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All About Africa is a channel devoted to all things Africa. We cover politics, economics, security, education, trade, investment, agriculture, land tenure, pretty much any Geo-political or strategic topic about Africa and the world.
I am a retired U.S. Army Colonel, a historian, a political scientist, published author, former disc jockey, dairy farmer and have many different interests. I have lived abroad for much of my life including all over Africa. During my service I lived in Tunisia, Liberia, Botswana, Malawi, Niger, Mauritania, Uganda and Ethiopia.
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Chris, ActionSA's 2IC Michael Beaumont is a DA 'discard', who was not as highly thought of by his erstwhile party, as he thought he aught to be. He is a very bitter anti-DA individual as a result, unsparing in his opportunistic 'nit picking' of the DA, having somehow managed to dupe Herman Mashaba into taking him on board, where he uses ActionSA's parliamentary presence to freely exercise his vindictive character and nature. In siding with the ANC in their corrupt 'no-confidence' motion against Cilliers Brink, he sees his ultimate act of 'revenge' against the DA being 'tailor-made' for him, and it will take Herman Mashaba to very swiftly regain his own mind, remembering that the foundation of ActionSA was to unseat the ANC (and not support or in any manner 'affirm' them), realize what Beaumont is doing to ActionSA (because the position adopted in this matter is singularly a Beaumont initiative), and to very smartly do to Beaumont what the DA did to him, before this 'motion' is tabled. Mashaba needs to crucially save what little is left of ActionSA, after taking a bit of a hammering at the polls. How much following will be left, if the party moves away from its very first founding principle, especially that it is totally against what the call to vote ActionSA was? There is no room in politics for personal petty 'scores' to be settled, and especially so in a struggling party such as ActionSA. Energies must surely be focused elsewhere, and the sooner Herman Mashaba comes to this realization, the longer ActionSA might survive. Michael Beaumont will destroy ActionSA, Herman - you need to 'lose' him...
To this day " the conern" of overeach but few people ponder fiscal austerity, how can it possibly affect poorer countries, eh and yeh what ? how about Europeans ? are the Americans not just abusing fiscal austerity as well....perhaps our black nation in South Africa...doesnt put focus on whites but how insidiously and infidiously the financial state of apperage is ' just ' suiting. Are not these two wars just a bi- polar historical outline they are didnt Europe think they could inveigh their own treatment of Russia with fiscal austerity...tra la and America doesn't want it inveighed do they not Or is it just when the tough get going the going was already tough. If America misses out mentioning Sudan ...? what befalls them Three crusty multi- billionaires running their boots ?
The only thing the anc, action SA, eff and the acdp hate more than each other is a competent Whyte man showing them how it should be done. Straight up racists.
These anc rogues are fast destroying whats left of their party. Its already in huge decline and unless a miracle happens the 2026 election will sink the anc into a political wasteland of missed opportunities to work for the poor citizens. They see the anc for what it is a failure
I say _thank goodness_ we did away with the constituency first past the post system and opted for a proportional multiparty system. This is the _reason_ why we could vote out the ANC in the first place. No gerrymandering of voting districts in favor of the ruling party. No need for the opposition to unite into one, equally ambiguous party. No disconnect between the number of votes and the number of representational seats that leads to greater apathy. It is so incredibly naive and short sighted to blame the country's problems on our electoral system. If we kept the old pseudodemocratic system, the ANC would still have been firmly in control, and things would've been infinitely worse. How do I know? Because that is exactly what happened in Zimbabwe. Yes, our situation is not great, but you're going to have a hard time convincing me the alternative would've been better. I only see evidence to the contrary. I mean, just look at how the two party system in America have polarized that country. Can you imagine what that would've mean in a country like South Africa??? #KeepProportionalElections
"opted for a proportional multiparty system. This is the reason why we could vote out the ANC" -- You did not vote out the ANC. They still control national and six provincial governments. "No gerrymandering of voting districts" - Actually Gerrymandering is EXACTLY what the ANC did creating fake municipality constituencies to eliminate minority representation around the country, especially in Gauteng. "Because that is exactly what happened in Zimbabwe." - When exactly? In 1980 when ZANU intimidated and murdered its way past the post? In 2008 when they raped and murdered, intimated and threatened their way to victory (and STILL LOST)? The truth of the matter in Zimbabwe is ZANU was ALWAYS going to win because the country has NEVER had free or fair elections. "just look at how the two party system in America have polarized that country" -- Selective analysis on your part. America essentially had a two party system for over 150 years and did not have a "polarized" political climate. Two parties is not the issue. Leftist control of the media, education, and now corporate board rooms is the problem. "Can you imagine what that would've mean in a country like South Africa" - For starters, a lot fewer corrupt, incompetent cadres woudl have life time free rides in Parliament. Whether you get better outcomes is another story.
