I've been thinking about having a kid for a while now. It's a huge responsibility, one which I don't think financially ready for yet, so I wrote this in the mean time. I'm really looking forward to the experience:) Enjoy:
God seen live for the very first time'll
Be the very first time you open up your eyes an
I see it, the miracle of birth happened to me an your moms
In her arms, you'll lay heart beatin, feet kickin
Most beautiful baby girl
You squeeze my finger, to think that, in my hands I hold the power to shape your world
Baby I love you, you're now a party of the family
Arguably, probably the biggest part of me, gosh
My little princess I can't wait to hold you, feel your baby soft skin, swell up deep within with the
Pride knowing I made you, birthed by your moms and the most heavenly power up above created you
And gifted you to us and you can trust
That everything humanly possible to protect you
We will do
We'll mould you, shape your mind and your life
To be better than what you can be, bigger than what we can be, yes we
We will always have your back baby girl
And we'll always take you back
baby girl
Cause you'll always be our baby girl
No matter what
I know you're not here yet
And that's ok, I'll be patiently waiting
Finishing up this letter for my unborn baby.
Tuesday 31 January 2012
Sunday 29 January 2012
Hooters Anonymous
Since I've relocated to Johannesburg, the city of what what, I think the hearing in my right ear has somewhat deteriorated due to the incessant and excessive use of hooters by Joburg drivers. This piece, then, is meant to educate these poor hooting souls on what their car hooters can and can NOT do. Enjoy:
So, you're in your cute little/burly masculine car with those Gauteng-wide famous GP license plates. Somehow, you've managed to start the car and get it moving in a forward motion sans deploying your hooter. You, my friend, are (to this point) winning at life.
Now I know, I know, you're fast approaching the boom that signals the border of your gated community and the pressure to just slam your palm against your steering wheel to emit a sound reminiscent of a dying bovine from the cockels of your vehicle is mounting - but resist my friend, resist! As, erm...wonderful and usefull an invention as the hooter might be, it has it's limitations, but first, let's start with what the average car horn CAN do.
It can:
1. Warn pedestrians/brain dead animals in the road of impending doom;
2. Prevent you from being awarded a ticket when the speed-cop pulls you over to inspect your car and asks you to test the car horn;
3. And...uh, actually there is no third point, I just put this here so the list didn't seem so sparse...which it is...otherwise I wouldn't have put this here...moving along swiftly!
Now, let us move on to things your hooter can NOT do (brace yourself, this list is a tad bit longer...actually it's a lot longer, but for the purposes of not making you feel like a COMPLETE twat for all the times you've inappropriately used your horn I've truncated it - and no, that doesn't mean I've put it into the boot).
Now where was I? Ah yes, your car hooter can NOT do the following:
1. Make the standstill/stop and go traffic move any faster;
2. Miraculously improve the clutch control of the learner driver who's just managed to stall their car in front of you;
3. Swerve your car out of the way to avoid hitting the pedestrians/brain dead animals referred to in point 1 of the first list above;
4. Prevent taxi drivers from starting their own lanes;
5. Make you any less late for work;
6. Improve your child's IQ;
7. Fix your marriage and/or sex life;
8. Make your wife get dressed any faster;
9. Make your kids eat their cereal quicker in the mornings;
10. Make the robot turn green;
11. Or make the world a better place.
So, for the love of all things sweet and merciful, next time you think of using your car horn, think long and hard about what value, if any, it will add to the human race - unless you're about to hit something. In which case my simple rule of thumb is this: If you have enough time to you hoot, you certainly have enough time to swerve! Happy driving.
So, you're in your cute little/burly masculine car with those Gauteng-wide famous GP license plates. Somehow, you've managed to start the car and get it moving in a forward motion sans deploying your hooter. You, my friend, are (to this point) winning at life.
Now I know, I know, you're fast approaching the boom that signals the border of your gated community and the pressure to just slam your palm against your steering wheel to emit a sound reminiscent of a dying bovine from the cockels of your vehicle is mounting - but resist my friend, resist! As, erm...wonderful and usefull an invention as the hooter might be, it has it's limitations, but first, let's start with what the average car horn CAN do.
It can:
1. Warn pedestrians/brain dead animals in the road of impending doom;
2. Prevent you from being awarded a ticket when the speed-cop pulls you over to inspect your car and asks you to test the car horn;
3. And...uh, actually there is no third point, I just put this here so the list didn't seem so sparse...which it is...otherwise I wouldn't have put this here...moving along swiftly!
Now, let us move on to things your hooter can NOT do (brace yourself, this list is a tad bit longer...actually it's a lot longer, but for the purposes of not making you feel like a COMPLETE twat for all the times you've inappropriately used your horn I've truncated it - and no, that doesn't mean I've put it into the boot).
Now where was I? Ah yes, your car hooter can NOT do the following:
1. Make the standstill/stop and go traffic move any faster;
2. Miraculously improve the clutch control of the learner driver who's just managed to stall their car in front of you;
3. Swerve your car out of the way to avoid hitting the pedestrians/brain dead animals referred to in point 1 of the first list above;
4. Prevent taxi drivers from starting their own lanes;
5. Make you any less late for work;
6. Improve your child's IQ;
7. Fix your marriage and/or sex life;
8. Make your wife get dressed any faster;
9. Make your kids eat their cereal quicker in the mornings;
10. Make the robot turn green;
11. Or make the world a better place.
So, for the love of all things sweet and merciful, next time you think of using your car horn, think long and hard about what value, if any, it will add to the human race - unless you're about to hit something. In which case my simple rule of thumb is this: If you have enough time to you hoot, you certainly have enough time to swerve! Happy driving.
Thursday 26 January 2012
Cry My Beloved Limpopo
So, I was asked by two friends of mine, Mahlodi and Michelle to write a piece on the nonsense happening in my beloved Limpopo province. Here it is:
I did a google search for news articles surrounding the financial controversy happening in Limpopo. Needless to say, quite a few reports popped up. In these reports I saw mention of some serious misspending on the part of the Limpopo government, some stating that Limpopo was in debt to the tune of R2-3 billion rand, another claiming that three months into the 2011/2012 fiscal year Limpopo's R43 billion rand budget had been spent already! On what?
Now, being from Limpopo I kid you not when I say reading through those reports broke my heart. Heck, having to write this piece is breaking my heart. I say it breaks my heart because I see reports of billions of rands being "spent" by the Limpopo government and yet I cannot for the life of me see where it's gone. It's not gone to education or health care. Granted, there have been some major repair works on some of the main roads through the province (I'll site the R71 from Polokwane to Tzaneen), but other than that, I've not seen any other notable improvements in the province. Certainly to the tune of R43 billion.
