SA Politics Thread Part 11: The GNU Normal

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Unhappy1 said:
Here are your typical levels in road, now are you sure its still the base?

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Yes, I am.

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This MTN-Iran deal is getting murkier and murkier.

Phillip van Niekerk – MTN’s man in Washington DC – National Security News

nationalsecuritynews.com nationalsecuritynews.com

The boundaries between journalism, lobbying and foreign corporate influence are increasingly blurred. Few cases illustrate this more starkly than that of Phillip van Niekerk, a former South African journalist turned Washington-based consultant.


Through his firm, Calabar Africa, van Niekerk advises MTN Group, Africa’s largest telecom operator and parent of MTN Dubai, which holds a 49 per cent stake in MTN Irancell — a joint venture with sanctioned Iranian shareholders tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
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According to a former MTN executive, van Niekerk uses his access to Washington DC think tanks as a valuable resource for reporting back to the company.


He is regularly seen attending think tank events and policy forums, inserting himself into discussions that shape US–Africa relations, sanctions policy and telecom regulation.


An MTN whistleblower alleges that van Niekerk provided reporting and briefings to MTN on South African visitors and delegations to Washington DC in 2025, including Flip Buys, Kallie Kriel, Jaco Kleynhans and Dr Dirk Hermann of Solidarity and AfriForum; international business leader Rob Hersov; and Emma Powell and Andrew Whitfield from the Democratic Alliance.


Mcebisi Jonas, MTN’s Chairman and Ramaphosa’s Special Envoy to the US, on 17 August accused South Africans critical of MTN’s partnership with the Iranian Ministry of Defence and the ANC’s alliance with Iran of being “treasonous”.
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Van Niekerk was seen attending a Hudson Institute session where Emma Powell and Deputy Minister of Trade Andrew Whitfield spoke in March 2025, taking copious notes. According to the Sowetan, the South African State Security Agency (SSA) subsequently produced a report alleging that Powell and Whitfield spread anti-South African disinformation. The report, according to the Sowetan, was submitted to South Africa’s National Security Council.


A whistleblower from the Sowetan, who had seen the report and objected to the way the newspaper and its owners colluded with the SSA to target Powell, revealed to NSN that the SSA report specifically referenced Powell and Whitfield’s remarks at the Hudson Institute. The report became the basis for Ramaphosa to dismiss Whitfield from the Government of National Unity (GNU) Cabinet. The same report was leaked by a senior official in the Presidency to the Sowetan to launch a media campaign against Emma Powell as a whistleblower on MTN and the ANC’s collusion with Iran.
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Glencore ready to sec189 about 6000 posts. Absolutely terrible, so much suffering to ensue.

ANC service delivery that the people can touch, feel and see.
 
ForceFate said:
I can confirm it does.
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Concrete would be unusual for block paving but a cement stabilised (4-6% cement by mass) crushed rock base or subbase would be likely, either for heavy traffic or to minimise the effect of water ingress through the paving when sloes (grades or falls) are small. Typically recommendations for block paving specify steeper grades (min 1& long. & 2% crossfall) than for concrete or asphalt. There is a SABS/SANS specification for interlocking block paving.

Concrete is usually the surfacing.
 
TheChamp said:
Yes, I am.
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There are 2 problems with paving a road in pavers

1. The tar is meant to be a sealling layer. As soon as you have a "leak" then the load layers underneath are eroded away. All it needs is a minor movement in a paver and you will then have your "leak"

2. Domestic pavers are normally manufactured to 25 to 30MPA spec.
This specification of concrete is only meant to be use where the load is pedestrian or cars
The bricks will not last with heavy use or heavy load

ie a total waste of time and money as this type of paving is more expensive than traditional tar
 
Oldfut said:
Concrete would be unusual for block paving but a cement stabilised (4-6% cement by mass) crushed rock base or subbase would be likely, either for heavy traffic or to minimise the effect of water ingress through the paving when sloes (grades or falls) are small. Typically recommendations for block paving specify steeper grades (min 1& long. & 2% crossfall) than for concrete or asphalt. There is a SABS/SANS specification for interlocking block paving.

Concrete is usually the surfacing.
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There are images of them doing exactly that on Google. I made the post for giggles.

I tried to upload an image but it wouldn't let me.
 
ForceFate said:
A bunch of roads in Jozi are paved. Not that I support one type of surface over the other but if traffic is going to be diverted and prohibition for heavy goods vehicles put in place, I don't see what the issue is.
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In our capital they also replaced asphalt with blocks for "aesthetical" reasons 7 years ago.
Well after that it required constant maintenance, they even had to redo large sections few times.
They are now replacing it with asphalt as it was before.

Politically connected companies benefitted greatly (yes SA is not the only one with corruption)
Also there is no truck traffic there, just cars and busses.

Taking into account that tar roads are cheaper, last longer and budgets are constrained I see this as another money extraction scheme.
 
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