THE SMART NEWS SOURCE | Feb 10 2010 11:03 | LAST UPDATED Feb 10 2010 11:03 |
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Thousands of protesters took to the streets of several South African townships on Tuesday, demanding improved infrastructure for sanitation, electricity and housing, media reported. Talk Radio 702 said protesters in the Standerton township of the north-eastern region of Mpumalanga had barricaded roads leading into the township and were marching to the municipal offices, calling for an end to corruption in local government. SAfm said tensions were running high at Palm Ridge township east of Johannesburg with a heavy police presence after protests turned violent on Monday. Widespread frustration over poor infrastructure has prompted sporadic protests since elections in April. Dissatisfied people in townships and informal settlements are trying to increase pressure on President Jacob Zuma to meet election pledges to help millions who are still living in poverty 15 years after the end of apartheid. Zuma has promised to ease inequalities in the biggest economy in Africa but has said the government has fallen short in meeting demands for better basic services like water, electricity, healthcare and education. After a decade of economic growth, Zuma's government is grappling with the country's first recession since 1992 and has said revenue will fall far short of its target by at least R70-billion. Analysts said the recession was making it difficult to improve the lives of the people. "There was an expectation that things would improve for the working class and for the lower income groups. But this is not happening," said Nel Marais, political analyst at Executive Research Association. "The economy is simply not performing well enough to make the living conditions of these people easier. I think under those circumstances it is relatively easy for local leaders to exploit the situation and mobilise the people." - Reuters TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE
Comments
Shoot them, they are burning our tax money!
Wisdom on October 13, 2009, 10:23 am
Mr Manuel would like to say thank you for his new BMW.... Meep Meep.
Marius de Kock on October 13, 2009, 11:49 am
Where's the threat from the minister to strip the Mpumalanga authorities of their powers due to their dismal record of service delivery - or should one rather say, service non-delivery?
Rod Baker on October 13, 2009, 12:15 pm
Lack of service delivery in our local municipalities is becuase of the unskilled people who are working at the municipalities and do not know what to do. The only thing that they can do perfectly is corruption. The ANC governmant must start depolying Cadres which have relevent skills to do the work or if they are not any than ANC must go Universities and look for capable students who can do the work. We are sick of seeing our government offices being burned.
Kaiser Sithole on October 13, 2009, 12:23 pm
And they went on to splash on expensive German cars, despite the recession.
Zuma went on and added a lot of dodgy ministries further straining the GDP. We can save a lot of rands by scrapping and reducing ministries numbers and people in the presidency.We don't need them,they serve nothing except strain the public coffers. One of those dodgy ministries is the police ministries.There is a lot,but I can't be bothered to mention them. The same people crying out for service delivery now will have to reckon with ESKOM's astronomical hikes.WE ARE FCUKED.
Evans Mazi on October 13, 2009, 12:54 pm
The results of promises that are never fullfilled! We were told Mbeki was the problem, and it's been a year since he was fired as the president of the country and the Polokwane Class project took over but all we see is a BMW after another being purchased by our pro-poor government!
Jobe Zulu on October 13, 2009, 1:01 pm
is anybody keeping track of just how widespread these riots are? 'Houston, I think we have a problem...'
white trash on October 13, 2009, 2:04 pm
Im going to run for president. And promise the nation 50 MILLION JOBS!
YES WE CAN! YES WE CAN!
Sinudeity @gmail.com on October 13, 2009, 4:10 pm
Ye ye BMW show just a lack of sensitity to the needs of the majority black poor SA. JZ need to tell these cronies there are civil servants not entreprenuers, robbing to society of the hard earned democracy. Phansi nobuGovu Phansi including the Crde Nzimande.
Sydney Gumbi on October 13, 2009, 4:13 pm
Sinudeity @gmail.com
What about extending social grants to people aged 50, R 10 000 per month? And every voter will get a position in parlaiment and a car.
moloko moloko on October 13, 2009, 4:29 pm
moloko: Wanna be my VP?
Sinudeity @gmail.com on October 13, 2009, 4:42 pm
Sinudeity
Sure. Just think how mch money we can make be stealing from the rich and manipulating the poor. Nice leather seats in the Benz, income for life. Think we should make owning houses in clifton illegal. I've got a few buddy's in prison that needs alternative accommodation when they get out on medical parole.
moloko moloko on October 13, 2009, 4:50 pm
And the sad part is they will flock to vote for the ANC at the next elections. You get what you ask for hey!!!!!
Tiger Lily on October 13, 2009, 5:28 pm
ANC should arrest all these Cope supporters who are busy destroying our lovely townships
sechaba Motloung on October 13, 2009, 6:33 pm
@Moloko and Sinudeity, can i be the Deputy VP. With me you will be satisfying the gender and AA quota. I'm tired of driving a Toyota, and working to earn a living. I need to bling up my lifestyle at the expense of the people who will have voted us into power. I'd also like to experience living without a conscience.
Michelle Lame on October 13, 2009, 9:37 pm
Lame: Sure, you can have two luxury vehicles. One for CT and one for Joburg. But please, were in a recession. You only get R2mill.
Sinudeity @gmail.com on October 13, 2009, 10:57 pm
Ok, seeing as jobs are going; Can I be defense minister? I'll buy us some awesome aircraft carriers/subs/fighter jets/choppers whatever really. The main thing is that there'll be a good slice of the action for Moloko, Sinudeity and Michelle - oh and a cheeky slice for me too. If you give me a nice big budget, I'll make sure that a lot of it finds it's way back to us!
Nahor Ecnarraf on October 13, 2009, 11:25 pm
Needless problem. Call Malema! After all he possesses the magic bullet to make everything alright.
I am sure he will use his political muscle to get big business to do the socially responsible thing - i.e. keep pumping money into institutions that are failing due to incompetence but, hey why punish the people for the sins of the top individuals (who will control the purse strings)?
Mukai Sithole on October 14, 2009, 12:02 am
Ecnarraf: Great! Will budget R200 billion for you. Out of every R30 bill we pay, I want at least R1 bill back in bribes.
Sinudeity @gmail.com on October 14, 2009, 6:11 am
Sinudeity: Bribes? tisk tisk... that would be unconstitutional. However, as glorious leader of the people you are entitled to perks, and if you sell these perks, or trade them, well...that's not bribery. Whatever the state gives you is yours, right? A governmental car every month for you, which you can then sell while its still wrapped. Rent out your house and move into a five-star hotel at certainly not your own expense. Don't use dirty words like bribes, they lower the morale of your government, use 'gift' or 'reward' or 'I am entitled to...'.
PS. Can I be your speechwriter/spokesman/propaganda minister? -I'll give you a gift for the position.
MM M on October 14, 2009, 8:54 am
can i be minister of a newly created ministry called the "just in case ministry." never know when you will need it (or what you'll need it for..)
Ian mcintosh on October 14, 2009, 10:14 am
Had a good laugh reading the comments from our future cabinet.
Dont ever change guys :)
Sinudeity @gmail.com on October 14, 2009, 10:25 am
A probe into the municipality's affairs, which had its seat in Standerton, revealed officials had been implicated in "misrepresentation of information", fraud, corruption and theft.
"The recovery plan has indicated disciplinary action that will be instituted against all officials implicated by charging them and suspending them." Criminal charges as well please. Or, does working in government exclude you from being prosecuted?
Sinudeity @gmail.com on October 14, 2009, 12:50 pm
Have no fear President Sinudeity! I am certain I can get at least 50% of the budget back into our pockets :-)
Nahor Ecnarraf on October 14, 2009, 1:58 pm
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