Now, the allegation, which the premier and his, erm...colleagues are denying is simple: tenders and money have been given to people who were neither qualified nor capable enough to deliver on the requirements. In short, tenders were being sold for financial kick backs and "loyalty". I can tell you for a fact, because I know someone who runs a legitimate business which requires tenders for revenue in flows, that this is most likely true.
You see, how business was being done in Limpopo went a little something like this: "We, the people in power and in charge of the tender awarding process are hosting a gala dinner to get to know business owners and service providers a bit better. You, as the business owner/operator in the province are invited to this auspicious event. Please take note that should you be unable to attend this event, we will be unable to consider you for any tenders as we don't 'know' you. Oh, and by the way, a seat at the gala is R50 000."
I don't know about you, but this looks like corruption in its purest form to me. Add to that, there are also numerous reports of companies with suspiciously close ties to people involved in the tender awarding process landing a number of major contracts. These two things (with a host of other factors) had a number of knock-on effects.
First, they lined the pockets of government officials. Second, they increased the cost of doing business in the province, causing a lot of ethical businesses to go out of business while rewarding and enriching the less ethical businesses with lucrative tenders. Third, it added to the cost of service delivery, because as any smart business owner knows, you need to factor in ALL of your costs before offering a service price: in practical terms, these so-called government officials were just using thier younger siblings to steal out of the cookie jar. Finally, (for the purposes of this piece), it meant that the service provider selected for the job wasn't always the best of the lot - meaning that the people of Limpopo got sub-par service delivery.
I'll be honest, when I was considering writing this piece, I was going to take a very emotional view on the topic. In short, I was going to say screw the money, it's gone. Throw ALL of those thieving bastards in jail and lose the keys. I still believe that, and I doubt anything will change my mind.
The thing that gets to me the most about this though, is not the fact that these retards managed to rob my province blind, it's the fact that my province not only gave them the power to do it, they sat back and watched! It doesn't do much for the stereotypes about us Limpopians that knowing full well of the corruption happening in the ruling party that they still have a serious majority in the province come election time. This is even worse given that since 1994, they have done squat in that province. I don't get it, it's like a Limpopo-Eastern cape phenomenon, were the people suffer from battered voters syndrome!
I won't say people need to start an uprising and protest and demonstrate and "burn shit down", but mark my words if things don't change and soon, I'll be more surprised if we don't see an uprising than if we do. Because i don't advocate violence as a means to any end, I hope the change comes when we next go to the polls. I hope people wake up and realize that if you vote someone into power, or withhold your vote knowing that they will win power, that's as good as standing back and watching someone beat your child.
To finish off, I will say this, I am a young black man from Limpopo, I have a lot of potential and you'll be sure to hear about me in the future because I'm going to achieve big things in this life time. In Limpopo, I've seen a million other me's with a million times more potential. I just hope our government steps up to fix this mess and afford them the opportunities they were promised all those years ago.
I did a google search for news articles surrounding the financial controversy happening in Limpopo. Needless to say, quite a few reports popped up. In these reports I saw mention of some serious misspending on the part of the Limpopo government, some stating that Limpopo was in debt to the tune of R2-3 billion rand, another claiming that three months into the 2011/2012 fiscal year Limpopo's R43 billion rand budget had been spent already! On what?
Now, being from Limpopo I kid you not when I say reading through those reports broke my heart. Heck, having to write this piece is breaking my heart. I say it breaks my heart because I see reports of billions of rands being "spent" by the Limpopo government and yet I cannot for the life of me see where it's gone. It's not gone to education or health care. Granted, there have been some major repair works on some of the main roads through the province (I'll site the R71 from Polokwane to Tzaneen), but other than that, I've not seen any other notable improvements in the province. Certainly to the tune of R43 billion.
Now, the allegation, which the premier and his, erm...colleagues are denying is simple: tenders and money have been given to people who were neither qualified nor capable enough to deliver on the requirements. In short, tenders were being sold for financial kick backs and "loyalty". I can tell you for a fact, because I know someone who runs a legitimate business which requires tenders for revenue in flows, that this is most likely true.
You see, how business was being done in Limpopo went a little something like this: "We, the people in power and in charge of the tender awarding process are hosting a gala dinner to get to know business owners and service providers a bit better. You, as the business owner/operator in the province are invited to this auspicious event. Please take note that should you be unable to attend this event, we will be unable to consider you for any tenders as we don't 'know' you. Oh, and by the way, a seat at the gala is R50 000."
I don't know about you, but this looks like corruption in its purest form to me. Add to that, there are also numerous reports of companies with suspiciously close ties to people involved in the tender awarding process landing a number of major contracts. These two things (with a host of other factors) had a number of knock-on effects.
First, they lined the pockets of government officials. Second, they increased the cost of doing business in the province, causing a lot of ethical businesses to go out of business while rewarding and enriching the less ethical businesses with lucrative tenders. Third, it added to the cost of service delivery, because as any smart business owner knows, you need to factor in ALL of your costs before offering a service price: in practical terms, these so-called government officials were just using thier younger siblings to steal out of the cookie jar. Finally, (for the purposes of this piece), it meant that the service provider selected for the job wasn't always the best of the lot - meaning that the people of Limpopo got sub-par service delivery.
I'll be honest, when I was considering writing this piece, I was going to take a very emotional view on the topic. In short, I was going to say screw the money, it's gone. Throw ALL of those thieving bastards in jail and lose the keys. I still believe that, and I doubt anything will change my mind.
The thing that gets to me the most about this though, is not the fact that these retards managed to rob my province blind, it's the fact that my province not only gave them the power to do it, they sat back and watched! It doesn't do much for the stereotypes about us Limpopians that knowing full well of the corruption happening in the ruling party that they still have a serious majority in the province come election time. This is even worse given that since 1994, they have done squat in that province. I don't get it, it's like a Limpopo-Eastern cape phenomenon, were the people suffer from battered voters syndrome!
I won't say people need to start an uprising and protest and demonstrate and "burn shit down", but mark my words if things don't change and soon, I'll be more surprised if we don't see an uprising than if we do. Because i don't advocate violence as a means to any end, I hope the change comes when we next go to the polls. I hope people wake up and realize that if you vote someone into power, or withhold your vote knowing that they will win power, that's as good as standing back and watching someone beat your child.
