Mugabe in a Nutshell (CARTOON)

From The Economist

"This is how liberty dies - to thunderous applause"

Benjamin Franklin told people that America was "to be a Republic, if you can keep it."

So you want to know how to unravel a Republic? Well, the first thing is that the best predictor - I'm afraid to say - of future behaviour, is past behaviour. Hence, if you're considering getting married and you haven't been faithful to girlfriends, if you don't have that track record, odds are, you will remain a letch. In the same way, if you're not yet a Big Time politician and you're already being prosecuted for corruption, chances are, when you (think you) can get away it, being in a position of greater power, you'll go for it again.

For a while there I had given Zuma the benefit of the doubt. Now I am back to thinking it is craziness to elect someone who has already proved himself to be, well, unacceptable as a leader. The same can be said for members of SARU. Nonetheless, in South Africa, we seem incapable of facing the obvious, and not only that, doing something about the obvious.

A great everyday example is this: In Johannesburg I fairly often find myself driving by the scenes of car accidents. Without fail, within seconds of this glaringly obvious public demonstration of the consequence of recklessness, a driver will do some daring (and unnecessary) manuoevre to get ahead. I rest me case. We get the leaders we deserve, because at the moment we don't deserve better than we are getting, or giving.

For the movie version of what I am saying - and I am very serious - watch Star Wars, Revenge of the Sith. People are highly susceptible to being stirred by their own passion. It is how we drown reason, and deliver ourselves unto evil. You have been warned. The race is now on to see who gets there - to a state of Empire - first, us or the USA.

Zimbabwe prints bigger bank notes

HARARE - Zimbabwe is introducing higher denominations of bank notes in a bid to tackle cash shortages fed by run-away inflation. With effect from today, 250,000, 500,000 and 750,000 Zim Dollar notes will come into circulation.

The Z$200,000 notes (worth about eight US dollars), introduced only last July, will cease to be legal tender from the end of the year.

Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono said in a live broadcast on state-run radio and television stations he hoped the new notes will mean “cash shortages will be a thing of the past”.
He apologised to Zimbabweans for their suffering and blamed the crisis on senior officials.
For the rest of this Sowetan Online article, go here.

NVDL: I thought it was game over in Zimbabwe ages ago, but it seems a country can continue to exist even if its arms, legs, weenie, and torso are chopped into chunks. If Mugabe is the brains, I wonder if the eyes and ears will be able to do anything once that part is down or deceased. The other thing is...is Zimbabwe a cautionary tale for South Africa, a glimpse at our future, or can we be pardonned for not making the comparison? Can a Zuma (or anyone else) conceivably do the same as Zuma has done to Zim? My guess is we ignore this possibility, as Africans, at our peril.

Every Dog has its Day

Cartoon from the Sowetan Online