People all over the world have been in awe of South Africa’s seemingly seamless transition into democracy, the passing of the baton from the previous government to, the then and current ruling party, the ANC and, most of all, they have been impressed with our Constitution, which has been deemed the most liberal in the world. Indeed, it is a thing of beauty, as was its predecessor, the Freedom Charter.
Every person has a right to life, basic amenities, freedom of choice … To education. Sadly, fifteen years into democracy, cracks are starting to show in the stone on which these beautiful sentiments were carved. The deepest crevices I have seen are, tragically, in the realm of education.
Aside from the mind-numbing format and newly-revised ‘more easily understandable’ syllabus and terminology, I am shocked to the core at how the principles echoed in this document have been perverted and twisted in South African schools. We are all aware that the rights of children are guarded closely in all schools (specifically, because of the ways in which children had been abused at the hands of teachers and fellow students in the past); even now, they are regarded as being vulnerable and often fall victim (South Africa is notorious for its shockingly high levels of violent crimes).
Understood.
Having said this, I often wonder if teachers are afforded the same rights spoken of in our Constitution. Teachers have decades of experience (in terms of educating and, indeed, life itself), but they are rendered almost children themselves.
Children must not be shouted at, belittled or hit because it diminishes their self-esteem and stunts their emotional and psychological growth but a 52-year old educator, with 30 years of experience can be completely ignored (or shouted at) by a class of arrogant 17-year olds. Teachers have been threatened, almost pummelled and sworn at, for merely doing their jobs. How is this being true to the Constitution?
Children must not be thrown out of the classroom if they are making noise and disrupting a lesson; instead, they should be allowed to stay and disturb the handful of learners who are paying attention. What of their rights?
What angers me is not just the apathy displayed by students, but the seeming lack of value and respect given to teachers by everyone. According to Hindu scripture, there is a hierarchy with which one approaches the people in one’s life:
Matha (Mother) Pitha (Father) Guru (Teacher) Deva (God)
As can be seen from this structure, one’s teacher is supposed to come before God. This is an indication of the high regard once held for teachers.
As South Africans, where is our spirit of Ubuntu? The principles of ‘I am, therefore you are’ have been forgotten by this generation. Teachers play a role of tremendous significance in shaping the futures of those whose lives they touch. Unfortunately, their students do the same for them …
The death of Michael Jackson, the King of Plastic and Pop (some may argue that both these areas are not wholly mutually exclusive and, hence, may consider this description of him redundant), as we have seen as consumers of any and all media, has been just as overly publicised as his life.
Why?
Sure, he wrote some perfectly-pitched, sappy, catchy songs with emotively-charged lyrics; he even sold millions of albums the world over. People called him an idol, an icon. But, ultimately, he was just an entertainer – he brought tears to many an eye; he managed to elicit many a smile from his fans but while he was tucking little boys in, sleeping in oxygen chambers and frolicking around with the llamas and chimpanzees at his Never Land ranch, he didn’t do anything that ‘made the world a better place’, as he himself so eloquently put it.
His eccentricities, mind-blowing excesses and apparent self-loathing (a shadowy, somewhat sleazy part of which, I may add, that was hidden from public view) fascinated us all. We all watched as voyeurs, transfixed, to see what ridiculous thing he would do next. His career was as much about his music as it was about his crazy antics.
People who have passed on, people who have made more of an impact (in terms of environmental protection, human rights, free trade, and so on) have fallen through the cracks in the media, nowhere to be found, not even between the lines …
This warrants an examination of our own lives and values; we need to ask ourselves which qualities we consider worthy of admiration in the people we look up to.
To put things in perspective, while most mourn the death of this performer, this one man, spare a thought for the millions dying of AIDS, those who have lost their lives during the Zimbabwe crisis and those fighting and dying in the name of freedom in Darfur and Myanmar. These are the real idols.
Eccentric, controversial to say the least but does anybody really know what made Michael Jackson tick. He had an enormous amount of musical talent, which shot him to the top of pop music world in the 80’s and helped him build a large fortune. Michael Jackson paid several visits to South Africa, even singing Happy Birthday to Madiba. His fans remained loyal to the end. You either loved him or you hated him but there is no doubt especially in the latter part that Michael Jackson’s life was characterised by odd behavior, unusual relationships, extensive plastic surgery, financial debts caused by uncontrolled spending sprees, overuse of prescription drugs and child molestation trials. At the end, was he in control of his life or was he under the influence of those doctors and promoters, who surrounded him?