To finish off, I will say this, I am a young black man from Limpopo, I have a lot of potential and you'll be sure to hear about me in the future because I'm going to achieve big things in this life time. In Limpopo, I've seen a million other me's with a million times more potential. I just hope our government steps up to fix this mess and afford them the opportunities they were promised all those years ago.
Wednesday 25 January 2012
DASO Perverts
Limpopo corruption piece still in progress. For today though, I write about the DASO poster "scandal". Enjoy:
I'll start by saying this: if you were offended by the DA Student Organisation poster, which shows a "naked" couple embracing, then you're an idiot.
The poster depicts a black woman embracing a white gentleman. They both appear to be topless in the shot. Because of this, all the ignorant perverts have decided to crawl out of the woodwork making statements like "the DA is promoting promiscuity" and "does the DA think the struggle was just about cross-race dating?!".
The tag line for the poster states: "In OUR future, you wouldn't look twice". As I generally do, let me break this poster and the ignorance of the idiots who made the above statements down.
The aim of the poster, as unoriginal and cheesy as it may be, is to get people talking about race and I suppose to become more comfortable with people who may not share their skin color. The first objective has clearly been achieved, and as for the latter, well, as long as people see sex in a poster about race then...
As a starting point, a dictionary definition of promiscuity is "indulging in promiscuous (casual and indiscriminate) sexual relations". Let me point something out here, if you take a closer look at that poster you'll notice that you can't see wedding rings on either of the models hands, not because they're not there, but because YOU CAN'T SEE THIER RING FINGERS. Erego, how do you draw the conclusion that they are being promiscuous? I doubt I need to make the point that the same people screaming promiscuity are probably the same ones walking around donning thier "Kill for Zuma" tees.
As for the comment about the struggle not having been about cross-race sex/dating, I'll say this, people fought for thier rights. This INCLUDED the right to date whomever you wanted. Maybe DASO should've had a photo of a super wealthy black guy in front of huge mansion with a huge assortment of luxury German sedans parked outside with the tagline "In OUR future, you wouldn't have to investigate"...
I'll start by saying this: if you were offended by the DA Student Organisation poster, which shows a "naked" couple embracing, then you're an idiot.
The poster depicts a black woman embracing a white gentleman. They both appear to be topless in the shot. Because of this, all the ignorant perverts have decided to crawl out of the woodwork making statements like "the DA is promoting promiscuity" and "does the DA think the struggle was just about cross-race dating?!".
The tag line for the poster states: "In OUR future, you wouldn't look twice". As I generally do, let me break this poster and the ignorance of the idiots who made the above statements down.
The aim of the poster, as unoriginal and cheesy as it may be, is to get people talking about race and I suppose to become more comfortable with people who may not share their skin color. The first objective has clearly been achieved, and as for the latter, well, as long as people see sex in a poster about race then...
As a starting point, a dictionary definition of promiscuity is "indulging in promiscuous (casual and indiscriminate) sexual relations". Let me point something out here, if you take a closer look at that poster you'll notice that you can't see wedding rings on either of the models hands, not because they're not there, but because YOU CAN'T SEE THIER RING FINGERS. Erego, how do you draw the conclusion that they are being promiscuous? I doubt I need to make the point that the same people screaming promiscuity are probably the same ones walking around donning thier "Kill for Zuma" tees.
As for the comment about the struggle not having been about cross-race sex/dating, I'll say this, people fought for thier rights. This INCLUDED the right to date whomever you wanted. Maybe DASO should've had a photo of a super wealthy black guy in front of huge mansion with a huge assortment of luxury German sedans parked outside with the tagline "In OUR future, you wouldn't have to investigate"...
Thursday 19 January 2012
Words Are Easy
I told myself that I wasn't writting anything today, but when inspiration hits it hits, courtesy of a conversation with my tweep @Oobakeng. This speaks to relationships as a whole, enjoy:
Words, words are easy
They flow like trees grow
In the heart of a jungle
Uninhibited unrestrained and free to be
If only our actions were as free
Then maybe we could have had a shot at something
We could have been more than the nothing
We became in the end of our days
If we'd had the courage in our words to change our ways
To go beyond the mere words we'd say
"I love you too" when I never really meant it
"I'm sorry I hurt you" when you'd already spent it
Words that said one thing
Actions that meant another meant
Before we even knew it we'd drifted from one another
When all is said and done
Words, words are easy
It's the action that's the hardest part.
Words, words are easy
They flow like trees grow
In the heart of a jungle
Uninhibited unrestrained and free to be
If only our actions were as free
Then maybe we could have had a shot at something
We could have been more than the nothing
We became in the end of our days
If we'd had the courage in our words to change our ways
To go beyond the mere words we'd say
"I love you too" when I never really meant it
"I'm sorry I hurt you" when you'd already spent it
Words that said one thing
Actions that meant another meant
Before we even knew it we'd drifted from one another
When all is said and done
Words, words are easy
It's the action that's the hardest part.
Wednesday 18 January 2012
Bogus Varsity Hunting
Sunrise, E-Tv's morning news and what what program has been quite focused on the problem of bogus tertiary institutions in South Africa recently. Now, being a man who understands the importance of education and wanting to assist those who may be seeking alternative tertiary institutions because they couldn't get into any of the "major" varsities, I figured I'd write this (semi-tongue in cheek) piece. Enjoy:
So, you're looking to get into a tertiary institution to further your studies so you can find a job or work your way up from your current position. That's great, a desire to learn is the perfect place to start. That said, South African tertiary institutions have very limited space and resources, add to that, they can be quite expensive. So, here are a few tips on studying further in South Africa and avoiding the financial sinkhole that is the fly-by-night varsity:
1. Let me begin by taking a leaf from a church service I attended once (don't worry, this isn't going to turn into a sermon - this is not one of THOSE blogs). When it comes to varsity applications, live in faith. Do your research and select at least 3 well known institutions to apply to in ADVANCE of the closing dates, i.e. Wits, UJ, UWC, etc. The fact that you're only averaging 37% is irrelevant, who knows, the Department of Basic Education might just lower the university exemption mark to 35%, then we can have a 42% exemption rate.
2. Should point 1 above not pan out for you, you can look at "less mainstream" institutions like your Damelin, Boston Business College, etc., but again, do your research and use common sense. If you have to send your application to a Gmail account, this is probably a fly-by-night institution. If it's a Hotmail account, then it's DEFINITELY a fly-by-night. Report these people to the Department of Higher Education and Training immediately!
