No rest for the weary: the ANC jumps right back into action tonight at 6:30 at Visitation. They’ll cover the possible repair of the Georgetown Theater sign, Philadelphia Pizza, and another cupcake joint, among other topics.

På lördag den 28 november ska Svenska Deckarakademin utse årets bästa svenska respektive till svenska översatta kriminalroman. Fem titlar har som vanligt nominerats i vardera kategori. Årets svenska deckare skrevs av tre kvinnor och tre män (vilket alltså betyder att en av böckerna har två författare).

Ingrid Hedström återkom med sin andra deckare, ”Flickorna i Villette” (Alfabeta), om undersökningsdomaren Martine Poirot (efter Hercule) i den fiktiva staden Villette-sur-Meuse i Belgien. Fortfarande lovande – men är efterföljaren bättre än deckardebuten? Har Hedström infriat förväntningarna? Också hennes nya deckare är läsvärd men, tycker jag, faktiskt något svagare än debuten.

Tove Klackenberg har skrivit ännu en deckare i domstolsmiljö. ”Dömd på förhand” (Alfabeta) utspelar sig på tingsrätten i Marviken. Dit kommer juristen Monika Larsson för att tjänstgöra som notarie. Tingsrätten beskrivs som ett spökhus, vilket galet – synonymt med mänskligt – ställe. Som vanligt både underhållande och oroande – men är Klackenbergs nya deckare bättre än de tre föregående, har hon överträffat sig själv den här gången? Svar: Nja.

Håkan Nesser kan berätta en historia. ”Maskarna på Carmine Street” (Albert Bonniers) är ännu ett exempel på det – ja, nog en av hans allra bästa (kriminal)historier. Ett par flyttar från Europa till New York, bosätter sig på Carmine Street, för att komma ifrån, någon gång kunna låta bli att tänka på att deras 4-åriga dotter försvann – spårlöst – för ett och halvt år sen. Det handlar om saknad och sorg, hur relationen mellan två människor förändras så att man inte vet om händelser hänt eller man bara fått för sig.

Anders Roslund och Börje Hellström fortsätter att klä av det svenska samhället. I ”Tre sekunder” (Piratförlaget) skildras hur polisen – med politikers godkännande – använder olagliga metoder, till och med mord är tillåtet, för att bekämpa internationell brottslighet. Både välskrivet och en väl uppbyggd historia. Roslund och Hellström har dessutom förmågan att få mig att tro att historien är dokumentär, nästan sann. Ändå drabbas jag inte riktigt lika hårt som när de skrev om hemlösa, uteliggande barn.

Veronica von Schenk tar ett stort kliv framåt med sin andra deckare om Althea Molin, svensk-koreansk gärningsmannaprofilerare i Stockholm. Men innebär det också att ”Kretsen” (Ordfront) är en av 2009 års bästa svenska deckare? Nej, det har jag svårt att tycka, trots att von Schenk skrivit en lite annorlunda och ovanligt modern kriminalhistoria med både datorer och seriemördare.

Vem (eller vilka) av de ovannämnda ska få ta emot Deckarakademins svenska pris? Mitt tips: Håkan Nesser (fast gardera med Roslund och Hellström).

Inte varje år men när det finns någon extra lovande deckardebutant så brukar Deckarakademin dessutom dela ut ett debutantpris. I år har det mer eller mindre utlovats att också en debutant ska prisas. Vilken?

Följande tre bör vara aktuella: Tove Alsterdal med den internationella deckaren ”Kvinnorna på stranden” (Lind & Co), som utspelar sig i bland annat USA, Frankrike och Spanien och har människosmuggling som politiskt tema, Marianne Cederwall med icke-deckaren ”Svinhugg” (Natur & Kultur), där läkaren Mirjam kommer hem till Gotland och börjar ”mörda” med affirmation (genom att önska livet ur människor), och Olle Lönnaeus med den stämningsrika, skånska landsortsdeckaren ”Det som ska sonas” (Damm).

