Sometimes, you just have to sit back and admire this country's ability to cut off its nose to spite its face. A month and a half after the World Cup, and all the congratulatory back slapping for a job well done, South Africa is poised to throw all that good will away.
Enter week two of the Cosatu strike (Congress of South African Trade Unions—they love acronyms down here), with 1.3 million government workers striking for an 8.6% salary increase and R1000/month housing allowance, to the government’s 7% and R700 offer. Initially, they had the backing of the public, but, oh my, how things have changed.
Pregnant women are being turned away from hospitals by unruly mobs, all non-critical patients have been forced to go home, and two premature newborns died when they were not fed or tended to all day. A mob burst in on a doctor preparing to operate on an unconscious patient. He bravely refused to leave, and thus condemn his patient to death. I could go on…
The medical union’s response? If the government cared about the livelihood of its employees, this wouldn’t happen.
On the education front, children are being blocked from public school buildings, which are now manned by retired teachers and student volunteers. There have been several instances of principals being threatened or assaulted, and the union is advocating that teacher’s shut down private schools as well, so that everyone can “feel their pain”.
In a delicious slice of irony (I like mine a-la-mode), several education strikers were injured when police opened up with water cannons and rubber bullets. I wonder, what kind of treatment did they receive at the hospital?
Eager to get in on the bully act, the ANC has grown tired of journalists exposing their corrupt awarding of government contracts and their swanky life styles. So instead of cleaning up their act, they are proposing a bill to criminalize the publication of “state secrets”, creating a media tribunal to try suspected journalists.
In the States, the National Archives decide which information is classified. Guess who will get to decide in South Africa? Who will be appointed to the tribunal? The A to the N-C. Judge, jury and executioner all under one roof.
There has also been a recent spate of rhino poaching, with 180 having been killed in the last year. Guess what folks, the people who come here on safaris, they aren’t spending their hard earned money to come see the charming, protesting city folk, THEY’RE HERE TO SEE THE ANIMALS.
Fans of logic, beware, there’s no place for you here.
Enter week two of the Cosatu strike (Congress of South African Trade Unions—they love acronyms down here), with 1.3 million government workers striking for an 8.6% salary increase and R1000/month housing allowance, to the government’s 7% and R700 offer. Initially, they had the backing of the public, but, oh my, how things have changed.
Pregnant women are being turned away from hospitals by unruly mobs, all non-critical patients have been forced to go home, and two premature newborns died when they were not fed or tended to all day. A mob burst in on a doctor preparing to operate on an unconscious patient. He bravely refused to leave, and thus condemn his patient to death. I could go on…
The medical union’s response? If the government cared about the livelihood of its employees, this wouldn’t happen.
On the education front, children are being blocked from public school buildings, which are now manned by retired teachers and student volunteers. There have been several instances of principals being threatened or assaulted, and the union is advocating that teacher’s shut down private schools as well, so that everyone can “feel their pain”.
In a delicious slice of irony (I like mine a-la-mode), several education strikers were injured when police opened up with water cannons and rubber bullets. I wonder, what kind of treatment did they receive at the hospital?
Eager to get in on the bully act, the ANC has grown tired of journalists exposing their corrupt awarding of government contracts and their swanky life styles. So instead of cleaning up their act, they are proposing a bill to criminalize the publication of “state secrets”, creating a media tribunal to try suspected journalists.
In the States, the National Archives decide which information is classified. Guess who will get to decide in South Africa? Who will be appointed to the tribunal? The A to the N-C. Judge, jury and executioner all under one roof.
There has also been a recent spate of rhino poaching, with 180 having been killed in the last year. Guess what folks, the people who come here on safaris, they aren’t spending their hard earned money to come see the charming, protesting city folk, THEY’RE HERE TO SEE THE ANIMALS.
Fans of logic, beware, there’s no place for you here.
Imagine if they were offered they 0% raise we're getting! Please be safe.
ReplyDeleteSafety isn't an issue. People with money use private hospitals and schools, so the only ones being affected are the the same ones that are striking. Madness.
ReplyDelete