3. Find out if anyone you know has attended this institution. If possible, find out if anyone who has attended said institution has managed to find employment as anything other than a drug mule (refer to Drug Mule 101 for advice on this career choice).
4. Before handing over ANY money to this institution, find out where they're based. Go and visit this place, make sure it's not a spare room in someone's house. As the expert they had on Sunrise this morning said, "if they don't have basic equipment like white boards and chairs" it's probably a fly-by-night.
5. Still on the topic of money, if these people insist on being paid in unmarked, non-sequential R200 notes hand delivered to them in a non-descript black briefcase in the alley behind Game at 19:43 without any police accompaniment, then it's probably a fly-by-night - so be on your guard...or better yet, don't go to the "meet point". And call the police. Now!
6. So, youve found an institution and you probably have a pretty good idea of what you want to study and why. If not, I suggest you do some research. Once you know what field you're going into, make sure that the course/certificate/diploma/degree you're registering for is accredited. If you don't do this, you'll most likely find yourself with the equivalent of a matric certificate on your hands - in essence, you'll have forked out a couple of grand for a sheet of paper you could have printed at your local library. A good rule of thumb here, as per the Sunrise guest expert guy, is that you should bear in mind that a typical B.Com degree takes 3-4 years (for some 5, or 6...or even 7 years) to complete, so if someone is offering you a 6-month degree, say it with me now, it's probably a fly-by-night!
Great! Now that you have some basic pointers on what to look out for when applying for tertiary, it's time for you to get cracking. Should you require a bit more info on which institutions and courses are actually accredited, go to www.dhet.gov.za or call them on 0800 872 222. Good luck!
So, you're looking to get into a tertiary institution to further your studies so you can find a job or work your way up from your current position. That's great, a desire to learn is the perfect place to start. That said, South African tertiary institutions have very limited space and resources, add to that, they can be quite expensive. So, here are a few tips on studying further in South Africa and avoiding the financial sinkhole that is the fly-by-night varsity:
1. Let me begin by taking a leaf from a church service I attended once (don't worry, this isn't going to turn into a sermon - this is not one of THOSE blogs). When it comes to varsity applications, live in faith. Do your research and select at least 3 well known institutions to apply to in ADVANCE of the closing dates, i.e. Wits, UJ, UWC, etc. The fact that you're only averaging 37% is irrelevant, who knows, the Department of Basic Education might just lower the university exemption mark to 35%, then we can have a 42% exemption rate.
2. Should point 1 above not pan out for you, you can look at "less mainstream" institutions like your Damelin, Boston Business College, etc., but again, do your research and use common sense. If you have to send your application to a Gmail account, this is probably a fly-by-night institution. If it's a Hotmail account, then it's DEFINITELY a fly-by-night. Report these people to the Department of Higher Education and Training immediately!
3. Find out if anyone you know has attended this institution. If possible, find out if anyone who has attended said institution has managed to find employment as anything other than a drug mule (refer to Drug Mule 101 for advice on this career choice).
4. Before handing over ANY money to this institution, find out where they're based. Go and visit this place, make sure it's not a spare room in someone's house. As the expert they had on Sunrise this morning said, "if they don't have basic equipment like white boards and chairs" it's probably a fly-by-night.
5. Still on the topic of money, if these people insist on being paid in unmarked, non-sequential R200 notes hand delivered to them in a non-descript black briefcase in the alley behind Game at 19:43 without any police accompaniment, then it's probably a fly-by-night - so be on your guard...or better yet, don't go to the "meet point". And call the police. Now!
6. So, youve found an institution and you probably have a pretty good idea of what you want to study and why. If not, I suggest you do some research. Once you know what field you're going into, make sure that the course/certificate/diploma/degree you're registering for is accredited. If you don't do this, you'll most likely find yourself with the equivalent of a matric certificate on your hands - in essence, you'll have forked out a couple of grand for a sheet of paper you could have printed at your local library. A good rule of thumb here, as per the Sunrise guest expert guy, is that you should bear in mind that a typical B.Com degree takes 3-4 years (for some 5, or 6...or even 7 years) to complete, so if someone is offering you a 6-month degree, say it with me now, it's probably a fly-by-night!
Great! Now that you have some basic pointers on what to look out for when applying for tertiary, it's time for you to get cracking. Should you require a bit more info on which institutions and courses are actually accredited, go to www.dhet.gov.za or call them on 0800 872 222. Good luck!
Tuesday 17 January 2012
Love Tastes Like Strawberries
My friend, Soso, put up a Facebook status yesterday which read: "Love tastes like strawberries". I was inspired and wrote this. Lemme know what you think:) Enjoy:
Love tastes like strawberries dipped
Now drip drip dripping...some chocolate
Of the dark variety.
It's an acquired taste and for that it has notoriety
Orgasmic, if that's your thing it'll get there
Leave you with a blank stare
Just, glaring at the wall with everyone around
Trying to figure out just what it is about you
Giving off that glow
That never ending smile
Never emanating sighs
'Cause you're in love and you love it
'Cause to you,
Love tastes like strawberries dipped
Now drip drip dripping...some chocolate.
Love tastes like strawberries dipped
Now drip drip dripping...some chocolate
Of the dark variety.
It's an acquired taste and for that it has notoriety
Orgasmic, if that's your thing it'll get there
Leave you with a blank stare
Just, glaring at the wall with everyone around
Trying to figure out just what it is about you
Giving off that glow
That never ending smile
Never emanating sighs
'Cause you're in love and you love it
'Cause to you,
Love tastes like strawberries dipped
Now drip drip dripping...some chocolate.
Monday 16 January 2012
Speed Doesn't Kill - People Do
Our transport minister, Sbu Ndebele says he wants to start a debate on the reduction of the speed limit. Well, here's my take on the speed limit and road safety in general. (Note: if you still have problems commenting, select "comment as anonymous". Seems to work). Enjoy:
Let me start with a small disclaimer here: I love speed. There are few things in this world that come close to matching the near orgasmic feeling of putting your foot deep into the well of a car with a big engine and having sheer force suck you into the deep recesses of your seat! If you've ever been in a BMW or Audi or Merc or any other of a myriad of powerful cars, I'm more than 90% sure you're nodding your head round about now.
Now, the minister's argument, and we've seen this on countless Arrive Alive boards, is that speed kills. This argument is based on the fact that at higher speeds, you can't react in time (by the time you react you will have covered more distance than if you'd been traveling at a lower speed). The impact at higher speeds is also harder than at lower speeds, so your chances of fatal injury also increase because of the heavier impact. Fair points which I can not dispute.
