightness-of-whiteness/

One thing I've noticed with all the hand-wringing going on over Brendon's article, is that NO ONE takes him to task for his experience in Yeoville by calling 'Bullshirt'. You see, he gave us FACTS about his experience. The place IS a dirty lav (and it wasn't like that before). Crime and grime IS the order of the day. And he simply couldn't be bothered living like that anymore and came to the realisation that he has higher, Western standards than the inhabitants of the New (yet hopelessly unimproved) Yeoville have.

So the question is: What is really wrong with that?

Yeoville is a microcosm of what SA will soon become. So you can soon expect the rest of the country to follow suit, and more importantly, you will continue to see the attacks against those of us who cannot bear the new tatty SA ratcheted up, in lieu of any effort to improve the country. Far easier to play that dog-eared old race card than it is to accept your cultural shortcomings, and improve on them.

A NuSAns climbs on the bandwagon

They all sing from the same rap-sheet (as criminal as it is), if you ask me. Another one lays into poor old Brendon.

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/tomolefe/2012/12/05/bigotry-and-the-english-language-with-apologies-to-orwell/

G-man:

A man second guesses his motives and actions after some honest scrutiny, and the race cryptanalysts come crawling out the woodwork, bending his words and phrases, ever eager to tattoo a scarlet R on his forehead. It's absurd.

WHEN will NuSAns (new unimproved South Africans) take a long hard look at themselves? WHEN will black SAns discover they don't fit into a modern world with their archaic and violent ways? When will we get an answer to the age old question: What is 'The African Way' of doing things? If this was all nothing more than some cultural misunderstanding, then we'd have had the countries problems solved a long time ago. But it isn't. It's one of modern STANDARDS. It's one of where blacks (and many self-flagellating, hand-wringing whites) continually search for excuses for abhorable behaviour, or they attack the messenger.

The dog-eared old race card is losing it's trump-all value. You need to understand this. It's been twenty years since Apartheid's New Custodian took the reigns and we STILL have no meaningful progress in either state organisation, or race relations. In fact, they all appear to be on the decline. So it stands to reason that any and all support of 'The African Way' should not only be questioned, but tossed into the dustbin of failed practices. But this will take courage, and of course an admittance that you were wrong, and that you actually NEED we whites, and that our criticism has a lot of merit.

Again. I won't hold my breathe.

Libbie panties in a wad

I highly doubt she'll post this. She's already binned some of my more pedestrian efforts, but she needs to have another, proper perspective.

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/gillianschutte/2012/12/05/dear-brendon-henry-shields/

G-man:

Gotta love this. A do-gooder goes back to SA in the hope of drinking in some of that Ubuntu and becoming a card carrying member of Desmond's Rainbow Nation and finds out he set his sights too high, and Gillian has a race-cryptological fit finding new reasons to label him! Why is it that we always hear how WHITES need to do the adjusting? And why is the simple act of cleaning up after yourself all-of-a-sudden a Eurocentric practice? And why should Brendon have to lower his cultural standards, and why should he accept shoddy and disrespectful behaviour?

The problem with Africans is NOT that they can't clean up, play by the same rules as the rest of us, or behave a little better with regards to other people's personal space, but that they seem to always think - thanks to this Socialist Ubuntu lark - that things will always take care of themselves somehow; litter will magically pick itself up, libraries will be stocked, and swimming pools will be filled when the next rain comes along. It always seems to be OTHER people's responsibilities, and this bizarre attitude to life can be seen being 'put into practice' by the ANC government who prefer putting fires out, to planning ahead (ask any Limpopo student how their text book saga has worked out).

Brendon has now been welcomed into the world of we realists. He should be congratulated for taking the time and effort to make a go of it. It wasn't to be. He found out he prefers Eurocentric standards, Western organisation and Germanic discipline over broken fences, loud, repetitive music in the wee hours, and to the bellows of slaughtered cows in the leafy driveways, not to mention the filth, decay, general mayhem, crime and grime that seems to be acceptable to Gillian.

But a question for Gillian; What is the 'African Way'? I won't hold me breathe on this one. No one has been able to answer that question yet.

Another libbie comes to his senses

This guys is taking some stick from the usual suspects. I'd fight back, and call a spade a spade and not an earth turning excavating implement. But that's just me. Enjoy my response, which may or may not be posted by the hair-trigger M&G , uber sensitive liberal commandos.

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/readerblog/2012/12/03/why-i-think-i-dont-have-more-black-friends/

G-man:

I was brought up in Yeoville. It was a nice, neat and tidy, blue-collar suburb in the 70's and leading into the 80's. I also lived many years in Hillbrow where it was cosmopolitan, lively, but safe and relatively clean. As a white man, you wouldn't find me within a mile of the pits today. They have been successfully 'transformed' into something more resembling anarchic, African hellholes than the once modest yet tidy suburbs they once were.

At the turn into the 90's when petty Apartheid laws were removed, I would hear the voices of the usual hand-wringing white liberals who would justify their stays with 'Well if they can afford the same rent as me, then they're more than welcome to live next door to me'. I knew then that that was pure folly and the full Umtatification would take place at lightning speed, and boy was I right!

