Meanwhile Back in the RSA ...

[jones jones]

We sit around waiting, waiting, waiting … for a man to die. I’m talking about Mr. Mandela. Depending on your political affiliations … once a terrorist, then a freedom fighter, martyr, first President of a “democratic” South Africa, an Icon and now a 94 year old man in hospital in a critical condition.

The conspiracy theorists among us believe that upon his death a gazillion black people are going to rise up and chase all the white people into the sea … something they have been threatening to do since 1652.

Those of us, thankfully the majority, simply believe that South Africa has advanced too far along the democratic path to contemplate such an eventuality. It’s unlikely to happen for several reasons, but mainly because every white male in the country over forty has, thanks to the apartheid regime’s policy of National Service, received some kind of military training. This coupled with the fact that the RSA’s gun laws allow any person deemed “competent” to own a firearm will, I think make any uprising of this sort rather unpalatable to the masses.

The ANC led government have been very coy about Madiba’s condition and President Jacob Zuma continues to urge South Africans to pray for the recovery of Nelson Mandela.

The cynics and I count myself among them, believe that the real reason why Mr. Mandela’s health is of such concern to the government is simply because there is a General Election scheduled for next year. There is a group of young people in the country who are referred to as the “born frees” who are going to vote for the first time in 2014. These are the men and women who were born on or after 1994 and who know nothing of apartheid and probably very little about Mr. Mandela and “the struggle.” Their vote is being courted by all sides and so it is important to the ANC to keep Mr. Mandela “alive” so to speak.

Many of us believe that when Mr. Mandela dies the ANC will begin to crumble and that several factions within the party will break away, citing the fact that the party is no longer the same entity that he sacrificed so much for.

The next few weeks/ months could prove very interesting.

[Oscar Namechange]

Not forgetting the nauseating spectacle of tired old hasbeen Z list celebs coming out to make Insincere tributes.

[AnneBoleyn]

Please comment, JJ, about "the struggle." Specifically, why did you use " " around the words?

[jones jones]

I put the struggle in inverted commas Annie simply because it is now a thing of the past and nowadays is mostly used as one of many excuses to cover the inadequacies of the ruling party.

[AnneBoleyn]

Thanks JJ. (& I would never want anything bad to happen to you & hope you are right in your assessment "that South Africa has advanced too far along the democratic path to contemplate such an eventuality.") Fingers Xed that all goes well for you & yours!

[jones jones]

AnneBoleyn;1430542 wrote: Thanks JJ. (& I would never want anything bad to happen to you & hope you are right in your assessment "that South Africa has advanced too far along the democratic path to contemplate such an eventuality.") Fingers Xed that all goes well for you & yours!


Ah Annie! Thanx so much honey. No, we'll be fine.