What I do dispute, however, is the notion that lowering the speed limit will reduce deaths on our roads. I have a theory that accidents don't happen because of one factor - and speed is just that, ONE factor. I firmly believe accidents happen when people:
1. Drive unroadworthy vehicles
2. Don't stop to rest when they're tired
3. Drive under the influence
4. Attempt to overtake on busy roads/blind curves
5. Drive recklessly
6. Speed in unsafe conditions
7. Don't allow other motorists to overtake (by hogging the "fast lane" or speeding up when being overtaken)
8. Switch lanes without indicating, etc.
I could go on and on with this list, but I think you get the idea. You also need to factor in that all of the above could happen, but if the other driver that would've been in the accident is experienced and level headed enough to react, an accident can still be avoided.
Which brings me to the crux of my argument against reducing the speed limit. Honestly, given the level of cars (even entry models) in the market, a level headed, experienced driver in a basic 1.4 litre Polo can drive on a clear day at 160kmh+ without any issues. If another car veers out of its lane or a buck jumps into the road, she would most likely be able to react and avoid a possibly fatal collision. Put an 18 year old driver who has just bou...I mean "passed" their license last week in the same situation and you have a funeral on your hands. Even at 60kmh in a not so modern vehicle, with a driver whose first instinct is to freeze, hoot or even swerve with no thought to how the vehicle will react, you will most likely have fatalities on your hands - and THAT is where the problem lies.
I admit again, as I did above that speed cannot be discounted as a factor when we consider the likelihood of an accident being fatal, but I challenge our minister to look beyond the obvious in his attempt to curb road deaths. I say we start with removing unroadworthy vehicles from our roads - impound and destroy these vehicles. I say we suspend the licenses of anyone found driving under the influence - the same applying for reckless drivers. I say make our licensing system more efficient and effective so that people can get their licenses the right way - why not afford pupils the chance to test for their learners and drivers licenses in high school?
Then, when all of those factors have been dealt with, maybe have a look at our speed limits. If anything, I'd say you'll probably save more lives by increasing the speed limits because people won't feel the need to slam on their breaks whenever they see traffic officers - even when they're driving within the legal limit! Besides, if speed really was the biggest cause of road deaths, I think it's safe to say that everyone in Germany would be dead by now.
Let me start with a small disclaimer here: I love speed. There are few things in this world that come close to matching the near orgasmic feeling of putting your foot deep into the well of a car with a big engine and having sheer force suck you into the deep recesses of your seat! If you've ever been in a BMW or Audi or Merc or any other of a myriad of powerful cars, I'm more than 90% sure you're nodding your head round about now.
Now, the minister's argument, and we've seen this on countless Arrive Alive boards, is that speed kills. This argument is based on the fact that at higher speeds, you can't react in time (by the time you react you will have covered more distance than if you'd been traveling at a lower speed). The impact at higher speeds is also harder than at lower speeds, so your chances of fatal injury also increase because of the heavier impact. Fair points which I can not dispute.
What I do dispute, however, is the notion that lowering the speed limit will reduce deaths on our roads. I have a theory that accidents don't happen because of one factor - and speed is just that, ONE factor. I firmly believe accidents happen when people:
1. Drive unroadworthy vehicles
2. Don't stop to rest when they're tired
3. Drive under the influence
4. Attempt to overtake on busy roads/blind curves
5. Drive recklessly
6. Speed in unsafe conditions
7. Don't allow other motorists to overtake (by hogging the "fast lane" or speeding up when being overtaken)
8. Switch lanes without indicating, etc.
I could go on and on with this list, but I think you get the idea. You also need to factor in that all of the above could happen, but if the other driver that would've been in the accident is experienced and level headed enough to react, an accident can still be avoided.
Which brings me to the crux of my argument against reducing the speed limit. Honestly, given the level of cars (even entry models) in the market, a level headed, experienced driver in a basic 1.4 litre Polo can drive on a clear day at 160kmh+ without any issues. If another car veers out of its lane or a buck jumps into the road, she would most likely be able to react and avoid a possibly fatal collision. Put an 18 year old driver who has just bou...I mean "passed" their license last week in the same situation and you have a funeral on your hands. Even at 60kmh in a not so modern vehicle, with a driver whose first instinct is to freeze, hoot or even swerve with no thought to how the vehicle will react, you will most likely have fatalities on your hands - and THAT is where the problem lies.
I admit again, as I did above that speed cannot be discounted as a factor when we consider the likelihood of an accident being fatal, but I challenge our minister to look beyond the obvious in his attempt to curb road deaths. I say we start with removing unroadworthy vehicles from our roads - impound and destroy these vehicles. I say we suspend the licenses of anyone found driving under the influence - the same applying for reckless drivers. I say make our licensing system more efficient and effective so that people can get their licenses the right way - why not afford pupils the chance to test for their learners and drivers licenses in high school?
Then, when all of those factors have been dealt with, maybe have a look at our speed limits. If anything, I'd say you'll probably save more lives by increasing the speed limits because people won't feel the need to slam on their breaks whenever they see traffic officers - even when they're driving within the legal limit! Besides, if speed really was the biggest cause of road deaths, I think it's safe to say that everyone in Germany would be dead by now.
Sunday 15 January 2012
Protest Insurance - Really?
As I sat in an empty mall, two hours early for work contemplating what I could possibly blog about this week, I read an article on News24 about how South African councillors want insurance against protestors - at the expense of the municipalities! I thought this is too good a topic for me not to sink my teeth into. Enjoy:
So, let's start with an excerpt from the News24 article:
"Councillors should be entitled to, at the cost of municipalities or the state, risk benefits including but not limited to death cover, disability benefits, funeral benefits and cover for assets lost or damaged as a direct result of public violence,” reads a Salga letter to Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Richard Baloyi.
Say what now?? I can not help but CMAO (chuckle my ass off) at the notion that tax payers money should go towards covering councillors for possible property damage as a result of service delivery protests. I'm not saying I support/condone violence in any form, but really now?
Let's break that statement from the letter down into basic, everyday language that you and I can comprehend. Basically, what these guys are saying is as follows:
1. We're failing miserably at performing our jobs, therefor
2. The service delivery we promised people when we got our jobs/got elected isn't happening, so in essence
3. We're being paid to do nothing and this is pissing people off, therefor
4. Seeing as we are the faces of government, people are holding us to task for the non-service delivery through violent protests resulting in
5. Our property getting damaged. Property which we paid for with money we "earned" sitting on our asses playing solitaire on computers, therefor
6. We require protest insurance at the (additional) expense of government to protect our property.
If anyone feels that's an unfair summation of the excerpt please feel free to offer your take on the matter.
