Unlikely the slippery Guptas will ever face justice
THE National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had all the time in the world to act against the Guptas but it didn’t and couldn’t.
Despite mounting evidence that the master crooks were looting state coffers in broad daylight and despite intense pressure from both the media and the public, the NPA dithered and procrastinated and dragged its feet, reluctant to act decisively.
Yet as soon as Jacob Zuma was
Racial hatred raises ugly head yet again
ON A DAILY basis we experience unpleasant comments about our race – something that is beyond our control.
Our first instinct is that of inferiority and subservience. We had racial challenges pre-1994, which seem to continue post-democracy in our rainbow nation.
South Africa is a nation revered in other parts of this world, more so for our hospitality and ability to live together given our diverse cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds.
Hate is not a trait that we are born with – it is a culmination of the process of socialisation, psychological conditioning and from past events that we acquire this evil.
Racial utterances made publicly by our politicians are tantamount to hate speech and are not helping eradicate the scourge of hatred of one for the other – Floyd Shivambu’s (EFF) comments on Ismail Momoniat is one such instance. It is about scoring political points in communities suffering the inequality of basic services and high unemployment. Racial hatred against Indians always seems to raise its ugly head; the 1949 Durban riots (when police stood and watched, only to engage when the Indian government intervened), the 1985 Inanda unrest; and anti-Indian rhetoric. Allegations of sinister forces provoking racial tensions between different races is questionable.
Our children should be the next generation to embrace our diversity. They should be taught the one unifying human value: love. It must be paramount in homes and schools that children are provided with education in human values. Swami SSS says: “Instead of relying on worldly power, man can rely on the fundamental powers of human life – truth (love in speech), love, peace (love in thought), right conduct (love in action), non-violence (love in understanding).” M PILLAY Rondebosch East
Workers must turn to trusted unions
IT IS DISAPPOINTING that unions we trust can sell employees to the employer so easily.
People who are supposed to be representing workers decided to sleep with the enemy. They took a binding and unreasonable decision without consulting the people who trusted them.
It was a futile exercise for them to spend six months spending our money travelling to different destinations in the name of negotiating with all sectors on common ground, only to stab other unions in the back.
We thought that public representatives were reasonable, but they have proved how selfish and naive they can be.
Negotiations started long before the treasury increment on VAT was announced and before the petrol price increase. They did not need a rocket scientist to inform them that they would be stuck in their agreement for the coming three years. As for teachers and health sectors who are expected to be intellectuals, it was disappointing, they are aware of members’ financial difficulties. But they ignored these factors.
Is it because our negotiators are getting double salaries, thus they ignore instructions given to them by people who mandated them?
What made these negotiators sign an agreement without reporting back to the employees? Sadtu being the one with the majority of members were the first to sign, together with Denosa, including Popcru even before members knew what was on the table.
What made Nehawu and Nap- forced out of office, the Hawks swooped down on the Gupta compound at Saxonwold, but it was too late. In a repeat of the sagas of the Sudanese President Omar a-Bashir and former Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe, the Guptas had flown safely to Dubai and India.
Why allow the thieves to flee and then enter into elaborate extradition negotiations to bring them back?
In haste the Asset Forfeiture tosa sign is only known to them. As for Naptosa, which is known to be reasonable and full of intellectuals, they are disappointing.
The three unions that did not sign – PSA, Sapu and Nupsaw/ Natu– are the ones which need to be congratulated for taking a firm stand as mandated by its members. They will be strong forever and will get support from other sectors.
If possible, all employees in the unions which signed that lousy agreement with the employer or government should stop their affiliation and form new unions or join the most trusted ones.
It did not come as a surprise that those affiliated to Cosatu were the first to sign; to them attending the negotiations was just a formality.
Teachers should unite and form an apolitical union which will represent the interests of intellectuals who will lead our future leaders to a responsible adulthood.
Popcru should cease to operate and join Sapu as they seem to have lost direction. As for Denosa, they should concentrate on their duties and stop calling for the recall of the minister of health because they don’t even understand the constitution of our country, nor the provincial policy concerning health. PHASMAN SELOANE
Diepkloof, Soweto
Political storms forecast for 2019
SOUTH Africa will be sailing into turbulent and treacherous waters as the 2019 general elections loom ominously on the horizon.
The unsinkable ANC Titanic has struck the Zuma iceberg, and is rapidly floundering on the rocks, as survivors desperately race to reach tribal and geographical safe havens. The ANC juggernaut is rapidly self-destructing, as it is ripped apart at the seams. It cannot be salvaged as the tide of loyalty rapidly evaporates. Unit (AFU) seized all their luxury cars and a plane to the value of R180 million, but it was a drop in the ocean compared to the vast fortune they had amassed through crooked means and stashed away in foreign bank accounts.
