The Gross Domestic Product
statistic for the third quarter was published this week. After the usual
jiggery-pokery it turned out to be 0.6% lower than the second quarter
statistic. But allegedly there is good news. Convention states that a nation’s
economy must shrink for at least six months before a recession be declared and
so because the September result was +3.2% it’s OK for the moment. We are doing dandy. However, yesterday’ s
-0.6% is the fourth negative growth rate in just seven quarters. Can it really
be possible that something as huge and inertial as a nation’s economy can swing
so wildly from up to down and back again? Similar peculiarities abound in all the tables
provided by Stats SA. Odd. And still the population grows faster than any
enterprise or activity or business. Its that old bugbear discussed many times
in these polemics, that per capita statistics are a mystery for those for whom
a 30% maths pass rates is OK.
If you use your “smart” mobile
phone for anything other than making a normal telephone call or sending an SMS,
the phone has to be connected to a so-called “data” network. Preferably this
connection is via “Wi-Fi” which is a short distance radio signal connecting
your device to a nearby “router” which in turn is connected to the outside
world via a number of different possible methods, of which a fibre optic line
is the newest and fastest and ADSL is the oldest. If, however, you are out of reach of any
friendly Wi-Fi routers for which you have permission and a password to use, then you must enable your
phone to connect to the internet via a “data” link. (often colloquially known
as 3G or 4G or even LTE) For many folks, especially those in rural areas, this
data link offered by a mobile (cell) phone service provider (chiefly either
Vodacom or MTN) is their sole method for connecting to the internet. Hence the
political interest in the cost of this service which this week culminated in government
ordering those costs be reduced or else. Globally, mobile phone network
operators have often been caught taking advantage of public ignorance and
misunderstanding of their product and become avaricious and, dare one say it,
collusion prone with their pricing. Travellers are frequently unpleasantly
surprised by the costs incurred when “roaming” in other countries. This will be
an interesting squabble to watch unfold. As usual, lawyers are flipping through
the Exotic Car catalogues.
For a moment it was thought that
Eskom had scooped up the only fellow crazy enough to want to try and fix an
ailing SOE. Now SAA has found one to head up their Business Rescue. Like the
lawyer who has been retained by the EFF deputy head one Mr Shivambu, these appointments
are all from the much reviled and despised pale male category of citizens. If
only we could export hypocrisy – but there’s plenty out there already! Now is
there another poor fool keen to fix SA Cricket please? And suddenly we are
short of mayors who are jumping ship everywhere.
14 months ago, we cynics viewed
the news that SA had signed an extradition treaty with UAE with suspicion. This
is the country where the Indian family who effectively ran the South African
Government while shovelling cash into sacks, has gone to enjoy their spoils.
Unsurprisingly there’s a glitch (translation error apparently) with the treaty
which has not yet been ratified by UAE and so no one has been able to go to
Dubai with a large net and leg irons to bring any of the Guptas back to answer
a few questions and show where the rest of the money is buried in the gardens
of the at the Saxonwold Shebeen.
President Trump managed to ruin
even a reception held by the Queen at her London home, Buckingham Palace simply
by turning up. Obviously, facts are scant but reportedly groups of world
leaders behaved like schoolgirls and gathered in whispering groups throwing
glances at the US leader and giggling. Very dignified and diplomatic sort of
stuff! Trump got huffy and went home early.
And already its Sevens season and
the Blitzbokke are off to a fine start in Dubai
James Greener
Friday 6th December
2019.
