South Africa we love you our beatiful land, let's show the whole world we can bring peace in our land.

In the wake of ratings downgrades by Moody’s two weeks ago and by Standard & Poor’s on Friday, Mr Loubser said confidence in South Africa could not be built in a climate of corruption, violent industrial action, the undermining of the judiciary and regulatory and tax uncertainty.
 (http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/2012/10/18/sas-leaders-ignoring-crises-says-loubser accessed 18/10/2012)


When one thinks of all these uncertainties that are carrying on in our nation, things become clear to me that we need not sit and take the punches anymore. We are constantly seeing these incidences that have happened in this country and yet we're just not doing enough to have these abolishes.

As a young professional it has become my civil duty to look into these matters and realize that it is not only in the hands of others, but it also in my hands as well. I mean the end to this corruption.



"Moody’s has given South Africa its first downgrade since democracy, rating the country down to Baa1. Thanks a lot. Last week, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) downgraded our sovereign debt for a second time, to BBB from BBB+. We are now a slim two grades above junk status, in line with countries such as Brazil, Russia and Mexico (a pleasant surprise — I thought we might find ourselves in worse company, given the recent turmoil).
Last week, before the S&P downgrade, the rand traded at R8,9942 to the dollar, the highest in more than three years. Beyond economics, that exchange rate affects us psychologically. We go into a tailspin and fear creeps in. If we don’t get our political act together and deal with business and economic challenges, we shouldn’t be surprised if the rand-dollar rate heads back to the R12s and R14s of 2009 and 2001."

(http://www.bdlive.co.za/opinion/columnists/2012/10/18/south-africa-must-unite-to-avoid-the-ratings-tipping-point accessed 18/10/2012)


To me this means that we are moving backwards instead of forward. The pure disrespect for the law and the never ending strike action is just a tip of the iceberg that is the cause of this disaster. Economics is warning us way ahead of the real impact that this is going to have in our country. The corruption that is ripe in our state organs is disgusting and should be the main issue at hand and not succession debates. How is it  going to help us of we keep the same person that has not done anything tangible in terms of economic growth in the past 3 years? Instead we see that his hometown is being upgraded in less that 3 years that he's been in power. And when we seek answers we are met with vague answers and handbooks that mean nothing to us as a people.

Our leaders have done nothing but lip service for our country


FREE  EDUCATION FOR ALL 

Now in this regard, if we want to strive for a non racial society why are we still subjected to having children, just because they are white, refused an opportunity to study further.

"I have fought against white domination, I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society, it is an idea I hope to live for. And if needs be, it is an idea for which I am prepared to die."

I think in the wake of all this madness we shall remember the above words and remember why the ANC was formed, why it was banned and what, when resurrected, it lives for.

For a free, democratic, non sexist, non racial society for all.

South Africa belongs to all that live in it and it does not belong to those that govern it.


I am Nkonkotyi, the concerned citizen. 

Juju, ANCYL racist and greedy - Loubser - Business News | IOL Business | IOL.co.za

Juju, ANCYL racist and greedy - Loubser - Business News | IOL Business | IOL.co.za


I am not a political analyst or one that will stand up and openly ask obvious questions, but with the recent spate of attacks to our economy I can no longer dtand by and watch while our country is being destroyed. The leadership that we have in this country has a lot of flaws: The secrecy bill, The Zumaville, the ongoing strikes, the killing of cops, the letting go of guilty people on "MEDICAL PAROLE" and then those people mericulously recover and carry on with their lives, like playing golf. The injustices that this leadership is bring to forth to the plights of the people of this nation is appalling and out right wrong.
Instead of amending the wrongs that are in incumbent in this country they are now busy thinking of "How will I stay in the leadership?" - which is disgusting I have to say.
We are a nation that is doomed if we continue to vote these people into power.

In Celebration of the Western Cape

In the recent months, I have had the pleasure to drive through the R310 through to Franschhoek. I thought to myself, oh boy you made a great decision to come and live the Cape Winelands.

Today I would like to introduce to you a small village called Pniel, it is a few kilometres away from Stellenbosch  and I can assure you that you'd love it too...

here's a extract from http://www.sa-venues.com/attractionswc/pniel.php

Western Cape Destinations

Pniel, Cape Winelands

Cape Winelands, Western Cape

If you have ever driven the R310 from Stellenbosch along Helshoogte, a lovely alternative route through to Franschhoek, then you've passed through the little village of Pniel. Linking the two major wine towns in this way makes for a more than pleasant weekend filled with good food, gorgeous views, and wine enough to fill the boot of your car.

The town of Pniel, nestled at the foot of Simonsberg, lies just outside Stellenbosch. Not only does the little village lie surrounded by vineyards and mountains in one of the most wonderful spots in the Western Cape, but its history is very interesting. Pniel started out as 19 hectares of land donated from the farm De Goede Hoop established as a mission settlement for the landless and homeless slaves of 1842 (the British Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 abolished slavery throughout most of the British Empire, including 40 000 slaves in SA).