So who was the real Michael Jackson? - composer, song-writer, singer, choreographer, a really down-to-earth human being, a nice person, courteous, humble, generous, giving, loving, amazing, extraordinary, unique OR a perverted child molester?
Is Zapiro’s cartoon published on the 3rd Match 2005 in the Sowetan unfair to the memory of Michael Jackson or did it reflect the world’s perception at that moment in time?
To see more cartoons visit www.zapiro.com
Bafana Bafana went down 1-0 to Brazil last night as they missed out on reaching the Confederations Cup Final. Very few people gave us any hope in last nights game but credit must go to the boys for putting up such a brave fight. If Captain Aron did not give away that silly freekick on the edge of the box that Brazil subsequently scored from, I believe we could have gone into extra time and then penalties and we could have won.
But we must take a lot of heart away from the performance last night. It just went to show that we can mix it up with the big boys of world soccer. My main worry though is that with all the possession and game play we had, we failed to score. The reason I say that we are so close but yet so far is that we are close to having a good team that is very capable of making us proud come the World Cup in 2010, but we are so far from having striker or the attacking strength to really become a strong force. The fact that we only score two goals in the whole tournament which we played four games does not sit down well with me. We need to attack more and score goals.
This Confederations Cup was meant to be Theko’s tournament to shine but he let us down big time. Maybe we put too much pressure on him to perform and it became a bit too much. I hope he can learn from this and he will be ready for 2010. With our lack of goals, I got to think, should we recall Benni McCarthy? We need someone come 2010 who knows how to score.
But all in all, well done Bafana, you did not let us down last night against Brazil. We can build from this experience and be ready for 2010.
Michael Jackson has passed away. We at InTheNews.co.za are saddened by this tragic news and we would like to pass on our condolences to the Jackson family for the loss of arguably the greatest pop entertainer of all time.
Paramedics were called to Jackson’s Beverly Hills home at about midday yesterday (Thursday) after he stopped breathing. He was pronounced dead two hours later at the UCLA medical centre. It is believed that Michael suffered a cardiac arrest. Jackson was due to perform a couple of concerts in the UK from July13.
You either hated or loved Michael Jackson but there is no denying how talented he was. I think anyone who is into music will know who Michael Jackson is, even if you are not a music fan, I am sure you knew about the legend. Who can ever forget classic songs like Bad, Thriller, Lady Diana, the list is endless or the ‘Moon Walk’? Many artists today have tried to come onto the scene and emulate Michael Jackson but they have not come close, that is just how talented the man was.
RIP Michael Jackson, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
The inevitable has finally happened! We had known for a while now that the price of electricity in South Africa was going to go up at some stage and today (Thursday) we have gotten confirmation that Eskom has been granted a 31.3% tariff increase by the National Energy Regulator of SA(Nersa). Eskom had wanted a 34% hike but they have to settle for the 31.3% hike. The increase comes into effect as early as next week (1 July).
The tariff increase will result in a rise in the average standard tariff from 25.24c per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to 33.14c. With this increase, Eskom will up their revenue as they have been seeking to generate more cash so they can upgrade their current infrastructure. This increase is going to be met with very mixed reactions. Increasing the price of electricity will mean that the consumers are going to spend more on their monthly expenses bill and inturn, producers could hike the prices of their goods and services as most things need electricity to be made. So in the long run we could see an increase in the price of everything.
But then again, Eskom needed this increase so they can have money to build new power stations so that we do not have a shortage of electricity in the country.
Gwede Mantashe (ANC Secretary-General) or Jacob Zuma (President of South Africa)? Luthuli House - Headquarters of the ANC or the Union buidings seat of government ?
It has been reported recently in the South African press that increasingly, decisions and meetings which should be managed by those in charge at the Union Buildings are taking place at Luthuli House. This raises the question of who is actually in charge?
Concerning government policy, Zapiro’s cartoon in the Times on the 16th June 2009 shows Gwede driving a car in the front seat, complimenting “his child” Zuma in the baby seat in the back and telling him that real drivers need to indicate, whether they are going left or right.
For more Zapiro cartoons visit www.zapiro.com
Tender Mavundla wasn’t always as well known as she is now, thanks to South Africa’s Pop Idols. But right now she is capitalising on that momentum with the release of her debut album, “Tender Moments.”
