The Week That Was Apr 3, 2025 #ANC, #Donald Trump, #Ramaphosa, #South Africa

[Nat Quinn]

The Week That Was Apr 3, 2025 #ANC, #Donald Trump, #Ramaphosa, #South Africa

 

Gerald Potash,

Hello again,

Our news this week has been consumed by the urgency to get the budget passed and how almost all the parties in the GNU  (Government of National Unity) were negotiating to score points. It is known that the DA threatened to walk and thereby torpedo the GNU and a few days ago it really looked as if the GNU was imploding. The ANC hierarchy met in Boksburg for a four day legotla (conference) probably on how to handle the DA’s refusal to accept their budget but also to see whether they could not persuade the other parties in government to support their proposal. Apparently the DA then warned the ANC that if they went looking for budget-support from the smaller parties they would then definitely walk away and that would sink the GNU.

You will recall that the original proposal from the ANC was to hike VAT by 2%. Then their later proposal was a .5% for this year and next also next year. The poorest are hardest hit by this idea of tax hiking and the fat-cats in the ANC clearly couldn’t care and that is why they are losing support across the country.

Yesterday was D-day. To my surprise, with the DA voting against passing the budget because they could not get the ANC to listen to reason, some of the parties represented in parliament (not members of the GNU) voted with the ANC and the budget was narrowly passed. What now? Will the DA resign from the GNU and if they do, will that mean new elections?

This was Zapiro’s clever take on the situation from yesterday’s Daily Maverick before the vote was taken:

It really looks as if Mr Trump has it in for South Africa. This week our military attache and his deputy were expelled from America after having served there since 2021. It looks as if Trump is reviewing all collaborations and connections with this country. According to Rapport the reason for these expulsions are that SA refused military exercises in Africa with the Americans last year where they recently joined with Russia and China in very similar military exercises. It has been let known that all military aid to SA from the US has now been terminated.  Then on Monday we learnt that America has imposed export restrictions on 3 SA aviation companies. The sanctions have begun and will continue while SA continues with its foreign policy of support for terrorist organisations like Hamas and for undemocratic countries like Iran, Russia & China. The US will probably start shortly naming SA politicians who will not be allowed to enter the US.   We have been warned.

There have been harsh words for DIRCO, our Dept of International Relations & Co-operation this week . Thabo Mbeki on Friday night speaking at UNISA at the annual Azziz Pahad memorial lecture wondered if DIRCO understood what their job was. He told his audience that America’s attitude towards SA was largely because of how this department operated with their eyes closed. Mbeki believes that to chose Ebrahim Rasool to be our Ambassador under a Trump administration was brainless. He believed that our relationship with America could be healed and that in Trump’s first term things went smoothly.   Then Justice Malala in the Financial Mail pointed out that under Zuma and Ramaphosa our choices of acceptable diplomats has been horrific. He ends his article by saying SA must change tactics and to quote “but who am I kidding”. The minister in charge of DIRCO is Ronald Lamola, a huge Hamas fan so hopefully he will have heard what Mbeki said and start implementing change but I am not holding my breath.

He pointed out that under Trump’s first term in office we had sound relations with the world’s largest trading partner. He also added that SA does not need enemies and everything should be done to restore relationships. Commenting on Rasool’s expulsion Mbeki said he was not surprised because one doesn’t insult one’s host.

The world’s most expensive coal-driven power station ever has just come on-line in SA. Kusile unit 6 is eight years over budget and cost us millions and millions more than budgeted…. …..because…..of cadre deployment. Inexperienced dishonest people put in positions that exceed their ability. But that’s an ANC thing.

This past weekend the press again exposed the ‘gravy train’ that is the ANC cabinet. Just 14 ministers—there are altogether  75 ministers in our bloated cabinet including deputy ministers compared to Germany’s 32, Japan’s 39 & the UK’s  50-– who spent R92 million on overseas air flights & accommodation last year. Oh, they didn’t fly alone, they took their entourages with them, often up to seven or eight assistants. The major culprit is Paul Mashitle, the Deputy President whose 3 overseas trips have cost us R5 million.

If the ANC simply cut the wasted money they wouldn’t have to increase our VAT to find the money to run the country. This cartoon from DavidToons in Daily Friend this week really speaks to the position of the ANC. I wonder if they see it?

The SA Medical Association calls the NHI dangerously flawed and it will cause the collapse of our healthcare systems if implemented. Anyway, there is just no money for an implementation of this hair-brained scheme that Ramaphosa has signed into law. This is a running story.

You will not be surprised to hear that Jacob Zuma lost his 8th successive case trying to get rid of prosecutor Gerrie Nel in his upcoming Arms case.

A very good news story in the midst of all the budget-stress is that our Revenue Service (SAPS) recovered R1.6 trillion in taxes in the last financial year. This figure was R8.8 billion more than the Treasury’s revised estimate.

The renaming of Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive seems to have gone back to the drawing board. There have been multiple objections and even a card carrying protest against adopting that terrorists’ name. Hopefully common sense will prevail.

There was very little sport to watch this past weekend but Stormers lost against Ulster in Ireland 38-34.      I really think they, and Tottenham should pay the coach and I not to watch. Clearly we bring them bad luck.

As always,

Gerald

 

source:africaunauthorised.

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