Does somebody’s achievements hurt you or encourage you?

By: Lindokuhle Mnisi

@Lindo_Mnisi

What happens when the people around you succeed in life? When your peers achieve something that you haven’t achieved and when they acquire things you wish to acquire? What happens when your close friends get paying jobs, buy cars and start living a lavish lifestyle? What happens when they build or buy beautiful houses for themselves and their families? How does seeing your neighbour achieve so much makes you feel? What happens when your little brother or sister starts a successful business and move forth in life while you are still hustling and struggling?

What should that do to you? How should you respond to all that? Should it hurt you? Should it break you apart and make you feel stupid, useless and helpless? Should somebody else’s achievements depress you? Is this the time when you start seeing how people are so “full of themselves” and how “they think they are better than others”? When people get successful in life, is it the right moment to start noticing how they hate you and how “they hate helping other people”? Is this the time when you develop jealousy in your heart? Or is this the time when you get encouraged and challenged to work harder than you were already doing?

Seeing other people succeed in life is naturally painful. Yes it. It puts a lot of pressure on every individual. It has the potential to create anger within ourselves. Seeing some people succeed in life gives us stress. But it differs from one person to another on what kind of stress does it cause. Is it a negative stress (distress) or a positive stress (eustress)? It also differs from person to person on how they deal with the stress.

Some people break down, cry and suffer depression. Some see a need to stand up for their lives and do more. Some people get anxious and give up on everything they were doing and start thinking they are not meant to succeed. While some people take it as a challenge to stay on track in pursuit of their goals, dreams, success and happiness.

Problems begin when you start "noticing' how somebody thinks "the is too big for his own shoes since he bought a car". Trouble starts when you begin to say "after getting that job, he now thinks he is better than all of us" and "Since he started appearing on TV and talking on Radio, he thinks he is the man."

In most cases, it is not because successful people brag or shove it on everybody's throat that they achieved something, but it is the pressure and stress it puts to those who haven't achieved something. Jealousy begins when we fail to deal with the realization that somebody close to us has achieved something that we haven't achieved.

Clapping hands for somebody forever can be frustrating. But if you take motivation from how they do things, you have the potential to make many people clap hands for you. 

Seeing somebody succeed in life should motivate you. It should stimulate you and give you strength. It should get you thinking hard about what are you doing wrong that they are doing right. It should challenge you to introspect and evaluate yourself to find solutions for your own problems. Somebody’s success should keep you on your toes. It should sharpen your concentration and make you pay attention to little details that you usually take for granted. It should drive you to where you want to be or to where you want to get. Seeing somebody succeed should encourage and challenge you to think about what is possible for you. However, somebody’s success should never put unnecessary pressure on you.

Seeing somebody move forth in life has the power to put us under so much stress. How we choose to deal with the pressure we incur is fundamental to our way forward. Hence if seeing somebody succeeds in life hurts you, you might start being negative about and towards people who succeed. Somebody's achievements should motivate you to work hard.

I believe everybody is destined for greatness. Every one of us has the potential to succeed in life. The pace of your success may not be the same as that of your friend or colleague, but everything has its own time. When your friend's time arrives, it doesn't mean because you share the same age, it should automatically be yourself. Your day will come. Maybe not today, tomorrow or next month but your day will come. But, one great speaker said "if you give up now, no day in the future is going to be your day."

So does somebody’s achievements hurt you or encourage you? 

What is it going to be?

By: Lindokuhle Mnisi

@Lindo_Mnisi 

I like asking this question. I think everybody should ask him/her self this question every time they go through life. Every time we undergo life circumstances, big or small, we need to ask ourselves this crucial question. So what is it going to be? So what are you going to do about it?

Now that things are not going well in your life, now that everything you touch seems to be falling apart, now that everything you try to do doesn't seem to materialize, what are you going to do about it?

Now that you’ve invested so much money into a business you were trying to establish and it didn’t take off, now that your belongings have been repossessed because you are in debt, now that you have lost almost everything, what are you going to do about it?