Born in Port Shepstone, Tender grew up in little village called KwaNositha where she was actively involved in stage plays and a gospel choir. In 1997, things started turning around for Tender, after she won SABC 1’s Jam Alley Megastar Competition and decided to pursue singing as a career. She moved to Johannesburg where she sang backing vocals for various artists and made it into the Top 5 of a Gospel Star Search.
In 2001 she was diagnosed with HIV and moved back to Port Shepstone. In what seemed like a miraculous second chance when Idols arrived in Margate in June 2007, she of course entered and ended up as one of the four finalists of the competition.
After impressing the public and judges alike with her vocal talent’s Tender has now released her debut Afro-Pop/Afro Soul album, titled, ‘Tender Moments’. This electric debut showcases this incredible woman’s voice, spectrum of styles and never give up attitude. With 13 tracks on the album, Tender demonstrates both her vocal and lyrical range and delivers a strong and diverse offering.
Tender’s is a story of determination and talent winning through many obstacles and her voice and music reflect this in every way. With her debut album now out, Tender is taking her first steps to realising a dream nurtured since childhood.
Released through Augmented Music Productions the album will be in stores and on your local radio station soon.
For more info:
Augmented Music Productions
Management - Bheka Malishe
Tel: +27 (0)72 206 2846
skinnyb@vodamail.co.za
Marketing Services
Media & Publicity - Michael James
+27 (0)74 192 8454
info@marketingservices.co.za
We are a year away from the start of the FIFA 2010 World Cup but Is the Bafana Bafana team ready to take on the big boys? Well those who watched Sunday’s opening match against the Asian champions Iraq will come away disappointed. South Africa missed three relatively easy chances to create a goal to beat the no 86 in the world especially when Bernard Parker acted in defence rather than in attack. Would a higher bonus offer have changed the result?
Zapiro’s cartoon of the 11th March 2009 in The Times, shows Danny Jordaan dismayed at Bafana Bafana’s ludicrous and greedy demand for SAR 34 million as a cash incentive to perform in the tournament.
For more Zapiro cartoons visit www.zapiro.com
Is the recent criticism of Zapiro’s cartoon on the South African elections by Annar Cassam (a Tanzanian, who was formerly director of the UNESCO Bureau at the UN Office in Geneva and consultant at UNESCO/PEER Nairobi.) valid?
The cartoon that Cassim has an issue with is the cartoon published in the Mail & Guardian on the 23rd April 2009, showing what lies ahead for the majority of voters who queued up to vote for the ANC because of what the leadership – here symbolized by the snake’s head – has promised them. She argues that Zapiro’s cartoon makes a mockery of the aspirations of impoverished voters,. She feels for Zapiro to trash and mock this memory of that first voting day of his country’s first democratic elections is an extraordinarily cheap act of contempt. And the contempt is aimed not just at the 2009 elections, the ANC and its leadership, it is above all aimed at the millions of voters who queued, as they have done every five years since 1994, to vote for a better life in their country. She continues to say that the venom in the cartoon makes a mockery of them and their aspirations and shows how much ‘prejudice and hate’ is expressed under cover of the freedom of expression by such cartoonists as Zapiro.
Cassam is free to have her own opinions but her interpretation of the cartoon and Zapiro’s message in the cartoon is completely wrong.
During the election campaign, the ANC like nearly all political parties have made promises in order to attract voters and especially those poor impoverished voters. The election process was peaceful and democratic despite the voters having to be patient by waiting in long queues. Now the ANC have been voted in by an overwhelming majority, they will need to deliver. Looking at the track record of the prior 15 years of ANC rule, this certainly has not always been the case. In 1994, the ANC was the champion of human rights, there was hope that South Africa would become a fairer, more equal and more caring society. In its own review, the ANC government acknowledged that half the population – 22 million out of 44 million – lived in abject poverty. Political power struggles, reports of corruption and the enrichment of the narrow politically-connected elite have become the order of the day
Zapiro sees himself as a graphical political commentator interpreting events as they happen. His cartoons over the years have been critical of all political parties especially when there are contradictions in their actions and their policies. This cartoon illustrates that South Africa remains a democracy through its election process with the snaking queues of patient voters and warns that it is always easier to make promises than implementing them.
One may agree or disagree with Zapiro, but at no stage is there any hate or cheap mockery on the down-trodden in this cartoon as suggested by Annar Cassam. Examine it and decide for yourself.
For more Zapiro cartoons on the South African elections link to http://www.zapiro.com.
If you wish to order an ebook version of the A-Z of the 2009 elections click HERE