Också Kristina Ohlssons polisroman ”Askungar” (Pirat) eller systrarna Camilla Grebes och Åsa Träffs dubbelpsykologiska deckare ”Någon sorts frid” (W&W) skulle kunna vara tänkbar. Slutsats: många bra svenska debutdeckare i år! Mitt tips – eller snarare en förhoppning – är att debutantpriset går till Olle Lönnaeus. Så över till årets utländska, till svenska översatta deckare…

Italienaren Gianrico Carofiglio, åklagare och författare, har skrivit en domstolsdeckare, ”På sannolika skäl” (Schibsted), som också blir en samhälls- och mansroman. En advokat i staden Bari försvarar en invandrad gatuförsäljare som åtalats för mord på en pojke, 9 år. Rasism (och en aning av maffian) men främst ett nära porträtt av en italiensk man.                                                                                                                      

Argentinaren Guillermo Martínez har nominerats för ”Lucianas långsamma död” (Albert Bonniers), en litterär och mer intellektuell spänningsroman. De tre huvudpersonerna finns i Buenos Aires: två författarkolleger – eller konkurrenter – och en ung kvinna, medhjälpare till både den ene och den andre författaren. En berättelse om sanning. Finns sanningen, i singular? Och var går gränsen mellan fiktion och verklighet? Vems sanning är sann och vilken verklighet är verklig?

I ”Jägarens hjärta” (Weyler) fortsätter Deon Meyer att skildra Sydafrika så atmosfärrikt att man förflyttas till ett land som man trodde att man visste någonting om, för man har ju följt med i nyhetsrapporteringen, men det gjorde man inte. Sydafrika före och, som här, efter apartheid är ett okänt land. Tobela ”Tiny” Mpayipheli, huvudperson i den nya boken, har varit elitsoldat i ANC men behandlas som en kriminell av den sydafrikanska säkerhetstjänsten.

Denise Minas nya skotska deckare, ”I midnattens stillhet” (Minotaur), är en fristående roman. Fast miljön känns igen från hennes tidigare deckarserier: den slitna, hårda arbetarstaden Glasgow. En söndageftermiddag bromsar en skåpbil in vid ett hus i ett villaområde. Tre män tränger sig in hos en invandrarfamilj och kidnappar en familjemedlem. Lösen: 1 miljon pund. Kan den här familjen ha så mycket pengar? Här presenteras också en ny hjältinna från arbetarklassen, polisen Alex Morrow, som inte tar skit.

Engelsmannen Andrew Taylors senaste roman, ”Det blödande hjärtat” (Forum), är en deckare (jo, det får man säga, för här finns en kriminalgåta, ett eventuellt mord) men också en historisk roman (tiden är London 1934), en kvinnoroman och kanske en politisk roman. En kvinna flyr från en brutal make, som beundrar fascisten Oswald Mosley, och en tillvaro i överflöd. Hon flyttar in hos sin far på ett billigt pensionat och får stå ut med stanken av kokt vitkål.

En brokig samling deckare, läsvärda alla fem men vilken är bäst? Kvalitetsmässigt kan ingen placeras före de andra. De är så olika, hör till varsin gren på deckarträdet. Det blir en fråga om tycke och smak. Deckarakademins ledamöter brukar uppskatta kriminalromaner med en ordentlig berättelse, som går över gränsen till den skönlitterära romanen och gärna i historisk tid – så mitt tips är att priset går till Andrew Taylor. Min egen, personliga favorit: Deon Meyer.

(Ystads Allehanda 2009)

While your belt may still be a few notches too tight from Thanksgiving, the ANC will still be back and open for business next Monday night. The agenda was released yesterday, and while it’s not quite the cornucopia that last month’s was, it’s still got some interesting topics.

Georgetown Theater Sign

Apparently there is an application pending with the Old Georgetown Board regarding the, well, old Georgetown Theater neon sign. Hopefully it means that the owners, the Heon family, are planning on restoring the iconic sign to its former glory. As reported here, the building was put up for sale this summer. GM wonders where this application fits into that plan.

