Following a relatively secure 2010 World Cup, Wonkie was beginning to get optimistic that controlling crime in South Africa is within the realm of possibility – that South Africa is not destined to become a corrupt Zimbabwe-style banana republic.
The South African government however appears to have quite a different vision. In its latest form, the vision is being expressed through the controversial proposed Media Tribunal and the Protection of Information Bill. Siyabonga Cwele, the State Security Minister, insists that draconian bill will not suppress media freedoms. Common sense however dictates otherwise.
Consider the following purely hypothetical scenario:
1. Joe Schmoe in the government successfully allocates a few million rands in public funds in order to fund a security initiative. Actually it is his niece’s surprise birthday party and he invited Chelsea Clinton (she may actually be attending and it is probably best to ‘prepare’ well)
2. Joe gets all the documentation for this super-expensive high security initiative classified as a matter of national security. It makes sense after all, if there was a leak it really wouldn’t be much of a surprise birthday party right?
3. Chelsea Clinton can’t come and Joe is so disappointed. But it doesn’t really matter. It’s such a hassle to do the paperwork to return the allocated funds so Joe decides to keep it all in his personal account… for safe-keeping. Besides his fixed deposit interest rate is quite high so when he does return the money it would probably provide a good return for the South Africa government anyway.
4. A Sunday Times journalist discovers this through inside sources and boldly attempts to expose the dodgy deal in headline news.
Now in civilised countries, the headline would read something like Corrupt government official nailed for stealing millions. Under the proposed Protection of Information Bill in South Africa, however the headline would read Journalist jailed indefinitely for exposing state secrets.
Go figure why so many senior South African government officials are supporting this secrecy legislation. If you cannot figure it out, collect a free banana from your local Checkers.
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I dont think that will work in this country, and shouldnt even be considered, this is supposed to be a free country, now the media will be censored? Sounds a bit dodgy to me… De ja vu back to the old NP days!
THIS TRULY A PERFECT EXAMPLE! BUT LET US WAIT AND SEE.
i think this bill is going to kill the economy faster than bafanas chances in the world cup.
I wonder if the Government are just digging up some old apartheid legislation to hide corruption and the failures of our leaders to address the problems of unemployment, lack of growth, poor education, the arms deal and overspending. Verwoerd would be proud.
The more things change , the more they stay the same. the goverment sound just like the National Party goverment. why did they even fight againts them because they are just reliving their policies. Verwoerd is about to smile realising what this Blacks are doing to each other in the name of CORRUPTION.. They are just proving him right slowly ,but surely. hola FREEDOM…
sounds just like in my good old ‘back home’
As has been stated it is an ideal system to cover up all future corruption.
Hey Garth and Old Major, I couldn’t stop laughing after reading your articles. Yeah, these darkies rely on hand-outs, stealing, bribery and corruption. I maintain that if the root of the tree is not right, it’s quite impossible for the branches to bear ‘good’ fruit. They even have the gall to blame everything on apartheid. They forget that their policy of ‘reverse-apartheid’ is not working, and will never work. Communism was eventually legally removed from the Russian lawbooks. SA is a country for all it’s citizens, and, forced integration MUST be banned by law.
South African leaders seem to be following right down the path of brain-dead Bob the Goblin! Next we’re going to see Public control bills disguised as national security measures, farm invasions under the guise of land redistribution, company take-overs by elite individuals under the guise of indeginisation…. To BEE or not to BEE… Let me not say anymore.
“We are destined to become that which we so passionately apposed” This is probably one of the most common themes in predominantly leftist governments. Fight with the people against the government, fight for the people from within the government then… fight the people as the government. The ANC, once a beacon of light for many South Africans, is infected with the rot called corruption and the penicillin called “accountable governance” is superseded by a bandage called “media censorship”.
“All animals are equal” later “All animals are equal but there are those more equal than the ohters. (Animal farm by George Owen)
ha ha ha!!!!!! They got what they wanted, I support media tribunal 100%, our country has been too exposed to foreign threats due to our unregulated media, I had this discussion with my friends in 2007 about the irresponsibility of South African media, they are only interested in reporting about the bad, nothing about the good of the country.
How many low cost housing did the government build, no single journalist know the answer, How many cars does Julius Malema has. I guessed it, all SA journalist know the answer.
