SA Politics Thread Part 11: The GNU Normal

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Solarion said:
My spidey senses tell me that South Africa is another experimental test case for attempting to get Socialism to finally work. Who is behind it? Propably the same WEF bunch that were abusing USAID for other regime and social tweaking experiments worldwide.

I don't spend any more time on this other than it just being a musing thought. One of you can PM me in 20 years and tell me if I was on the money or just being conspiratorial.

Assuming humanity hasn't blown itself sky high by then.
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I'd think your spidey senses are giving the ANC too much leeway for being WEF stooges. Our lot are stupid enough on their own to buttfsck everything for their own personal gain.
 
ForceFate said:
Threatening severe tariffs on ZA goods if we don't align with US foreign policy is equivalent to dropping a MOAB on us.
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But that isn't dictating foreign policy. US gets to decide its foreign policy (which includes trade), just as much as South Africa does.

It isn't the problem of the US that the SA government are a bunch of communist retards who don't understand economics. They understand in theory that they want to be an export driven economy, but also want to really piss off the largest importer of SA produced goods because of some scarfed terrorists in Israel.

Trump has simply said you don't get to do both. South Africa can choose to align itself with a genuine neutral foreign policy, like India does, which the US can work with and get the trade, or it can cosy up to Iran and get all the boon in trade that comes with dealing with them.
 
konfab said:
But that isn't dictating foreign policy. US gets to decide its foreign policy (which includes trade), just as much as South Africa does.

It isn't the problem of the US that the SA government are a bunch of communist retards who don't understand economics. They understand in theory that they want to be an export driven economy, but also want to really piss off the largest importer of SA produced goods because of some scarfed terrorists in Israel.

Trump has simply said you don't get to do both. South Africa can choose to align itself with a genuine neutral foreign policy, like India does, which the US can work with and get the trade, or it can cosy up to Iran and get all the boon in trade that comes with dealing with them.
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The ANC has run out of other people's money. They are now friends friends for hire.
 
Trump's 30% tariffs threaten South Africa's auto industry: what it means for the future

American President Donald Trump made good on his recent threats to slap South Africa with 30% tariffs yesterday, “on any and all South African products sent into the United States".

The US is South Africa’s second-biggest trading partner.

In an official letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa, he said the tariffs will come into effect on August 1 but are separate from all Sectoral Tariffs.

Modified

He said rates could be modified “upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your country”.

“We have had years to discuss our trading relationship with South Africa, and have concluded that we must move away from these long-term, and very persistent, trade deficits engendered by South Africa’s tariff, and non-tariff, policies and trade barriers,” the letter said.

Trump added that if South Africa were to increase its tariffs in response to the announcement, that amount would be added on top of the 30%.

 
FiestaST said:
In an official letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa, he said the tariffs will come into effect on August 1 but are separate from all Sectoral Tariffs.
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Rama should write the Oranze Nazi an official letter back and tell him to sod off. Screw Yanksville. We have bigger and better mates :cool:
 
Unlike @TheChamp who has a taken a remarkably relaxed attitude towards tariffs, the government appears to be taking action, knowing that many jobs will be lost.

SA is seeking to use the coming weeks to lobby Washington for changes to US President Donald Trump’s planned tariff hike on SA imports, set to take effect August 1.

Though the Trump administration has announced a blanket 30% tariff on SA exports, excluding select sector-specific duties, Pretoria remains hopeful that there is still diplomatic space to negotiate a reprieve. Officials warn the tariffs, set to take effect August 1, could severely undercut the competitiveness of SA goods in the US market, dealing a blow to key export industries.

“The 30% tariff is subject to modification at the back of the conclusion of our negotiations with the US,” president Cyril Ramaphosa said in response to the announcement by Trump on Monday regarding the reciprocal tariffs.
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www.businesslive.co.za

Diplomatic crunch time for Team SA ahead of tariff deadline

Pretoria remains hopeful there is still diplomatic space to negotiate a reprieve
www.businesslive.co.za www.businesslive.co.za
 
The_Right_Honourable_Brit said:
Unlike @TheChamp who has a taken a remarkably relaxed attitude towards tariffs, the government appears to be taking action, knowing that many jobs will be lost.



www.businesslive.co.za

Diplomatic crunch time for Team SA ahead of tariff deadline

Pretoria remains hopeful there is still diplomatic space to negotiate a reprieve
www.businesslive.co.za www.businesslive.co.za
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Should have been doing something many months if not years ago. ANC might wake up 10 months into the tariffs, they will probably set up a commission into the matter.
 
The_Right_Honourable_Brit said:
Yes, nothing appears to have been done between the Oval Office "meeting" and now.
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As much as the ANC have no problem destroying the country for their own sakes, Rama's opponents in the ANC have no problem sabotaging him to get to the top.
 
dualmeister said:
It has been pointed out several times, but no one in the ANC is listening :X3:

Same way Mcebisi Jonas is supposed to be SA's special envoy to United States of America, but he is still sitting in SA ...
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He'll get there, eventually... just have to tender for the process to get his plane tickets you know.
 
