DA’s suing of Safa chiefs is political, not a real anti-fraud bid
Address causes of migration crisis
THE WORLD football association was plunged into a crisis this year that particularly led to Fifa’s elective congress that saw Sepp Blatter being reelected as president.
Since then, Fifa has been rocked by a scandal in relation to the awarding of this tournament to host nations with South Africa being the main focus. Fourteen officials have been arrested and Fifa’s general secretary was suspended.
This week we have learnt that the DA has opened a fraud and corruption charge case against the former and current South African Football Association bosses – Molefi Oliphant and Danny Jordaan. This move is politically driven more than anything else. The accused are closely connected to the ANC, with Jordaan being the incumbent mayor at the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, a metro the DA is targeting for next year’s local government election.
One of the biggest problems with the DA is that it always tries to run this country through courts even when it’s not necessary. This move also raises other questions like whether the DA has a prima facie case against the two. But why now all of a sudden? Those who are politically wise will tell you that this move has more to do with tarnishing Jordaan’s image than being a genuine fight against fraud and corruption. The DA’s thinking is this will woo voters away from the ANC and give it an upper hand in its pursuit of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.
I believe expert investigators are more than capable of dealing with these cases without the DA trying to run a parallel trial.
Green Point, Cape Town
WRITE TO US
THE REFUGEE crisis in Europe has graphically portrayed man’s inhumanity to fellow man and it’s disgusting that it took the chilling image flashed across the world of 3-year-old Syrian refugee Aylan Kurdi lying dead on a Turkish beach to shame apathetic governments into action.
Tens of thousands of wretched African migrants have been dying for the longest time in a desperate bid to escape their war-ravaged countries.
The current crisis has exposed the psyche of many nations, both belligerently mighty and benignly small, whether it be a wonderful spirit of moral rectitude or a crass uncaring mentality. Some countries, such as Germany, have magnanimously opened their borders to hundreds of thousands of desperate folk, providing a superb example of generosity of spirit. Maybe Germany’s spirit was formed in the cauldron of their Nazi past, and has resulted in this generation of Germans having a conscience.
Sweden provided typically Nordic succour, which endeared it to South Africans during our apartheid hour of need. After the image of Aylan appeared on British TV screens, the UK, to its credit, was shocked into a caring stance. Sadly the cruel mentality of many other countries came to the fore. Hungary has been exposed for its despicable treatment of vulnerable families attempting to reach the sanctuary of Germany. Some of the oil-rich Arab gulf states, such as Saudi Arabia, have provided a degree of monetary assistance but due to the caustic political factions and friction in that region, their borders have remained closed.
Superpowers such as Russia, China and the US have shamefully shown negligible empathy. The US is one mega-rich country with plenty of vacant land which has the capacity to absorb many of the unfortunates but, sadly, history will record a largely uncaring stance from them.
Despite an appeal from opposition leader Isaac Herzog to absorb a sizable amount of migrants, right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused any assistance. Israel complains of their international pariah status which they say is unwar- ranted but imagine how much international goodwill would have been generated if they had opened their hearts to a sizable proportion of migrants.
The refugee scenario is a conundrum with massive consequences for countries already struggling to support their own populations. Realistically, the countries of Europe cannot hope to fully absorb the massive human flood. Germany is already balking at the sheer volumes involved. International agreements can resolve the absorption of 250 000 asylum seekers but what about the following influx of another 250 000 and then the next?
What many fail to appreciate is the crisis will never abate as long as the underlying causes are not addressed. It is the major Western states that have been destabilising multiple regions, either by military intervention as in Libya or via clandestine promotion of internal insurrection, such as in Syria.
Our own country should take note of the migratory developments in Europe as we have a chequered track record in refugee crises. On one hand, we have laudably absorbed a much greater proportion of desperate African migrants than most other countries, and we have the peerless Gift of the Givers, which is setting a example of private charitable excellence to the international community. But recently, xenophobia has raised its ugly head and tarnished our caring image.
South African lensman Kevin Carter’s image of a vulture landing behind a starving Sudanese girl reverberated around the world and shamed countries into famine relief. Hopefully the pitiful image of tiny Aylan, dressed in his best attire, possibly to celebrate a chance of a fresh beginning in a new, less hostile, environment will shock the world into a more caring disposition and a united striving to hold the rogue military powers intent on chronic regional chicanery, firmly to account.
Humankind’s inhumanity must be a great shame to whichever religious deity people are beholden to. Many unsavoury world leaders and their malleable citizens will surely get a huge shock when they meet their maker on judgement day, and he or she closes the pearly gates on them in disgust.
South Africa must take note of developments
Arcadia, Tshwane