Just when we were all down in the dumps about the falling Rand, the poor harvest of maize, the hike in the interest rate, coupled with the future escalating food prices, to our rescue comes our president who now wants to pay back the Nkandla money.
It is also quite hilarious that the agreement to pay back something is not an admission of guilt, but done for the sake of keeping this tattered nation (torn apart by a viral outbreak of racism) together. Really?
At least in the future, while our former police commissioner Ria Phiyega fights for her integrity just as Idols judge Gareth Cliff waged his victorious battle against M-Net, we the residents of this topsy-turfy country can sleep better knowing the infamous fire pool in the shape of a tear will be paid for not by us but the owner.
At least partially.
Sadly, the Nkandla saga is but a long list of sad jokes.
The cry to pay back the money has been echoing for some time, but what about all the other corruption charges in South Africa where stolen money has not been paid back?
Because of corruption, maladministration and tender favoritism money continues to leak away, just as does our water.
A tax hike might also be on the cards this year, but the problem with our economy is not the amount of money being collected (there is more than enough), but what happens to the funds.
It seems the government is intentionally ignoring the numerous holes in the financial bucket.
Funny enough, EFF leader Julius Malema still wants to take on the president in court over Nkandla, yet what about the man in the red overall’s own battle with Sars over millions that needs to be paid back?
We the common people on the street it seems are powerless to escape the glaring eye of Sars, like the glaring eye of Sauron in the Lord of the Rings, so why should any other citizen – politician or not – escape from the receiver of revenue’s icy grip?
Indeed, we live in fascinating times of Nenegate, Nkandla and now also the Anti Racism Action Forum that by the way wants to dig up past skeletons by laying criminal charges against FW de Klerk and former minister Adriaan Vlok.
Yes, Araf wants its own Nuremberg trial.
What is quite disturbing about this whole matter is that while our president is willing to pay back a sum of money (and please let it be a simple number to make it readable) for the sake of nation building, here comes a forum that openly declares war on white supremacy.
Maybe someone should tell Araf such action is anything but conducive to national unity. Just now another forum will pop up to declare war against black supremacy.
What is heartening about the Nenegate and Nkandla saga (yes we can find something positive) is that it shows that there is a flicker of hope for our supposed democratic country.
Democracy is defined as a system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through freely elected representatives. Thus, it is a government run for the people by the people.
Clearly people were not happy late last year with the appointment of Brian van Rooyen as Finance Minister and the president actually listened! This is a triumph for democracy (even though Pravin Gordon cannot overnight save our shell-shocked economy).
And clearly there was too much pressure by the people over Nkandla, and we saw the power of the people manifested with the university ‘fees must fall’ movement.
It is therefore quite surprising that e-tolls have not fallen, despite the massive and persistent opposition by the people.
After all, aren’t we paying taxes and a fuel levy in order for the government to fix our roads?
The power of the people apparently also made a fist at M-Net and the devil himself when many complainants managed to banish Lucifer to a Friday night late slot.
What is, however, quite strange about the Lucifer drama (keeping in mind many will record the programme no matter the time it is shown) is that there are many programmes on the DSTV package that are equally devilish but go unnoticed.
Think about shows like Supernatural and Constantine where the devil has a field day. It was clearly a case of ‘hello no, they will not go’.
In the midst of all these dramas unfolding around us, and while bodies pile up at the lake, we also have to worry about pesky mosquitoes possibly carrying the Zika virus.
Please, give us a break and let the virus stay in the Americas. We have enough to deal with from droughts to potatoes costing an arm and a leg.
While we thus try our best to avoid the mosquitoes, let us then see what will happen with Nkandla. After all, the devil is in the details.