@Manthata: what good things did this government do??? I can’t even think of one. Perhaps you can enlighten me?
and the so called low cost housing: I’ve heard that the places are a mess. not properly built. if this government wants to do something good, they should resign and let people who know what it means to govern come in place. and by that I don’t necessarily mean white people. any colour will do just as long as they have integrity and the will to put the people first and not themselves.
i can’t see why the goverment have a problem with the media, or is it maybe because they don’t want us to know how many children(president’s) we are going to help maintain as tax payers
Ow manthata. Free media means having the freedom to select what to report. Are you suggesting that the media has to say nice trhings about those ugly concrete blocks known as low cost housing, many of which are falling to pieces. oops they can say how nice it is to have so many new houses but will not be allowed to say how bad they are. Get real this bill is to hide government inadequacy, corruption, lack of delivery and remove any opposition voice. Never and never again should we allow this to happen.
Ye The Afrikaners has a good ol saying: “Erf geld is swerfgeld” nothing that you take for nothing and not worked for never lasts, so how much longer is our economy and funds going to last? its been falling into a bottomless pit.
mmm Old Fashion, and we all know who is at the bottom of that pit!!
CCS – Salman Rushdie wrote an excellent book of his impressions on Nicaragua after his visit there in the 80’s – The Jaguar Smile. As the title refers, his final caution (if my memory serves me correctly) is that the revolution not become that which it sought to overthrow… This seems to be a universal condition in the last 50 years. The simple function of government brings with it a myriad of complex and contrary responsibilities that no direct revolutionary movement has ever had to contemplate, except on a purely ideological basis. Frankly, the anc with its shadow parliament in exile is perhaps the closest in this period to being “ready” but as in all things… the best laid plans of mice and men eh? Every system is only as good as the people entrusted with operating/running it and bar the SARB and SARS the rest of our institutions seem to be run by troglodytes and sundry trough feeders.
hola!Mathata,there’s some “matata” in your comments,the present Gov.complained about the match-box houses the former regime built for the “people”,now it’s worse these RDP houses resemble toilets,its obvious they down scaled the costs where is the rest of the money? ZEE…
The free media is the only thing that stands between the ANC and their drive towards totalitarian power. The new Pan-Africanist clique taht is taking over the ANC, has only one goal: to gain total power of the Power House of Africa and enrich themselfs.
The Old African story. Liberation was just used as an excuse to get into power. Now the rules has to change so they can benefit from the power.
I am going to throw a spanner in the works and say “I hope that if this bill is passed – those journos who have glibly lied about Israel and refused to accept any counter- articles exposing their blindness to the REAL truth – will be put to the TRUTH test.
Many journos will finally be punished.
Gill, you’re the greatest/ Thanks for your delightful post. Feed on this:
Headline news: January 2011
The ANC succeeded in purchasing the Sunday Times and one of its subsiduary organs,
The Daily Dispatch East London for a massive record undisclosed amount. AVUSA accepted
the ANC’s unprecedented offer, and both parties are ecstatic. Editors of both Newspapers will
with imMEDIAte effect be replaced by two nephews of a prominent government minister.
The association will henceforth be known as “Bulala Ncwadi Zonke Pressure Asscociation.”
The BNZ will concentrate on eliminating corruption and crime in the country.
The above scenario is a hypothetical example of how filthy lucre can play a major part in decisions of this
I need to know my word processor better. The last paragraph was omitted in
my previous post, IE:
“The above scenario is a hypothetical example of how filthy lucre can play a
major part in decisions of this nature. Perhaps CCS will eventually agree that
money is the third greatest power in the known universe.”
media control = censorship = facist style government,, this not democracy, this not what we worked so hard for and the greedy and corrupt want to steal our freedom too. No way.
its the darkie and k mentality so glaring in the ANC. the ANC = tunnel vision myopic mentality. they should all sit on a cactus and turn…blinkin sods and swines. we are now a official banana republic with mad bob as the godfather
Ol’ Pliny
“The devils greatest trick was to convince the world he doesn’t exist.” This to me describes people’s relationship with the “third greatest power” best. Ever noticed when people (term used loosely) from criminals raping and murdering to politicians vying for the top positions, are confronted with the question, “Did you do it for the money?”, they always respond with a resounding NO!! And then they follow-up with a list of reasons for their decisions / actions without once referring to the original source …MONEY. This is what makes the media such irritants for the government. People, all people hate it when challenged and contradicted, especially when it’s done publically.
