Dear Sasco member, Thank you for revealing to the forum that your ``hero`` is Mr Mashele. Before I comment on what he is trying to say I think it would be important for you to find out from him if the leadership of SASCO in the institution of higher learning where he was accussed of emblezzing funds meant for the student body did not defend him? Did they reduce the institution into a one man entity?
I am just asking, let me now engage with Mr Mashele. Firstly, congratulations on the inordinate airplay that you get Mr. Mashele. Do you qualify for this kind of airplay if you have worked in the Presidency at a particular moment? I read your article, trying to understand the flow of your argument. I have failed dismally because I do not know whether you are discussing the black diamonds or an obsession with this unnamed one man, whom I presume is Jacob Zuma since you mentioned the ruling party. I also suspect that Mr Mashele is trying to demostrate to all and sundry that he reads, unlike the character in Chinua´s book. He has quoted too many authors for a short piece of writing like his. Mr. Mashele, is trying to talk about what his former boss calls a ``cult personality``. It is painful to note that when people are the ones that share that status, there is nothing wrong but when others share it then it is a problem. I had a privilege of visiting Nkandla on a number of occassions and I have seen the President of the African National Congress interacting with ordinary people and I feel proud and as a young leader I always say that I want to be humbly like him. People love Jacom Zuma Mr. Mashele, no matter how many articles you write, just remember the East London rally! I was in a NUMSA 20th anniversary when I heard Smuts saying, ``the ANC has never had a President like him``, Smuts was talking about Thabo. I wondered if Thabo had heard that, was he going to say that Snuts nust not say that? I would like to appeal to Mr. Mashele to become a real political analyst seeing that he likes it. Dealing with Jacob Zuma all the time your mouth is opened is not going to help the young man. I noticed that you were to address a forum on what we can learn from Obama, it would be nice for Mr Mashele to tell us what would Cope leaders learn from Hillary Clinton- me thinks a lot. Mr Sasco Member, please forward to your hero- if you two different people. Comradely, Cedric Sabelo Gina. On Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 12:52 PM, sasco member <[email protected]>wrote: > *'Call me counter-revolutionary' > *21/01/2009 08:37 - (SA) > Want to know more? > Answerit can help. <http://answerit.24.com/> > <http://www.news24.com/News24/Columnists/Prince_Mashele/0,,2-1630-2472_2456092,00.html#> > > ** > > *Prince Mashele * > > Following on the heels of the judgment recently delivered by the Supreme > Court of Appeal, it would not be surprising for readers to expect this > column to at least say something about a man who is threatened by a string > of criminal charges. > > But such is exactly the mistake committed by the man's own political party: > reducing the whole party to one man! When the man runs into trouble with the > law, the party also gets entangled. The wisdom being: this man or nothing! > > It is precisely this mistake committed by the political party in question > that our nation should do everything to avoid: reducing South Africa to one > man! When there is a man battling with this or that court case, South > Africans should rather talk about more important matters that affect the > real future of our country; a future that stretches beyond the "importance" > of one man. > > Accordingly, this column concerns itself with a more important question: > how can we engender a culture of productivity and hard work in our society? > But what makes this question important? > > *Hard work* > > Two weeks ago, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) released data that must > worry those whose minds have room for important matters. Stats SA informs us > that, in November last year, manufacturing in our country fell by 4.4 > percent. In the third quarter of the year, it shrunk by 6.9% - a decline we > had not seen in 17 years, leading to a loss of about 19 000 jobs. > > That this decline in manufacturing has something to do with the global > economic environment is indeed undeniable, but this correct acknowledgement > should not make us feel justified to hide behind our fingers. We must admit > the part we have and continue to play in this. > > In his satirical play, *A Man of the People*, Chinua Achebe uses the main > character, Odili Samalu, to express a profound observation. Odili narrates: > > > I could not help thinking also of the quick transformations that were > such a feature of our country, and in particular of the changes of attitude > in my own self. I had gone to the University with the clear intention of > coming out again after three years as a full member of the privileged class > whose symbol was the car. > > In Odili's mind, a car clearly rang louder than making a contribution to > his society. He dreamed of producing nothing, but buying a car! Having > bought the car and having finally joined the "privileged" class, Odili must > have whispered to himself: "I have now reached in my dreamland!" Then life > became a monotonous cycle: perfunctorily going to work, earning a salary to > refuel the car and driving to pubs - near and far - for drinks with friends > and a variety of new girlfriends. > > Even if, in Odili's country, manufacturing were to decline by 6.9 percent > in one quarter - as it has been the case in our own country - he wouldn't > care at all; as long as his car moves. Nor would Odili be worried that every > third item on the shelves of his local retailers are made in China or > outside his country. For him, nothing beats his big German sedan. At best, > Odili thinks constantly of a man who is facing a string of criminal charges: > "this man must lead my country!" > > As our manufacturing products keep on declining, are we not to be concerned > that ours is a country soon to be handicapped by an Odili syndrome? In > *Problems > of Knowledge and Freedom*, Noam Chomsky reminds us: "Radical > transformation of any society is unthinkable without the participation of > those engaged in creative and productive work." Indeed, Chomsky would be > extremely troubled to learn that Odili neither reads a book nor produces a > commodity. > > In recent times, songs and choruses have been sung about the so-called > "Black Diamond", the black middle class. But few in society have the guts to > ask what exactly does this class produce. Where are the factories that have > sprung up as a result of this class? In other words, how different are > member of this class from Odili; the fictional fellow who neither reads a > book nor produces a single commodity? > > *Squandering wealth* > > Sadly, in *The Wretched of the Earth*, Frantz Fanon tells a heartbreaking > story of post independence African states, which we must consider each time > the "Black Diamond" spring to mind. Although writing in 1962, Fanon makes an > observation that would make you think that he had today's South Africa in > mind: "This get-rich-quick middle class shows itself incapable of great > ideas or of inventiveness." Indeed, this also applies to members of the > white middle class who, too, love their German sedans. > > Infuriated by the same observation painfully made by Fanon, Walter Rodney > has no kind words for the middle class in post-colonial Africa. In his book, > *How Europe Underdeveloped Africa*, Rodney criticises the African middle > class for "squander[ing] the wealth created by the peasants and workers by > purchasing cars, whisky, and perfume." What a conscience troubling > criticism! > > While he may not be as harsh as Walter Rodney, Tito > Mboweni<http://www.whoswhosa.co.za/Pages/profilefull.aspx?IndID=925>seems > equally concerned about our middle class. He has repeatedly complained > that South Africans generally do not save; they spend their money as if > tomorrow is the apocalyptic end of the world! > > Could it be that the South African middle class, too, "squander the wealth > created by the peasants and workers by purchasing cars, whisky, and > perfume"? > > The problem with our country is that critical issues such as these are > generally considered boring, politically irrelevant or taboo. Those who > raise such issues, especially if they dare talk about race, do so at the > risk of being pelted with all sorts of insults. If they are lucky, they are > called counter-revolutionaries! Thus, it would not come as a surprise if the > author of this very column also suffers the same fate. Alas! > > But when are we going to mature? When are we going to make what matters the > content of our national politics? Until when are we going to allow the man > facing a string of criminal charges to dominate our political agenda? Are we > not worried that the world might laugh at us? How is having, or not having, > him going to change the economic plight of the poor? > > And what are we going to do, collectively and individually, to save South > Africa from a dangerous Odili syndrome? Well, one hopes this is not a lone > cry in the wilderness! > > *Mashele is Head of Crime, Justice and Politics Programme at the Institute > for Security Studies. He writes in his personal capacity. > * > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] . -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
