Leon lists threats to freedom

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kilo39

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Leon lists threats to freedom
April 28 2007

South Africans had much to celebrate on the country's 13th Freedom Day but still faced real threats to their hard-won liberty, DA leader Tony Leon said.

"It is a sad irony that after 13 years, there are 13 real threats to our hard-won liberty, and we need to have a frank, honest discussion about them."

First on Leon's list was the government's continuing attempts to encroach on the independence of the judiciary.

Next was an overreach of the executive power. Leon said that a steady consolidation of authority in the presidency had usurped decision-making from elected representatives.

The third and fourth dangers were the closing of spaces for civil society, and encroachment on media freedom.
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Eighth was the ANC's determination to rewrite history to privilege its role above others - changing place names, airbrushing individual histories and "generally falsifying history into one triumphalist, majority-nationalist narrative".

HIV and Aids followed, and at number 10 was worsening poverty and unemployment - the government's failure to implement growth-driven reforms was "lighting a powder-keg of resentment among the poor".

"Far too many of our people stand resentfully outside the winners' enclosure, peering at a small, well- connected elite whose privilege drives home the majority's suffering," he said.

Lack of education and skills training was the 11th danger, followed by failure to deliver on promises.

The 13th threat was the biggest, Leon said. "It is the governing party's obsession with transformation, meaning political control by the ANC of all levers of power in society as well as the relentless pursuit of demographic representivity at all costs." This was "inimical" to the values of individual freedom and accountability. - Sapa
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Comment unbecoming! :p

Joke not.
 
The 13th threat was the biggest, Leon said. "It is the governing party's obsession with transformation, meaning political control by the ANC of all levers of power in society as well as the relentless pursuit of demographic representivity at all costs." This was "inimical" to the values of individual freedom and accountability
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I like the last paragraph. Very true ... in Cape Town they are using the Provincial Government to bully the mayor and the DA's hold on council power.
 
They managed it very succesfully in Durban as well... just alter the layout of the wards to change the voting population within the wards to better suit the demographics they needed. And now they're starting to flex their muscles.... getting a bit irritating actually
 
Does anyone here believe that SA is heading in the right direction for a sustainable, just, fair, country?

I personally know, not believe, based on evidence, that this country will not survive the ANC unless it is balanced out by forces of good. The ANC is evil to the core, like Mugabe and, just like Mugabe, they will take complete control as soon as they are confident of victory. It is not by accident that the "poor" are kept poor. The "poor" are serfs and easily controlled.

Remember that Mugabe only went "nuts" when his hold on power was threatened. He had to get rid of the whites as they were a strong part of the opposition. Getting rid of the whites was easy due to the racism of the Zimbabweans. Now, he will work to get rid of the "black" opposition. Not as easy but their core is removed so he will take his time to dismantle and crush them.

Note that in SA, racism is not only thriving, it is being promoted. Take heed of the lessons of Zimbabwe, there are only two choices now, Fight, or Flight. Either way, make your preparations now, time is running out.

Even though Leon is a strong SA patriot, I would not be surprised to see him move on to more stable pastures.

If I have offended anyone, grow up and get a spine. I'm sitting here watching my country, the country I love, being destroyed by the hubris of the petty, the weak. I am being forced to move to a distant and foreign land, one that will welcome me, and my heritage, and be glad for my contribution to their whole.

I care nothing for names, only action and motivation. This country has dire problems and the "owners" are fiddling. It is much easier to oppose, to fight, to try and conquer, than it is to rule wisely, justly. It is easier to destroy than it is to create. And it is infinitely easier to possess, than it is to build. A country is not an animal that can go without guidance, it needs a strong leader with a strong vision before it will grow. But strength must be tempered with responsibility otherwise you only have a bull in a china shop.

Unfortunately, the course for this country has been plotted, and filed, in triplicate, with destiny. Pleas of sanity, even mercy, will fall on deaf ears. Only through direct, and powerful action, not words, can the course be changed, but that action will not be forthcoming.

