Blue lights and gravy

I find it rather amusing how in this mellow and peaceful hamlet we call Cape Town, things can suddenly be turned to pandemonium at peak hour by visiting MP louts of the mink and manure party come Parliamentary Address time. A place where 'blue light's hold no favour, for they're merely transporting our public servants and representatives in public office. Yet with their rather obese bodies dressed in oversized suits and fine tents, it appears that some of them feel under threat in this passive Province of ours. Road closures all around the City Bowl and howling sirens, blue lights and wide eyed bodyguards muscling their way through.

These are afterall representatives of 'greed and gravy' Party descent primarily. So they believe that peak hour is an ideal time to bully their less than unimportant souls in conspicuous black BM's and Mercs through less than impressed Cape Town traffic. Amusing to watch angry Capetonians give less than a hoot about the fuss and keep to their lane come hell or high water. They're use to it, Capetonians, they usually drive slowly in the fast lane. But this time, I'm on their side..

A Magnificent Man not a Messiah

Today’s a day of celebration of life rather than mourning.  Yet what I’m about to say here may not be the slant that much of the media flock are taking.  Partly in that it’s my personal view, but also because if one truly reflects on the past 23 years of Nelson Mandela’s life, we may remember moments with mixed emotions throughout that tumultuous time in South Africa’s history. 

There is no doubt that Nelson Mandela was an incredible man, one who endured so much and yet retained his humility, integrity, humour and genuine, personable character throughout his latter life. His approach to listening to both sides first, thoroughly, and then taking a stance is something that I learned very early on in my adult life, thanks in part to him, and is perhaps the thing that stands out personally as his legacy more than anything else.  Having been very fortunate to have shared a small, intimate lunch with he, his daughter Zindzi and other MP’s at his 80th birthday party held at Skukuza in the Kruger National Park in 1998,  what struck me was, as clichéd as it may sound, just how very down to earth and normal a man he was.  He was totally unaffected by any of the fuss around him, although being an intimate affair, there wasn't much of that fortunately.  My mother too had the fortune of meeting Nelson Mandela, having been very involved through her work in the ANC over many years, but more specifically The Children's Foundation and has some personal, very touching letters from him that I came across only last week.

Nelson Mandela & Liz Castle

Despite it having been a special life, he was a man often placed on a pedestal by many, almost unrealistically, as he was forced into being a statesman due to the brand that 'Nelson Mandela' had become in his absence.  It was a brand that meant many things to many people, depending upon what they wanted it to mean to them, much like one imagines the meaning of Jesus or Mohammed to some through the ages.  The result being that the ‘Brand’ itself became far greater than the man and the ANC themselves.  People are quick to give all the credit to Madiba for the peaceful transition to democracy, yet he was guided by so many.  One particular incident that stands out, and only emerged many years later, was how Joe Slovo influenced Mandela into making the calm, peace forging speech that he did immediately after Chris Hani’s assassination.  That was a turning point.  Again he was talked into donning the No.6 jersey and walking out into Ellis Park stadium, not something he came up with himself, but again a turning point in history.  But to his credit he had the humility, brutal honesty and ability to listen to reason and wisdom.  Traits which most of our world leaders have sorely lacked through the ages.  

We must remember that Mandela came a long way from an advocate of Communism and Nationalism (not too different from Julius Malema’s current agenda) at the time of his release and a few years into negotiation, to where his policies evolved at the end of his term in Government to a more moderate, level-headed, Capitalist lead democracy with some Socialist tendencies. He was certainly not perfect, but a remarkable man with a unique legacy and revered by leaders around the world.

