Three reasons why we’re all buggered

I had one reason why we (South African residents) were all buggered when I left home this morning. Now I have three. By the end of this post, I may have even more. But I’m not going to change the title, as that would merely serve to confuse readers even further.

1. A letter to The Times:

We must give Jacob Zuma’s new cabinet time to prove themselves. Service delivery is a difficult issue to advise politicians on. For the sake of our country, I hope God will guide them. It’s a great combination.

Nathi Khumalo

Jacob Zuma and God “a great combination”? I’ll say.
Hitler and Santa Claus must be devastated to have finally been usurped from their Greatest Combination of Political Leader and Make Believe Character top spot.

2. I agree with Jessie Duarte*:

Instead of answering legitimate criticism about the composition of her provincial Cabinet, she has chosen to insult and demonise the President of the Republic of South Africa. Instead of focusing on the real issues that face South Africans, Zille is obsessed with her personal campaign against Zuma.

Jessie Duarte, ANC spokesperson

Duarte is right.
Despite all the concerning and hilariously offensive ridiculousness which has followed (overseas readers, you HAVE to read this statement from the ANC Youth League), it was Helen Zille’s unnecessary personal swipe at Jacob Zuma in a letter to the Sowetan newspaper which started the whole issue.
And thus, once again, we’re left asking why Zille is still going after Zuma. We had the DA’s view on this pre-election. And since the ANC failed to win their two-thirds majority (just), we have to assume that their tactics worked (just).
But what is the point of this continued personal campaign? Answers on a postcard, please.

3. But it’s academic anyway: we’re all going to die of swine flu and there’s nothing we can do about it:

The so called “swine flu” does not exist, as scientists claim it has mutated and “evolved”, which implies evolution, and evolution does not exist. Therefore, this must be the will of God, and nothing can stop that.

RS Diaz, New York

Why is it that creationists always seem, somehow… less evolved?

EDIT: Chris Roper’s column
EDIT II: Umkhonto we Sizwe weigh in.
EDIT III: Significantly, the ANC distances itself from the ANCYL’s comments on Zille. Great politics. That’s how you do it, Helen.

* I always said that the day Jessie Duarte and I agreed on something, Hell would freeze over and the camels would come skating home.
    Today is that day. It is noticably colder already.

19 thoughts on “Three reasons why we’re all buggered

  1. Good points well made. It seems to be a prime example of taking a positive situation (for the DA in this case) and ballsing it all up by focusing on something that is not going to get you anywhere (the comments about Zuma).

    Unfortunately it is those comments that were all over the BBC and world press, and that is what the eyes of the world see.

  2. Tony > Awesome. Despite the accident at N1 City, inbound?

    Jim > As has been said, it seems that she misjudged the mood of the nation. It’s an own goal of note.

    CuppaCoffee > Technically correct, perhaps. But do you go around telling the world everything that you are “technically correct” on? Is that a good thing to do?
    Your boss has a BO problem. Cue a company-wide email because you’re “technically correct”?
    Your wife is not great in bed. Take out a half-page ad in the local paper because you’re “technically correct”?

    Or should one use a certain amount of diplomacy in these matters, especially when in a position of responsibility?

    Disclaimer: I have never met your wife. Or your boss.

  3. OL > Well, so she’s saying. But if you click the LETTER TO THE SOWETAN link in the post, you can read it in context.

    And it still looks bloody stupid.

  4. “CuppaCoffee > Technically correct, perhaps. But do you go around telling the world everything that you are “technically correct” on? Is that a good thing to do?
    Your boss has a BO problem. Cue a company-wide email because you’re “technically correct”?
    Your wife is not great in bed. Take out a half-page ad in the local paper because you’re “technically correct”?

    Or should one use a certain amount of diplomacy in these matters, especially when in a position of responsibility?”

    Zille might be playing a very clever PR game. Good or bad, publicity is publicity. It worked in the elections – the DA won the WC, which it said it would. And the ANC didn’t get 2/3.