High Noon for Philadelphia Pizza

As laid out in an opening argument in September, the ANC and neighbor’s approach to the troublesome Philadelphia Pizza. Essentially the approach is to demonstrate that the restaurant is violating the zoning regulations since they’re registered as a sit down restaurant yet the majority of their business is take-out or delivery.

The DCRA has already revoked the restaurant’s license; however, the BZA stayed that order until a hearing in January.

The Cupcake Bubble Inflates a Little More

Georgetown is ground zero for DC’s cupcake bubble. With old standby Baked and Wired and national phenomenon Georgetown Cupcake, it would seem that the village is full up of frosting and sprinkles.

That theory is about to get tested. National cupcake chain Sprinkles is moving into town. They’re taking over 3015 M St. (which used to be Mon Cheri Cafe) next to Paper Source and Fino restaurant.

http://www.fin24.com/articles/default/display_article.aspx?ArticleId=1518-24_2562604

Highlights:

May 2007 he was paid R3 850 000.

His salary rapidly increased with a raise that October of 7% to R4 119 500.

April 2008 he got another 15.31% increase – the median of the market, according to Hogan – taking him to R4 750 000

Then again in October when the company pays everyone annual increases he was paid another 8.84%, taking him to R5 170 000.

But bizarrely she lists the first bonus Maroga received as a short-term incentive bonus of R1 103 000. It was allocated in March 2007 – a full month or more before he was actually officially appointed, although he was made CEO-designate in February.

So what does this do for us now? He was paid handsomely for running a company into the ground, he and those who knew what was happening should be arrested for Fraud – it is fraud in my opinion for he was not doing what he was charged and appointed with!!!

Stop paying the government to steal our money! Efficient Products will save you thousands and will stop putting money into incompetent parastatals pockets!!!!!

WWW.URBAN-SOLAR.CO.ZA

http://www.fin24.com/articles/default/display_article.aspx?Channel=News_Home&ArticleId=1518-25_2562555&IsColumnistStory=False

The thing is I am not comfortable with this situation, of course Eskom is of HUGE importance to the South African people but if it were run properly and not interfered with in the first place by ANC cronyism we would not this loan, we would not need the President of our country “begging” for this loan.

We have to read between the lines, we ALWAYS have to read between the lines.

This loan will still have to be repaid, by the South African taxpayer. The reason the money is required from them in the first place is because the government can’t afford to give it to them.

What we really have to watch out for is massive hikes and this loan going through, becuase if Eskom does not turn itself around dramatically this debt will swallow Eskom and we as the public will suffer through hikes and not enought electricity production.

I suggest everyone does their bit to reduce consumption now – VISIT US AT URBAN SOLAR

Long time, no post. Sorry about that.

It’s official, the split in the Tri-Partite Alliance is inevitably going to occur. We all knew it would; but recent developments have cemented the end of the ANC’s hold on power. The recent media brawl between ANCYL President Julius Malema and SACP Deputy Secretary-General Jeremy Cronin over Malema’s non-policy-based calls for nationalisation of South Africa’s mines, has resulted in an all-out battle between the two Alliance partners.

Jeremy Cronin and the SACP call for the ‘socialisation’ of the mines, compared to the ANCYL’s calls for the nationalisation of our mines. In other words, the ‘socialisation’ of mines would put their control directly in the hands of the people – and not government. Which century do these people live in? Lenin and Stalin are long dead, as are their ideals; and even the Chinese are embracing forms of capitalism. Communism is dead. Deal with it.

Communism aside, nationalisation is a stupid idea. And this leftist stupidity may be the very cause of the split in ruling party. Let’s hope.

