10. The reply by Tim du Plessis in Beeld to Phylicia Oppelt's racialist article in The Times describing the fight for the future of Afrikaans at Stellenbosch University, and elsewhere, as the "bleating of old white men who yearn for days that are long gone":
The Beeld editor points out that in order for Afrikaans to survive it needs to retain its higher functions. In this respect the language needs to endure as an academic language. It may be, Du Plessis concedes, mostly "old white men" who have taken up the cause. But this is no reason to do nothing. If no-one else but "old white Afrikaans" men intervene, then who shall? Must everyone then remain silent while Afrikaans reverts to a kombuis taal, before becoming totally extinct?
9. Former president Thabo Mbeki's article in The Times on why Haiti matters to him, and should matter to us:
Mbeki writes on the responsibility of the West for the dire situation in that country, not least through the compensation the French had demanded in 1825 for recognizing the new Republic. The piece is eloquently written and moving. There is no mention however of the role played by ‘Papa Doc' Duvalier in the ruination of that country.
8. The Mercury's follow up report on the dealings of South Africa's multi-millionaire police constable and tender-trepreneur Sbu Mpisane and his wife Shawn:
It seems that Zikhulise, owned by Shawn, "had been awarded a tender of about R28m to build a primary school in Molweni", KwaZulu Natal. Meanwhile, the newspaper reported that "During an inspection tour in Umlazi last week, the [Master Builder's Association] inspectorate and independent consulting engineer Richard Morgan found that none of the homes built by Zikhulise would have passed a standard building inspection."
7. Solly Maphumulo's report on in The Star on the violent protests by residents of the Motsoaledi informal settlement, next to Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital, in Soweto:
Maphumulo writes that the "The Motsoaledi Concerned Residents issued a statement saying they had taken a decision to conduct militant protests with the aim of disrupting the economic flow in Soweto ‘because that is how these big politicians take notice and come to respond to service delivery issues'."
6. The Mercury's interviews with a.) Sheryl Cwele, wife of security minister Siyabonga Cwele, published the day before her arrest by the Hawks on drug trafficking charges. And b.) with KZN transport boss, Chris Hlabisa:
Cwele told Gugu Mbonambi: "I know people are talking about these allegations and this is affecting my family and my children. But I am a Christian, so I pray a lot. The only person who will solve this problem is God....My lawyer said I must get permission from him about this issue and only contact the media thereafter, but I also want to get my side of the story out there."
Hlabisa told Bronwyn Gerretsen that those suing the govt for injuries incurred while travelling on the province's dangerous, pothole ridden roads, were being very ungrateful. "I think people are very unfair on the government", Hlabisa stated, "They know the roads have exceeded their lifespans of 25 years, and they know that we haven't had significant funding towards improving the road network, but people still take us to the cleaners."
5. Lood se Praatjies' summing up how the Afrikaans residents of Pretoria feel about their treatment at the hands of the ANC regime in the city:
Beeld's political gossip columnist writes: "Maar hoogmoed, soos Lood se ouma graag sê, kom tot 'n val. Hoogmoed maak dat jy begin dink jy kan maar die land se hoofstad tot in die afgrond ‘bestuur' en die vullis in die strate laat ophoop, terwyl jy totale minagting wys vir die mense wat die munisipale heffings en belasting elke maand getrou betaal sodat jy maar net kan voortneuk???. En dan wil jy nog sommer gou die plek se naam verander "as 'n saak van dringendheid" voordat die Wêreldbeker-sokkertoernooi begin. Newwermaaind ook al die oumense wat in hul beddens in die hoofstad se voorstede vermoor word terwyl jy besig is om 'n grootliks fiktiewe historiese figuur te vereer."
4. The Business Day editorial on why the Amalgamated Beverage Industries (ABI) strike by the Food and Allied Workers Union should not be allowed to succeed:
The newspaper points out that the wage increase on offer from ABI is well above the rate of inflation, "while the union's other demands - that the use of labour brokers and owner-drivers be banned - are simply unreasonable." But the real problem is that "The ABI strike has been marred by a level of violence and blatant intimidation of nonstrikers that is shocking in any context but especially in a democracy with strong labour laws where workers hold many of the aces."
3. The Sowetan report on Kgalema Motlanthe's criticism of ANCYL president Julius Malema's recent school visits.
The ANC deputy president told the newspaper: "We cannot call upon teachers and learners to be at school on time and then want to address them during school time, it cannot work that way. That is an excuse of people who want to disrupt learning and we should not tolerate that. Principals, teachers and learners themselves should never ever accept that, it does not matter who it is."
2. Carte Blanche's report on the dismal treatment of expat workers at Eskom:
It seems that a number of skilled ‘black' foreigners were recruited to the organization. But they have not been provided with any support, or any work to do. One expat told the programme: "I was here probably eight, nine months before I got a job description. I questioned, 'Why would a company spend the money to bring people over and have them sitting? I mean, why? That's such a waste of time, of human capital, of money.''
The really scary part of the story is the suggestion that no one is really home at Eskom head office any more.
1. Sipho Masondo's article in The Times the damage done to many farming areas in South Africa through the ill-considered and hasty granting of prospecting and mining licenses:
Masondo reports: "Scores of farmers in the Free State and Mpumalanga complain that the first they hear of applications approved by the department of mineral resources is when representatives of mining companies arrive on their farms to start drilling."
What a splendid country - to loot!
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