In any case, the NPA suffered a humiliating set-back when the high court in Pretoria ordered the AFU to return the said assets to the Guptas as there was insufficient evidence to show why the assets should remain
The DA lifeguard is about to implode from within, in an act of self-immolation. It cannot be rescued as it will be reduced to political ashes. The EFF will continue to stoke the fires of hell with its high octane demagoguery which will only serve to exacerbate a volatile situation, thereby toxifying the political landscape.
No outright victor will emerge, the smaller parties will be vanquished into oblivion. South Africa will be propelled into a new political dimension, the likes of which we have never seen before. Political instability could envelop the land. Be afraid, very afraid, as 2019 approaches with furious political storms. FAROUK ARAIE Johannesbrug
Ramadaan reaffirms Muslim commitment
THE month of Ramadaan and Eidul-Fitr are significant religious events for Muslims globally.
On the day of Eid, also known as the feast of breaking fast, Muslims express their gratitude and praise to the Almighty for having been able to fast and experience Ramadaan – the month of the Qur’an, reflection, prayers and devotion.
They’re grateful for enhanced consciousness and for a month that provides them with an exceptional opportunity for personal, moral, spiritual and religious growth.
The spiritual, revolutionary, sacrificial, redemptive and resilient nature of the month of Ramadaan inculcates within Muslims the predicament of the less privileged, the impoverished, the disempowered and the oppressed.
Therefore, Muslims should use the moral lessons learnt during the month of Ramadaan to support and establish social justice, human rights and equality.
On this joyous day of Eid, we must remember the needy human attached. To our dismay, the Guptas had won round one.
In an attempt to ward off criticism and save his job, NPA boss Shaun Abrahams also ordered his men to raid the Estina Dairy Farm in the Free State, which was reportedly a front for siphoning off state funds.
But again the courts came to the rescue of the thieves and ordered the NPA to return the money to Atul Gupta and others due to a beings with acts of kindness, compassion and generosity.
Let us not forget that serving humanity is one of the commandments from the Almighty and fulfilling his commands and pleasing Him is the ultimate goal of every Muslim.
As the Almighty’s vicegerents on earth, we need to reaffirm and reinforce our commitment to the upliftment of our society and the growth and development of South Africa.
We must stand together with our fellow citizens to protect and strengthen our democracy and support nation-building. Eid Mubarak to the Muslim community. MOHAMED SAEED
Pietermaritzburg
Rohingya refugees can’t be forced back
AUNG San Suu Kyi pretends repatriating Rohingya refugees is just a matter of them filling out some “forms” rather than Myanmar acknowledging its army committed mass atrocities and prosecuting those responsible so the killing, rape and arson don’t recur.
While it is positive that Myanmar and Bangladesh are discussing options for the safe return of Rohingya to their homes, this must be a voluntary process and not lead to a careless effort to push people back against their will.
No one should be forced back to a situation where they will continue to face serious human rights violations and systemic discrimination.
They have been targeted by waves of violence, systematically stripped of their citizenship and forced to live in apartheid-like conditions with severely restricted access to health care, education and basic services.
In order for any return process to be truly voluntary, Rohingya must also be provided with alternatives lack of compelling evidence.
Undeterred, the NPA went for the Gupta-owned Optimum coal mine, but yet again the courts ruled the NPA’s actions were illegal. It sounds stupid but that’s the law. A thief can steal but to prosecute him successfully, the State has to follow the due process of the law.
I have serious doubts the Guptas will ever face justice. THYAGARAJ MARKANDAN
Silverglen to return, including the option to seek international protection. Repatriation cannot occur safely in a short period of time.
The Myanmar government’s lack of transparency with the international community does not represent an adequate response.
To date, Suu Kyi still refuses to grant access to the UN’s fact finders and human rights monitors.
Before proceeding with the repatriation of Rohingya, the Myanmar government must recognise and guarantee all their fundamental human rights. SAJIDA TIMOL Overport
US, Britain to blame for crisis in Yemen
THERE exists a humanitarian crisis in Yemen, a nation of 26 million people, with roughly 12 million suffering from acute malnutrition because of famine. Food is in short supply and the civil war has been raging there for the past two years.
The UN has declared Yemen the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Humanitarian organisations report that a Yemeni child dies every 10 minutes from a preventable cause.
Saudi’s crown prince, Muhammad Bin Salman, has ordered air strikes on Yemen with help from the US. These air strikes occur daily and target hospitals, schools, roads, bridges and residential flats. These are all war crimes and are crimes against humanity. About 50% of hospitals in Yemen are now closed because of bombings and a lack of fuel.
There is little doubt that without a change of heart by the Saudis, Yemenis will starve on a scale the 21st century has yet to see. In such circumstances, the US and Britain would be found guilty of complicity in crimes committed in the name of Saudis’ arrogance. MAHMOUD RANGILA
Isipingo Hills