Gwede Mantashe, ANC Secretary-General, has called the Alliance partners more irritating than the opposition. Furthermore, as usual our National Source of Amusement Malema ended up making semi-racial remarks about Cronin (because he is white); this led to the Young Communist League calling Malema a racist… And here we are: at the crossroads of change. If the left can muster up enough courage to break free from the grips of a not-so-leftist-anymore ANC, we would have an opposition-run government in a heartbeat.

http://fin24.com/articles/default/display_article.aspx?Channel=News_Home&ArticleId=1518-25_2558611&IsColumnistStory=False

The article in FIN24 has revealed how incestuous the ANC/ESKOM relationship remains after agreeing over 20 months ago to “disengage” themselves from any ESKOM deals.

The South African population can not be at the centre of these organisations policies, it is becoming more and more evident that greed and profit drives this.

We as the consumer pay for it – 15 years ago reports were circulated advising of the need to start commissioning additional power stations yet nothing was done. We are only starting to see these effects now! What has happened to the profits from prior years – no doubt made it’s way into many ANC and other closely related organisations back pockets.

We are and have been lied to and now also expected to cough up to pay for this stupidity, corruption and theft?

GO SOLAR - Solar Water Heating will save you approximately 40% of your electricity bill.

Go EFFICIENT – LED Lighting uses only 90% less electricitry than usual lighting fixtures. Shower Heads will save you R3,500 a year!

Have a Solar Day!

info@urban-solar.co.za

Ms. Erika Legara (co-adviser of U.P. Astrosoc) and Ms. DJ Avila (Overall Coordinator)

The U.P. Astronomical Society was interviewed on DateLine Philippines on ANC. I failed to watch the segment, but a fellow member told me that the reporters asked about the Leonid meteor shower and how to join the organization.

Congrats, U.P. Astrosoc!

Ad Astra Per Aspera!

*photo by Aaron Misayah

I’m glad I’m not voting next year in the presidential elections.

I’m glad I missed my last chance to register in Comelec.

I’m glad I won’t be part of another election fraud.

I’m mad at Comelec for disqualifying Ang Ladlad to run as partylist representative next year.

I’m mad at Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer for using big words like; “immoral” and “spiritual degradation of the youth” to describe the LGBT.

I’m mad at myself for wishing Commissioner Ferrer to have generations and generations of gays, lesbians and transgenders in his clan.

I’m glad that after several hate blogs and articles from different people who supports the LGBT, the Comelec urged the Ang Ladlad to file their motion for reconsideration.

I’m glad that the Comelec’s decision was bitch slapped last Saturday, November 21 in Cheche Lazaro’s show on ANC, Media In Focus by members of the LGBT.

I’m glad that the LGBT will march at Plaza Roma in Intramuros on Wednesday, November 25 to express outrage against the Comelec’s decision.

***

ImmoRALLY: The Ang Ladlad Protest

***

One business who always seems to be in the news when it brings out a new advert is Nando’s. You can’t argue that Nando’s has probably the most creative adverts in South Africa. They use satire in such a way, that even Mandela would give a chuckle. Zuma, Malema and other easy targets are however not going to be amused that easily. Well they deserve it… It’s their fault that they are the centre of attention.

If there are readers out their that do not understand the situation, is actually missing out on the hilariousness of this satirical maddness. Well, let me show this Nando’s advert – maybe you might just get it…

Hahahaaa… I wish economics worked that way, but unfortunately it’s just the same as paying the right price and getting the right product and wishing that the cashier has missed out on a rand or two (or ten). Even though this is not a true statement by ANC Youth League president Julius Malema, it could have been. It is just one of those typical saying that Malema is famous for. Like the opinion on Caster Simenya (“Hermaphrodite is not in my culture, I look down there to see if it’s a boy or a girl.”), but poor Julius Malema… It’s not his fault that everytime he speaks nonsense rubbish flies out of his mouth or that his opinions are as valid as a R1 note…Wait! It is his fault! It’s not like he is controlled by Martians who would like to destroy the country and later on the earth. And yet…

