With the local government election only two days away, I’ve been quite impressed with the coverage by local blogs.
The SA Blog Awards site lists 10 nominations for best SA site about politics (and for some reason I’ve been nominated, albeit under the wrong name).
Looking at the local government election coverage by each of the nominated blogs is interesting (and you can use it to decide who to vote for if you wish).
Fodder doesn’t have much, the too-good-to-be-missed near-exclusion of the ACDP being the highlight.
Jonty Fisher has no coverage that I can see. In fact just after writing that he did post something, mocking the ID deputy chairperson for claiming that they will win 40%-56% of the votes? Uh, really?
Moral Fiber also has little, one recent post slating the ACDP for being hypocritical in trying to win back their right to contest the election in Cape Town.
It’s Almost Supernatural, which focuses mainly on Israeli issues, also has little coverage, but unsurprisingly the only relevant post accuses the AMP of hate speech.
Politics.za.net is a step up, with quite a lot of coverage, including the gem of a discovery in the Biblical Voters Guide I mentioned earlier.
Vaz Lube is equally surprised as I am in being nominated for the category, and has little coverage to speak of. Neither does Mzansi Afrika
Inky Goblin’s coverage is more along the lines of the dog poster appearing on Cape Town streets right now, with its Not the ANC newsletter. It also deserves a prize for its use of webcasts.
Of all the nominees though, Commentary, last year’s winner, takes the cake and is streets ahead of the rest. While the others are characterised by the odd jibe, Commentary’s Laurence Carombo has written a reasoned endorsement of the DA, not surprising when the site describes the general political alignment of its authors as moderate conservative and libertarian.
Surprisingly, someamongus wasn’t nominated. They (he/her?) would give Commentary a run with their good coverage, including a Q&A with Simon Grindrod and Joe Seremane.
However, the election blog coverage doesn’t end there. A newcomer on the scene is the Mail and Guardian’s election blog. Each of what purports to be Bantu Holomisa, Malizole Diko, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Patricia De Lille, Pieter Mulder, Tony Leon and Ziba Jiyane write. Some of them are so badly written it can only be the leader, delirious after a long day on the road. So how do they shape up? On the whole they’re quite disappointing, with little of interest being said. I may be an election junkie, but stuff such as and then I’m going to accompany the mayoral candidate to vote in Tableview. Then I’m going to accompany the deputy mayoral candidate Charlotte Williams in Mitchell’s Plain. is pretty dull.
Bantu Holomisa: Not badly written, moderately interesting, especially the clearly miscategorised post about him handing out IFP t-shirts.
Malizole Diko: Being from the United Independent Front, the party with the least high profile of the lot, you’d expect he’d be using every trick in the book to try and drum up some publicity. However, his page, perhaps appropriately, just says blog coming soon.
Mangosuthu Buthelezi: Another unexciting collection. His posts were mostly (if not all) written by party officials, including one sickeningly sweet post by personal assistant Thamsanqa Duma.
Patricia De Lille: Started off quite well, but perhaps fatigue set in, as the last few posts have been deadly dull (hers was the post I quoted earlier).
Pieter Mulder: He has quite impressed me recently with his toned down, reasonable approach. However, his posts reminded me of the party’s roots, bringing up the Boer War and encouraging churchgoing.
Tony Leon: The best written. As the love him or hate him man of SA politics, the comments on one of his posts are predictably fiery.
Ziba Jiyane: Another churchgoer, most of the posts are also pretty poorly written, and not particularly interesting.
The whole blog is a nice idea. Even if the contents aren’t particularly interesting, it’s good publicity for the M&G.
Hi Greenman,
” unsurprisingly the only relevant post accuses the AMP of hate speech.”
The innuendos of what you saying are, I think, a little unfair.
I didnt run that entry in the context of the municipal elections. You make it seem as if that was my contribution to the municapal election coverage – which we have totally avoided. And in that context it would even seem racist.
It was run in the context of vast coverage of the mohammed cartoon saga and my blogs support of limitations to freedom of expression.
We focus only on middle east politics and the sa media’s reporting on it.
I agree with your point on SomeAmongUs/South Africa blog. They were indeed a shock exclusion from the local blog awards politics category for this year.