Moving right along, I foresee two main problems with the suggestion that government subsidizes insurance for its employees. My first concern here is, in actual fact for the safety of these councillors. Think about it, if a lion watches you walk past it's cage everyday with a fresh steak in hand while it sits hungry, does it make ANY sense at all for you to step inside its cage to retrieve the lettuce you saw growing next to its waterhole? I think not. People are already upset, and protesting violently mind you, about wasted funds and now the very people seen to be wasting these funds want to go and spend more money - ON THEMSELVES nogal! Clearly common sense is not their friend.
My second concern here is that this would be a classic example of addressing a symptom and not the cause. Contrary to popular belief, black (South) Africans are not blood hungry, criminal savages. People didn't JUST wake up one day and decide to stone and burn down other people's property. In case people have forgotten, and I doubt they have, this country earned its civil freedom through violent protests. Is it then really such a big surprise that they would default to the same tactics in a bid to win economic freedom and service delivery that was promised to them more than 17 years ago? What's that saying again, " if it's not broken..."
I have only one piece of advice to give our councillors: get your heads out of your asses and smell the roses. You have a job as a result of promises you said you could deliver on. This might have been explicitly expressed by you, or tacitly implied by the fact that you took on the job. Were you employed by a private institution you most likely would've been suspended/fired by now. So, you can do one of two things here: actually start doing your jobs, or step aside and let people who can do the jobs take over. It really is that simple.
So, let's start with an excerpt from the News24 article:
"Councillors should be entitled to, at the cost of municipalities or the state, risk benefits including but not limited to death cover, disability benefits, funeral benefits and cover for assets lost or damaged as a direct result of public violence,” reads a Salga letter to Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Richard Baloyi.
Say what now?? I can not help but CMAO (chuckle my ass off) at the notion that tax payers money should go towards covering councillors for possible property damage as a result of service delivery protests. I'm not saying I support/condone violence in any form, but really now?
Let's break that statement from the letter down into basic, everyday language that you and I can comprehend. Basically, what these guys are saying is as follows:
1. We're failing miserably at performing our jobs, therefor
2. The service delivery we promised people when we got our jobs/got elected isn't happening, so in essence
3. We're being paid to do nothing and this is pissing people off, therefor
4. Seeing as we are the faces of government, people are holding us to task for the non-service delivery through violent protests resulting in
5. Our property getting damaged. Property which we paid for with money we "earned" sitting on our asses playing solitaire on computers, therefor
6. We require protest insurance at the (additional) expense of government to protect our property.
If anyone feels that's an unfair summation of the excerpt please feel free to offer your take on the matter.
Moving right along, I foresee two main problems with the suggestion that government subsidizes insurance for its employees. My first concern here is, in actual fact for the safety of these councillors. Think about it, if a lion watches you walk past it's cage everyday with a fresh steak in hand while it sits hungry, does it make ANY sense at all for you to step inside its cage to retrieve the lettuce you saw growing next to its waterhole? I think not. People are already upset, and protesting violently mind you, about wasted funds and now the very people seen to be wasting these funds want to go and spend more money - ON THEMSELVES nogal! Clearly common sense is not their friend.
My second concern here is that this would be a classic example of addressing a symptom and not the cause. Contrary to popular belief, black (South) Africans are not blood hungry, criminal savages. People didn't JUST wake up one day and decide to stone and burn down other people's property. In case people have forgotten, and I doubt they have, this country earned its civil freedom through violent protests. Is it then really such a big surprise that they would default to the same tactics in a bid to win economic freedom and service delivery that was promised to them more than 17 years ago? What's that saying again, " if it's not broken..."
I have only one piece of advice to give our councillors: get your heads out of your asses and smell the roses. You have a job as a result of promises you said you could deliver on. This might have been explicitly expressed by you, or tacitly implied by the fact that you took on the job. Were you employed by a private institution you most likely would've been suspended/fired by now. So, you can do one of two things here: actually start doing your jobs, or step aside and let people who can do the jobs take over. It really is that simple.
Thursday 12 January 2012
Untitled [A Social Commentary]
I feel like I'm becoming a social commentator here. While watching a story on the news last night about how kids in Kwa-Zulu Natal have to swim across a river to get to school everyday because the community is waiting on government to "fix the situation", it hit me. The reason people in general stay losing, especially black South Africans: we lack constructive laziness. To sum up constructive laziness in a sentence, these people should have made a plan to build a bridge. People in the jungle do it using vines, you DON'T need an engineering degree! So I wrote this piece to get us as a people thinking about our approach to life. Will you live life with a disability while waiting on someone to fix it, or will you see beyond what's in front of you to fix it yourself? In other words, will you choose to swim with the current, or build a damn bridge?? Enjoy:
I show to my minds eye what these can't see
The things in plain sight but hidden to you an me
More than just imagination, inspiration
Dreams and hopes to change nations.
Vision beyond what's in front of me
Empathy to more than those who are friends to me
Even to my enemies
A burning desire deep down in the heart of the fire
To say to struggle "no more,
This isn't what we were put here for!
To watch our fellow man struggle
While we claim to push the hustle."
For what. For who.
What does it mean to you
That you have food rotting in your dustbin
While others rummage through the garbage at the holiday inn
Looking for something, anything
To fill the void in their stomachs.
Switch your focus up, change the drive for your hustle
Keep your eyes wide open and your ears wider still
Be the one to make a difference, help heal our society's ills.
I show to my minds eye what these can't see
The things in plain sight but hidden to you an me
More than just imagination, inspiration
Dreams and hopes to change nations.
Vision beyond what's in front of me
Empathy to more than those who are friends to me
Even to my enemies
A burning desire deep down in the heart of the fire
To say to struggle "no more,
This isn't what we were put here for!
To watch our fellow man struggle
While we claim to push the hustle."
For what. For who.
What does it mean to you
That you have food rotting in your dustbin
While others rummage through the garbage at the holiday inn
Looking for something, anything
To fill the void in their stomachs.
Switch your focus up, change the drive for your hustle
Keep your eyes wide open and your ears wider still
Be the one to make a difference, help heal our society's ills.