The next advert is HILARIOUS!!!! Everyone can appreciate this advert. It just comes to show how funny blonde jokes actually are. My sister is blonde and she is always in the centre of  it all. Luckily I’m not blonde – not that I have anything against blonde girls, it’s just they are such easy targets…

See what I mean… I wonder how all the blondes felt. Probably 10% of them laughed and 90% stared at the screen in confusion (sorry). I loved the fact that they made the blonde an afrikaner, even though I’m an afrikaner, it just makes the advert funnier. This ad just wants me to buy Nando’s so badly, and believe me, they do have the tastiest chicken in South Africa – KFC can’t compare to the tenderness of Nando’s chicken. Don’t worry blondes, we still love you…

Last, but definitely not least, is an advert with a guy who achieved popularity overnight. He may be just another guy who thinks he is the next Chuck Norris, but he surely has a personality of gold. This is Vernon Koekemoer. South Africa’s very own Chuck Norris. Just watch this advert, it’s randomly funny…

Seeing Chuck Norris at the end was classic. I wonder what he really thinks of Koekemoer. I laughed so much at the end of this ad, and after it I have to say that the marketing team at Nando’s are geniuses. I would love to work with them, they are just so creative.

So next time, when you are craving for a decent chicken meal and you happen to be close to a Nando’s store, why not go in? You can trust me when I say that the chicken is delicious, and their adverts are fantastic!!! If you could eat their adverts then your taste buds would sing…

Some people say that satire is ruining the country (and/or the world), but they are WRONG, it is making people think and therefore making smarter people, making the world a better place for all of us.

Hmmm… I’m suddenly hungry…

“We must not charge one of our own. If we allow that, the same thing would happen to [Zimbabwean President Robert] Mugabe, and the same would happen to Zuma, and the next thing you know they will come for you,” Malema said. – Sapa

Is that why so many people are convinced that when the ANC vows to stamp out corruption, it is only paying lip service? In this context it’s important to remember that Julius Malema is the man recently tipped by President Zuma to “inherit the ANC”.

By Udo W. Froese

As was the case in South Africa’s elections in April 2009 and later, in November in Mozambique, their respective ruling parties and governments grew out of tried-and-tested struggle movements, taking charge from their former colonial-racist occupiers.

Former popular struggle movements also govern other member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Angola and Zimbabwe – the MPLA in Luanda and ZANU-PF in Harare respectively.

All of them have one thing in common – they reflect the interests, the faith and the trust of the average African populations.

Namibia finds herself in the middle of parliamentary and presidential elections and the ruling SWAPO Party seems on the winning trail again – since October 1989, when it won the first democratic elections.

Going by the current stand of votes cast in the coastal region of the ports of Walvis Bay and Luederitz, the analysis that the ruling party will retain its position in the democratic political mainstream, is spot on. The ruling party, SWAPO, will again govern Namibia, like its neighbours Angola, South Africa and Zimbabwe and fellow SADC member, Mozambique – where their former struggle movements form the respective governments today.

SWAPO seems set to win these parliamentary and presidential elections with a defined majority.

Africa’s Painful History of Struggle.

One of the most defining reasons for success of these ruling political parties is Africa’s long, brutal, exploitative race-based colonial history.

For as long as the majority of the population remembers the brutal occupation of former colonial-apartheid-racist South Africa and that of its silent partners in the international Western Judeo-Christian civilisation, with their continuous destabilisation efforts; “tribal and civil wars”; colonial-racist-occupational structures on all levels; a murderous rebel war involving the entire SADC region, hi-jacked as “defending the moral principles of the international Western capitalism against the communist-terrorist Soviet Bloc during the Cold War”.

The aforementioned war had cost hundreds of thousands of African lives. Never had Africa been exposed to such brutalities and torture, dehumanization, abuse, abject poverty, chronic starvation and reckless wars. The colonial-apartheid-racist South Africa took African land with brutal force until 1990.

Would someone please de-confuse this columnist’s understanding of the difference in the definition of the “Holocaust”?