I am a member of the ANC, possess realistic views about my country. All us will forever be greatful to the ANC for leading the liberation of our people.
But this indebtedness does not mean political blindness, we won’t keep quiet when the very liberation and democracy is abused for a narrow political agenda.
If our very loyalty means we must defend the land of our forefathers from the sidelines, we will do so, this will be the demonstration of protecting what the likes of Hani, Tambo etc. lived and died for. We understand even though we die but our legacy lives on through the next general and the total realisation of democracy is completed by them, i don’t see it through Malema and the likes.
South Africa in history of socioeconomic and political trends always feeds from such actions of the USA. The question remains, ‘WHO IN RSA CAN MAKE THE VOICE OF SOUTH AFRICANS A REALITY’? The concept of ‘YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICE’ has proven to fail the masses of our people. Hence they had no voice or influence on how their lives can be embettered or CHANGED,by those mandated and entrusted to lead them.
The loyalty and patience of fellow South Africans is running out as they learn that they are not sheep to be told with no definate CHANGE. They see themselves as the plague of the political selfishness to those in power.
In the recent past we have yet to learn that, some political party’s have been pushing political agendas that have no interest of citizens welbeing but the powerful seat of Union Buildings. The obsession of seats have killed African politics throughout the continent,failing the masses of our people.
This obsession has blinded these people who have no sense of maturity in separating party politics to the State affairs, leading our country to political uncertainty to those observing abroad. Nevertheless the fellow citizens have grown from emotional voting to reality.
We must ask our self as fellow citizens:
1. How do we make those in power to fully account for their actions?
2. How do we keep full transparency of the use of state resources to the benefit of the citizens?
3. Who can we trust to bring back the dignity of our country, beyond party lines?
4. How can we make the dream of making South Africa to work again for all citizens?
5. How can we plant the seed of patriotism to our citizens beyond partilines so we can get them thinking soberly on real issues?
6. Finally, how can we bring back to the poles those senior citizens that have stopped voting due to dissapointments?
All this has been inspired in me, by the patriotism and citizenship Americans bare on themselves, in making their country better. Yes, they come along way to wake up in realising their lives are more important than colour/race,tribe or even partisen but to push economic ideology and political agenda that have a real meaning to their lives.
All South Africans ‘NEED A BETTER LIFE’ the question is who can offer it?
All political parties are ineffective and do not live their vision, hence you only know and see their visibility only when ‘COMPAIGNING FOR VOTES’. This therefore delays service delivery and only during these compaigns do political parties and/or government become active.
‘CITIZENS MUST REDEFINE THEIR POLITICAL LANDSCAPE AND POLITICIANS MUST BE HELD TO ACCOUNT BY US’.
I believe that COPE will be the driver of this new political order, as change is inevitable.
COPE is the audacity of HOPE, for our raped democracy, in awe of a ‘Personality Cult’.
Amandla! Matla!
COPE is out of line together with the South African Institute of Race Relations, on the issue of Affirmative Action and BBBEE.
You cannot rule out the realities we face today birthed by the legacy of the past, listening to Jimmy Mangcu on SAFM(MD: BMF) beautifully seperating the above issues. It is true that 70% of Executives in business are White, why?
Is it because they are more qualified,skilled or intelligent? The point is simple, the systems currently engaged have blocked growth and entry to this top bruss, whilst continuiosly benefiting and empowering the same connections.
You are either too qualified with little experience or you are too experienced but no qualifications, needless to say you are too qualified but you have no skill. But if you follow suit you’ll discover that some grow quickly with non of the above. What is all this?
This means there is or was a need to measure and correct this issue, not to say to adjust this situation. That is why our constitution has a provision to correct this error.
So we cannot ignore this reality and the sad part is, it is race related. So the Black Africans remain disadvantaged while White Africans are on top.
The African National Congress(ANC) stated in 1955 in the Congress of the People very clearly that, we cannot hate Whites because they are white they are human too. But the spirit (apartheit) that ruled their hearts at the time was wrong and needed to be corrected with love.
The resolution was ‘SOUTH AFRICAN BELONGS TO ALL WHO LIVE IN IT’, this clearly indicated that there was no hatred/animocity nor was there any intention to chase away our white brothers, but to stay and build together equaly our country and not just the manority.
