swimming and the entrepreneur nexus

Took him swimming today, the more I tried to prevent him from submerging the more he went under. Finally, I let things run their course, he had the occasional unwarranted gulp and all of a sudden he found it to be in his interest to stay afloat. His instinct took over, started to use his hands and feet, and no more gulps for the afternoon. What mattered was for him to know I was there for him and for me to keep shouting words of encouragement, suddenly he was the master and we were learning together. All, I had to do now was instruct and build his confidence; all he needed, was to know I was there. Lesson, being, you have to know the sensation of drowning in order to overcome it. You have to be willing to fail to learn, but you have to learn from your failures. Whatever you decide to do, experience is the best teacher. Most important lesson is in all that we do it goes a long way to achieving results to know you have support you can trust. If we can apply the same approach to building entrepreneurs across the continent (Africa), we can address the huge challenge of poverty. Our success should not be measured by how many people enter the pool, but how many, actually learn to swim. Focus should be more about enabling mistakes to be done with full confidence that support will be there. Time will enable success; however, positive reinforcement is a catalyst, to attaining it, one in great need throughout Africa. Be a change agent for a better Africa. Let us not monopolise what little insights we have, let us instead, be incubators for tomorrow’s giants.

AU Communique of the 343 meeting of the Peace and Security Council on the Situation in the East of the DRC

Communique of the 343rd meeting of the PSC on the situation in the East of the DRC ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, November 27, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ – The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 343rd meeting held in Addis Ababa, on 26 November 2012, adopted the following decision on the situation in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): Council, 1. Takes note of the presentation made by the Chairperson of the Commission and the Commissioner for Peace and Security on the situation in the East of the DRC and the evolution of regional and international efforts in this respect. Council also takes note of the statements made by the representatives of Uganda, Chair of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), Mozambique, as Chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the DRC and Rwanda, as well as by the representatives of South Africa, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, the United Nations and the European Union; 2. Recalls its earlier communiqués and press statements on the situation in the East of the DRC; 3. Reaffirms the commitment of the AU to the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the DRC, as well as the need to ensure strict compliance with the principles of the AU, as enshrined in the Constitutive Act, on non-interference in the internal affairs of AU Member States, good neighborliness and regional cooperation and integration; 4. Reiterates the deep concern of the AU about the serious and rapidly deteriorating situation in the East of the DRC, the implications thereof for peace, security and stability in the DRC and the Great Lakes Region as a whole, as well as for the civilian populations, including the most vulnerable groups. Council urges that all stakeholders ensure unhindered humanitarian access and guarantee the security and safety of the staff of the humanitarian agencies and organizations, who are operating under very challenging conditions; 5. Further reiterates the total rejection by the AU of armed rebellion as a means of furthering political claims, stresses the danger that this trend poses to peace, security and stability on the continent, as well as on the ongoing democratization processes, and accordingly condemns once again the armed rebellion launched by the M23. Council also condemns in the strongest terms the threats by the M23 to extend its military operations and topple the elected Government of the DRC; 6. Reiterates its support to the efforts made by President Yoweri K. Museveni of Uganda, current Chairman of the ICGLR, and the countries of the region to find a lasting and sustainable solution to the crisis in the East of the DRC. In this regard, Council welcomes the convening in Kampala, on 24 November 2012, of the 5th Extraordinary Summit of the ICGLR on the security and humanitarian situation in the East of the DRC, endorses the Declaration adopted on that occasion and requests its immediate and scrupulous implementation. In this regard, Council demands that the M23 take all the measures expected of it, particularly ending its military operations and withdrawing from the areas it recently occupied, including the town of Goma. Council expresses satisfaction at the commitment made by the Government of the DRC to listen, evaluate and address any legitimate concerns of the M23, and requests that this process be initiated without further delay and in good faith; 7. Fully supports all security arrangements to be put in place in conformity with the Declaration of the ICGLR. In this regard, Council requests all the stakeholders concerned to cooperate fully with the United Nations Mission for Stabilization in the DRC (MONUSCO) and the planned neutral regional arrangements so as to facilitate the implementation of their mandates and stresses the obligation of the parties concerned to refrain from any action that can jeopardize the security and safety of the MONUSCO personnel, as well as those of all other envisaged neutral arrangements. Council expresses its intention to consider the draft Concept of Operations for the deployment of the International Neutral Force agreed to by the region and supported by the AU, as soon as it is submitted by the ICGLR, and to thus contribute to the updating of MONUSCO’s mandate; 8. Calls upon all the countries of the region to fully support the ongoing efforts and contribute to the speedy resolution of the current crisis. Council also appeals to all the AU Member States to give political and material support to the regional efforts, noting, in this respect, the offer by South Africa to provide logistical support to the Neutral International Force and the offer by Tanzania to provide a Force Commander. Council urges all AU Member States to support the restructuring and the strengthening of the capacity of the DRC Defence and Security Forces; 9. Stresses the crucial role of the United Nations and the Security Council, in particular, in support of the efforts made by the countries of the region and by the continent as a whole to put an end to the current crisis and endeavor to promote lasting peace, security and stability in the region. In this regard, Council welcomes the adoption by the UN Security Council, on 20 November 2012, of resolution 2076 (2012), and fully supports its implementation. Council urges the United Nations to provide all the necessary support for the successful implementation of the decisions adopted in Kampala; 10. Expresses its support to the mission which the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission for the Great Lakes Region plans to undertake in the countries of the region in order to facilitate the determination by the Commission of additional measures to be taken to enable the AU strengthen its support to the efforts of the ICGLR; 11. Requests the Chairperson of the Commission immediately to transmit this communiqué to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and, through him, to the Security Council, for their action as appropriate; 12. Requests the Chairperson of the Commission to report on the implementation of this decision, particularly its paragraphs 6, 7 and 10 within 15 days, to enable it evaluate the situation and take the required measures; 13. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter. SOURCE African Union Commission (AUC)

