In all the jargon swirling about the alarming idea of creating central bank digital currency the weasel word to watch for is probably “programmable”. Simply this means that the operating authority has the power to decide where you can spend your money. A sort of example for this extremely worrying development, appeared in Canada recently when a fund comprising voluntary donations to aid the huge number of enthusiastic and possibly misguided protesting truck drivers assembled with their huge rigs in the nation’s capital. President Trudeau decided that these donations were probably illegal, and the money was confiscated (stolen) by the government. Hmm. Some kind of tax or fine? The same president is now on a mission to issue journalists with licences. Because of this kind of thinking and regulation, its hard to tell if there is widespread public support for these actions. It does however seem that the events of the last two years have encouraged people to accept their government’s “wisdom” without question.
In fact the overall level of common sense seems to have plummeted and the tiresomely ungrammatical term “Woke” describes a mental condition worthy of extreme ridicule. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson may not be the wisest man to have lived at No 10. He may be among the most (note not “best”) educated. Much of the media and citizenry want him fired because he allegedly broke a “law” and attended a party at which the Covid-19 virus may have also been a guest. For goodness’ sake! There are few enough people on that soggy island capable of or desirous to try and run the place. He won the last election handsomely; let him get on with it and vote him out next time. Remember Boris did actually become infected and survived covid in 2020. He has done the hard yards.
Our own President Frogboiler on the other hand is ignoring even his own advice and toured the flood-devastated province of KZN from behind a severe black surgical mask. He was undeniably outdoors, where masking is no longer required so it hard to know what example he was trying to set. Perhaps he relishes the fact that talking trough a mask renders the speaker’s message largely unintelligible. Sadly, the scenes he saw were of total devastation. Ironically, large swathes of the city are without potable water as the flood appeared to have targeted and destroyed a vital junction of two massive water pipes. Or aqueducts, to use the correct jargon. Early pictures of the site suggest it’s not going to be a fast fix. One resident who appears so far to be unaffected is the large crocodile who for years has lurked under a short road bridge on the M4 northern freeway. The bridge is now damaged beyond repair by the floods and will be replaced. Construction crews might rightly be reluctant to approach the spot until old “Toothy” is relocated
The ANC political party took over governing South Africa in 1994 from the moral high ground. They now, however, are firmly lodged in the swamp of corruption. Their own rules and recommendations for how to do their job of governing the nation lie in tatters. The sole motivation of any office-seeking party member is to get a seat close to the trough of public money flows. They are shameless and impossible to embarrass into apology or resignation. Already mere hours into the state of emergency called to rebuild KZN, the stories of relief funds flowing in unusual directions are on the internet. Previous president Jacob Zuma hinted that unless some of the legal bods appointed to officiate at his (endlessly postponed) trial for multiple crimes are removed, the nation could experience riots again. Blackmail?
There’s almost too much sport to watch these days. Fortunately, the local Sharks games against the Bulls this weekend has been cancelled because of the floods. That’s how bad it is.
James Greener
Maundy Thursday, 2022
PS The Bowling Club was submerged and the wag who launched a canoe and toured the premises reported that the beer fridges are in poor shape. Uh oh.
