It is pretty obvious that the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) and I are one thousand million years, or an aeon, apart ideologically.
It is pretty obvious that the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) and I are one thousand million years, or an aeon, apart ideologically.
The FF+, as we know, is a party that supports democracy, but which, to its proponents, means the self-determination of all races or "peoples" of South Africa. To them this country comprises many nations and not one.
They uphold the conviction that they are part of the new dispensation, although theirs is a small voice in Parliament.
I do not agree with their vision at all. No ways.
But today the FF+ and I are in sync - one.
Not so long ago Eskom literally plunged this country, its people and economy into darkness.
Those at the helm were called names and had to grow thick skins as the invectives flew from all turbines.
Like the rolling mass action during the struggle days, rolling blackouts are here to stay - for a long, long time.
This is where the FF+ comes in, and hitting it squarely on the head.
When Eskom told us earlier this week to brace ourselves for more power cuts, the news did not bring any warmth since the chill accompanying the incessant downpours in Gauteng wrapped itself tighter around the bones.
Of course, the rain is fine, to be expected this time of year, but the cold?
Enter the FF+. It said that owing to the reintroduction of load shedding, Eskom was sending the message that it had insufficient power for the winter months ahead.
There. It took the FF+ - many of whose followers may have decent roofs over their heads - to alert us to the harshness of the long winter months.
This conjures up images year-in and year-out of millions who spend those bitterly cold days without shelter. To those such people load shedding, the prospects of South Africa's first winter without electricity, is meaningless.
The poor of this country have seen it all before.
But surely, while the FF+ has its heart in the right place, my mind cannot shut out the informal settlements, the shack locations that adorn the skyline across South Africa.
How many of these, if any, have proper electricity or any basic services? You see, now I am battling anger.
Someone called them morons, but I do not want to follow suit. I am tempted anyway. What were the politicians running this country thinking by not heeding Eskom's warnings 10 years ago? Did they say let's hope it will go away?
Indeed, like monkeys, they did.
If you shout "hide!" to a monkey it just covers its face and forgets that there is its body as well.
Had the moronic ones listened, Eskom could be focusing on innovative ways of supplying and maintaining power to the people. It could be finding solutions to make life a lot better for people who live in informal settlements.
There is more to it.
The Freedom Front Plus would not be running scared that its people, and the rest of us, would shiver come winter 2008 and all the others through to 2014.
The FF+ and I are one against the thick-skinned
It is pretty obvious that the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) and I are one thousand million years, or an aeon, apart ideologically.
It is pretty obvious that the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) and I are one thousand million years, or an aeon, apart ideologically.
The FF+, as we know, is a party that supports democracy, but which, to its proponents, means the self-determination of all races or "peoples" of South Africa. To them this country comprises many nations and not one.
They uphold the conviction that they are part of the new dispensation, although theirs is a small voice in Parliament.
I do not agree with their vision at all. No ways.
But today the FF+ and I are in sync - one.
Not so long ago Eskom literally plunged this country, its people and economy into darkness.
Those at the helm were called names and had to grow thick skins as the invectives flew from all turbines.
Like the rolling mass action during the struggle days, rolling blackouts are here to stay - for a long, long time.
This is where the FF+ comes in, and hitting it squarely on the head.
When Eskom told us earlier this week to brace ourselves for more power cuts, the news did not bring any warmth since the chill accompanying the incessant downpours in Gauteng wrapped itself tighter around the bones.
Of course, the rain is fine, to be expected this time of year, but the cold?
Enter the FF+. It said that owing to the reintroduction of load shedding, Eskom was sending the message that it had insufficient power for the winter months ahead.
There. It took the FF+ - many of whose followers may have decent roofs over their heads - to alert us to the harshness of the long winter months.
This conjures up images year-in and year-out of millions who spend those bitterly cold days without shelter. To those such people load shedding, the prospects of South Africa's first winter without electricity, is meaningless.
The poor of this country have seen it all before.
But surely, while the FF+ has its heart in the right place, my mind cannot shut out the informal settlements, the shack locations that adorn the skyline across South Africa.
How many of these, if any, have proper electricity or any basic services? You see, now I am battling anger.
Someone called them morons, but I do not want to follow suit. I am tempted anyway. What were the politicians running this country thinking by not heeding Eskom's warnings 10 years ago? Did they say let's hope it will go away?
Indeed, like monkeys, they did.
If you shout "hide!" to a monkey it just covers its face and forgets that there is its body as well.
Had the moronic ones listened, Eskom could be focusing on innovative ways of supplying and maintaining power to the people. It could be finding solutions to make life a lot better for people who live in informal settlements.
There is more to it.
The Freedom Front Plus would not be running scared that its people, and the rest of us, would shiver come winter 2008 and all the others through to 2014.