VERY LOW DENSITY GAS

Suddenly most places around the world are experiencing shortages of various goods, some of which, like fuel, are rather important. Spectacularly, ships and trucks are backing up outside ports and warehouses all over the world. There are numerous reasons for this on offer, which suggests that the actual main reason has yet to be identified. Tidemarks’ view is that it will in due course be traced back to interfering bureaucrats and politicians making their own judgements about supply and demand and not letting the market do the job it is there for. Which is minutely and ceaselessly to examine every aspect of the so-called supply chains and ensure that breaks are speedily repaired. Allowing someone behind a desk in a ministry to decide how many cans of beans are required in Boston is a very poor idea. Especially when that official is trying to encapsulate his own views of things like climate change and respiratory virus infections into the decision. In the meantime, despite all the doom and confusion, South Africans are selling stuff to foreigners at unprecedented rates averaging more than R30bn’s net exports a month over the past quarter. A year ago, imports outweighed exports. This statistic is part of the reason why President Frog Boiler and his chums can afford to look so relaxed about money and rumble on about Basic Income grants and so forth. Over at National Treasury, taxes are starting to flow in just like the good old days and the spending spigots are open wide. Whew. Just in time to impress the electorate and line up some fried chicken and T shirts as thank you presents. Now while some good news is starting to seep under the door, it is disheartening for all of us to be warned and even assured that covid-19 infections are certain to increase again as Christmas approaches. The latest to make authoritative and knowledgeable noises about the start of the next so-called “wave” is the Premier of Gauteng. He has obviously already sounded alarm bells in certain areas. One liquor retailer has warned that any reimposition of sales bans will be lethal themselves for the economy and for their businesses. This contrast between signs of returning to normal (undoubtedly a long and hazardous journey) and a seemingly never ending and even escalating levels of state interference and control is alarming. Our “State of Disaster” continues, albeit currently at a low level, but our leaders seem loath to lift it entirely as they undoubtedly enjoy having such powerful strings to pull. There is obviously substantial attraction to becoming an elected official in South Africa. Even at the lowest municipal level. There are 60 000 candidates and 325 parties standing in the local authority elections scheduled to be held on Monday 1st November It is very obvious that something is wrong and that this is not proof of a healthy functioning democracy. The barrier to entry must be raised. Simply rejecting candidates who don’t live in the ward they hope to represent would be a good start. In fact there was time when municipal elections restricted voting to actual ratepayers and political parties were not involved. This seems a very good idea. There is nothing vaguely political in a sewage blockage. Oh. Wait! The discovery of substantial volumes of Helium gas in the Free State is a great delight for me who was once one of South Africa’s few practicing Reservoir Engineers, as it highlights a fact which few outside the industry know. Helium comes out of the ground. Just like natural gas, with which it is often associated. Fortunately, the recently announced discovery is in already very permeable rock formations and so the dreaded “fracking” red herring need not be raised. It is rather alarming that the size of the reserve is being quoted in units of “party balloons”. Cubic meters is more conventional. Not only are the referees in the United Rugby Championship under scrutiny for suspected bias but they are clearly colour blind. The number of matches in this tournament where the two teams take the field in very similar coloured kit is silly. There have been matches where if the South African team had resorted to their usual home strip the game would have been far easier to follow. Formula 1 also treat the casual fan with contempt by allowing cars with identical livery, bar a yellow strip invisible from the back. Harrumph. James Greener Friday 22nd October 2021