Today its oak-lined main road is filled with quaint houses, some of the them built for the freed slaves by Sir Herbert Baker (hence the humps in the road, to make sure you take the time to look around you!), whilst its name, which means 'face of God', is taken from Genesis 34 verse 30. In 1843 a further 43 hectares were added to Pniel from the neighbouring farm, Papier Moulen, and the whole area was subdivided into plots and granted to emancipated slave settlers on a permanent tenure basis, to be inherited by their children.

One can organise tours by local residents that include the history and the significance of the 160 year old church.

Open letter to the Republic of Mzantsi

Dear South Africa

I write this open letter to inform you that we as a people of this country are sick and tired of the injustices that are being put on the plight of those who choose to abide by the law.

This year alone has been marred by destruction and lawlessness by our very own ordinary people that walk amongst us. I am referring to the never ending protests and the rate in which heinous crimes have escalated and yet you seem to be doing nothing about. Today we read about strikers throwing stones and killing innocent, honest men that are trying to put food on the tables of their families. We read about the killings of striking miners in Marikana and we have demagogues that pretend to be on our side and yet they are sucking our hard earned tax money and never brought to justice about.

These days South Africa we are scared to walk our own back yards, get up and have that morning jog so that we may be fit and ready for the day’s challenges. Our children are abducted and raped by their own elders and turned into junkies of drugs. South Africa when will this madness end?

Given all the news that we read and the events that we see in our own communities, you seem to be doing nothing about the people that are breaking the law.

Our history has taught us to fight for what is right and right now, you are failing us South Africa and I am sick of it.

I am sick of:

-       Living in fear of my own shadow

-       The strikes that become crime scenes

-       The corruption that you allow our leaders to do

-       Our children vanishing, getting raped and killed

-       You not doing anything about the crime that is committed on a daily basis

I know you are going to say, we should report crime and that we should not take the law into our hands. Those that have done so, do you blame them?

Have you lived in Khayelitsha dear South Africa? Do you know that we get mugged and killed when we go to work in the mornings? Do you know that when we come back from work we get killed for the little money that we wake up at the crack of dawn for?

Have you lived in Gugulethu, where we get mugged at 12H00 a.m. by our very children? They are hungry and they are bored dear South Africa because you have nothing to offer them. Between your so called education system and your so called criminal justice system South Africa, they choose the prison. You know why? Because inside, they sleep on a full stomach, they are given activities to do and they are not punished for their crime. Instead they have the audacity to demand DSTV.

South Africa, I agree with your thoughts that everyone has their own choices to make, but these choices should not stand in our way to live a peaceful and a meaningful life, it should not stop us from providing a good life for our children. South Africa the choices that we make should not infringe on our right to life, to safety, to education. In other words, no one should be missed by the long arm of the law. The law is there to be obeyed, even the President has declared to obey the laws of this country.

I find it very hard to understand, therefore, why we should be victims of crimes by striking workers while the police force is watching. I fail to understand why you have let the N2 highway in Cape Town to be a “war zone” where Law enforcers are killed. I fail to understand why you let the demagogues get away with corruption and I indeed fail to understand why you are not doing anything to help us with this war on Crime. Why do you allow the Cape Flats to be ruled by Gangsters and TIK? Why to do you let our children get raped and killed?

I guess dear South Africa we as a people who choose to abide by the law are asking too much of you.

Yours in sadness

Citizen of South Africa

Are they doing enough to ensure that our rights are known?

There are plenty of people living in the prominent areas that really do not know that the constitution obliges the state to provides the rights enshrined in it.

I was taking a drive this evening and  I was listening to Metro FM and I was lucky enough to catch a really interesting conversation between the DJ and the CEO of the human rights commission. I know, who or what is the Human rights commission and where do we find them.

So I am today making it my responsibility to let those, who are learned and educated and uneducated alike, know who they are.

Extract from their website: www.sahrc.org.za

About the SAHRC

The South African Human Rights Commission is the national institution established to support constitutional democracy. It is committed to promote respect for, observance of and protection of human rights for everyone without fear or favour.

ESTABLISHMENTThe Commission was inaugurated on 02 October 1995 under the Human Rights Commission Act 54 of 1994 and as provided for by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 200 of 1993.

The Constitution is the highest law in the country and it was adopted to heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights. These rights are listed in the Bill of Rights, in Chapter 2 of the Constitution.

CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE
The mandate of the Commission as contained in Section 184 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996 is as follows:
1. The South African Human Rights Commission must –
   a) promote respect for human rights and a culture of human rights;
   b) promote the protection, development and attainment of human rights; and
   c) monitor and assess the observance of human rights in the Republic.