Yep CCS, yerright!
I have an icon on my desktop to remind me of a famous expression:
“The Devil made me do it.” Yes indeed, the serpent made him do it, but for what?
Ah yes, of course, filthy Lucre – what else.
OK, then we are agreed on that matter but perhaps, still differ on the second greatest power.
Please read (Luke 12:17-21) Once you get all that moolah, the snake in effect owns you.
The icon shows an airplane spiralling down.
I am Zimbabwean – we have written the script already. If you think Zim was/is bad
wait, RSA is going to fall faster than you realise. Corruption is a disease, coupled with incompetence = ZERO RESULT. I`ve written off already. Neighbouring countries need to boycot RSA and strengthen infrastructure with the likes of Namibia and Moz to route goods in and out.
Stop this planet – I want to get off!!
An indigenous old man in Kitwe said to me “We are unable to rule ourselves democratically. We need chiefs who own everything” So Mugabe arranged “ownership” of the media and JZ is on the same path. If the majority of the electorate did not want it that way they would vote intelligently. There is one over-riding reason to not vote for the ANC. They are too strong already. Africa does not understand democracy (or the purpose of voting).
Africa understands only one thing: WHEN YOUR ON-TOP, STAY ON TOP. NOTHING ELS MATTERS.
It is in its genetic make-up and Africans except it (even the educated ones) and build their lives around it. That is why democracy is such a failure in africa.
They are still living in a patriacal society with the King as the holder of all power and desicions. The problem is that the modern ‘Kings’ does not have the upbringing , support structures, culture and tradition that make them effective rullers. Democracy is perhaps not the best or only solution for Africa. Unfortunately the origional structure is gone and the present one a failure.
Mr Cwele, what was that you said again? i bet you cant repeat that exact counter whatever you claim it meant, your response is just for the heck of it isnt it? hehe, dooms is near. And no my mentality is not eurocentric nor do I read Sunday time or listen to radio stations such as 702, i cant afford them, i come ekasi, but i can see you, your intentions are but dressed up in a frogs’ suite
Seen our Minister on TV defending his bill? He is like the bloated tick I saw on a dog in Kyalitshea yesterday. Prick him with a pin and the roof above him will be covered with fertiliser. Will this bill make him fatter? Sorry I don’t mean to be personal. This applies to all “Fat Cats”. black and (the outnumbered) whites.
Thanks. Most members of the public don’t really know much about these sorts of documents, probably because of the gargonese used, and only feel the effects when something like your worst-case scenario occurs. The thinking members of the public are so few, that their intervention becomes irrelevant.
Back in 1994, with Mandela at the helm, the ANC swept to power with the election promise of a “clean and transparent government.” My heavens – what have we now ended up with? And how quickly have the many promises been broken, once they got your vote. Where has all the integrity gone?
Nelson must surely weep at the ANC he now sees. I certainly do.
Let’s hope that common sense prevails, not another Zimbabwe please.
If the bill becomes law we have had it. We shall quickly remember to talk in whispers again.
why government can catch those of housing because they corrupt our government
Lets hope this legislation does not pass…Checkers would run out of bananas
Africa including South Africa is crying out for foreign investment to provide growth. But the corruption including the arms deal and the attempt to cover it up, the scrapping of the Scorpions, the failures of Education policy to create a skilled working population and the angry rhetoric from party hotheads about nationalization, land reform and now allowing the mess to be shoved under the counter does nothing to encourage investors, South Africans included. The government must about this piece of legislation as it is counter productive.
