On Transparency, Finances, and Accountability

Mamphela Ramphele disclosed her personal finances to the South African public in an effort to show her party's commitment to promoting transparency and accountability. 

She urged all South African political leaders to do the same, saying it is important for the public to know how much wealth public officials had and how they got it. 

• The South African presidency responded by saying that the president discloses his net worth to cabinet each year, and that further disclosure was unnecessary.
• The media missed the point of her disclosure completely, and made a meal of the actual amount she claimed to be worth.
• ‘Sponsored’ media commentary blasted her for her move, accusing her being insensitive to the poor by parading her riches in their faces.   

The ruling party smiled…

"It’s no holds barred.… If you put yourself out there like a toffee, expect to be chewed." - Jessie Duarte (ANC deputy secretary-general)

The SABC, Politics, and the Misery of Apathy

Yesterday, I was suprised to find that many of the South African Broadcast Corporations (SABC) radio stations had interrupted their regular programming for a live broadcast of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) press conference about the suspension of their excutive from their mother body the African National Congress (ANC). They broadcast the whole of Julius Malema's conference statement address. Almost every station that I change to was Malema, Malema, and more Malema.

Now, I ask - who gave the authority for this to happen, and on what grounds? Why does the National Brodacaster think that spat between the ANC and ANCYL excutive is of such national importance that it deserves to be covered live on mutiple radio stations, at the expense of regular progrmming on those stations?  Is Julius Malema a public representative? If not, why is he addressing the nation?

I think we, South African citizens, have let politics and politicians grow out of control in this country.  It is time we reclaimed this country. It is time we called for politics free public institutions! It is time we stopped having 'political solutions' to lawlessness! South Africa is for all who live in it, not only for politicians and those closely connected to them. It's time to hold ourselves accountable.

Ke nako!!!