It’s the 1st of April and I have already seen that Helen Zille has accepted an ‘elecnomination‘ to spend two weeks living in Khayelitsha, surviving on the minimum wage and using a bucket toilet. Good for her, I say. In other news the DA has announced that the Western Cape government it is going to upgrade Zille’s private residenceContinue reading “Polling, polling, polling down the river”
Category Archives: Cosatu
The very fat goose, the socialists* party, all Zuma’s bets are on the NDP, mining companies show some fang and much much more
I am on my way to London to speak to the funds that buy and sell South Africa’s corporate and government bonds i.e. the market that sets the price at which the world is prepared to lend us money. Daily I become more convinced that the South African political economy is, like quick clay “so unstableContinue reading “The very fat goose, the socialists* party, all Zuma’s bets are on the NDP, mining companies show some fang and much much more”
Our Maggie moment
The Numsa exit from the alliance is a natural consequence of what appears to me to be a ‘Maggie Thatcher moment’ in South African politics. (This is a loose characterisation and it purely means that I believe there is evidence that government is taking a much harder line with the union movement and is backingContinue reading “Our Maggie moment”
EFF off and DA
“How seriously to take the EFF is becoming the question of the year for a view on South African political risk” As I listened to Pravin Gordhan’s budget speech I thought I would share with you an extract of my news commentary from Monday morning. But I forgot to hit ‘publish’ as I was beingContinue reading “EFF off and DA”
Outlook 2014 – and other messages from the future
I have been agonising over whether to keep this website going – or to consign it to the wastelands of the interwebs there to wander mournfully, accumulating lurid advertisements for secret ways of getting rid of belly fat and invitations from young, beautiful and lonely people, in your area, waiting by their phones for a call from you. AfterContinue reading “Outlook 2014 – and other messages from the future”
Numsa, Nkandla, the SACP and other matters
Herewith some comments on the latest political news. Apologies that I have posted so seldom here of late. I see a New Year’s resolution coming on. I see a New Year’s resolution exiting stage left. Numsa, Cosatu and the SACP … and Jacob Zuma During this past week the National Union of Metalworkers of South AfricaContinue reading “Numsa, Nkandla, the SACP and other matters”
The sound coming from business about policy, especially labour policy, is hurting my head
Forgive the dearth of postings here … I was brought low by some late winter dreaded lurgy and as a result my life came to grinding halt for almost two weeks. The big story (which I will deal with later today or tomorrow) is the astonishingly decisively manner in which the ANC and its governmentContinue reading “The sound coming from business about policy, especially labour policy, is hurting my head”
Alliance ‘boycott’ of Marikana commemoration and Vavi axing are both monuments marking the retreat of ANC power
Zwelinzima Vavi’s suspension from Cosatu and the ANC/SACP/Num decision not to attend the Marikana commemoration, both on Friday last week, are, to my mind, indicative of a significant retreat of ANC hegemony. ‘Hegemony’, as I imbibed the concept from probably slightly fevered readings of Antonio Gramsci’s sublime Prison Notebooks while I was a student activist (and from endlessContinue reading “Alliance ‘boycott’ of Marikana commemoration and Vavi axing are both monuments marking the retreat of ANC power”
Vavi and the Numsa , DA taking Gauteng, mutters at the Treasury, grounds for even more caution on Zimbabwe and Malema’s visit to the prophet
Here are some bits and pieces of my latest commentary: Vavi and Numsa – the underlying risks Zwelinzima Vavi faces a special central executive committee of Cosatu meeting today to decide his fate following his admission that he had sex with a junior Cosatu employee in her office in the Cosatu headquarters. Numsa, the NationalContinue reading “Vavi and the Numsa , DA taking Gauteng, mutters at the Treasury, grounds for even more caution on Zimbabwe and Malema’s visit to the prophet”
Zimbabwe, Vavi, EFF, Amcu and other delights
Herewith my news commentary as of yesterday morning. I thought I would republish it here because it includes my brief assessments of how to think about the Zimbabwe election, Vavi and the EFF. I also, politely, imply that the Seriti commission might be a cover-up and that Amcu’s underlying objectives in the gold sector areContinue reading “Zimbabwe, Vavi, EFF, Amcu and other delights”
NDP defections, construction scandal gathers momentum, Ramaphosa’s uncertain future, Zanu-PF’s alledged relationship with Julius … and much much more
Herewith my latest news update as of 06h30 this morning. NDP – defections to the left and right Collusion scandal in the construction industry gathers momentum Tax Review Committee – some welcome caution Proposed legislative changes in the mining industry shows SA government’s deep ambivalence towards the sector Ramaphosa – rumours that Zuma faction isContinue reading “NDP defections, construction scandal gathers momentum, Ramaphosa’s uncertain future, Zanu-PF’s alledged relationship with Julius … and much much more”
The politics in our economics, NPA in decline, Vavi survives, Pule lies, Dali hearts Bob, Num bends the truth and more
Herewith an extract from my weekly news summary and analysis. The big question of the week was the degree to which Zuma’s Thursday morning briefing helped or hindered our economic decline. I know I cringed as he was speaking, especially during the twinkly admonishment at the end urging journalists present to report favourably on SouthContinue reading “The politics in our economics, NPA in decline, Vavi survives, Pule lies, Dali hearts Bob, Num bends the truth and more”
Freedom day good news, the bargaining season, Vavi and other matters
Herewith is an extract from my weekly news summary/analysis of what I thought was important in the main weeklies. Freedom Day, April 27 – nineteen years on from the first democratic election … a good story by-and-large City Press has a useful op-ed page by the always excellent Ferial Haffajee (who is also the editor)Continue reading “Freedom day good news, the bargaining season, Vavi and other matters”
Cosatu’s splitting headache, the ANC and DA try on new party dresses and those awful Mandelas
In high anxiety at my failure to publish here for several weeks (what with 12 days visiting fund managers in the UK and Europe and new commitments to the Daily Maverick – see here and here for the first two of those) I have decided to again post a modified version of my usually bespoke Continue reading “Cosatu’s splitting headache, the ANC and DA try on new party dresses and those awful Mandelas”
Zuma’s brittle grip tightens
Early on Monday mornings I send my clients a review of the previous week’s political news which might be of relevance to financial markets. This morning I thought the issues were of more general interest. Thus … Summary: It is difficult not to see the main items in this review as connected: The ANC yesterdayContinue reading “Zuma’s brittle grip tightens”
Nic Borain 