Fighting for Peace and Democracy in Africa - a case of either - 'damned if we do and damned if we don't' or 'it's the right thing to do and it's in our own best interests!

Peace and democracy on the African Continent is desired by many but extreme Islamist forces are relentless in their endeavors to destabilize and take control.

South Africa does not want to hide from its responsibility to promote and support democracy in Africa but standing up to opposing Islamist forces is costly.  For me it is in our interests and it does seem like the right thing to do - but the cost is significant!

It is entirely reasonable to ask whether we can afford to get so involved - it is also entirely reasonable to ask whether we can afford not to?

The Islamist threat is great and I personally see no option but to join those who understand what is at stake.

While I say this I am also acutely aware that Germany for example, manages to avoid getting involved in other people's battles - and certainly reaps the budgetary benefits - so - how realistic would it be to think South Africa could do the same?

The question on my head is - are we not certain to fight extreme Islamists on our borders and in our own cities if we do not manage to contain them elsewhere in Africa?

French President Francois Hollande’s state visit to South Africa on 14 and 15 October, happened the day before, French foreign minister Laurent Fabius announced that France would increase its troop number to try to restore order in Central African Republic (CAR).

In a press conference with Hollande, President Zuma said ‘we have committed ourselves' and are 'ready to be part of the solution to help CAR come back to its normality’.

In the meantime The United Nations (UN) has appealed for more troops and helicopters so its peacekeeping mission in Mali can effectively stabilize the north of the country and protect civilians from attacks by Islamist extremist and armed groups.

Tuareg separatists and Islamist rebels seized three northern regions, last year following a March 2012 coup and a successful seven-month campaign by France to destroy the Islamist enclave killed hundreds of fighters linked to al Qaeda.

Democracy - is about choices - and all choices come with consequences - both positive and negative.  For me this means that we have to decide - what will bring the greatest good for the greatest number and do the
least harm all round.  Another way of saying that could be 'is it the right thing to do and it is in our best interests'?

The losing tribe gets to vote one of its members off the island!

Bernard Swanepoel - a mining entrepreneur who built Harmony Gold from a small single mine to one of the industry’s global giants - says it feels a bit like being the guy getting voted off the TV series Survivor where the losing tribe gets to vote one of its members off the island - not necessarily the weakest or the most deserving one.

On his blog he says "In much the same vein, SA society has come to the overwhelming conclusion that mining is 'bad' - bad businesses, bad employers, bad neighbours and bad corporate citizens.  SA mining is on the brink of losing its social license to operate."

He quotes three well respected reports which have brought him to the conclusion that mining is about to be 'voted off the island':

Firstly, Stephen Forrest of SFA Oxford - an authority on Platinum - concluded in October 2013 that: “South Africa is fast losing its place as the PGM industry Leader” with many producers, no longer able to sustain production, and consequently going out of business.” Secondly, the Fraser Institutes Policy Potential Index recently recorded SA’s score at 35, down from 44,5 one year earlier - investors in mining ranked us 64th out of 96 countries as a mining destination! Thirdly, research conducted by the Bench Marks Foundation overwhelmingly concluded that communities surrounding mines are drowning in unfulfilled expectation.

He says "Some argue that if we just put the “facts on the table” or throw R20 million at a fancy ad campaign…then even the illiterate unemployed will get how good we are."  But he believes it is not that
simple and that we need credible, elected leaders to create the space and a unifying environment that builds hope for the future.  Instead of national leaders blaming mining for all that is wrong in SA, municipalities distracting attention away from their own incompetence and corruption, mine employees demanding more and more, and the unemployed masses think ing that killing the golden goose makes sense! He does of course not comment on mining executives annual earnings and the living conditions if many employees etc...

I say "while Swanepoel's view is not the only view - some of what he says is worth thinking about - I think it will be a great pity if the mining industry is voted off this island - of course I also think the attitude of the mining industry will play a major role in whether they are or not.  I would appeal to communities - not to penalize themselves for the bad attitude of those who may take time to change.  CHANGE WILL COME - DON'T LET IT BE AT OUR EXPENSE OR ALLOW IT TO MAKE US THE LOSERS!"

Cheryllyn Dudley MP ACDP

September!

Heritage Month just happens to be 'Birthday Month' for me...

Now - I have had all of 60 years to think about things like this and I admit - my own 'mental gymnastics' have kept me amused and entertained over the years - I love tangling with people's thought processes - No work or play is ever boring if there are people -and the workings of their minds and lives to contemplate!

This morning - lying in bed with a sore chest and a temperature - the doctor prescribed 3 days at a Spa and I plan to comply asap after elections and my eldest sons wedding in 2014' - I picked up a magazine I like to read - 'Destiny' and was confronted with these cool words:

"Before I can say 'I am', I was...I am everything I ever was.  I am much of what my parents and especially my grandparents were: inherited stature, coloring, brains, bones, plus transmitted prejudices, culture, scruples, likings, moralities and moral errors that I defend as if they were personal and not familial,"

Written by Wallace Stegner in 'Angle of Repose'

While the concept of 'heritage' has a collective and  individual connotation - these words focus us in on our unique and individual selves - its true - no matter what has influenced us and how we have grown - we will have a tendency to act or speak not just out of who we are but who we were -  if we do not consciously choose.

