SA by any other name still corrupt, crime-ridden
OUR Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa; perhaps bored by the banality of his ministry and the mundaneness of his official routines, has come up with the brilliant suggestion that we should consider replacing the name of our country, South Africa.
He proposes an even more brilliant replacement, “Azania”.
What is Azania? It is a medieval Arabic name – meaning the Land of Zanj, ie the Land of Blacks – for the coast of East Africa and adjacent islands. The Zanj were East Africans, several thousands of whom were brought by Basran (Iraqi) land owners to drain the salt marshes East of Basra, approximately
The sad reality for South Africa’s youth
SINCE 1994, the country commemorates the selfless service of youth activists who waged a historic defiance campaign against the apartheid regime in 1976. It’s sad that the economic reform has not done enough to change the lives of young people, particularly the poor.
Corruption is still at the centre of the problem, both in government and the private sector, to the detriment of growth and sustainable development in the country. The struggle facing the present-day youth is the unbridled corruption derailing transformation in society.
The largest constituency remains the historically disadvantaged people, particularly the unemployed youth, some of whom are in prisons and loitering on the streets.
Yet the government spends billions to bail out non-performing entities bedevilled by mismanagement fraught with corruption. In the private sector, certain companies are involved in collusion while others contrive complicated fronting practices to subdue black majority shareholders in a malicious and deliberate manner.
In many ways, the financial and operational decisions are taken behind closed doors intentionally to undermine corporate governance principles and the B-BBEE Act. These corporate citizens show off their huge socio-economic development contributions that have no relation to the reality of young people.
Their interventions hardly reach the economically distressed areas.
This prompts youth migration to cities because of the belief there’s no meaningful transformation, citing the B-BBEE programme to be benefiting the elites and white monopoly capital as insensitive to the poor. The radical economic transformation agenda would be undermined by the separate development attitude of the private sector, corruption and lack of will by the government to deal with the rot hindering service delivery. MORGAN PHAAHLA
Vosloorus
Practise Ramadaan principles daily
AS MUSLIMS mark the end of Ramadaan by celebrating Eid, they are reminded that Ramadaan was a period for self-reflection, to grow spiritually, build collectively and aid the less privileged.
Muslims must recollect the values of Ramadaan and adopt and daily practise its principles in their individual and collective lives.
In this regard it is important to revive the spirit of togetherness and unity, which once epitomised and described the Muslims around the globe.
The challenge that extremism, materialism, consumerism, US geopolitical and imperialist interests in the Middle East, global conflict and bloodshed, sectarian and tribal violence and other selfdestructive qualities poses to social cohesion, peace, brotherhood, unity and comradeship efforts between AD 868 and 883. The Zanj were subjected to heavy slavery by the Basran Arabs.
Around AD 869, a Persian named Ali ibn Muhammad persuaded the Zanj to join with him on the promise of freedom and wealth to fight against the caliphal Basran armies. Hence the famous Zanj rebellion. The rebels gained control of southern Iraq and also in Iran. But by August 883 the black forces were finally crushed with the help of Egyptians who returned to Baghdad with Ali’s head. These are the Azanians who distinguished themselves in both Basra and Iran that Mthethwa wants us to rename SA in their name, as if we too shall perhaps be cannot be over emphasised.
Every effort must be made to rise against and address social ills and other behaviours that are damaging to humans and the environment.
The Saudi-led coalition of Gulf regimes and Egypt to break off diplomatic ties with Qatar over unfounded and unproven accusations of funding terrorist organisations goes against the spirit of Islam and must be condemned.
Due to family and other relations, the blockade is distressing the territory’s people.
Against this background, Muslims must reflect on the decaying situation in the Middle East, and must find lasting solutions based on the Qur’an, teachings of Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) and truth and justice. MOHAMED SAEED
Pietermaritzburg
Qatar boycott a ticking time bomb
THE current Qatar diplomatic crisis doesn’t augur well for the politics of the entire Middle East.
It is sad that all regional and international players cannot coalesce for peace in a region which is already steeped in a state of “catastrophic turmoil” where the lives of hundreds of thousands have been destroyed. MEDIA DESK Darul Ihsan Centre imbued with the labour and energy of the Basran Zanj.