There are lots of options you can select from. There are lots of choices you can choose from. You can either choose to give up, or you can choose to hold your head up. You can choose to sit down, take a deep breath and think about what to do next, or you can choose to sit where life has left you and not think about a way forward.

You can either decide to take life lessons from the ordeals you’ve gone through because every life event has a lesson to teach us. Experience is the best teacher. You can choose to take those circumstances as a training/learning curve to prepare you for similar circumstances that you most probably going to come across again in life. You can choose to regard your difficulties as a lesson and not a punishment. Or you can just regard everything you are going through as a curse.

You can choose to start sulking, pointing fingers and blaming everybody. You can blame the world for everything. You can take to social media networks and start telling the whole world how miserable your life is. You can begin to be grumpy and aggressive towards everybody including your family, friends, colleagues and potential clients who do not see you in the manner that you see yourself. You can just choose to give up everything right away and call yourself a failure.

Let me tell you something, there are lots of people with bigger problems than yours. There are people who have seen worse than what you have seen. There are high possibilities that what you are going through is just a tip of an ice bag if compared to what other people have gone through or are going through. Before you start thinking you are the most miserable person alive, think out of the box. People are really having it hard out there.

People have lost their loved ones. People are being abused sexually, emotionally and physically by their loved ones. Women are raising children who were born from rape. Women are left HIV positive and pregnant by rapists. Men and women are diagnosed with cancer of any kind. Innocent people are left crippled for life by road accidents that are caused by drunk drivers.

Some people lose their lives on the roads, without being the cause of the accident. A drunk driver just emerges from nowhere and ploughs into a number of vehicles, killing lots of families. Some people wish they were not blind. Some people wish they had hands. Some people wish they could walk, talk or hear. They can’t. They were born without that “luxury”.

Before you start thinking that your world is miserable, think about the reality of life. Think about how lucky you are to be the person that you are. Think about how lucky you are to be alive. When you start thinking that your life is done, ask yourself “so what is it going to be? So what am I going to do about it?

The decision you take now will have an impact in your future. Whether it is a positive or negative decision, but it will have the impact you applied for. If you remain positive and come up with plans to get out of the ordeals, you are likely to get to the finish line victoriously.

If you keep your head up and move forward, you have the potential to make it. I don’t know what your problems are. I don’t know how big your problem is, but like a great man, Les Brown, said “You’ve got something special in you. You’ve got power within you.” You can conquer against all odds.

I said in one of my verses in my songs as a hip hop artist.

It is possible. You can go far if you believe.
Of course it’s not easy. Try harder for the life you want to live.
Many people who made it never had it easy.
Struggle and hustle. Get busy before you have it easy.

Life is not a walk in a park. Life is not a game.
If you can’t tackle it down, you better think again.
You’ve gotta be strong. Listen to what other people say.
They’ve been here and they’ve been there. They’ll show the way.

Of course you’ve got problems, but somebody has got bigger than yours.
Bigger than those you can breakthrough, while you still have a choice.
Face your problems no matter what, man you gotta have balls.
Somebody is talking to you, listen to the voice.

Life is possible, La, life is possible.
Not even the sky is the limit. Life is possible.
Life is possible, La, life is possible.
Let no one bring you down. Know you are incredible. 

Key Policy Challenges Facing South Africa

By: Lindokuhle Mnisi

@LindokuhleMnisi

Introduction

The Republic of South Africa is a country that has a very unfortunate history, a history of colonialism, oppression and discrimination against one another. This history dates back to almost 400 years ago when the country experienced colonialism from the white people who came from all over the world, to take over everything that belonged to the indigenous people of this land. Wars erupted, and the unfortunate apartheid regime also commenced in the country with those white people claiming ownership of this land, and black people having to defend what they thought belonged to them.

Policies were created to defend and suite certain groups of people, while other policies were made to oppress a certain class of people. The Land act of 1913 can be an example of those policies that were created by the apartheid government. This act’s main aim was to separate people according to their race, with black people being given at least 7% of land in their own country and pushed away to homelands, while white people occupied the bigger piece of the country. The Act created a system of land tenure that deprived the majority of South Africa's inhabitants of the right to own land which had major socio-economic repercussions.

