There’s has
been plenty of talking this week but among the few things that may have happened
is the repeal of a section of the visa regulations by the minister who was
responsible a few years ago for introducing them in the first place. They were
decidedly unfriendly and scared off plane-loads of foreign visitors who
allegedly were queuing up to bring us bucket-loads of money. Unfortunately,
today there are other things making potential visitors and investors wary, like
the terrifying levels of violent crime and a threatened withdrawal of the legal
enforcement and protection of certain property rights. People who are used to
living without these threats are understandably picky when it comes to choosing
a place to park either their money or their sun-starved wine-deficient bodies.
It has been
reported, however, that President Cyril, while in New York recently to unveil
another statue of Madiba, has said that none of these lawless activities have
been recorded in South Africa. This is similar to his claim that while he was
Deputy President under JZ, he was totally unaware of anything approximating
what is being described as State Capture. One can’t blame the man if like
almost everyone in the country he has given up on the printed newspapers. But
one would hope that Cyril has a team who scan all the news sources including
the internet, with an experienced eye and provide their boss with summaries of
stories that hopefully are not fake. It is odd that such a list would omit for
example the crime stats release or the furore over land policy.
President
Trump who, because no one else seems to be inclined to do so, told the UN General
Assembly that he is the finest president the USA has ever had. Only the filter
of time will in due course be able to confirm if this is remotely true. It does,
however, illustrate what kind of person is attracted to becoming a politician.
This is a career that uniquely sets its own terms and conditions – particularly
the monetary ones -- concerning their employment and retirement packages. This
week it emerged that the expenses granted to many layers of the European Union
bureaucracy are secret! What? Not only are most of them unelected and
unanswerable to any electorate, now what they decide to pay themselves is for
their eyes only. This is yet another good reason for the citizens of any nation
to vote to leave this club and not pay another penny to Brussels.
Joburg city have
taken the cheap option and awarded the Freedom of the City to Winne Mandela who
is now dead. Costs of this honour are therefore limited to a fancy scroll handed
to her heirs and tea and buns afterwards. That the venerable lady will never hear
all the praise and adulation heaped upon her by the City of Gold somewhat
negated the gesture. And she’s never
going to get any benefit from being exempt from parking tickets. Or have they
dropped that one these days?
Only three
people in the nation (and they supposedly are running the outfit) were surprised
by the news that SAA’s unpublished financials will show it to be even more bankrupt
than ever. And more puzzling is why a state-owned enterprise is allowed not to
publish an annual report that will reveal this fact. Apparently, the delay is
due to the taxpayers who have not yet paid the bail-out cash. This kind gift will
then be carefully back dated in order to disguise the truth. Further, SAA has
been whining that not one of the banks would even let them through the front
door to discuss a loan despite the National Treasury guarantees they are
clutching. Are those guarantees becoming worthless?
The crowds
that have turned out to watch the Ryder cup are simply enormous. Despite being
held in France, those idiots who shout “go in the hole” after every shot have regrettable
also managed to find their way there. A great pity but still a wonderful
tournament. Which is how the Rugby Championship is turning out as well.
Optimists of every kind are already chalking up the ‘bokke for this one. The
Wallabies will have other ideas for PE, not least of which will be the relief
that Boet Erasmus stadium no longer exists.
James Greener
Friday 28th September 2018