I have been aware for years that I have inherited strengths and weaknesses, solid values and biases which I pass on to my children and others  if I do not take a moment to consider exactly where my responses, words and actions stem from.

Culture - the way I perceive it -  is a precious gift - but can be a curse if we let it imprison us - I want to value and learn from those who have gone before - but the end result should be better - more of the strengths and less of the weaknesses.

This tweet caught my eye this week

@BelindaMosesSA: “@lebolukewarm: "I am who I am" - what shitty people tend to say a lot.” Just heard that over the phone now. I said OK!

Hehe - just saying!

A Car Story

I really want to tell you my car story – and I say ‘my’ car story - because the parts of the story that could be ‘our’ car story are seen through ‘my’ eyes!

This story, for me, starts 44 years ago in Bulawayo when I turned 16 and had no desire to get my driver’s licence as was expected  – I was busy – busy modelling and writing my GCE “O” Levels – and I was in a hurry to find out what life was like in a ‘real’ city – besides, I got fetched for assignments and for dates and I liked it that way.  I left for Johannnesburg - to study mostly - what I studied didn’t matter much, it was all that was open to me at the time – my objective was to get to the city where buses were all the wheels I needed – except when girl friends decided I had to meet their brother or friend – all of them described in terms of the car they drove!

I had the ‘city bug’ and it wasn’t long before I made it all the way to London – I love cities but London will always be my first true love!  How is this, a ‘car story’ you ask – I know – cars have never featured that high on my list of priorities but I will get there.  Planes, buses, trains – no real need for cars – except if I count the combi-like vehicle that took me and 5 acquaintances to Barcelona - one way!   To cut a long story short – I could have gone a lot longer without a car in my life but two years  on, I found myself heading back to Africa on board an Ocean Liner with a big fat aging gold-coloured Merc in the hold – phew – did I feel like my wings had been clipped!

I hated that car – except for when it wouldn’t start which was more often than not - then I would open the bonnet and reconnect a little plastic pipe I had been shown was the culprit – when I got back in the car and it started every male for miles around seemed to be starring in disbelief and admiration – now that I had to ‘like’ – just a little!!

I was 21 when I had eventually gone for my driver’s test – I was also 8 months pregnant and when I am pregnant, I am very pregnant – my test may have lasted all of 10 minutes – that examiner was in no mood to be delivering any babies that day – so much easier than I had expected!

After the monster Merc, I had a ghastly 2 tone turquoise VW station wagon so that I could fit a carry cot on the back seat and pram wheels in the back – decidedly ‘unsexy’!

When I met Demi he had a goldish colour BMW – old – but then all the cars in Zim back then were old – so it looked awesome – way more ‘sexy’ – except that it was faulty and when I drove it while he was in the army I found out that turning left caused the hooter to activate.  Old people and females would curse me and if looks could kill I would not be alive today, while – even more embarrassingly - men of all ages would assume I was trying to attract their attention – I used to blush in those days so this was particularly annoying!

When Demi and I came to South Africa - I was about 26 years old – we spent every last cent we had on a brand new Opel Kadett, which we were very proud of – getting finance was no mean feat!  We loved that car in Johannesburg but in Durban – not so much – it seemed to have an ‘altitude’ problem!  One day a girl who came to my aerobic classes said her husband would be happy to work on the car – he was a Christian, so of course – what more did I need to know - when I got the car back it actually reversed in first gear – we loved it so much less after that!

Then began our infatuation with Toyota – a little red 1.3 Toyota Conquest I remember because my eldest son, Marc learned to drive in it and it became his 21st birthday present.  A silver 1.6 Toyota I remember because it helped launch the ACDP in the early days – it struggled too when retrenchments hit us and I was studying law – I remember pushing it at times in the rain to get Christy and John-Paul to school.  Then came a call to Parliament and I deliriously handed our precious Toyota over as a gift to the lady who had worked for and with me over the previous 15 years – you would have been forgiven for thinking she had just been called to Parliament.

There was so much to be grateful for – and a car allowance was one of them.  I was determined to be very sensible and grown up about this – I was in my late 40’s after all!  I settled for a second-hand British racing green Merc – I know uggh - as grateful as I was, it still did nothing to change my negativity toward Mercs. Years later when I needed to up-grade – I couldn’t give the car away – it had done so much mileage (I can say that – I’m old enough!),  and had travelled so many crazy dirt roads – it was finished - so was I come to think of it.  At about this time my middle son was needing to prepare to get his driver’s licence so I decided – because each new car we buy does its rounds from Demi to me or me to Demi and then on to one of our kids – I needed a car with a gear shift, suitable for him to learn, borrow and get - when he turned 21 – and my green Palio seemed to fit the bill!