hi there i see they are going to upgrade all hospatals and all health problems will be solved,whaaaaaa with he majoraty of staff not knowing what they are doing,and the dont care attetude of nursing staff i dont think it is possible to upgrade anything all they can do is talk and when the time arrives the one making the promise is gone go to any goverment hospatal and you will see what i mean if you die there the problem is no more a problem
@ Corrie: they can’t upgrade anything. this whole system is corrupt because unskilled people got the jobs of skilled people in the name of affirmative action. i don’t have a problem if skilled people get the job wether they are white, black, brown or whichever colour. but what can you expect? this banana government set the example and the laws and companies and government institutions alike have to adhere to the law. i’ve heard from my friend who was in a government hospital in gauteng – she had to take her linen (she had to bring it from her home) to the toilet with her, otherwise it was stolen when she got back to the ward. and they get their foor, pap and marog, on paper plates! how absolutely terrible is that. these people do not know the firtst thing about ruling a country because they have no proper education or any integrity. this will be blamed on apartheid again, i presume. but who were burning the schools and their books in the 70s and 80’s riots???? guess who- yes, you right!! so, they are unskilled. it seems to me that the main requirement today to get into government, is that you had to be in jail. that is a pre-requisite! stupid people trying to do an intelligent person’s job…
The only reason they are passing this bill is to protect corrupt leaders from journalists. They think we are stupid. I’m 13 doing a speech on this topic and they don’t fool me.
I am so happy I’m in a country far, far away and living a wonderful and safe life. I want people to know that the black people in other countries are completely different than the African black people. They are wonderful and loving, educated and classy. They are not dangerous or violent. I don’t completely agree with Apartheid but can’t help but think that South Africa needed it. Look how downhill things have gone since it was abolished. Democracy isn’t right for every country. South Africa will implode upon in itself – and the only survivors will be the ones who had the balls to immigrate to other countries. I’m thankful every day that I’m not there anymore and I can enjoy the outdoors, shopping and travelling without the constant fear of being raped or killed.
PLEASE go to http://www.avaaz.org and follow the South Africa stop the Secrecy Bill link. If you sign the petition please take the trouble to do your bit to spread the word!
Shows you how much they have to hide!
ughhh, here we go again. of course they want this law passed for then they can do whatever they want and no one will be the wiser!!! they can steal, have million Rand parties, have loads of new wives and kids and no one will dare to write about it in fear of being jailed. this country is so messed up it will take hundreds of years to build it up again to its former glory. and i don’t mean apartheid glory, i mean a country that was economically kind of secure, kind of safe and kind of run by brainy people. now we have a lot of baboons trying to do the job. God help us….
wonkie, is this new law going to stop this site and comments as well? i hope not!
Gill, the real truth about Israel is that it is an apartheid state. The next real truths about Israel is that the British colonised Palestine in 1919 and gave it to a bunch of foreign Zionists in 1948. The next real truth is that the Israeli people are blind to the propaganda and support their racist state under the guise of anti Semitism. The next real truth is that Israel cannot exist without the USA. Lets get real the Israeli encroachment into the west bank is an illegal land grab. Not only must Israel get real. Gill must wake up.
@Garth: there is no country Palestine only the country of Israel, given to the people of Israel by God Himself ages ago. he who blesses Israel will be blessed and he who curses Israel will be cursed. Please, don’t do this to yourself. Israel is still God’s elect. We as gentiles are only included in God’s salvation plan because Jesus died on the cross for the whole world. Bless Israel, please, don’t slander them!!
I’ve heard that the reason “They” want to pass the bill into law before Christmas, is that there is an imminent deal in the pipeline with the Chinese (worth trillions of Rands), for 3 nuclear power stations. Imagine the kickbacks involved.
Bless Israel, but do not get confused Israel and anti-Semitism, they are different things. Jews come from an ancient and holy people who worship the Lord and follow his commandments. Israel is a bunch of thugs who learned some lessons from the Nazis.. Moreover do not spout religion without some proof that God exists.
Hi Mike, You are probably right, there was a press article not so long ago that mentioned a possible 3 Billion deal for Nuclear power facilities with the French.. If and when the details become public there will be an enormous outcry and massive opposition, locally and Internationally. Look at the mess Iran is in because of Nuclear Power, are we to suffer the same fate. There is also no need for Nuclear Facilities in SA. Any one who studied Economics, either matric or 101. Will understand the principle of free goods such as Coal, Oil, Water and the need to exploit those first. We have enough coal to last a few centuries and therefore enough time to develop alternatives. What the Nuclear deal does for us is that it enables the opportunity for mass corruption that would make the arms deal fade into insignificance. Welcome to Libya.