We can’t afford to throw away the land
FOR the second week running, the Sunday Times has told of a scandalous waste of taxpayers’ money — of prosperous farms that earned priceless foreign exchange or grew food for our own people, being redistributed to wealthy tenants (in both these cases, lawyers) and ending up derelict.
What is the ANC government thinking?
Land redistribution is one of President Jacob Zuma’s pet projects: he is always advocating the acceleration of the return of land to its original indigenous owners.
Last week we read of the huge citrus estate at Zebediela in Limpopo, and this week it was the turn of Hill View Farm near East London; both once prosperous, handed over to lawyers, down the tubes.
How does Zuma possibly believe that this sort of exchange of ownership is helping South Africa?
This is criminal negligence. South Africa loses exports and foreign exchange (now even more valuable than it was 13 months ago, thanks to our president’s juggling of finance ministers), and has to import food which we used to grow here; and this is not to even mention the loss of employment for poor people.
Has this government thought of giving any training or supervision by experts to help the recipients of these magnanimous benefits?
And this is not a new phenomenon — these reports have been coming in for years; readers will remember a few years ago learning that the SPCA was called to the North West farm of National Council of Provinces chairwoman Thandi Modise, who did not leave money to buy food for the caretaker or the pigs on the property.
The solution? There are several examples from the Western Cape of owners sharing management with the workers, to the benefit of both.
Has the government tried this anywhere, or is this just for commercial farmers to put into practice? — Richard Tomlinson, Port Elizabeth
Make a gracious lady No 1
ONE often reads and hears of various persons wishing that the country was rid of our president.
A certain gracious (note, this is a clue regarding her name!) lady of international renown is the widow of two presidents in Southern Africa.
Would it be the answer to the wishes of the aforementioned persons if Zuma were to be replaced by the lady in question? — Simon T Dehal, Verulam
Malema is just a clown
JULIUS Malema is just a political clown hellbent on destruction.
Our people should know by now that he is self-serving and they must be wary of him.
His outburst against the new public protector is a case in point. Not long ago Malema and his EFF supported her. What has changed now for her to be labelled a spy?
We know Malema used to call former public protector Thuli Madonsela names when she was investigating him for the Ratanang trust fund and his dealings with the Limpopo government. Only later did he start singing her praises.
And when our courts were on his case he called the judges racists. However, when they deal with his perceived enemies, he praises them.
Evidence suggests that Malema has a history of attacking everybody and any institution that deals with him. — Moses Zola Manake, Roodekrans
White capital a diversion
“WHITE monopoly capital” is an amorphous phrase which is now hackneyed.
This explains why every scoundrel finds it a convenient refuge to divert attention from their crimes.
Fortunately, only fools and minions buy this blaming of nebulous and incorporeal “white monopoly capital”. — Erick Mhlanga, Thohoyandou
A View to a Disaster
President Jacob Zuma’s Licence to Kill the economy has knocked The Living Daylights out of South Africa’s future, which essentially means we Die Another Day.
From Russia with Love has been replaced by “From Dubai with Love”. Our leaders enjoy a Quantum of Solace, as there is more chance of a Skyfall than of them being held accountable.
Zuma’s cronies love the fact that a Goldfinger blossoms quickly into a golden handshake.
Trump is a good thing
I SENSE that Gerrit Olivier — “Obama misread canny Putin. Will Trump fare any better?” (January 22) — is anti-Putin, anti-Russian and probably anti-Trump.
If I were Vladimir Putin, I would have invaded Ukraine because of the risk it poses to the Russian Federation. The uprising in Ukraine in February 2014 to overthrow a legitimately elected president was an extension of the Arab Spring as orchestrated by Western forces.
The inclusion of Crimea in the Russian Federation was decided on in a poll by the Crimean people themselves, not by Putin.
Olivier claims: “The national capabilities, soft and hard, of the US dwarf those of Russia.”
This seems outdated. Did he take into account how Russia intervened in the Middle East? The US is not even part of the peace process in Astana, Kazakhstan, having been kicked out by its own ally, Turkey.
The US has made a fool of itself by overextending itself to protect its market share in Europe and elsewhere.
Donald Trump is the best thing to have happened in global politics. For
Evidence suggests that JZ783 was appointed ahead of 007 to deliver the For Your Eyes Only documents to an undisclosed Saxonwold safe haven.
If Diamonds are Forever, then the Zuptas will be Bond-free for the rest of time. — Keith Chipiwa, Randburg
The Kraalbaai debate
IT is important to point out three facts about the article “No more la-la land in Langebaan” (January 22):
This commercial opportunity was advertised and was open to all South Africans to apply. Recreational activities in Kraalbaai will largely continue and plans are afoot to improve these further with ablutions et cetera for our visitors;
Some comments from boat owners/yachtsman acknowledged that such owners were non-compliant in terms of park regulations when it came to overnight mooring and sailing in the lagoon. The notice — although this was not its purpose — reminded starters, no one in the US seemed to understand how devastating a war with Russia would be.
Trump is also giving South Africa space for introspection, to realise that we must learn to stand on our own. — Makhaya Lonzi, Port Elizabeth
Maths and US presidents
ACCORDING to the media, Donald Trump is the 45th president of the US. However, Grover Cleveland became the 22nd and 24th president.
Thus, if you count all the US presidents from 1 to 44 individually, Donald Trump is the 44th president of the US.
So why is he is the 45th president — what criterion is used to count? — Kgaogelo Ntlhane, Polokwane yachtsmen that they were sailing in a national park and marine protected area. So it created an important awareness among sailors; and
Despite South African National Parks sending notices to the various yacht clubs, we have received no response from them. Some clubs acknowledged receiving the notice, but offered no further response. We understand that clubs may be seeking other avenues to deal with the matter, but the notice invited them to send queries to us. — Pierre Nel, senior section ranger, West Coast National Park, Langebaan