What disturbs me however is how much of the outside world see him as some sort of Messiah. Much like they may have treated a fellow named Jesus 2000 odd years ago, who was merely a man going about his business of preaching the Torah and trying to help his fellow villagers to help themselves, through hope and sensitivity.  Mandela was a man, a great man that’s for sure, but a mere mortal human being who made the right choices when it came down to it and helped leave a legacy that is worth striving to emulate in many ways.  A man who sacrificed family life for his political beliefs and aspirations, and yet had time to make up for it to some degree later in life.  Celebrate this man’s life, but guard against giving him all the credit for how South Africa got through the transitional phase of democracy and the rainbow nation ideal that prevails.  Expats fear not; South Africa will not go down the tubes because Mandela is no more.  Though, perhaps he was not vocal enough, perhaps due to his health, as to the awful state his beloved ANC has found itself in and the country dragging along with it.  It is now time for some fresh and drastic changes on the political landscape, and if Mandela’s legacy can aid us in that process, then I'm all for it.

Nkandla report: The end is nigh for some as we've clearly been 'naai'ed' - to coin an Afrikaans expression

As an advocate for transparency, yet I hope one still prepared to accept differing perspectives upon which to debate and eventually draw my own resultant conclusions; I just cannot understand what on earth Zuma's advisors were thinking here.  This flies in the face of logic, let alone any form of sensitivity to the status of the country and the millions of impoverished, or even the call for basic, appropriate budgeting for such a requirement.  It smacks of ignorance, arrogance and blatant indifference if not mere mental retardation.

I see no way out of this one for Zuma now.. Time for 'the people' to wake up and smell the rot in some quarters me thinks... (read the full Mail & Guardian Article: http://mg.co.za/article/2013-11-28-nkandla-report-zuma-in-the-deep-end/)

Voter Apathy: An Inconvenient Truth

The official statistics showing the level of voter apathy amongst the South African youth in the upcoming elections should be a major concern in terms of stifling potential political change.  More alarming however is the apparent lack of understanding of how democracy can work for one. 

Perhaps it has suited some political parties, strategically, to keep the potential voters from understanding this powerful tool out of deserved fear.  What is of particular concern is the fact that so many of the youth (18 years+) having become disenchanted by the ANC’s rather dismal record, greed, corruption, cronyism, poor management, misspending and lack of delivery against promises made, and yet still don’t feel that there is an alternative to vote for to affect appropriate change.   Either that or the other major parties haven’t done a particularly good job in marketing themselves effectively to the most important market of all, ‘the future’.  This is a very sad indictment in so far as our future political landscape is concerned, tantamount to short-term accounting and a massive opportunity should any particular party set their eyes and ears firmly on the future. 

The Malemas of this world may be somewhat delusional, but they have a very strong point in recognising the plight of the youth of this country, particularly under the current financial crisis, fuelled by the ANC’s fraught education system debacle.  There is an undercurrent of an angry youth worldwide (note those behind the burgeoning Arab Spring around the world), and we must not be complacent in our belief that this is not a bubbling issue for our own beloved country.

So, here’s hoping that our good and honest politicians (note the oxymoron), take heed and address the real concerns of our disenfranchised youth before it all ends in tears.

The Philosophy of Life Summed Up in Minutes

On visiting the magnificent (and magnificently poor and rather run down - in parts) Eastern Cape recently, I was encouraged by my oldest son to take him through to Grahamstown for the day.  No he didn't want to visit the Albany Museum, nor take in a poetry lecture at Rhodes University; instead he wanted to visit about 5 'girl-friends' who happen to go to school there.  It’s a long story, but I'll leave that for him to write about one day.  Being a generous dad-sort, I obliged, and thought that the drive alone would be good time spent together catching up on things one doesn't often get the opportunity to share with a teenage son in this hectic lifestyle we appear to have been sucked into.

