Author Archives: nicborain

The Polokwane chickens are coming home today …

Today Pravin Gordhan presents his (and Jacob Zuma’s) first Medium Term Budget Policy Statement. The post-Polokwane guillotine has been working overtime off late and we have seen the last remnants of the Ancien Régime flushed from the party, the state and government. The last man standing is Trevor Manuel, balancing precariously on a rapidly shrinkingContinue reading “The Polokwane chickens are coming home today …”

Some (more) light weekend contempt

On the drift to the left in South African policy making: When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators. – P. J. O’Rourke On certain young leaders in South African politics: Fame is but the breath of the people, that is often unwholesome. – ThomasContinue reading “Some (more) light weekend contempt”

German footballers in bullet-proof vests

Well, here it comes. The waves of terror and paranoia about deepest, darkest Africa are about to break on our shores. And not just any kind of fear – more the  scaremongered kind generated by those whose job it is to sell protection. Last night the global sporting media (BBC, SPC and AP) were awashContinue reading “German footballers in bullet-proof vests”

Joel Netshitenzhe’s resignation: trying to read the signposts

We are all looking for signposts as to where Zuma’s government is going and where we will end up. Joel Netshitenzhe’s resignation is an important signpost, but it is, perhaps, too early to make out which direction it is pointing in. Here are some extracts of what the Young Communist League in Gauteng had toContinue reading “Joel Netshitenzhe’s resignation: trying to read the signposts”

Farewell to Peter Mayibuye*

Joel Netshitenzhe has resigned as Director General in Trevor Manuel’s National Planning Commission in the presidency. This comes a day after President Zuma reshuffled and attempted to explain the various roles to be played by the various ministers who fall into the economics cluster. The Business Day article suggested that Zuma had caved in toContinue reading “Farewell to Peter Mayibuye*”

Signs of light as new old guard curbs Polokwane ideological excess

It is a small sign, but hopeful and interesting. In the last week: Billy Masetlha has drawn on deep ANC traditions to argue that the role Cosatu and the SACP are playing threatens the ANC’s ability to lead all classes and groups in South Africa. He has restated a clear premise of traditional ANC thinking:Continue reading “Signs of light as new old guard curbs Polokwane ideological excess”

The People’s Flag is … a sort of murky grey

I have been trying to figure out whether Billy Masetlha’s criticism assertion that there appears to be an attempted communist take-over of the ANC is accurate or relevant. During this endeavour I came across an interesting passage from ANC Today, September 2007 (the lead-up to Polokwane). It quotes Joe Slovo: “But, despite the fact thatContinue reading “The People’s Flag is … a sort of murky grey”

Pirates of Polokwane* Shaik their Booty

That was going to be my headline for the story I was going to write about the appointment of Mo Shaik to head the secret service. I decided not to write about it. I simply can’t. I was going to point out that the South African Secret Service is responsible for all non-military foreign intelligenceContinue reading “Pirates of Polokwane* Shaik their Booty”

Julius snippet – while Rome burns

While I am writing a response to the shocking news that Mo Shaik will be our new head of the SASS (South African Secret Service) here’s a thing you just can’t miss: Julius Malema attacked Nedbank from a platform while addressing students at the Mangosuthu Technikon in Umlazi, Durban. The real reason Nedbank had withdrawnContinue reading “Julius snippet – while Rome burns”

It is impossible to avoid: Cosatu is the enemy of the unemployed

Let’s be clear here. Cosatu might oppose unemployment, but that is an abstraction and Cosatu’s opposition is largely symbolic and ineffectual. It is the interests and strivings of the unemployed themselves that Cosatu actively works to counter. It’s obvious really. Cosatu is a federation of trade unions. A trade union is the representative of employed people, asContinue reading “It is impossible to avoid: Cosatu is the enemy of the unemployed”

A back-to-the-future quote from FDR

Here’s FDR in an interesting quote I dug up. It’s from about 1935 – in the lead-up to his re-election in 1936 – and it is made to a journalist from the Hearst organisation. This gives one a sense of how threatening was the Great Depression – to the very system of capitalist accumulation itself. This is,Continue reading “A back-to-the-future quote from FDR”

Ruling party’s populism – such a clever trick

Just how broad a church is a broad church? The ANC and the Congress Movement has always liked to refer to itself as “a broad church” – which basically means that people of different ideological persuasions should be able to find a home within the movement. The Ruling Alliance is giving new definition to ‘broadness”Continue reading “Ruling party’s populism – such a clever trick”