2. The Commission has the powers, as regulated by the national legislation, necessary to perform its functions, including the power - 

   a) investigate and report on the observance of human rights;
   b) take steps and secure appropriate redress where human rights have been
       violated;
   c) carry out research; and
   d) educate.

3. Each year, the Commission must require relevant organs of
    state to provide the Commission with information on the measures that they have taken
    towards the realisation of the rights in the Bill of Rights concerning housing, health
    care, food, water, social security,education and the environment.

4. The Commission has the additional powers and functions
    prescribed by national legislation.

VISION
Transforming society. Securing rights. Restoring dignity.

MISSION
The Commission as the independent national human rights institution is created to support constitutional democracy through promoting, protecting and monitoring the attainment of everyone's human rights in South Africa without fear, favour or prejudice.

VALUES
The values of the Commission are: intergrity, honesty, respect, objectivity, Batho Pele Principles, and equality 

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
The South African Human Rights Commission is made up of Commissioners and a Secretariat. Commissioners provide strategic leadership and direct policy. They are appointed by Parliament on a seven-year term and can be reappointed to an additional term.

Are those your real findings or have you manipulated your data?

There have been numerous studies conducted on benefits and demerits of a certain phenomenon that have had the world on its knees. We all believe, well some of us do, and the sad thing is that we take it at face value. The reasons for those that believe is because it's written by people that have credentials that are, sometimes, beyond, our understanding.

I have come to learn that it is not a bad thing to question the findings of those that are professors and doctors of philosophies. This has come to light when I was attending my research module at my varsity. The lecturer shared an interesting story, and I will share it with you...

"Researcher working on benefits of red wine 'falsified data more than 100 times'

• University of Connecticut have started dismissal proceedings against Dipak Das
• Spokesman said the university was 'deeply disappointed by the flagrant disregard' for conduct codes
• 
  

By CLAIRE BATES

UPDATED: 10:35 GMT, 12 January 2012

• Comments (2)
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A U.S. university has said a researcher known for his work on red wine's benefits to cardiovascular health falsified his data in more than 100 instances.

Nearly a dozen scientific journals are being warned of the potential problems after publishing the University of Connecticut professor's studies.

Dipak Das is the director of the Cardiovascular Research Centre at the University of Connecticut

University officials say dismissal proceedings have started against Dipak Das, director of the UConn Health Centre's Cardiovascular Research Centre.

The university said it started investigating Mr Das' work after receiving an anonymous complaint in 2008 of potential irregularities in his research, and that it found 145 instances of fabricated, falsified and manipulated data.

Mr Das has gained attention for research into an ingredient in red wine that has shown potential for promoting health, though the university did not say whether the falsifications occurred in research on that topic.

Dr Nir Barzilai, whose research team conducts resveratrol research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, said Das is not a major figure in the field. 

He added the new allegations will not make a material difference to resveratrol research, which is being conducted extensively around the world with encouraging results from many labs.

Enthusiasm in the potential health benefits from red wine grew after a widely reported study in 2006 in which obese mice lived longer, healthier lives after getting resveratrol. Das was not involved in that research.

The university's health centre recently declined to accept £580,000 ($890,000) in federal grants awarded to Das as its review was under way, and has frozen all other external funding for his lab.

The UConn report found what it called 'a pervasive attitude of disregard within the (lab)' for commonly accepted scientific practices.

It also said there were so many problems - and over so many years - that the review board members 'can only conclude that they were the result of intentional acts of data falsification and fabrication, designed to deceive.'

Some examples included several cases in which data was digitally altered; data from one experiment was used to justify findings in another; and controls from one experiment were used to denote another experiment's controls, which are the unchanged factors against which experiments are compared.

Philip Austin, the UConn health affairs vice president, said they are 'deeply disappointed by the flagrant disregard' for UConn's conduct codes, but grateful that the anonymous tipster notified authorities.

'The abuses in one lab do not reflect the overall performance of the Health Center's biomedical research enterprise, which continues to pursue advances in treatments and cures with the utmost of integrity,' he added.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2085609/Researcher-working-benefits-red-wine-falsified-data-100-times.html#ixzz1pJSzxx6q " 

My thoughts on deception and cheating

Sometimes deception can save your life and sometimes it would just destroy it. 

I will dwell on the latter and I will add again that this happened to me. Some one once said to me that when you lie it always comes back and bite you on the ass sooner or later. And in my case it happened sooner than I thought and I thought that it would not be discovered. So in essence what I did was unthinkable - I became offensive and very defensive about the whole thing. In the end I ended up not achieving what I wanted (Which was to cover my ass)

So in so saying, my thoughts on deception and cheating always get you to one place and that place is called loneliness and there's nothing you can do about it. Sure one can apologize as many times as possible but that trust is gone forever and one thing that you will notice is that when ever you are sincere it's not going to be recognized. It will be just another one of your lies. 

So friends be careful and never let yourself fall in the trap that would only consume your happiness.