Born in the third generation in Swakopmund, Namibia, Africa, of German colonial settler background well after World War 2, I have seen many international Western productions, read many of their books and other publications, even visited a Holocaust museum. To this day in 2009 I have been aware of the gruesome murder of six million Jews in Germany until shortly before the end of World War 2. This columnist took great strain and was seriously horrified and remains such.

Rightfully, Germany has paid serious reparations settlements to the international Jewish community and the state of Israel, which was formed in 1948. To this day and beyond the Germans will not be allowed to forget that horror.

But, as far as Africa and the mass-killings of Africans are concerned, the referral to a Holocaust thunders in its absence. The foreign-owned and controlled media simply ignores the millions of deaths of African people since World War 2. Are Africans lesser people, I ask from a Caucasian colonial-settler background? Is this Christian?

Meanwhile, Germany has officially apologised to the descendants of the Herero in Namibia for the brutal massacres of their forefathers under German colonial rule.

In the above context, SWAPO Party will certainly win these elections too, like their brothers- and sisters-in-arms in the rest of Africa. It is observed that no other political party can deliver the caliber of Namibia’s SWAPO Party; South Africa’s ANC; Angola’s MPLA; Kenya’s KANU, Mozambique’s FRELIMO and Zimbabwe’s ZANU-PF.

The aforementioned political structures are those of respected, mature and seasoned African leaders.

To assume otherwise, repeatedly attempting to discredit this history through abuse of power; abuse of the law and the judiciary; character assassination; continuous media propaganda; trying to unsettle those political movements and parties through a “foreign civil society”, covert and third force operations, attempting to render them corrupt and toothless old dogs, is in real terms not only an exercise of futility, but an insult to African structures.

South Africa’s Elections a Case In Point.

South Africa’s democratically elected President Jacob Zuma and the ruling ANC had to endure an eight-year long concerted onslaught of vicious daily media propaganda and strategised media disinformation campaigns to character assassinate Jacob Zuma and some of his supporters. This was purgery at its worst.

The abuse of power, of the constitution, of the law and the judiciary and of the media eventually caused the fall of recalled former President Thabo Mbeki and his inner circle. Their rolled-out action of defamation and purgery allegedly seemed to be viewed as a national and regional security threat.

It backfired, as was first demonstrated at the ANC Congress in Polokwane, Limpopo Province, in northern South Africa.

The majority of South Africans realised that it was wrong to centralize power and abuse it. They came out in their numbers and voted for the ANC and Zuma as their President.

Mbeki and his cohorts were disgraced and left embarrassed. Zuma and the real ANC form the government of South Africa today.

Namibia’s Embarrassment.

To now publicly claim that all former struggle movements in the SADC region that form today’s ruling parties and governments have won elections in their respective countries, because they had “moved ballot boxes to exchange genuine ballot boxes with fake ones” (as expressed by Hidipo Hamutenya), creates the perception that those utterances were made by an individual who “either whithers in despair, or is downright mischievously immature, or both”.

When asked for comment, senior academic analysts described the statement from Namibia as “irresponsible accusations” and as that of a “corrupt, colonised mindset of entitlement, un-African by nature”.

The response from senior members of some of the ruling parties in the SADC region was equally scathing.

That unfortunate statement was described as “coming from a confused and troubled mind of an individual, definitely not from an African”.  A senior member from ZANU-PF in Harare, Zimbabwe, stated, “the least said about that unsubstantiated and corrupt opinion of an individual, the better”.

A FRELIMO member in the Maputo Head Quarters described that statement as “unfortunate, misleading and unbecoming”.

All former struggle movements who form today’s governments in the SADC member states and beyond seemed to agree with the rebuke from government in Windhoek, which responded, “The leader of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), Hidipo Hamutenya, is instigating instability and uproar in the SADC region by accusing all ruling parties in the region of cheating during elections.”