That why Affirmative is crucial to adjust the situation. Yes we cannot take a skilless unqualified person to lead a company just because they are Black, simply because the’ll do the opposite of our objectives. We’ve got a country to build and we hope to hand it to the next generation furtile.
This belief is on both black and white, but we cannot continue or win if the black majority with qualifications are unemployed not to say the capacitated ones only occupy less than 30% in business leadership positions.
So affirmative is here to stay until such time when the adjustments are done and all suitable,intelligent, qualified and skilled majority is functioning in their right places in our economy, the opposite is true.
On the other the whites who are suitable for the positions must not be deprived just because they are white.
Remembe, we’ve got a country to build and until then,the struggle continues.
Amandla! Matla!
Phumlani Diko
Secretary General
Black African Cinema Regeneration Movement
In my past comments I have stated that we’ve got a country to build across party lines,race,gender or party lines.
President Barack Obama couldn’t have stated this beautifully in his speech at his presidential inauguaration. That America has an agender and the success of this agender lies not only to government, but also to the citizens.
I am proud of all Americans, Black,White,Hispanic etc. They have put an ideology,national agenda and hope before colour and race (i.e set aside their differences). They realised unnecessary race politics have taken them nowhere,but this time they’ve got an appointment with Hope and a brighter future for all Americans. They’ve got an equal responsibility to put back America to work.
May all South Africans grow from this wonderful historical moment. Racial and party politics have taken us nowhere, rather we remain victims of our past not to mention crime.
Fellow comrades,compatriots, we must be united behind our flag irregardless of race or political party affiliation. Otherwise history will judge us hushly, to future generation.
Remember! We’ve got a country to build across colour lines or political party affiliation.
God bless South Africa.
Phumlani Diko
Secretary General
Black African Cinema Regeneration Movement.
Fancy Cars for Ministers is an insult to the Taxpayers.
For the past few weeks, the media has reported similar incidents of ministers buying expensive cars at the expense of the taxpayers, this is an insult to our people because i don’t think they should be doing that especially now that there is this global economic crises. These guys are really proving why they wanted the higher positions, that they are hungry for good life for them and their friends.
Lindiwe Sisulu must reconsinder her decision to appoint Paul Ngobeni
I think the minister of Defence would be doing a serious mistake by appointing Paul Ngobeni as her Legal Adviser, the guy has a bad record in him, firstly, he was until recently employed as the deputy registrar at the University of Cape Town, but parted ways after reaching an agreement following an internal disciplinary process and is now reported suspended from the roll and may never practice law again after being found guilty of seven counts of misconduct in Connecticut in the United States, so how do you appoint such person?
Nationalising Mines will only benefits the very few that is already benefiting from BBBEE.
The issue that was raised by the ANCYL is indeed a good idea to be brought forward for pulbic debate even thou i still think if it were to pass, it would only benefits the very same fat cats who are already benefiting from abo BEE, BBBEE etc. It would need a very clear monitoring process to ensure that all poor South Africans do partake in the initiative.
On the issue on nationalising mines, our government run or parastatals have proven to be money guzzlers with people who have bad management and a few fat cats benefiting.
Take SAA, Telkom etc. for example bad management. The question we should ask ourselves do we want to see one of our economic pillars run down by greed and politicians? Yes, as a patriot I we support the initiative for the benefit of equitable distribution of wealth to the citizens of the soil. But on second thought, the very foundations of BBBEE was to do just that. Instead we saw Tokyo Sexwales’, Saki Macozoma, Mathews Phosa etc emerging into being millionaires.
Now the mandate was to gather the wealth for the general benefit of the soul, we are likely to see our mines benefiting the top dog-fat cats.
Phumlani Diko
Secretary General
Black African Cinema Regeneration Movement
Well Ministerial fancy cars just proves how people seek their own and live on the top planet. Whilst we are on recession, they are on progression.
Blade Nzimande is a good one and I’m sure comrade Chris Hani will be proud of him. Firstly he has a salary of being SACP SG, and that of being a Minister. Hypocricy at it’s best. I can imagine such a communist fighting for the poor living lavishly, not sharing a cent of his income with at least on citizen or a family.
Blade spent over a million on cars at the plite of the poor, ironically there’s no funds to implement the OSD’. What a ‘Communist’!!!!!