There were other policies that were created in the past which includes education, crime, economic and housing policies. But when apartheid was defeated in the 1990s, many of those policies were reviewed and some were redrafted to address the issues of balance and equality in the country. With the legacy of apartheid, some of those policies didn’t manage to address the key challenges of South Africa. Those policies are, at some point, the challenges in the country as they try to solve problems while being a problem themselves.

Groups of individuals merged to form solid forces to defeat apartheid, but when they had to defeat the legacy of the system they decided to separate and fight one another. The “winning team” went from being a liberation fighter to a political party. The African National Congress, as a governing party since 1994, drafted a number of policies that aimed at suiting the majority inhabitant of the republic and addressing the imbalances of the past (affirmative action). But it turned out that those policies were a fair to a certain extent, fair to certain individuals and unfair to the others.

 Land (Reform) Policy

There are policies and approaches like “willing buyer, willing seller” which was aiming at redistributing land to the inhabitants of South Africa, but didn’t really work to address the challenges of land in the country. The majority of land belonged to the minority (whites) and historical facts prove that the land was forcefully taken away from the majority (blacks). The government and the leading political party also agreed that this approach didn’t work and was not going to work and the minority continued to own bigger pieces of land. The ANCYL under the leadership of the expelled leader Julius Malema pushed for “redistribution of land without compensation” and received the highest level of criticism for those utterances. Some said he was being racist, but all those who said that, didn’t really have a better solution to the issue of redistribution of land.

Solutions to Land Reform policy would be to know the reason for redistribution, not to do it to spite the white people who used to own it, but to render services to the people and help in the development of the economy.

In the ANC’s Land Reform Policy Discussion Document of June 2012, they said Land Reform is not just another social transfer where benefiting citizens receive government largesse. It is and should be seen as autonomy-fostering service delivery. This view of land reform projects service delivery as a key site at which the assumptions and stigmas associated with vulnerability in our society may be challenged and the appropriate resources for developing the capacity for autonomy provided. Service delivery via land reform should play an important role in clearing the way for disadvantaged previously marginalized individuals to exercise their capacity to act autonomously, to be full economic and social participants in the South African Project. - (ANC.org.za, Policy Documents)

Housing Policy & strategy

Housing the Nation is one of the greatest challenges facing the Government of National Unity. The extent of the challenge derives not only from the enormous size of the  housing backlog and the desperation and impatience of the homeless, but stems also from the extremely complicated bureaucratic, administrative, financial and institutional framework inherited from the previous government (Housing policy document; 1994). The problem of housing has remained an ongoing thing that keeps on affecting our people every now and then. So the government has come up with programmes like the RDP to try and distribute houses to the people who needs and deserve them. But people tend to create problems by moving from one place to another to start informal settlements and come back to complain to the government saying it is ignoring them. Truth is, if people keep on moving to other places, the government will have to make new budgets for those people.

Economic policy

The economic policy is also one of the policies that South Africans are aware of in this country. This policy seeks to address economic challenges of the people and the country at large. This policy is also there to ensure that there is balance between all races in the country and people are treated the same. But this policy has faced problems for a number of years as it has shown to be benefiting those who were on the advantage in the past, whites. White people have continued to get richer and black people were becoming poorer. Then there were programmes like “Black Economic Empowerment” (BEE), a programme launched by the South African government to redress the inequalities of Apartheid by giving previously disadvantaged groups (black Africans, Coloureds, Indians and some Chinese) of South African citizen’s economic privileges previously not available to them. It includes measures such as Employment Preference, skills development, ownership, management, socioeconomic development, and preferential procurement.