So no, people. This ISN'T an economic issue, but one of cultural values. Stop excusing these people who regularly turn leafy suburbs into places where 'cultural traditions' take place and you listen to cows screaming in pain as they get slaughtered in driveways. ALL the apartments in Hillbrow and Yeoville were well maintained, clean and livable. Post-Apartheid they now appear to be war zones.

I must admit to some satisfaction when I read how some unenlightened feel-gooder comes to his senses. It is a moment of I-told-you-so for me. Don't listen to those who preach equality. It's nothing but a lie wrapped in political correctness.

Mbeki's African Rennaisance

I predict this will be binned never to see Thoughtleader daylight.

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/garethsetati/2012/11/16/the-decline-and-fall-of-the-african-renaissance/

G-man:


This really is quite typically African; placing the cart WELL before the tatty old nag that insist you on calling a horse. Mbeki claimed the African Rennaisance and waxed lyrical on it at his African Congress, without any actual examples, clues or hints at an ACTUAL rennaisance taking place on the continent. But this is what these folk do: call for a rennaisance at a congress, whose groundwork will be gazetted at a workshop, where these minutes will be refined at a Lekgotla, which will then further be dissected at a 'jamboree' (as once described by an M&G reporter) whose framework will be outlined at an Indaba. All populated with the usual puffed-suits with the complimentary 5-star treatment complete with buffet and blue-label.

The Romans described their period DURING their actual conversion. Africans ANNOUNCE their alleged forth-coming turn-around, then insist that we all recognise it. You see, not to accept it, or even - Shiva forbid - question it (using evidence and the continent's deplorable record on anything civil) is to be labelled an Afro-pessimist, but usually something stronger, and the race-cryptologists will be all over you.

But in this make-believe African world where phrases are more important that action, it is impossible to have an honest discussion over your values, your path to progress let alone your cultural failings which play a large part in your self inflicted misery. So until then, pretend all is well and that rhetoric will mend the day.

Feminazi

A response to an out-of-touch feminist who can't see the woods for all those pesky trees.

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/jenniferthorpe/2012/11/22/banking-on-sexism/

G-man:

I was actually agreeing with you right up until you claimed; "...economic abuse is considered a form of domestic violence."

Really?

The Feminazis always lose me and others when they start to exaggerate, go off message, or find the most tenuous of explanations to link one personal pet-peeve to a much more serious crime. Using your daft logical progression, I could very well state that children caught wearing ANC t-shirts is an advert for child-abuse. As much as I wish this was true, even I (an ardent anti-ANC promoter) would see this as ultimately diluting the serious message/s.

Finances and children are often used as tools of abuse, but they are not - in and of themselves - walking, talking, breathing 'forms of domestic violence'.

As you can see, that one exaggeration of yours has diverted attention away from the typical SAn patriarchy that you have to live with daily, and all it's associated bias and hindrances. What you REALLY need is to change the culture (admittedly FNB isn't helping) which is a massive undertaking, especially in black SA where women are still seen as nothing more than chattel, breeding machines and punchbags. There's the real misery, and where ground zero in the fight against male violence is. Reading your dishwasher gripe becomes almost laughable and frivolous when you consider how black women in SA are treated by their men. You come across as nothing more than a spoilt, white, armchair crusader by your dusky sisters (and me).

No one safe in Marikana

A response to Gillian Schutte who seems almost enamoured with these people. She obviously doesn't know them, and by the tone of her blog has nothing but sympathy for them and their alleged plight.

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/gillianschutte/2012/11/13/no-one-is-safe-in-marikana/

Guinness Holic:

Community member, mine worker, activist? With that skill-set, it's amazing he couldn't rustle up and hang a toilet door!

You make the man sound so noble, almost regal in the face of 'white adversity'. But you fail to ask the real economic and socio-political questions of this well-etched face (as you can tell, I think very little of your choice in coffee-drinking chums): When will he and his riotous Luddites start to make their feelings shown by less destructive means? Why do you - post uhuru - still insist in making business 'ungovernable'? And how much do you think it costs in extra labour, and naturally more management to do the same amount of work it would take a handful of postpartum Tamil tea pickers to do if given the opportunity (these ladies do the same work of the annual production of your average NuSAns worker, in less than 30 days)?

I'm really sick of this hand-wringing that SAns go through in order to cleanse their little liberal souls. Make no excuses for them. These workers make their own beds, and must lay in them (with or without toilet doors it seems). I have no sympathy for them. It takes an extraordinary amount of money, resources and patience to deal with them and get a modicum of productivity with the maximum amount of hassle out of them. And until they can take some pride in themselves (and their living quarters), and take a proper, decent and more respectable approach to their grievances, I will continue to side with business.

Introduction

Hope everyone can read this. I will - over the forthcoming weeks - be responding to articles in South African newspapers and commenting on local news, the antics of the ANC and the South African's response to their politicians excesses, lack of work ethic, idiocy, stupid decisions and their own pearlers.

Please feel free to respond or comment on my opinions. No foul language, noted racism, lewd suggestions or other bad form will be tolerated however.

Many thanks.

Piet