Next Demi chose his dream car for me – another Merc - bigger, newer (relatively speaking) silver with pale blue fluffy seat covers – hmmm – if I say I tried to like it, I might be exaggerating but I didn’t complain – much!  Then we bought my lovely 2006 Merc , and Demi got to drive his ‘baby’.   I have to say this 2006 Elegance was a pleasure – hardly knew I was driving her – but she was still a Merc.

The past 2 to 3 years Demi and I have been ‘discussing’ the fact that I need to up-grade – Demi ‘discusses’ with all the passion of a true Italian and the conviction of an Afrikaaner – I’m trying to be nice here - I swing from being cold and emotionless in what I call true German style to being entirely Irish – wildly excitable and generally crazy – it’s helpful, in my book anyway - to recognise your roots at times!  I decided the only car I liked was a Mini Cooper and if I couldn’t have a Mini Cooper - I wanted to drive a Yaris.  Demi never disappointed in terms of reacting – he is a Merc man – and besides – surely I had to know by now he is always right!

Well it is true – Demi is usually right – I on the other hand don’t need to be right – I just know what I like.  Guess what – today I picked up my new A1 Audi – silver with a black roof – a brilliant compromise I think.   So that is my ‘Car Story’!

Zimbabwe is on my mind...They will vote in a referendum on a draft Constitution this weekend!

On 16 March 2013, Zimbabweans will vote in a referendum on whether to adopt or reject a draft constitution for which the three major political parties have publicly endorsed a Yes vote.

The writing of a new constitution was one of the requirements of the Global Political Agreement (GPA), which formed a power-sharing agreement between President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party and the two factions of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), following the violently contested presidential elections of 2008.

I was in Zimbabwe in 2000 with a delegation from the South African Parliament overseeing the referendum taking place at the time – that referendum was the beginning of a torrid time in Zim – praying this will mark the beginning of a new and better season for the people of Zimbabwe!

Extracts of the new Bill of Rights read:

* Right to life...an Act of Parliament must protect the lives of unborn children, and that Act must provide that pregnancy may be terminated only in accordance with that law.

* Marriage...persons of the same sex are prohibited from marrying each other.

Interesting!

After the referendum, Zimbabweans will vote in general elections slated for July, either under a new constitution or the current one.

Full observer mission to Zimbabwe in 2000

MP's observing in 2000

Sudan on my mind!

A tweet referring to an article written by a 'journo' - recently returned from South Sudan - has got me thinking about a visit I got to make to Sudan a few years ago - well, maybe a few more than a few years ago - 2006 to be exact!

I was there with a small delegation from Parliament, accompanying the then Speaker - Baleka Mbete - on Bi-lateral talks.  We had first visited the Ethiopian Parliament and MP's in our delegation spent time in both countries interacting with Members of Parliament on various committees and were included in meetings with Sudan's Foreign Minister and the Speakers of both Houses of Parliament.

In 2006 the Sudan Government was still adamant that Sudan would remain one country and - South African International Relations Policy - backed this position.  Our interactions with MP's included leaders representing the aspirations of a repressed and impatient people in the South.

I must say, I was often surprised at the liberty I had to ask whatever I wanted and to make it clear where the ACDP disagreed with the majority party and official policy.  It seemed to me that Speaker Baleka Mbete used this approach when visiting Islamic countries to illustrate a point - that point being democracy and the diversity we valued.

When I was called on to accompany the Speaker on bi-laterals, I noticed an MP who was an Imam was always included. Our ability to disagree yet respect each other and work together was, I suspect, the message she wanted to convey - a message of respecting differing and even radical views like those of the ACDP and Islam - views that were passionately articulated and argued!

Show-casing democracy in action - in the hope of inspiring leaders of countries with questionable human rights records to change their ways - appeared to be on the agenda.   In the meantime, we were living and working in the 'Mbeki' or 'denial era' back home and much of what we modelled was what we aspired to and not exactly what was!!

Going in to Sudan I was conscious that I had been speaking out in our Parliament against human rights abuses in Sudan since 2001 and my ACDP colleagues, Kent Durr MP and Jo-Ann Downs MPL were doing the same - it did cross my mind that Sudan's intelligence would be aware of this!

Fast forwarding to 2013 - we have two countries in place of one and the people of the South have some hard won victories albeit having paid a huge price for this freedom. They are today a resilient, hard-working people and despite under development and glaring poverty they go on with their lives not waiting for government to provide everything for them. The great economic potential is ever-present but so too are the differences with the North over oil fields - realising that potential, frustratingly depends on those differences being settled.

A Mother & Child In Sudan

With a Member of Parliament in Khartoum

      

 On the banks of the Nile (where the Blue and White Nile meet)