It wouldn't be fair to only criticise the governments of other
nations. Therefore, allow me to criticise my own.
South Africa is a nation where a vast majority of the population live
in poverty, whether rural or urban. The 'newly' elected government,
which has served two 5-year terms thus far, used a slogan in their
electioneering: "fight poverty". The president has been criticised
internationally by governments and the medical fraternity for stating
that poverty causes AIDS, rather than HIV.
The pharmaceutical companies have offered anti-retroviral AIDS drugs
to the government for FREE, yet they do not wish to deploy them,
stating that the hospitals are not equipped to administer the drugs.
Another smaller political party eventually took the government to
court in order to force them to roll out the medicines immediately on
a wide scale. If I remember correctly, the government appealed the
verdict all the way up to the highest court in the land, the
constitutional court - costing the taxpayer millions. The court
instructed the health minister to roll out the drug immediately or be
held in contempt.
In the 'new' south africa, since 1994, poverty has remained constant,
but, not everything else has. Where some european heads of states
make use of 1st class air travel on their national carrier, this
country has purchased a brand new presidential aircraft - and I don't
mean a cesna either. We're talking jumbo jets! Why? Because the
previous jumbo-type (boeing 747, i think it was) jet was an
embarrassment. How a boeing 747 can be an embarrassment to a 3rd
world country, I don't understand. Do you know how many millions
those things cost? I've forgotten. Too many zero's for me to count.
Then, there was the procurement of arms. A very contraversial arms
deal, even for *this* country. The purchase of a few corvettes,
submarines etc. What for? I don't *think* we're going to war any
time soon - and Zimbabwe is land-locked, so they wouldn't be much good
for that. That whole deal cost quite a packet too, my memory isn't
very good at remembering figures - maybe Grantland knows - but I do
remember the deal came with a few luxury cars for the parties involved
in the procurement.
Now, today in South Africa, is a public holiday - "Freedom Day", and
happens to coincide with the inaugeration of the "new" president. I'm
not gonna say a word about this... I received a chain letter which
I'll paste below - it explains everything.
Now, what about this poverty which they have promised to eradicate?
They tell their voters that they'll build them houses - with what
money? They'll probably raise the 'sin tax' on alcohol and cigarettes
*again* to pay for their extravagant lifestyles. It is the only tax
which increases twice as much and almost as often as the petroleum
prices.
Anyway...read this.
=====
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2004 12:05 PM
Subject: Fw: R60 mill for Presidential bash? Get MAD!!!
SORRY - ANOTHER ONE - BUT I REALLY THINK THIS ONE'S IMPORTANT!!
Dear friends,
As a concerned citizen of our South Africa, filled with millions of
hungry, homeless and sick people, and overrun by criminals who prey on
us all, I find it absolutely disgusting that the present selfish
government, filled with politicians from different political parties,
has decided to budget R60 million of taxpayers hard-earned money for
the presidential inauguration bash to take place after the 14 April
elections. As a newspaper report mentioned, "important" members of
governments from all over the world will be invited to share in the
"celebrations". These people will be protected by VIP guards, provided
with 5-star accommodation, fed on expensive foods and beverages, and
transported in luxury.
While all this is going on, the people on the streets will still be
seeking shelter from the elements under plastic bags; they will still
be sleeping on desperately empty stomachs; they will still have to
walk miles to carry out their daily existence; and they will still be
robbed of their already meagre belongings, in addition to being
sexually abused, raped, mutilated, and killed.
While a number of us who are more privileged than these people might
have a home and food on the table, we have earned these privileges
through opportunities that we have been fortunate enough to be
presented with in our lives. We are allowed to make the choice of what
to do with our money. This includes what to do with the taxes that we
pay. The R60 million, as well as the additional R80 million budgeted
for "celebrations of democracy" for the next three years around the
country, DOES NOT BELONG TO GOVERNMENT. It is our money, belonging to
the citizens of this country and to be used for all of our benefits,
not for an isolated group of already well-padded supposed "VIP's".
Use this money to employ more police, to provide more poverty
alleviation projects, open more schools, upgrade more hospitals
(giving the staff who work there more pride in what they do as a
result), and numerous other extremely valuable projects, more so than
an inauguration bash for a selected few, most of whom aren't even from
SA.
Please, please, this is not a matter of sour grapes. This is a matter
of common human decency. Don't stick your head in the sand and make it
someone else's problem. This is also your problem. We are being
robbed. YOU are being ROBBED!
If you would like to support this petition and embarrass the SA
government into seriously reviewing their priorities, please write
your name below.. Then send this message on to everyone that you can.
If you are the 100th, 200th, 300th, etc signatory to this email,
please forward it to the addresses listed below. Enough of this
rubbish. Let's do something!!!
Forwarding addresses to be used by every 100th signatory:
bheki@po.gov.za;
nthobi@po.gov.za ("po" stands for president's office);
letters@witness.co.za; suntimes@sundaytimes.co.za;
sletters@sundaytimes.co.za;
<snipped all the names of the petitioners>
=====
Yeah, we're no better than the US.
- cuan
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