Vavi warns that SA is in trouble

[rainynight65]

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/SA-in-trouble-Vavi-warns-20111026

Johannesburg - South Africa was "in trouble" on many levels, Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi warned on Wednesday.

"There can be no denial that we are fighting ourselves at the moment... and there is an attempt by the powerful elite to shut up everybody: including shutting them up permanently.

"Comrades are beefing up security, including me. It's not the AWB [Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging] and it's not all the right-wing white extremists. It's one another."

He said some senior government officials were too preoccupied with power games to care about the poor and unemployed.

"We are in trouble politically... in 2014 we [will not be able to] offer answers when our people ask what have we done [to eradicate unemployment and poverty]," the Congress of SA Trade Unions boss told a National Union of Metalworkers of SA job summit in Johannesburg.

Many people were living in fear of their reputations being destroyed, their political standing being jeopardised, and in fear for their own safety.

Vavi said many of those who had fought to bring change at the ANC's elective conference in Polokwane in 2007, which saw President Jacob Zuma elected party leader, no longer saw eye to eye.

Referring to Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's medium-term budget policy statement on Tuesday, Vavi said it was no surprise the country was facing tough times.

He warned that frustration among the poor was growing, especially in informal settlements.

"Where is the leadership?" asked Vavi.

I can tell you where the leadership is. On the gravy train.

 

[Creag]

They're at the feeding trough (from soundclip on radio this morning), as Vavi so aptly put it

 

[JerryMungo]

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/SA-in-trouble-Vavi-warns-20111026



I can tell you where the leadership is. On the gravy train.

"It's not the AWB... it's one another"

Nice one Vavi. At least your true 'colours' are showing... where you draw the lines in the sand and all. What a racist comment.

Here's some food for thought. MAKE THE CIRCLE BEEEGAAA! Draw your lines a bit further out and you will realise that we are all 'one another'... not just those who were your friends in some past life... or share your skin tone.

 

[S7wede]

I don't think it was racist at all. How in any way could him saying that the white people are not the problem, be racist. It's a common misconception by many black people that the AWB speaks for all the whites of this country and he, for once ,has told the truth. Good for him I say.

 

[ooogz]

I don't think it was racist at all. How in any way could him saying that the white people are not the problem, be racist. It's a common misconception by many black people that the AWB speaks for all the whites of this country and he, for once ,has told the truth. Good for him I say.

I agree, didnt sound racist at all...

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

 

[murraybiscuit]

everyone agrees on what the problems are.
we don't necessarily concur on the solutions.

 

[Voicy]

I don't think it was racist at all. How in any way could him saying that the white people are not the problem, be racist. It's a common misconception by many black people that the AWB speaks for all the whites of this country and he, for once ,has told the truth. Good for him I say.

I happen to agree with s7wede on this one.

 

[Pearson6]

He has a point, something hectic is happening and its all happening within........but I think it's only fair that people start questioning the leaders they elected.........just wonder how it will be if we have an Indian president.......lol

 

[J0n0]

"It's not the AWB... it's one another"

Nice one Vavi. At least your true 'colours' are showing... where you draw the lines in the sand and all. What a racist comment.

Here's some food for thought. MAKE THE CIRCLE BEEEGAAA! Draw your lines a bit further out and you will realise that we are all 'one another'... not just those who were your friends in some past life... or share your skin tone.

Great reading...Reading only what suits you I see?

It's not the AWB [Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging] and it's not all the right-wing white extremists. It's one another."

Nothing racist about his comments unless you want to pull the race card at every opportunity. Get over yourself Salad.

 

[Vrotappel]

His reference to the AWB and 'right wing extremists' were unnecessary in the point he is trying to make.

Hope he realises that he is a mayor part of the problem.

Our current labour environment makes SA uncompetitive internationally. We need to grow at 7% to provide jobs (according to Gordhan) however this is not going to happen as we continue to slide down the competitiveness charts.

 

[Fudzy]

His reference to the AWB and 'right wing extremists' were unnecessary in the point he is trying to make.

Hope he realises that he is a mayor part of the problem.

What town is that?

 

[TJ99]

Our current labour environment makes SA uncompetitive internationally. We need to grow at 7% to provide jobs (according to Gordhan) however this is not going to happen as we continue to slide down the competitiveness charts.

It's not just the monumentally unfair labour situatuation, although that would help. Even if there were no unions I doubt we could compete with the likes of China on production costs, the general cost of living is simply too high over here. The government should be far more focused on encouraging investment and making the environment attractive for the private sector, which is their bloody job anyways. Instead they try to artificially create (temporary) jobs by building massive infrastructure projects and plunging themselves further into debt, so they can go on with their silly ideologies. Who in their right mind would invest in businesses in a country where it might just all be stolen by the government on a whim, especially if such a government doesn't even make an effort to allay those fears by taking a firm stance against those who claim such theft will become policy.

 

[Albereth]

It's not just the monumentally unfair labour situatuation, although that would help. Even if there were no unions I doubt we could compete with the likes of China on production costs, the general cost of living is simply too high over here. The government should be far more focused on encouraging investment and making the environment attractive for the private sector, which is their bloody job anyways. Instead they try to artificially create (temporary) jobs by building massive infrastructure projects and plunging themselves further into debt, so they can go on with their silly ideologies. Who in their right mind would invest in businesses in a country where it might just all be stolen by the government on a whim, especially if such a government doesn't even make an effort to allay those fears by taking a firm stance against those who claim such theft will become policy.

This will probably uncover the hidden agenda of the ANC.

One doesn't compete for the sake of competition. People should do what they are best at. South Africa is really good at extracting minerals from the ground. We should continue to do this and not nationalise the mines. Governments are useless at mining.

The hidden agenda - nationalise the mines and then sell them to China.

 

[JerryMungo]

OK, so perhaps it's not intended to be racist, but what do you make of "SA is in trouble" vs "The ANC is in trouble"? SA has been in trouble for some time, whether it suited him to say it before or not. Sorry, but these guys flipflop daily, there's no way I can support a double minded politician who quietly collects his money and only makes noise when it suits him. And yes, he is a politician.

What about the 'them' vs 'us' comment... what was that intended to convey?

 

[Fudzy]

OK, so perhaps it's not intended to be racist, but what do you make of "SA is in trouble" vs "The ANC is in trouble"? SA has been in trouble for some time, whether it suited him to say it before or not. Sorry, but these guys flipflop daily, there's no way I can support a double minded politician who quietly collects his money and only makes noise when it suits him. And yes, he is a politician.

What about the 'them' vs 'us' comment... what was that intended to convey?

Do you feel represented by the AWB? I certainly don't nor a lot of members here (i hope) I think Vavi's referral is to the extreme measures they went to upset negotiations back in the early 90s

 

[grok]

"Where is the leadership?" asked Vavi.

Indeed, time for the ANC to go they cannot do the job.

 

[JerryMungo]

Do you feel represented by the AWB? I certainly don't nor a lot of members here (i hope) I think Vavi's referral is to the extreme measures they went to upset negotiations back in the early 90s

I think the AWB has little or nothing to do with Vavi and his opinions on the ANC.

 

[marine1]

Funny I have been saying SA is in trouble for years and only now this genius realises it? Wow our leaders are quick - bloody brain dead

 

[reactor_sa]

Its sad that I cant really think of any positive things about the current governemt, only negative things....

 

[Fudzy]

Funny I have been saying SA is in trouble for years and only now this genius realises it? Wow our leaders are quick - bloody brain dead

The sky has been falling for an awfully long time now.