south africa - so disappointing!

by LouBelle 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  LouBelle

  and thebsouth africa was on a high! cameron van de burgh won gold in the 200m breaststroke. chad le clos beat the amazing phelps by a finger, got the gold in that one, a silver in another. our oaresome foursome brought gold in the rowing, bronze in kayaking and caster won silver in the 800.

  sport has always united this country!

  a week or so after the olympics the platinum mine workers at lonmin go on strike. they are demanding salaries be inreased from 5000 to 12500 rands. any business couldn't meet these demands. the huge mass that had gathered were carrying weapons and were shouting violent slogans and rushing the police. they in turn tried to keep the crowd at bay with water canons, tear gas, rubber bullets, barbed wire....to no avail. a couple of police men were hacked to death with machettes! when the crowd rushed again the police opend fire with live ammunition - 34 were left dead - the fingure pointing game starts and the ruling government does nothing.

  today's headline: metro cops in cbd rampage. the metro police who should be upholding the law broke windows, and threatend to set the city hall on fire. the ruling government does nothing.

  my country is turning into a 'rouge state'. violence and corruption run wild. the ruling party president frees prisoners to celebrate mandela day - not petty criminals either.

  my country is so beautiful but is being ruined by the current president and his cronies.

  wake up south africa!
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  Diest

  Thats a crazy story. Most of the SA people I meet dont have good stories to tell. Granted most of them are rich and white so it is hard to know the other side of things.
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  Phizzy

  At least you win at Cricket !

  The Socio-politcal/economic problems your beautiful country has to deal with are tremendous, but could be solved by a Government intent on seeing justice and equality established. For this to start to happen the Law must be upheld in a proper way, not by gunning down men armed only with machetes.
• 

  AgentSmith

  The situation there at Lonmin is a mess, and it reflects on the corruption in the goverment departments, bad mangagement at the mine and the unions, and Errors made by the cops, and so and so on.

  The mine CEO is in hospital, the management of Lonmin, leaderless. On the other hand, the unions leaders egged on the violence, and now these same people lost control. They sat in the police vehicles, well protected. Then the Police were outflanked. They had no razor wire in place on the sides, just the front entrance. They took a beating and then fought back. It was war, messy, and deadly. And it will take an enquiry to get to "who - did- what- to- whom- first.' A sad day indeed...

  

  A three minute battle and the dead count is 34. Yes, the police were shot at, attacked with machete and panga's, but they, the SA Police, panicked, and that points to poor training, and worse commanders on the ground.
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  ekruks

  "d ead count is 34 ....attacked with machete and panga's.... the SA Police, panicked "

  Sharpeville? Police panicked and opened fire - many died.
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  Glander

  rather just go to work eat dinner and go to bed. But if I had to choose I would rather be shot than chopped.

  Lou. Do you think your country is better off than before Mandela? Not talking about the so-called end of apartied, but the post apartied South Africa.
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  kurtbethel

  
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  LouBelle

  Glander - a loaded question.

  Do I answer as diplomatically as possible or to tell the truth?

  Let's go with the truth.

  Mandela was set free and became the first democratically elected black president of SA. He advocated peace and equality. I totally stand by that. When Mandela ruled the country was in it's honeymoon stage.

  Then it was Thabo Mbeki - he got forced out believed it or not. Then came some other chap no one even voted for to tie the country over for a year or so. Then cam Zuma......

  .the crime is the worse it has ever been, criminals are let free every year on Freedom Day. There is absolutely no equality in certain sectors (if you are white, indian or coloured your are more likely not to even get an interview for a job) People are poorer now that ever before. Food stuffs, gas etc is at all time high. There is absolutely no service delivery - all governmental departments are a joke.

  I love my country, I want a decent government.

  "Cry My Beloved Country"

  Yes things are worse.
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  Quendi

  I have been following the South Africa situation and like LouBelle, I am growing concerned. I am no expert on the country, but have visited it twice: December 1997 and December 2001. I have friends in Bellville, part of the Cape Town metroplex. I am black and they are white. The first visit was during the Mandela presidency while the second occurred during the Mbeki administration.

  I suppose my beliefs as a Witness influenced my attitude about the change in government in that I didn’t believe the ANC-led government would root out corruption, end poverty, and promote true social justice for all South Africans. That being said, they still could have done better than they have.

  I liked and still admire and respect Nelson Mandela. Thabo Mbeki, on the other hand, was a technocrat who was entirely out of his depth. He may have been an astute economist, but that is where he should have stayed. I remember him being forced out and now South Africa has been saddled with Jacob Zuma, a wolf in sheep’s covering if ever there was one.

  I fell in love with South Africa during my two visits. I traveled in the Western Cape and along the Garden Route to Mossel Bay and other towns and cities. Everywhere I went, I was treated with respect, honor and even affection by folk of different ethnic backgrounds. Indeed, the only people I ever knew who were as warm and welcoming were the people of Ireland. I can’t wait to get back to South Africa and see my South African family again. But I have to wonder what I’ll see when I do return.

  Quendi
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  LouBelle

  Quendi - how wonderful that you have visited our shores. I do love my country and she is indeed beautiful and has so much to offer. It's those running the show that should be done away with.

  Hopefully on your return you will venture to the eastern shores - Durban - it is S.A's playground - we have the sea (that's not too cold), we have the mountains and everything inbetween. If ever you are in these parts please feel free to contact me [email protected] and I'll be happy to take you outs and abouts and perhaps even cook you a delicious meal .