Two years ago, policy makers in the US (followed soon by others elsewhere) thought that cheap money would help the fight against the unknown and terrifying new respiratory disease sweeping the globe. Whether that turned out to be the case is hard to say. Despite low interest rates, economies were utterly hollowed out by this and whatever other measures such as the lethal lockdown that the leaders imposed. Commodity prices and inflation are now sweeping majestically upwards and the usual remedy to these ills, push interest rate up, are being applied. It doesn’t help that people who should know way better are trying to prod each other into war. This Democracy system honestly doesn’t place the wisest in the positions of most power, does it? In fact, it seems deliberately to identify the worst suited to the job of running nations.
The selection of the new Chief Justice of the Republic was a scrappy affair. Right down to the congratulatory elbow bump (instead of a handshake) between the deserving Judge Zondo and President Frogboiler. Presumably Justice Mandisa Maya – the sole female candidate and short-odds winner -- has been comforted by the news that Zondo is close to retirement.
Someone really needs to get hold of Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s smart phone and remove the entry that reminds her every month to extend the National Sate of Disaster that has been in place for two years. As usual her excuse for the blatantly obvious misuse of her power is that the extension will “give the government and organs of state time to augment legislation to ensure the continued management of the Covid-19 pandemic after the state of disaster”. Now, what metrics is she is using to decide when this augmentation is complete? And when does she expect to complete it? What we all know, is that she and the National Coronavirus Command Council have nothing useful or necessary left to do. It is moot whether they in fact ever achieved any significant impact, since most of the measures recommended and implemented by the NCCC these past 24 months have long since lapsed into irrelevance and ridicule. The truth is that very simply, those granted powers by the State of Disaster” have become fond of those powers and are loath to relinquish them. For example, the prat in the hat cant wait for another opportunity to harass and arrest a pretty girl in a bikini for the crime of using a beach that was closed. Because Covid!
A developing story that merits careful attention is that powerful people are appearing who believe that other powerful people were responsible for the riots which all but destroyed the country last July. The word treason has been used. Hmm. Interesting.
The first race of this year’s Formula 1 season takes place this weekend. The last one of 2021 ended rather acrimoniously, with rule books being waved about and lawyers being threatened. – never a good thing in sport – or indeed anything. It remains to be seen if the lighter paint work of the champion’s Number 1 has an impact. Tidemarks has whined before about the effort required to keep track of all the sports, tournaments and matches on the sporting calendars. Compilers of these lists should be clearer about which are the woman’s fixtures. My remarkable 99-year-old mother-in-law is adamant that certain sports have no place on the distaff calendar. Woman’s rugby is indeed intriguing
Cricket SA is one of sports’ most annoying and corrupt ruling bodies. However, their decision to allow local players to accept IPL invitations is perhaps wise. The most noticeable consequence is that the selectors have been forced to cast their nets wide for the forthcoming tour by Bangladesh. The newest members to the awesome list of those who have played for South Africa will, I’m sure, apply themselves to defending the Proteas’ rankings. And we surely soon will have new household names to boast about. Maybe even tonight in Centurion.
James Greener
Friday 18th March 2022