@ColonelChrisWyatt Yes. And I'm saying they would still be in control of all 9 if we hadnt changed toba more modern electoral system that allows for more than just two voices in the political landscape. That is a system that promotes political ambiguity. Both sides being as fluffy as possible in their rethoric as to not offend potential voters. Both sides trying to please everyone, and ending up pleasing no one. Question for you: If the far left had felt confident enough to split off from the Democratic party to form their own party, resulting in all the far left looneys leaving the Democrat party, would that be a good thing or a bad thing for mainstream American politics? But now you have a system where there can only be two voices, so the far left prefer to highjack one of your main parties to poison the entire well, and the democrats have no back bone to kick them out, because such forceful behaviour might alienate some of their voters. I'd much rather have a multiparty system where I, as part of a minority voice, get to _have_ a voice and vote for a party that is open and honnest about who they are and what they stand for, even if it is not popular with the majority. You cant shift the public discord if you dont even have a voice.
@ColonelChrisWyatt municipal boundries. Yes, they could still gerrymander that, because there is still an element of constituency elections on the minicipal level. Luckilly we dont have that on national level. Glad you were able to see the flaws of the constituency system, and that it is not the panacea that you made it out to be.
@ColonelChrisWyatt You think just because you vote for an individual that politics is not dominated by blind loyalties? Have you ever heard of broomstick politics? The idea that people would vite for you even if you appoint a broomstick as a candidate? Love it or hate it, but most people vote for a party, not a candidate. I've seen that in action when we still had floor crossings. When a candidate changes parties, it is the party that keeps the votes, not the candidate. Regardless of how good he was. This happens in all demographic groups. And so, what exactly do you do when you have a situation like in England, where both dominant parties are horrible options, and you know that no third party has any chance to ever dislodge them? Imagine where you can win up to 20% of the vote and not get a single seat, just because your voters isnt consentrated all in one area. Imagine getting minority of the vote, and still forming a government with a majority of the seats. (1948 anyone?) Thanks, but no thanks. A return to that primative, pseudodemocratic system would be the end of South Africa.
Arrogant arrogant arrogant. That's all we hear about the DA everytime they show integrity to the original agreement. So Brink needs to be removed due to your comprehension of the word "arrogant". 😅
😅 assumptions . Did I say that ? I asked a question. Whilst you make valid comments you want to start a conversation based on what? Im starting to to think you represent a certain group of people. That's an assumption. STAY NEUTRAL.
Africa has had it's fair share of bad leadership, however, China has already built hospitals and schools and roads invested in railways, agriculture in Africa when the US was taking exclusively minerals and oil.
As a Saffer who's lived in the Central Kingdom for 6+ years, I'd say the approach of our delegation was the right one. Anyone who has a modicum of understanding of Chinese culture will know to get business done, you have to do a bit of 'bootlicking', and avoid interfering in Chinese domestic affairs. There's a lot of eating, drinking and general ass-kissing before serious business gets done. The question is whether you, sitting opposite the Chinese, take it at face value or not. Basically, PRETEND that they're the best thing since sliced bread while KNOWING that they're only in it for themselves. If we can get some serious gains, like getting this trade deficit sorted, while keeping the Chinese at arms length, it'll be worth it.
Our pastor working on writing up his thesis was advised not to use the phrase " the poor" said it objectifies poor people and is offensive. I asked him if the phrase " the rich" was equally offensive as it objectified rich people by the woke brigade. And should the bible be rewritten as it too refers to the poor. In South African it is taboo to call black indigenous people The Bantu especially if one is commenting on the failures of indigenous culture in integrating into their value system more modern concepts. A stereotypical version of African culture is claimed to be the last word in how any person of colour can experience the world. My understanding is that African cultural norms are not monolithic and individual choices make a person who they are. Strange world.
Right on Chris. "Juvenile" & " moron" are the operative words in so many of these pathetic accusations of racism. For good measure, you could also add a good dose of "low self esteem" & usually cases of "Chronic Chipon Shoulderaemia' (a technical term, sorry) 😂