    Welcome to politics, baby.

    More importantly, I would never put a half-page ad in the paper about my wife being bad in bed. Have you seen how expensive that ad space is?

  5. CuppaCoffee > It did appear to work in the elections, as I noted. But at what cost for the future?
    And if there’s really no such thing as bad publicity, why don’t SA Tourism show off our exceptional crime figures?

    Mantashe’s rebuke of the YL comments means that the ANC has certainly won this round. If Zille really is playing a PR game, it’s got EVERYONE mystified at the moment. Apart from, apparently, you.

    P.S. Tried the Cape Ads?

  6. “It did appear to work in the elections, as I noted. But at what cost for the future?”

    No one knows. It could be a gamble.

    “And if there’s really no such thing as bad publicity, why don’t SA Tourism show off our exceptional crime figures?”

    They could. Actually, it might not be such a bad idea, since the stats are public anyway. It’s all about spinning the data and exploiting it. It may even generate discussion about the crime stats being inflated and sensationalised (which they are).

  7. CuppaCoffee > Regarding the “spin”, HZ and the DA are already too late to spin this one. If they were going to try, then they have missed out anyway.
    As for the crime stats, inflated – no; sensationalised – certainly. You should read me more often, then you’d know how I feel about that.
    http://tr.im/bsacp

  8. Four year olds. Politicians are four year olds. All of them.

    If having sex and “sleeping around” do not mean the same thing, then what is the problemmo?

    po´s last blog post was: I never could say no to cookies (Note: 6000 miles… is not responsible for the content of external internet sites)

  9. Po > The ‘sleeping around ? having sex with’ retraction was funny. But yes, childish isn’t it?
    Makes the UK look quite reasonable. But equally corrupt. Allegedly.

  10. I wold say the stats are inflated and sensationalised.

    Inflated example:

    We are told that 40 rapes happen per day. I would challenge that. Most of those are girls crying foul after having drunk sex with a guy from a night venue.

    Sensationalised example:

    There are 38 murders per 100k people in SA. When you tear that apart and see where the actual murders happen, and between which people and cultures, it’s anything but armageddon .

  11. CuppaCoffee > I think there are more than 40 rapes a day. But anyway, if your “crying foul” thing is true in SA, then surely it’s true everywhere else too, so SA’s rape stats are STILL higher than anywhere else.
    As for your murder scenario – well it certainly is more localised than is often made out, but I don’t agree with the conclusion you draw from that.

  12. “I think there are more than 40 rapes a day. But anyway, if your “crying foul” thing is true in SA, then surely it’s true everywhere else too, so SA’s rape stats are STILL higher than anywhere else.”

    I didn’t say crime was lower in SA than anywhere else. And no, it wouldn’t necessarily be true everywhere else simply because “everywhere else” has its own unique variables making up its stats. I maintain that SA’s crime stats are inflated in parts.

    “As for your murder scenario – well it certainly is more localised than is often made out, but I don’t agree with the conclusion you draw from that.”

    What conclusion am I drawing?

  13. O dear me, those poor creationists!

    Despite Zille obvious agenda against Zuma, can you condone the reactions of the old Umkhonto crowd? Dear lord (not the creationist’s one), talking about evolving!

    Emil´s last blog post was: So ‘n bietjie oor immigrasie (Note: 6000 miles… is not responsible for the content of external internet sites)

  14. Yeah the UK is super corrupt and looove to hate and attack old Gordie, but at least their insults are veiled within attacks on policy rather than just ridiculous personal accusations.

    Po´s last blog post was: I never could say no to cookies (Note: 6000 miles… is not responsible for the content of external internet sites)

  15. CuppaCoffee > Maybe I don’t know. What conclusion are you drawing?

    Emil > No. Of course I don’t condone what they’ve said. But two wrongs and all that…

    Po > I know. So dull, isn’t it>

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