Similar to the political opposition parties RDP/DTA/CoD/RP in Namibia; the Cope/DA/IFP/FF+/UDM in South Africa; the MDC-T in Zimbabwe; RENAMO in Mozambique; the remnants of UNITA in Angola and Raila Odinga’s and his right- hand-man, William Ruto’s party in Kenya, all are not respected political structures in Africa for the reason that they are perceived to be forced into the respective countries and communities by racist-colonial international Western interests and backed by a foreign “civil society”.

A profound reason for not being accepted and respected, certainly not by African heads-of-state of most AU members with the exception of a few, is the serious discomfort most African leaders feel with same old exclusively imperialist-corporate-colonial interests backing the above-mentioned political groupings. Those are not Africa’s interests.

End.

Every now and then I like to indulge myself in some communist commentary. Why? Because it’s important to know what the left wing is planning and saying, especially in this new ANC administration. Zuma’s government is closer to its leftist allies than any administration before, with South African Communist Party (SACP) members holding key positions. According to the latest issue of the SACP’s magazine Umsebenzi the party held its Red October conference last month and pledged to put its weight behind the ANC’s plan for a National Health Insurance (NHI).

So, the communists support a policy which will see all South Africans being able to visit doctors and receive medical treatment from the private sector? Doesn’t sound very communist to me. Wouldn’t you expect these leftists to support the nationalisation of all healthcare in South Africa? No way, only communists everywhere else in the world believe that! Not in South Africa. I mean this is the country where the General Secretary of the SACP and Minister of Higher Education Blade Nzimande uses taxpayer’s money to buy a R1.1 million car. So much for the proletariat and their needs!

I heard on the news the other day that the South African President, Jacob Zuma had been voted the best President of the year in Africa by the Kenneth Kaunda Foundation of good Governance and Accountability. He beat off competition from the ilk of Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe), Paul Biya (Cameroon) and the gadfly himslf, Mummar Gaddaffi (Libya).The award comes as a surprise because Zuma has just been in office for six months and has not had sufficient time to show his mettle or capabilities.

The chap is not popular in South African circles (afterall, he was sacked by his former boss, Thabo Mbeki of the ANC after been charged for the offenses of rape and corruption).Under his watch, Crime has gone up a staggering 75% and Robberies, Muggings and Carjackings have become very common.Zuma has not done much to combat the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS and is widely derided for admitting to having consensual sex with an AIDS victim without the use of condoms.

Zuma is not a fit and proper person to be a recipient of the award. There are more deserving cases. Like the President of Botswana who has done much to curb global warming and inflation in his country. The Mauritius President should also have had a shot at the award. His country has one of the most stable economies in the continent.

Better still, the President of Nigeria, Umaru Yar Adua should have gotten the nod for bringing peace to the Niger Delta region of his country and for his fight against corruption. These are chaps who deserve the gong, not a basket case like Jacob Zuma.

Image courtesy of www.state.gov

This morning saw TV viewers, students, and even protesters across the Philippines abuzz. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton capped off her Philippine visit with a live forum, and people naturally wanted to know how America’s former First Lady and first female candidate for president would respond to questions about US-Philippine relations, questions on climate change and the recession, international relations, and on being America’s most popular diplomat.

I must admit, though: even as a female, I wanted Barack Obama to win over Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries. There was a different kind of energy around a young, savvy African-American president that no “first female presidential candidate” could muster. Still, watching Hillary Clinton live over ANC this morning made me admire and RESPECT this woman who has gone a long, LONG way from being the wife of the governor of a small state to the woman who STILL could be America’s first female–and possibly its next–President.