who are we?

My African lineage, as far as I can trace starts with Mr and Mrs Sellout Irresponsibility, grandparents to Poverty and Nogood Corruption, daughter and son of Mr & Mrs Ten Percent Cutcorners, cousin of Nocapacity Disgrace. Mr Cutcorners, in keeping with tradition, is a polygamist. He has a son with his first wife, Ms Easymoney Laziness. From that union a son by the name of NoAccountability was born, who is engaged to a beautiful Miss Novirtue Disease. There is some controversy as to the parentage of Mr Sellout, some say he is the bastard son of Sir Colonialism hailing from the West, others say he was adopted by Sir Colonialism; however his biological father is a commoner hailing from Within, known as Awful Greed, by the locals. Now apparently, all these rumours have resulted in a lot of infighting within the family. Do you know where you come from? For, if you don’t know your past, you don’t know where you are going.

This is a quote taken from the economist about China,"China is “unstable at the grass roots, dejected at the middle strata and out of control at the top”. The state of China today, is synonymous to South Africa; it's ironic that the ruling parties in both states are going for their elective congresses this year and it seems the outcome of both is already a given Xi Jinping in the East and JZ in the South,with contradistinctive outcomes on their respective constituencies.

The real challenge for todays and tomorrows Africa, is the African nation state.It is anachronistic,yet, has surreptitiously been embedded in our psyche.The modern African state for all it's achievements, is a reflection of colonial interests and thinking of yester year which are still proving to be a retardment today. The irony is that,the african sate as it is will only be invalidated,by advances in infrastructure development,consequentially economic development. A catalyst however would be for the african political foresight,will and vision, to reconfigure Africa now,alternatively we can settle for the current modus operandi,wait for war to break out, blame it on the usual suspects resource scramble,ethinicity et al,convene multiple summits to bring the warring parties to talks. The excuse given always economic,same same rational colonial masters utilised to proffer colonialism; our inaction which is symptomatic of our common complacency, only proves that we are not masters of our destiny. Hence somelse taking the lead,yesterday it was the European powers today it is China,sad that!