Fight, maybe, after AIDS and TB have weakened the "poor" such that they are removed from the equation. Flight, more realistic, and can be just as effective.

And now I bow my head in shame and sing "Uit die blou ..".
 
Tony Leon forgot one danger though, the inability of opposition parties to make a meaningful impact in the General elections. We are heading for a one party state, however not by design of the ruling party per say, but by the SA electorate chosing to elect the ANC. With the overwhelming majority they have in elections it has granted them with an unbelievable amount of power.

IMHO the biggest threat to this country is the continued "weakness" of opposition parties.

I sometimes think I should find like-minded people and start our own political party.
 
Angelo said:
That has proven hopeless before, strengthen existing parties!
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... and get out there and vote when you have the opportunity (instead of so many: who just couldn't be bothered!)
 
sox63 said:
Tony Leon forgot one danger though, the inability of opposition parties to make a meaningful impact in the General elections. We are heading for a one party state, however not by design of the ruling party per say, but by the SA electorate chosing to elect the ANC. With the overwhelming majority they have in elections it has granted them with an unbelievable amount of power.

IMHO the biggest threat to this country is the continued "weakness" of opposition parties.

I sometimes think I should find like-minded people and start our own political party.
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People from Zimbabwe have said the same thing. Creeping changes and erosion of liberties took a long time. Zimbabwe evolved.
 
Tony Leon's view has become less significant, he is stepping down from a position of leadership.
 
... much the same as all previous leaders in our country. there doesn't seem to be any space for wisdom from previous leaders so as a result our leaders never seem to be prepared to learn what works or for that matter to learn from past mistakes
 
Angelo said:
Tony Leon's view has become less significant, he is stepping down from a position of leadership.
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No Angelo, this is where Africa gets it very very wrong. Tony Leon's very act of stepping down is not cause for shame, it is a cause for applause, as he is demonstrating democracy (democracy: limits on terms in political power).
 
BandwidthAddict said:
Does anyone here believe that SA is heading in the right direction for a sustainable, just, fair, country?
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Unfortunately I don't anymore. We are planning emigrating at the moment. The idocy here just never ends. There are more things wrong this year then last year. How can I bring my family up in the crime riddled society that we live in. I know that everything is not "greener on the other side" but at least health, education and safety are a lot better. Hell, I can't even get an affordable reliable internet connection fo my business.
 
Debbie2 said:
No Angelo, this is where Africa gets it very very wrong. Tony Leon's very act of stepping down is not cause for shame, it is a cause for applause, as he is demonstrating democracy (democracy: limits on terms in political power).
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Did I say his stepping down is a bad thing?
 
Angelo - No, but it appeared to me that this was implied. Apologies if it wasn't. Though come to think about it, I may only have read an insinuation because of differing uses of the English language.
 
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Abe said:
Unfortunately I don't anymore. We are planning emigrating at the moment. The idocy here just never ends. There are more things wrong this year then last year. How can I bring my family up in the crime riddled society that we live in. I know that everything is not "greener on the other side" but at least health, education and safety are a lot better. Hell, I can't even get an affordable reliable internet connection fo my business.
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Yeah, since this is a broadband forum I'll bring up that point first, ADSL sucks and is just another way to fill up the asswipes pockets. Secondly, anyone with eyes can see that this country won't prosper as it's capable of doing as long as we are ruled by people that think backwards.
 
feo said:
Yeah, since this is a broadband forum I'll bring up that point first, ADSL sucks and is just another way to fill up the asswipes pockets.
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It's more then that. I sell software via the internet. We have to host our site overseas because of the hosting costs and speeds for overseas customers. We can't have a decent customer interactive site because to do that I would need a decent line into the business premesis. Because most of the customers are international customers, that means that we have to pay an arm and a leg to let those customers access and downlaod patches, etc. I would also need a static address for that but IS's solution with Satellite bandwidth is a no go so that only leaves much more expensive options. It gets even worse but I won't go there. Almost anywhere else in the world, I could request a nice high speed line and a couple of days later it would be in and it wouldn't bankrupt the business in the process.
 
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