Fortunately for me at least, one of the girl’s dad’s, Justin, hearing of my pending visit to his farm’s nearby town, arranged to meet me for a drink at the infamous Albany Club.  Now The Albany Club, for those who don't know, is the old ‘gentlemen’s’ club of old, steeped in tradition, wooden panelling, historical pictures wall-to-wall and old taxidermied animal heads.  Heads of beasts that once roamed the area in their wild habitat, now peering through glassy eyed stares at the thousands of events and boozy buggers who have propped up the bar counter over the centuries.  It is a place that only relatively recently has allowed Jews, women and non-white folk to enter the front door, let alone become members (although few seem to have taken up the opportunity it seems despite Xhosa being a prominent language amongst the local white farmers who frequent the place).

An incredible place, The Albany Club, in that despite being a Jo’burg born and bred, and Cape Town based for a decade and a half, I knew virtually every person in that bar that day.  It was wonderful, and only something that can happen in a small-town place like Grahamstown.  The familiarity of everyone is intriguing, and yet despite nuances of ‘vibes’ both good and not so good being evident between them, there was a general courtesy and banter even amongst the biggest rivals.  I say ‘rivals’ purely because the one bloke had stolen the other bloke's girlfriend from him at the age of 14 at Peps Palace in Kenton-on-Sea back in 1980, and the other had never forgiven the bugger.  The latter term of which I don’t mean literally, of course. 

Whilst ‘kuiering’ (visiting and indulging) with these fine lads, a big brawly farmer, whom I hadn't seen in years, came up to greet me, and flattered me like only a brawly farmer with hands rough and the size of wickey gloves can do to a city slicker like me.  He said, “-ell Greg..”, with rolled accent on the ‘r’ you understand, this is the Eastern Cape afterall, “..I see you’re quite the philosopher ol’ chap..”.  To my surprise, not only to his complimentary meaning of ‘philosopher’ being attributed to me, but the fact that he is an avid Facebook reader it seems.  Reader is the operative word, in that I have never seen him write a damn thing in return, merely scanning the sites for updates on who’s doing whom and what around the world perhaps?  I know that there are many of my vintage who do the same.

Nevertheless, despite his flattering comments, I was recently sent a copy of an address made by an Aussie comic and graduate of the University of Western Australia (UWA), Tim Minchin, on receiving an Honorary Doctorate, which I thought summed up life rather well.  Philosophically speaking of course.  And so, rather than attempt to compete with such brilliance, thought I’d rather share it with all of you.  Enjoy.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoEezZD71sc#t=714

Cynical on the Syrian Scenario

Call me a cynic, but I'm not convinced by the US and UK’s intended approach on Syria.  Why?  Well not because I think that what the Syrian government and their forces are doing is worth supporting, however I just don’t believe that US Intelligence is what it used to be.  Having served with Nato Intelligence myself on operations within the SA Navy in the late ‘80’s, I am not coming from an entirely naive perspective here.   I don’t think that one has to be a rocket scientist to have some scepticism when it comes to the US Propaganda Machine and the nonsense it churns out to unsuspecting middle-class America as untampered, legit proof of anything.  The Russians are not convinced, nor are somewhat more astute ordinary Americans and Brits this time around it seems, judging by recent poles, as to their government’s intent on going to war against Syria merely based upon the notion that the Syrian government backed army  used chemical weapons. 

I'm not saying that their information is definitely incorrect either.  However evidence seems to be mounting as to a rebel led tactic of using chemical weapons themselves on innocent people in order to provoke a seemingly gullible US/UK led attack on the Syrian army.   By all accounts, this tactic seems to be working.  One can reasonably doubt the power of a rebel PR machine so powerful so as to have even the usually gullible American ‘man in the street’ questioning their government’s apparent gung-ho stance.  Perhaps the lessons of Vietnam, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan are coming home to roost?

Either way, if I were to be giving any advice to my old Intel colleagues of old, it would be to make damn sure this time, and to keep emotions and political agendas out of it completely (if that’s possible).  Otherwise weigh up pretty smartly the consequences of mayhem in the Middle East (which will undoubtedly flow), not to mention the costly damage to homes and infrastructure as well as the innocent death toll. 

