Fool of the day
Lux chases road rage fool
Not, not a politician as it turns out, but an East London redneck who had a run-in with my sports colleague Lux Mantambo earlier today.Lux came into my office absolutely indignant and furious (quite rightly too) and told me how he had been driving along in East London earlier when he saw in his rearview mirror a young black guy overtake the aforementioned redneck.
A drum beats for Africa
Rant alert! The other evening I found myself watching SABC Africa while doing a bit of channel surfing. Why is it that every promo for this channel, or any promo or advert involving anything African, always has this ridiculous theme of banging jungle drums and vistas of the African savannah interspersed with images of noble peasants?
It seems that the only way that Africa can be portrayed is with Umoja-like theme tunes and these hackneyed images of some sort of pastural idyll. It really irritates me as it seems to perpetuate these romantic myths about our continent and society - and also, essentially, that we live in some sort of global backwater where shoeless people frolick with lions when they're not prancing around to the beat of a cow-hide drum.
Why can't we show the South Africa of world-beating shopping malls where affluent people of all hues congregate, or the mansions of Sandton, or crowds of people grooving down at Marina Glen on a Sunday? Or technology and science gurus at work at the CSIR or students at Wits?
There are a million images that would show how South Africa is part of a global society that is sophisticated, connected and influential -like me sitting on the couch writing this and posting it using cutting edge wireless technology - rather than allowing people to imagine that we are just a supporting cast in some giant wilderness-themed amusement park. Rant over
Scridb filterA local hero
Sometime our local heroes do very humble things. Take Thembinkosi Kokose, a senior manager at the KSD Municipality (which includes Mthatha), who works 16-hour days to ensure the city's streets are clean. Read how this remarkable man is making things happen in his city. Anyone who knows anything about Mthatha will know that the littered streets and rubbish collection are some of the main gripes of people that live there.
It's these small things that make a big difference in people's lives. Thanks Mr Kokose.
Scridb filterA few of my favourite things (reprise)
"abongile" (mentioned in Dispatches this past Saturday) has posted this amazing addition to the A Few of My Favourite Things Post which I now feel I need to open up to a Reader Hall of Fame Competiton....
Here is his contribution. Think you can do better? Well, lets see and maybe you will be joining the ranks of the Truly Famous!
"…the word voet”’k is used in all languages.
…our trade unions dance to show their anger towards government.
…We have floor crossing
…Can walk around town with hair rollers and pyjamas and see nothing wrong with it.
…Hate your boss like it’s nobody’s business and go to the pub with him and be best buddies
… Your boss (government departments) is your uncle, the middle management are his in-laws, the accountant is his girlfriend and the tea lady was his nanny.
…You can afford a BMW but live in a shack in Cape Town.
…Your parents give you names like Yesterday, Matric Examination or Midnight and you see nothing funny with that.
…We have 11 official languages"
So, what are a few of Your Favourite Things about SA?
Scridb filterSmall is nimble
I listened to a great speech by Martin Welz, editor of the investigative news magazine Noseweek, this morning. He related his experiences in starting up his cutting-edge publication and the lessons to be learned from being small, which I think can be taken into pretty much any business, or into life in general.
Roughly summed up:
* Don't try and copy the big guys
* Know what your greatest asset is - in his case, his legal, business and journalistic knowledge - and use it to your ends
* Because you are small you risk less - so take more risks
* If you want to be different - be different
Great stuff.
Scridb filter