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South Africa returning to Apartheid!!!
    #15406658 -

So for those of you who don't know it appears South Africa will be returning to fascism. The African National Congress, an important roleplayer in the fall of Apartheid is taking a few pages out of "The handbook for dictators". Today the infamous "Protection of State Information Bill" was passed.

In essence this allows for the prosecution and jailing of journalists and whistleblowers who expose government corruption and mismanagement. They may be jailed for up to 25 years - this is far more than the serial murderers and rapists get!!!! That is no exaggeration!! The ambiguous bill allows government departments to decide what constitutes "state information" and documentation may be classified as such even after it has been brought to public attention. Despite extensive opposition and public outcry the ANC stated that the publics concerns would be heard. This was another complete farce of theirs.

This level of oppression is reflective of the Apartheid regime. But then again, the ANC has selectively kept many of the Apartheid regimes policies - such as the one where ministers are allowed to spend the equivalent of 75% of their annual income on a vehicle. (The leader of the South African Communist Party, an alliance partner of the ANC, drives a car in excess of a R1 mil. A real poster-boy for communism). It is important to remember that a large proportion of the population lacks access to proper shelter, sanitation, health-care, water, decent education (describing the education system as a joke would be painting it in a positive light) etc etc.

Even the Nelson Mandela Centre (and everyone the world over knows this saint) has said that the bill requires amendments. It's so sad that a man who gave up everything for democracy has had it stolen by his successors.

So now the South African government, which has already been significantly unaccountable, shall be less so! Apparantly the government believes corruption is bad - but not as bad as letting people know about it!

Good-bye democracy, it was a nice dream.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Mandelas-office-slams-info-bill-20111122
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Hundreds-protest-outside-Parliament-20111122
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Exam-question-leaves-young-restless-20111122

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Re: South Africa returning to Apartheid!!! [Re: Vodka_dog]
    #15406742 -

It's just like Apartheid.

Except for, you know, the actual Apartheid part.


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After one comes, through contact with it's administrators, no longer to cherish greatly the law as a remedy in abuses, then the bottle becomes a sovereign means of direct action.  If you cannot throw it at least you can always drink out of it.  - Ernest Hemingway

If it is life that you feel you are missing I can tell you where to find it.  In the law courts, in business, in government.  There is nothing occurring in the streets. Nothing but a dumbshow composed of the helpless and the impotent.    -Cormac MacCarthy

He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God.  - Aeschylus

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Re: South Africa returning to Apartheid!!! [Re: Vodka_dog]
    #15406758 -

You don't know what apartheid means, do you?

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Re: South Africa returning to Apartheid!!! [Re: Vodka_dog]
    #15407212 -

This is so sad.

I spent a year in SA during the early 1970s, working as an electrical engineer on the SABCs first television network.

I was playing football(soccer to Americans) with some Indian friends when about 20 SAP officers with batons drawn came charging down the hill towards our field.  All my Indian friends instinctively ran like hell, but I just stood there wondering why everybody was running away, since all we were doing was kicking a ball around.  One of them turned to me and screamed RUN! it's YOU they're after. That's when I noticed they all were coming right at me.

I took off to the white side of the park and after removing my shirt, joined a group in cue for paddle boat rentals.  The cops searched all around, but never figured out which one I was.  I found out later they would have beat the shit out of me and then deported my ass for playing football with Indians, since I was a lilly-white-boy from America.

Unfortunately for your people who are protesting this law, the regime has probably learned a bit from the American right-wing where official corruption has been sanctioned by the highest court in the land, and anyone who protests against it is labeled as dirty, lazy, and only wanting to rob the wallets of 'good working people'.

The more times change, the more they stay the same. Good luck in SA.
RR


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Download Let's Grow Mushrooms



semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat

"I've never had a failed experiment.  I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work."
Thomas Edison

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Re: South Africa returning to Apartheid!!! [Re: RogerRabbit]
    #15407307 -

But how is it apartheid?


--------------------
After one comes, through contact with it's administrators, no longer to cherish greatly the law as a remedy in abuses, then the bottle becomes a sovereign means of direct action.  If you cannot throw it at least you can always drink out of it.  - Ernest Hemingway

If it is life that you feel you are missing I can tell you where to find it.  In the law courts, in business, in government.  There is nothing occurring in the streets. Nothing but a dumbshow composed of the helpless and the impotent.    -Cormac MacCarthy

He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God.  - Aeschylus

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Re: South Africa returning to Apartheid!!! [Re: Madtowntripper]
    #15411493 -

Perhaps the term Apartheid is misleading. I've chosen to use the term for a number of reasons. The most important being that veterans of the struggle to end Apartheid are referring to what is happpening now as the same as the processes that occured under Apartheid.

Perhaps the blatant segregation of the Apartheid regime no longer exists but racism is still rife in this country. A person will be discriminated against based on the colour of their skin when applying for work or when dealing with a government office.

As in the Apartheid regime under this bill the state will only be answerable to itself and not South African citizens. Current leadership is corrupt and will make every effort to avoid prosecution. Do a google search for "Shabir Shaik". Many people are worse off than they were under the openly discriminative Apartheid regime yet government spends millions of Rands on new jets, renovations for government officials houses and are planning on spending millions on a party this year. The financial resources are there to better life for all South Africans yet government couldn't give a damn.

So I will continue to refer to it as Apartheid so long as the ANC keeps taking pages out of their book, keeps stealing from the country, keeps silencing the exposure of their corruption, mis-management, nepotism and tenderpreneurship. Crime is much, much worse then during Apartheid, and not just the crime commited by government.

For those outside of the South Africa, look beyond the image that government tries to portray with our new football stadiums and our hosting of COP17. Look to the street children who are rounded up and placed in a holding centre (sometimes a shipping container) until such international events are over then they are released back onto the streets. Look to the people who cannot access healthcare or education. Look at the crime statistics - I read a report recently that stated personal safety is lower in South Africa than in Libya during the uprising. Look at government officials who call minority groups criminals and defy court orders without legal implications. Look at the ministers convoys who shoot out tyres or shoot at drivers who they deem are not driving fast enough (sorry for obeying the law - you forget we have to obey it Mr minister).

Thanks for your input RR. I'm sorry for your experience. Unfortunatly it does seem we're in for some more rough times.

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Re: South Africa returning to Apartheid!!! [Re: Vodka_dog]
    #15411606 -

> Perhaps the term Apartheid is misleading

No, the term apartheid is very specific.  It means inhumane acts of oppression committed by an institutionalized regime or government dominated by one race over other races.  The treatment of native American Indians by the early US Government is a good example.


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Just another spore in the wind.

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