There may be another agenda at play here, and these two countries don’t have a particularly great track record at toppling regimes and replacing them with something much better now do they?  For more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/may/6/syrian-rebels-used-sarin-nerve-gas-not-assads-regi/

Women’s Day Conundrum

This is a subject that I fear requires some sensitive treading, as it could easily result in tears or worse.  An analogy perhaps that best describes one possible outcome is the explosion I once remember as a child, which occurred in our home kitchen when the pressure cooker lid simply exploded away from the pot, sending boiling, sticky stew across the entire room from ceiling to floor.  So I intend to tread lightly, although perhaps reluctantly, and I hope you'll appreciate why I say so.

Anyone who knows me well will know that I love and have always loved and respected women dearly my entire life.  I'm not merely talking about women in the sexual or sensual sense however, but rather holistically in the very sense of the word ‘love’ together with its many different facets and manifestations.   Having grown up in a rather female dominated extended family on my mother’s side, in terms of men and boys being totally outnumbered, I suppose it could either have been inevitable or perhaps the polar opposite.  My mother was one of three sisters, and my gran and her own three sisters, the sole survivors of a family of 5 siblings, where the menfolk died relatively early.  Extended family get-togethers were boisterous to say the least, with many high pitched female voices jostling for attention and very often all talking across one another in a cacophony of sound that only one born into such a family could find endearing.  My father and my aunts’ two husbands were simply drowned out, and usually retreated to the safety of the braai (bbq) area for a welcome reprieve perhaps.  

As kids however it was an extraordinarily exciting and colourful exposure to the passion and complexity of women of all ages, and far more exciting to be in the lounge or kitchen, than standing around the braai with business and sport being the sum total of the conversation. With the women, conversation was far more liberal in every sense of the word, emotional, feisty, yet always passionate, caring and nurturing.  Ok, sometimes a bit bitchy, but not often.  As children we were brought up to be seen and very much heard, encouraged to say one’s bit no matter how trivial it may seem.  If you didn't, then you would simply be drowned out by the loud natter and simply slide into the background of the room with little attention or sympathy for that matter.  Best then to rather join the lads at the braai.  But the women’s conversation was always far more interesting and stimulating.  I suppose the fact that they were all highly intelligent women had a lot to do with it, despite all being housewives, they had opinions on everything and strong ones at that.  It’s an environment that I still find myself drawn to at parties, perhaps tiring of the 2 dimensional conversation around the braai, I tend to find myself drawn to the kitchen very often.     

It is with this background in mind that I find the concept of Women’s Day somewhat bizarre and rather patronizing.  I know that there are many women who strongly believe in its purpose and rightful place on the calendar of public holidays.  However, having come from a family were respect and love for women was not only common place and good old fashioned manners strongly entrenched, but also an appreciation for the fact that women could do anything they set their minds to.  I therefore find the generalised drivel us men are constantly bombarded with in the media about ‘women’s oppression’ and ‘men not being sensitised’ or all portrayed as ‘bullying brutes’ rather hurtful if not darn right insulting.  I know I'm not alone here, as most of my own mates most certainly hold the very same ideals, (though many wiser fellows would not have opened themselves up to this debate).  These sweeping statements about female oppression in society need to be kept in check and put into perspective.  Sure we understand that many men are ignorant outside of stereotypical social ‘norms’, and that there are men who rape and plunder.  But to give the impression and paint all men with the same broad tar brush is ridiculous. 

I find it amusing that were one to make similar stereotypical comments about a race group or culture (or women for that matter), as many women do about men, one would be had up for racism, xenophobia or sexism without hesitation.  Generalised sweeping statements have no place in this world, and that goes for social oppression and sexism.  It is simply a lazy uncouth way of grouping people together in one’s own stratified mind.  That way you can be sure that you will garner much more support from guys who sympathise with your honourable desire to get more males to open their hearts and minds and take up the battle alongside you, if not simply see women as equals.