But Mthethwa is not alone in this wonderful proposition. African People’s Convention leader Themba Godi chimes in to endorse Mthethwa. However, we also know that others, like those of the Black Consciousness persuasion, are highly enthused of this idea. Hence the Azanians People’s Organization/Convention.
But what is wrong with the name South Africa? Mthethwa says it not the name of a country but merely the “geographical description of where we are”. Perhaps just like Central African Republic? Or North Carolina? Or Eastern Cape?
An appeal to Prime Minister Thomas Thabane and his 4x4 coalition government in the Kingdom of Lesotho:
PRIOR to your inauguration we submitted our statement pleading that as you form a new government you must as a matter of urgency implement the Phumaphi Commission recommendations to stabilise the kingdom into normalcy.
Two days before your swearing-in ceremony your estranged wife was murdered in cold blood. We appealed for SADC intervention to help you establish institutional structures as you lay a new foundation for the troubled kingdom.
Condolences for the loss of your beloved wife. Congratulations for your coming back to the helm of the government.
This appeal is directed mainly to four heads of the coalition.
We are aware that though the three of you may have been in exile, it does not mean your ideologies will match. Still, it does not mean that your marriage with the butterflies, as they call themselves with Mr Moleleki, will make you a uniform team in policy formulation and mode of governance. Still, lack of a majority in parliament will bar you from instituting massive reforms.
This is an uphill struggle for you and your new administration. We
The real truth though for the name change proposal seems to be that it was coined by colonial settlers; that it was the Anglo-Boer War veterans who coined the name.
A rose is a rose… etc. London is not a British name but a Roman one. Some would say the English were not squeamish about carrying the name imposed by Roman colonials. Remember Julius Caesar? Even the name Nigeria is not African. It was coined by an English woman. Perhaps here some cynics could say what would you expect from a country named by the wife of a colonial overlord?
If South Africa became Azania, what would change other than the are well aware that the majority in the kingdom’s defence force do not take orders from you as their political affiliations differ from yours.
We are also mindful of the tattered state that the kingdom’s police force is in.
Politically, we are accustomed to the tension between you and your rivals – those you have just defeated at the polls. Mindful of their evil wishes and intentions, we are aware that plans may be hatched to eliminate you physically or otherwise.
This is the reason we are appealing to you to seek external assistance on policing as well as military matters to help you establish professional and robust institutions.
Honourable prime minister, you must make sure justice is not only seen to take place, but you must walk the talk.
Many nations, including Malawi, Zimbabwe and Namibia, are in turbulence because they chose to cover up the atrocities of the past in an attempt to shield those that were regarded as famous and heroes.
We may not have great hope in you as you are human too, but make sure that you do not condone corruption in your administration.
Lesotho is one of the kingdoms with rich resources, advantaged with a small and manageable population, so the kingdom can become a middle-class income nation if you use the said resources for the benefit of the entire nation.
May the Kingdom of Lesotho name? Would corruption, incompetence, maladministration, political Mafiosoism and other forms of skulduggery come to an end?
The Mthethwas and Godis of our nation are fond of seducing themselves with symbols and decorations. SA is a heavily traumatised society. Frolicking with name change gimmicks will not undo the great damage that apartheid and the Zupta scourge have inflicted on it. Its wounded social psych will not easily heal through these gimmicks. Maybe the Ghanaian writer was right after all: the beautiful ones are not yet born. PROFESSOR THEMBA SONO
Centurion under your mantle become a beacon of hope so that the past is buried forever.
Our older chiefs used to say “the past is what has been destroyed, the present is where we lay a new beacon for us to build a new inspiring future”.
The Forum for the Future of Africa would like to leave you with the same sentiments as you embark on a mission of rebuilding the Kingdom of Lesotho.
With Khotso (peace), your office must promulgate best policies, with Pula (rain) wisdom must fall like rain, with Nara your team 4x4 must drive the four-cornered kingdom to greater heights of success. THE FORUM FOR THE
FUTURE OF AFRICA
Now that the fox is guarding the hens…
OH THULI, where are you when we need you?
So now Busisizwe is to oversee the State Capture Report. Her first comment was that she would have to get additional finance from Gigaba to undertake this mammoth task. Then she will need two years to complete it!!
By that time, president Jacob Zuma’s term will be finished. How crafty is that? Thuli, we miss you – please come back. B CALDERWOOD
Kloof