poverty et al

Today is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty? What the F@#%,stop driving the ostentatious petrol guzzlers, let us build a meritocracy rather than a "buddytocracy" (aka cronyism) of meretricious social climbers. Promote and construct a favourable environment conducive for the building of small business (entrepreneurs). Encourage "Thabo and Nandi Public" to save rather than to live off credit and stor e cards ,structure and inculcate a culture of problem solving rather than consumption in our education. Our children should not be encouraged to seek employment but create it, not to want to put up a facade of wealth but to build it. Of Utmost importance let us desist with AID, remember that aid is premised on a guilty conscience, it is artificial and has produced a schizophrenic society. Altruism is dead, its values are not intrinsic to its implementation, but rather brought upon by exogenous factors, therein lies the paradox and hence its inefficacy. Therefore, egoism is up for consideration, as it demands introspection, assertiveness, boldness, courage; in one word innovation. Nation states, for that matter people, that are going to flourish today and in the future are those that are able to innovate. We demand investment, it necessitates innovation, you want proof, scrutinise China; in the same breath beware of China. This shall be known as nation building or if you like poverty eradication. Do this, and you shall forever be known as a LEADER. In a static society, the arguement that menial employment is an inevitability gains credence,due to the meandering predictable mindset that consumes it.I'm talking 9 to 5 mindset here,the herd mentality. A society that believes that it will never develop,a society that believes that the outcome of its educational system is to create citizens worthy of menail avocations. In an enterprising society, that we need to envisage, we will create machines to take over the mandatory albeit menial,thus making them "vital services", if not such societies professionalise them to circumvent the social stigma associated with them.Hence, yeilding renumeration far exceeding what is commonly refered to as a living wage,because educated societies demand such. Bear in mind that our advancement will be determined by the total sum of the citizenry,that is to say will judge our progress by the least poor amongst us and not by the current standard of citing the odd minority in a sea of poverty.Then only than will you know that we have forged ahead and left the excuse,blame mentality behind, for it signifies and masks nothing less than an inferiority complex. An inferiority complex as defined by the dictionary is "intense feeling of inferiority, producing a personality characterized either by extreme reticence or, as a result of overcompensation, by extreme aggressiveness." Have we seen this throughout the echelons of our society all too frequently,yes, from the national leadership, to the man on the street; this is where all the "foreign" scribed policies to eradicate poverty fail,as they do not full address nor comprehend the pyschy of the beneficiary and their custodians.They have been apt at perpetuating the status quo. In a self confident society,service to the nation is admired and held in high regard;it is not seen as a gateway to opulence.Women and men, are proud of how they make the daily bread,not through rent seeking, for they know the that ample opportunity exists elsewhere if they so choose;provided they follow through with their education,I repeat education, education, education. Education does wonders for a person,now imagine what it can do for a nation. Rent seeking on the other hand,is a regressive phenomenon,which is common place in an expanding or large civil service. As it provides the dull and mediocre with an avenue to attempt to obtain income,by manipulating the social and political environment in which economic activities occur, rather than creating new wealth by pursuing asset yielding activities; thereby, providing the contemptible infrastructure,that paves the way to the anguish we know as corruption. Let us build a prosperous society where education reigns supreme,for it enables the citizenry to imagine and live up to their imaginations;as opposed to feeling imprisoned by their current circumstances.

@marikana commission

R75 million rands is to be availed, possibly even more, to the Farlam commission, which is looking into the Marikana massacre. ONLY IN AFRICA, DO PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE, IN ORDER TO HAVE MONEY SPENT ON THEM. That my friends is poverty in action, from the man at the top to the woman at the bottom; a poverty stricken mind, always does things in the reverse order, that is what perpetuates the cycle. R75 million, would have been enough to pay the 3000 striking miners their salary demand of R12,500 for TWO WHOLE MONTHS. So you tell me who is the winner? Seems poverty never comprehends a win-win situation, the zero sum game is always in season in Povertyville, RSA!