Sunday 8 January 2012
Drivers Etiquette
I recently did a cross country tour of South Africa, covering 7 of our 9 provinces and 4000km in a space of three weeks. Given what I saw, I thought I'd do a piece on driving etiquette for those of you who may have just moved to a new province/city to help you acclimatize a bit faster. (Note: this post contains all manner of generalizations which were meant to be humorous...because they're true:) Enjoy:
So, this week everyone is officially back at work. For some, it's going back to familiar jobs in familiar cities, and for others this means starting new jobs in unfamiliar surroundings. Either way, you have to find your way around, so to this end, I will give you a province by province breakdown for what to look out for when on the roads (excluding the North West and Eastern Cape Provinces as I wasn't in those two).
For the purposes of, erm...objectivity, the provinces will be listed in alphabetical order, starting with the Free State and ending off with the Western Cape.
1. Free state: Traffic lights and lane markings clearly weren't a priority in Bloemfontein, so be aware when driving in the city. Also, be wary of pedestrians who randomly cross the road as if in a zombie state. They don't look left and right and left again, they just step into the road.
2. Gauteng: For the longest time I complained about how Cape Town drivers need to drive as if they're going somewhere. I don't have this problem with Joburg drivers. They all drive as if they're trying to get to their graves. Too much focus is what got that other guy killed...you know, that OTHER guy. This could also lead to a fender bender for the untrained driver - explaining to the boss that you're late because you're trying to figure out Gauteng public transport while your car is in for repairs is not a good look. To that end, if you don't have the car hire option on your insurance, be sure to add it when you get to Gauteng. Thank me later.
3. Kwa-Zulu Natal: Oh. My. Gosh! I have a theory regarding drivers in KZN. Either they can't afford the R8.00 toll gates and use their indicator sticks to pay for them or they have some sort of telepathic understanding which the rest of us aren't privy to, because they randomly switch lanes - on the bloody highway! At 120kmh!! I swear I nearly got pushed off the road three times...in a ten minute period. Drive there at your own peril.
4. Limpopo: Not to be biased because I'm from here, and Imma let you finish, but Limpopo has some of the greatest drivers of all time! That said, I do wish the government would create an alternative to the N1 to cross borders, because all of those vans overloaded with maize meal and cooking oil looking like their rear left wheels are about to pop off are not a good look for us.
5. Mpumalanga: I have one thing to say about this province. Potholes and corruption 35 - service delivery 0. Be afraid, be very afraid...and slow. A pothole at 90kmh+ will do no good for your rims and even less good to your pocket.
6. Northern Cape: No-one actually lives in the Northern Cape, so...
7. Western Cape: As mentioned above, not the most focused drivers in the world. I often used to get the impression that Cape Town drivers just got into their cars and drove with the hopes that an almighty power would "give them a sign" to guide them on their journeys. Should you find yourself needing to get somewhere in this province, take initiative and show focus, otherwise you WILL forever more be 17 minutes late. For everything!
I hope this helps. Happy driving and enjoy the roads, we have a beautiful country with some breath taking scenery and a truckload of truly epic roads! Be safe, buckle up, don't drink and drive and have an epic 2012. Do best!
So, this week everyone is officially back at work. For some, it's going back to familiar jobs in familiar cities, and for others this means starting new jobs in unfamiliar surroundings. Either way, you have to find your way around, so to this end, I will give you a province by province breakdown for what to look out for when on the roads (excluding the North West and Eastern Cape Provinces as I wasn't in those two).
For the purposes of, erm...objectivity, the provinces will be listed in alphabetical order, starting with the Free State and ending off with the Western Cape.
1. Free state: Traffic lights and lane markings clearly weren't a priority in Bloemfontein, so be aware when driving in the city. Also, be wary of pedestrians who randomly cross the road as if in a zombie state. They don't look left and right and left again, they just step into the road.
2. Gauteng: For the longest time I complained about how Cape Town drivers need to drive as if they're going somewhere. I don't have this problem with Joburg drivers. They all drive as if they're trying to get to their graves. Too much focus is what got that other guy killed...you know, that OTHER guy. This could also lead to a fender bender for the untrained driver - explaining to the boss that you're late because you're trying to figure out Gauteng public transport while your car is in for repairs is not a good look. To that end, if you don't have the car hire option on your insurance, be sure to add it when you get to Gauteng. Thank me later.
3. Kwa-Zulu Natal: Oh. My. Gosh! I have a theory regarding drivers in KZN. Either they can't afford the R8.00 toll gates and use their indicator sticks to pay for them or they have some sort of telepathic understanding which the rest of us aren't privy to, because they randomly switch lanes - on the bloody highway! At 120kmh!! I swear I nearly got pushed off the road three times...in a ten minute period. Drive there at your own peril.
4. Limpopo: Not to be biased because I'm from here, and Imma let you finish, but Limpopo has some of the greatest drivers of all time! That said, I do wish the government would create an alternative to the N1 to cross borders, because all of those vans overloaded with maize meal and cooking oil looking like their rear left wheels are about to pop off are not a good look for us.
5. Mpumalanga: I have one thing to say about this province. Potholes and corruption 35 - service delivery 0. Be afraid, be very afraid...and slow. A pothole at 90kmh+ will do no good for your rims and even less good to your pocket.
6. Northern Cape: No-one actually lives in the Northern Cape, so...
7. Western Cape: As mentioned above, not the most focused drivers in the world. I often used to get the impression that Cape Town drivers just got into their cars and drove with the hopes that an almighty power would "give them a sign" to guide them on their journeys. Should you find yourself needing to get somewhere in this province, take initiative and show focus, otherwise you WILL forever more be 17 minutes late. For everything!
I hope this helps. Happy driving and enjoy the roads, we have a beautiful country with some breath taking scenery and a truckload of truly epic roads! Be safe, buckle up, don't drink and drive and have an epic 2012. Do best!
Thursday 5 January 2012
Objectively Speaking
I wrote this piece because I was/am pissed about "racism", politics and our "education" system. Read it, give me your thoughts. (Note: I know some of you had issues leaving comments before cause you had to login, but I changed the settings so hopefully it works now:) Happy New Year by the way. Enjoy:
South Africa's matric results came out on the 4th of January. We achieved a 70 odd percent pass rate. If you celebrated and creamed your pants when that was announced, you're a dumbass and you're part of the problem. I hope that offended you. My second point of offense (to you) has to do with people forever more bitching and whining about how racism prevents them from getting certain jobs or living in certain cities. Get over it! If you feel that statement makes me a self-hating, model-c coconut please refer to the latter half of the third sentence of this paragraph.