Here are some interesting Hillary facts (excerpted from her official bio):

• Hillary Rodham Clinton is the 67th Secretary of State of the United States.
• She and former Democratic rival,  President Barack Obama, both called Chicago home. Hillary Rodham was born there on October 26, 1947, while Barack Obama moved there in 1985.
• She falls under the zodiac sign Scorpio–feisty, passionate, strong willed, temperamental. (Her birthday is days after my mom’s
• She attended local public schools during her youth, but finished her law studies in Yale Law School, where she met Bill Clinton.
• Secretary Clinton’s professional life has seen her as a lawyer, an educator (assistant professor at the University of Arkansas School of Law), board member and chair of several public organizations, First Lady of Arkansas, First Lady of the United States, two-term Senator, author, and, now, Secretary of State.
• She had been a two-term Senator of the State of New York.
• Her pet advocacies are health care, children, and women’s and human rights.
• In 1995, she gave a speech in Beijing that became famous for declaring that “human rights are women’s rights, and women’s rights are human rights”. (In this morning’s live forum covered by local cable network ANC, Secretary Clinton also said that “climate change is not only an environmental issue, it’s also a human rights issue.”
• She has authored two best-selling books: her memoir, Living History, and a children’s book, It Takes a Village.
• And, let’s not forget: she has lived through (and has overcome) the shame of Bill Clinton’s numerous indiscretions (who could ever forget Monica Lewinsky, right?) and continues to be married to him and supportive of his career.

At this morning’s forum, held at the historic University of Santo Tomas (Asia’s oldest Catholic university, which will celebrate its 400th year on 2011), Hillary Rodham Clinton showed that she was an astute politician and diplomat, issuing strong statements against corruption and human rights and for peace resolution in Mindanao while citing the Philippine government’s gains. She even reminded us that GMA and her husband were classmates in Georgetown.

Some of her more interesting pronouncements include the following:

• On being the first female candidate for President: “It’s not only about electing a woman president. It’s about making sure that every child–boy or girl–will have the opportunity to pursue their aspirations.”
• On corruption: “We want to see governments that are more accountable to their people. We want to see less corruption and greater transparency… We want to see more young people use social networking sites to report corruption.”
• On addressing poverty: “Progress has been made but a lot can still be done. People need to organize themselves. You need to ask yourself: What can YOU do to address poverty?”
• On democracy: “It can be difficult to fulfill the promises of democracy, but it’s by far the best system humans have ever created… Any society rests on strong legs of: a functioning government, a functioning market economy, and civil society… that brings positive energy to the people.
• On the conflict in Mindanao: “Working for peace in Mindanao is very important not only for Philippine but also for everyone around the world… People in this country WANT to see the end to this conflict. Everyone should be doing whatever we can… The conditions for peace are ripe. I hope nobody misses the opportunity.”
• On the forthcoming Pacquiao-Cotto fight: “OF COURSE the Pacman is going to win! I mean, is there any doubt?”

Watching her, I could see that this woman has a strong love for her country, a strong love for humanity, and a strong and long-lasting commitment to her work. She is a politician and a diplomat first, yes, but she also does her homework–she protects the interests of her own country while engaging with others; she knows how to encourage, empower, and give hope through her words; and she displays the kind of sincerity that we rarely see among politicians in the Philippines.

Hillary Clinton said that never in her youth did she imagine that she would someday be where she is now. Watching her as I did, and seeing what she’s achieved in her life so far, one can easily imagine where else she is set to go.

For Hillary Rodham Clinton, perhaps the best is yet to come.

by Verashni Pillay, for Mail & Guardian Online, November 11, 2009.

An announcement is expected on Wednesday from Eskom confirming reports that Jacob Maroga is no longer CEO at the troubled power utility.

Bloomberg news agency is quoting an Eskom official as saying the company is proceeding on the basis that Maroga is no longer the CEO and will make a statement related to this on Wednesday, EWN reported.

This follows a dramatic leadership battle played out via leaked reports and surprise resignations…

…An anonymous letter was sent to the M&G this week detailing Eskom management’s dissatisfaction with Maroga’s leadership and responding to allegations of racism…

But an M&G source in senior management said the letter had not been seen by everyone in management. It was confirmed, however, that it was an updated version of an anonymous letter sent in September to Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan…(read the complete article)