ToxicBunny said:
Fear Fokol is spinning bevok atm... he's stressing

www.news24.com

‘No law broken, no lies told,’ says Mbalula in defence of Nkabane’s SETA panel claims | News24

Despite two senior higher education officials denying involvement in Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane’s independent panel to choose Sector Education and Training Authority board chairpersons, the ANC has defended the embattled minister, claiming that “no lie was told”.
www.news24.com www.news24.com
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The ANC is cornered.

  • Minister Nobuhle Nkabane faces backlash for misleading Parliament about a panel choosing SETA board members, mostly ANC-aligned, but has withdrawn the list and apologised.
  • The DA has filed a criminal case, while the ANC defends Nkabane, stating no law was broken and calling the charges “opportunistic”.
  • Officials linked to the panel deny involvement, intensifying scrutiny, while the ANC claims external interests aim to destabilise governance.
Despite two senior higher education officials denying involvement in Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane’s independent panel to choose Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) board chairpersons, the ANC has defended the embattled minister, claiming that “no lie was told”.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told journalists at a press briefing on Monday that Nkabane made an honest mistake, which has been corrected.
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Ah yes, lying to Parliament is an honest mistake... **** me...
Nkabane is in hot water for lying to Parliament about an independent panel that was behind choosing the board chairpersons, who were mostly ANC-aligned.

Nkabane has since described the previous list of names as “politically bloated”, withdrawn the names, and committed to restarting the process.


The DA has also opened a criminal case against Nkabane for lying to Parliament.

Mbalula downplayed the significance of the matter and described the DA’s move to open a case as “opportunistic”.

According to Mbalula, Nkabane was empowered by the Skills and Development Act of 1998 in consultation with the National Skills Authority to appoint members of the SETA accounting authorities.

“Importantly, nowhere in the act or accompanying regulation does it require the establishment of an independent panel to advise or execute such appointments. The minister is fully empowered to perform these functions independently,” Mbalula said.

He said Nkabane had chosen to establish the independent panel as an act of “enhanced governance and a sincere attempt to promote transparency and broad consultation”.

“The minister chose to constitute a voluntary, unpaid advisory panel staffed by civil servants. This was done in good faith to ensure that merit-based and impartial guidance informs the decisions in the national interest,” said Mbalula.

“This extra governance measure, though commendable in principle, has unfortunately been weaponised by some political actors.”


He was at pains to explain that Nkabane had approached a respectable advocate to chair an independent panel; however, his appointment was never formally concluded due to procedural delays. He was referring to Advocate Terry Motau, who has denied involvement in the independent panel.

Mbalula explained on behalf of Nkabane that she had also briefed Parliament about Motau.

“This is a decisive piece of information which directly rebuts any allegation of deceit or misrepresentation that the minister intended to fabricate or exaggerate Advocate Motau’s role. She would not have made this transparent and clarifying statement. This detail proves that there was no intent to mislead Parliament,” Mbalula said.

He added that Nkabane had further apologised to Parliament and issued a formal written apology to advocate Motau.

We reject in the strongest terms the Democratic Alliance’s opportunistic laying of criminal charges against the minister. The DA’s conduct is not grounded in legal principle, but in performative politics.

“While gang violence and systemic inequality devastate communities in the Western Cape, the DA will rather misdirect police resources towards a political vendetta.
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And there it is... BUT WHAT ABOUT KHAYELITSHA AND CAPE FLATS...
Mbalula further stated that the SETA ecosystem was known to harbour business interests.

“Many of whom aggressively lobby for influence and financial opportunity. We caution the public to examine who benefits from destabilising the appointments process and how often legitimate governance efforts are obstructed by hidden agendas. In our view, no law has been broken, and no lie was told.

“An error was made, accountability was demonstrated by the minister, and corrective action has been taken. The process has started afresh. We believe that the minister must continue to serve the people of South Africa with integrity, humility, and a deep commitment to the values of democratic governance,” Mbalula said.

News24 reported on Tuesday that deputy director-general for corporate services Rhulani Ngwenya and Nkabane’s chief of staff, Nelisiwe Semane, are the latest officials to deny their involvement in the panel to appoint SETA board chairpersons.

The two wrote to Tebogo Letsie, the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education chairperson, denying their involvement.

Semane said her name appeared on the panel members’ list for the chairpersons’ selection and recommendation because the minister submitted a list that included all the panels she appointed since taking office.

DA spokesperson Karabo Khakhau said the party was astounded that Mbalula had declared the ANC’s full and unconditional backing of Nkabane.

“Nkabane misled Parliament, with a scheme of deception to conceal grand cadre deployment corruption. The ANC has, [on Monday], endorsed and approved lying to Parliament to keep cadre deployment under cover.

“This is a profound moment; it has shades of Nkandla all over again. The ANC again defends the indefensible. We remind the ANC that Ministers Nkabane and Simelane are officially under criminal investigation by the state, not the media or the opposition,” Khakhau said.
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Yes, swimming pools become firepools, lying to Parliament as a Minister is an honest mistake...

I'm willing to bet there wasn't even a panel, and they planned to just send it to the ANC's Deployment Committee...
 
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