Let me break down my two statements economically for you, since everyone in SA is a life taught economist. People go on and on and on about how racism is rife in certain parts of the country and they could never work there. I'll take Cape Town as an example since it was recently in the "news" regarding how racist it is. I have met many a black professional who has said to me "I could never work in Cape Town, there aren't any blacks there (especially in senior positions) therefore it must be racist." Hmmmm. Fair comments, but did you ever stop to think that black people leave places like Cape Town because they're chasing money in Joburg? Did you ever imagine that the large majority of blacks in SA aren't from Cape Town, THEREFORE they choose not to build their lives/careers there? No, you default to racism.
Now let's bring in the economics of the pass rate. People jump up and down like monkies when they see a 70% pass rate. Great, but what does that really mean? I'll tell you what it means: jack shit!
Granted, we broke the mystical 70% pass rate, but that was based on lowered standards. I quiver to think what the pass rate would look like if we used the tertiary standard 50% pass mark. Above and beyond that, the percentage which actually matters, the exemption rate (those who qualify for tertiary) is at 24%. That means, and follow closely boys and girls, a whopping 76% of our matriculants are walking away from high school either empty handed or with nothing more than a glorified piece of paper. Let me not even get into the fact that roughly 50% of kids who started Grade 1 with the class of 2011 didn't even make it to matric.
Now we all know that in South Africa you need one of two things to get ahead in life. You must either have a reputable qualification from a reputable institution, or you need to have contacts. I won't even get into work experience because that's a whole other kettle of fish.
So here's the bit where I need you to apply that life taught economic thinking of yours. Let's say you're in a position to hire (read empower) an individual for a summer internship, knowing full well that your aim is to maximize profit and efficiency for your business/company, so objectivity is key. You have Sipho, who goes to a "black school". He's top of his grade and he does this by following a ritual everyday. Go to school, come home and study. No TV, magazines or Internet because his parents can't afford them, and no friends because they're a distraction. On the other hand you have Mandla. Mandla goes to a former model-c school. He's an average student, but he is well read and up to date with current affairs. He comes from a middle income family so he can afford a good tertiary education - Sipho does not, and he was hoping to save his earnings from this job to pay his registration fees and work his ass off so he could get a bursary (but you don't know this). Given that typical interview questions can include things like: "What's your take on the death of Bin Laden?" or "Do you think it's fair for Iran to withhold oil?" or "What effect do you think the tolls will have on trade in Gauteng?", who do you think will answer the questions better/with more confidence? Now that you've answered that question, I doubt I'd be wrong in saying that's the guy you would hire 10 times out of 10. That means while Mandla continues to thrive, Sipho will lose faith in hard work and most likely end up in a political party siphoning money from the state.
So let me ask this: is it really fair to claim that certain areas are racist because there aren't any blacks living/working there? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying lets shut up about racism, but maybe we should stop defaulting to it as an excuse everytime instead of doing some introspection into ourselves and our people.
I will conclude by asking this, if we define racism as the systematic degradation of blacks by a group of individuals, objectively speaking, is it not those in charge of the education and uplifment of blacks who are not only failing at their jobs but also keep shouting racism who are the true racists here?
South Africa's matric results came out on the 4th of January. We achieved a 70 odd percent pass rate. If you celebrated and creamed your pants when that was announced, you're a dumbass and you're part of the problem. I hope that offended you. My second point of offense (to you) has to do with people forever more bitching and whining about how racism prevents them from getting certain jobs or living in certain cities. Get over it! If you feel that statement makes me a self-hating, model-c coconut please refer to the latter half of the third sentence of this paragraph.
Let me break down my two statements economically for you, since everyone in SA is a life taught economist. People go on and on and on about how racism is rife in certain parts of the country and they could never work there. I'll take Cape Town as an example since it was recently in the "news" regarding how racist it is. I have met many a black professional who has said to me "I could never work in Cape Town, there aren't any blacks there (especially in senior positions) therefore it must be racist." Hmmmm. Fair comments, but did you ever stop to think that black people leave places like Cape Town because they're chasing money in Joburg? Did you ever imagine that the large majority of blacks in SA aren't from Cape Town, THEREFORE they choose not to build their lives/careers there? No, you default to racism.
Now let's bring in the economics of the pass rate. People jump up and down like monkies when they see a 70% pass rate. Great, but what does that really mean? I'll tell you what it means: jack shit!
Granted, we broke the mystical 70% pass rate, but that was based on lowered standards. I quiver to think what the pass rate would look like if we used the tertiary standard 50% pass mark. Above and beyond that, the percentage which actually matters, the exemption rate (those who qualify for tertiary) is at 24%. That means, and follow closely boys and girls, a whopping 76% of our matriculants are walking away from high school either empty handed or with nothing more than a glorified piece of paper. Let me not even get into the fact that roughly 50% of kids who started Grade 1 with the class of 2011 didn't even make it to matric.
Now we all know that in South Africa you need one of two things to get ahead in life. You must either have a reputable qualification from a reputable institution, or you need to have contacts. I won't even get into work experience because that's a whole other kettle of fish.
So here's the bit where I need you to apply that life taught economic thinking of yours. Let's say you're in a position to hire (read empower) an individual for a summer internship, knowing full well that your aim is to maximize profit and efficiency for your business/company, so objectivity is key. You have Sipho, who goes to a "black school". He's top of his grade and he does this by following a ritual everyday. Go to school, come home and study. No TV, magazines or Internet because his parents can't afford them, and no friends because they're a distraction. On the other hand you have Mandla. Mandla goes to a former model-c school. He's an average student, but he is well read and up to date with current affairs. He comes from a middle income family so he can afford a good tertiary education - Sipho does not, and he was hoping to save his earnings from this job to pay his registration fees and work his ass off so he could get a bursary (but you don't know this). Given that typical interview questions can include things like: "What's your take on the death of Bin Laden?" or "Do you think it's fair for Iran to withhold oil?" or "What effect do you think the tolls will have on trade in Gauteng?", who do you think will answer the questions better/with more confidence? Now that you've answered that question, I doubt I'd be wrong in saying that's the guy you would hire 10 times out of 10. That means while Mandla continues to thrive, Sipho will lose faith in hard work and most likely end up in a political party siphoning money from the state.
So let me ask this: is it really fair to claim that certain areas are racist because there aren't any blacks living/working there? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying lets shut up about racism, but maybe we should stop defaulting to it as an excuse everytime instead of doing some introspection into ourselves and our people.
I will conclude by asking this, if we define racism as the systematic degradation of blacks by a group of individuals, objectively speaking, is it not those in charge of the education and uplifment of blacks who are not only failing at their jobs but also keep shouting racism who are the true racists here?
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