Tag Archives: zuma

Oct 27 2014

An Open Letter to the President of the ANC (and by default) the President of the RSA

Dear Mr Zuma (I’m not sure you deserve the title Mr President)

When Chris Hani was shot, Madiba spoke on TV and assured the Rainbow Nation that our country was in good hands – that all was under control!

Yet another killing – one too many and a bridge too far!

Surely, the time has come for you to show some statesmanship, Mr Zuma. Carpe Diem – seize the moment – and reassure us that all is still well in our country and in your hands!

Tell us what your plan of action is to stop all these senseless killings! Or do you intend retiring to the Nkandla bunker whilst the rest of the country gets involved in a Wild West shoot out? You surely don’t want a Western solution to an African problem!

You, Mr Zuma, are in charge and the buck stops with you! You can’t just take from us – it’s time to pay back!

Please tell us what you intend to do!

We cannot continue with this mayhem and lawlessness, from the veld around Vosloorus, to the Pretoria penthouses, and from the fields of our farms to the shopping centers of Somerset West! From all these senseless shootings of innocent people to the stupidity of shooting traffic lights in our main streets – it’s lawlessness and it’s got to be stopped!

The Biblical Jacob, father of the 12 tribes of Israel, was determined to work long and hard for what was required and we learn from his life that security does not lie in the accumulation of goods.

The People of South Africa deserve no less from you!

CRY (no, Weep) the BELOVED COUNTRY!

Ed Lunnon

PS Please, Sir, don’t put that Social Worker on the TV at noon today … In our darkest hours, we need the President to light our way!

Mar 20 2014

The M Factor

7 years 6 months on …

Thuli-Madonsela

Yesterday I published the following status on Facebook:

mmm Must be in the letter M … Mandela, Mangena, Madonsela … Gives one hope for the Morrow! Smile the Beloved Country!
 
With people like the Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, around, I believe we can sleep easier at night. However, I hope she is going to bed with a revolver and a cricket bat under her bed!
 
In an interview on ENCA News last night, the lady was asked if she was glad that it was all over now.
 
She gave a rare smile and answered in the affirmative. I wish I had a picture of that smile. I think I also saw a tinge of sadness there!
 
What a lady of courage and fortitude and morality! I wish we had more of her ilk.
 
We have so much to be grateful for, including Thuli Madonsela.
 
The years to come will highlight her contribution to the development of our fragile democracy.
 
Thank you Thuli from a grateful South Africa. Indeed, SMILE the beloved country.
 
Read this wonderful article by Thuli in The Oprah Magazine:
 
 
Feb 15 2013

Here is the News …

Friday 15 February 2013 : 6 years 5 months on …

Physical Deuce / Mental Deuce

In life there is not much that goes according to the plan. As much as we think we are in control, we are seldom in the driving seat.

In the grand scheme of worldly things, this week was planned to bring in income for the retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers in that farcical exercise known as Happy Valentines Day!

It’s a day designed by the business people to let the tills ring at a spot somewhere between Christmas and Easter when the tills normally ring anyway. It serves the same purpose as Fathers Day, Mothers Day, Halloween Day, Back-to-School Day  and whatever other day – turnover driven days under the guise of whatever feel good day can be dreamed up!

The other planned event this week was the State of the Nation address by the President Jacoob Zuma and the opening of Parliament on Thursday

image

But what should have taken centre-stage was driven into the background and eclipsed by two other events which have become the media business’s Valentines Day, Christmas, Easter and Valentine all rolled into one.

Firstly, the very tragic death of Port Elizabethan and model Reeva Steenkamp and the subsequent arrest of paralympian, role model and home-grown hero Oscar Pistorius, charged with her murder.

Secondly, the meteor shower in Russia that has injured a thousand people.

image

I guess the State of the South African Nation was always meant to take the back seat at this time. Even the sale of horse meat masquerading as beef in Europe in the human food supply chain would eclipse the State of our Nation!

My hopes and prayers are with all the people affected by these terrible tragedies of the past few days, and with our beautiful country, and with those in control!

Nov 19 2012

Jaaaa Boet!

Ja Boet!

©2012 Edward C. Lunnon

Monday 19 November 2012: 6 years 2 months on …

Physical: Advantage CBD / Mental: Deuce

On Saturday evening we attended a show in a 700-seater marquee at Grey called “Boet and Swaer” (Brother and Brother-in-Law). It’s a parody on South African life told through the eyes and in the accent of of two farmers from the Albany / Grahamstown area.

The show was preceded by the International rugby match between Scotland and the Springboks at Murrayfield in Edinburgh (which we won), followed by a dance ably discoed by Charlie T of AlgoaFM’s  DMB Morning Show and interspersed by a well-stocked Castle Corner.

Four years ago in 2008, I was at Murrayfield watching that game (which we won) with Barryvan der Vyfer, and his son and neighbour. I also bumped into MikeCarswell there who was head of Meriway House at Grey in my first year of teaching in 1984. I also attended the Old GreyDinner in London the following week. (This year’s dinner is scheduled for this coming Thursday evening – a gathering in central London for all the Old Grey’s who (tragically) now live in the UK.)

Two years ago in 2010, I was at OliverTamboInternationalAirport in Johannesburg watching that game on TV (which we lost) with friend AndrewJonker and his business associate. They were on their way to do business in Europe and I was on my way to watch the England / Springbok game at Twickenham the following Saturday (which we won), visit MikeCarswell in Dublin and to attend the Old GreyDinner in London.

Anyway, back to the show. It’s a good laugh at ourselves as “Souties, Dutchmen and Dlamini” South Africans and we need to be able to laugh like that sometimes. All the F words – after Ficksburg,  the floods and fires, farm and factory unrest, the Police Force and force, the Farlam Commission, the financial impropriety and woes of the President and his multi-million rand private house(s) and the falling rand of the last few weeks, we especially need to laugh – and we don’t need to use that F-Word to do that!

It’s been a long haul from Andries Tatane in Ficksburg in the Free State, through Julius Malema in Limpopo to Marikana in the Northwest, the farm violence in the Western Cape, Nkandla in Kwa-Zulu-Natal, the floods in the Eastern Cape, the President’s penis and E-tolling in Gauteng and on to Mangaung next month in the Free State.

Sometimes in Life it’s necessary to halt, take a long pause and ponder the options and way forward. Sometimes it’s necessary to take one’s head out of the sand, take action and to get involved.  

As Boet says, it’s in those moments (which the audience thinks are scripted but when you actually just run out of words and don’t know what to say and just ponder about what’s to come) when, like now, that you just say:

“Jaaaaaa,  Boet!”     (Yesssss, Brother!)