"It is an integrated and coherent political process. It is located within the context of the country's nation transformation programme, namely the RDP (Reconstruction and Development Programme). It is aimed at change the imbalances of the past by seeking to substantially transfer and confer ownership, management and control of South Africa's financial and economic resources to the majority of the citizens. It seeks to ensure broader and meaningful participation in the economy by black people to achieve sustainable development and prosperity." (BEE Commission Report, pg. 2)

Mineral Policy (Mining)

South Africa’s mining industry is supported by an extensive and diversified resource base, and has since its inception been a cornerstone of South Africa’s economy. Undoubtedly some of the older mines are reaching the end of their lives, leading to job losses and the other attendant negative effects of downscaling, but these problems are being tackled energetically within the sector, through restructuring of mining groups, technological advances and innovative methods of improving productivity. Apart from gold mining, there are many other minerals being produced, for some of which South Africa is the leading producer and holder of reserves. But it is also known that wages within these mine sectors are problematic. There have been a number of protests related to wages all over the country. Many have complained that the problem is that these mines are owned by foreign people. So as a result, the ANCYL have been pushing for nationalization of mines in the country. The government rejected that suggestion in last year June’s ANC policy congress.

NB: This piece was written as an assignment for Politics 3. 

Responsible Drinking is a solution

By Lindokuhle Mnisi

@LindokuhleMnisi

A man looking stressed with a bottle of alcohol.
(Picture: Block Status)

It is so unfortunate that an absolute stopping of people consuming alcohol is impossible. It remains a fact that people cannot be shifted away from alcohol, especially when they are so used to it and attached. No matter how much the general public, government or organizations (NGOs) try to curb the use and abuse of alcohol; people still continue to consume it anyways, beyond the limit.

Regardless of all the negative sides of drinking, all the accidents caused by drunken driving and all abuses fueled by drugs and alcohol, people still recognize the latter as a good thing. Many accidents reported about in the media usually occur because one or both the drivers were under the influence of alcohol.

Reference can be drawn from the “Jub Jub incident” where four school kids died and two were left critically injured. This happened in 2010 when Jub Jub caused an accident while racing with his friend on a public road UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS. From the “superstar” that he was, to a convict serving 27years in jail. Innocent people losses their lives because of people who abuse alcohol.

Families break down into particles and suffer because of the abuse of alcohol. South Africa has the highest number of orphans and one of the reason this is the case is because of alcoholic parents who failed to provide maximum care to their children. Children sleep with empty stomachs because their parents use the money to purchase alcohol. Crime is also stimulated by drugs and alcohol, not only in South Africa but across the world.

Man lying on bed with his head on the ground.
(Picture: Block Status)

All these mentioned issues highlight the dangers of alcohol abuse. Therefore, coming to realize that people cannot be stopped from drinking, they should be advised about RESPONSIBLE DRINKING. For every problem there should be a solution. It takes a real man to take responsibility of his family and give them care without compromising. Another person’s entertainment should never be sorrow to the next person. When a person drinks, it should remain with that individual and should never affect other people. Responsible drinking is encouraged.

IF you drink, ensure that you do it responsibly without infringing other people’s rights while trying to enjoy yours. While engaging on alcohol, remember your responsibilities at home or whatever responsibilities you have. Drink in the comfort of your home to avoid getting hurt and possibly killed. Drink responsible and remember that alcohol is not for persons under the age of 18. Alcohol is not for pregnant women. Respect yourself before going to the extent of respecting others. Love your life, and live your life. Alcohol is not an option.

NB: Lindokuhle Mnisi (me) was raised by a single parent (mother). My parents separated in the year 2000 when my mother decided that ‘enough is enough’ with the abuse. My father was a drunkard and an abusive father who use to come home at about 2am and demand food he never bought. He is still a drunkard, just not part of our lives. (I have forgiven him for everything thought)

For more on the story of my father: go to www.lindokuhlemnisi.yolasite.com

Young, Successful and still moving forward

By Lindokuhle Mnisi
@LindokuhleMnisi

Marcia Lebambo presenting a show on TUT-FM.
Picture: FACEBOOK album

Her fruitful rewards of hard work started flowing after she acquired her first job as a residence manager of TCE1, at the Tshwane University of Technology’s Soshanguve North Campus in 2008. Later on the same year she won an award for “Best Res Manager of the year”. Determination, persistence, hard work and passion have made Marcia Lebambo the person that she is today.

Lebambo has always committed herself to education for bettering her life. After having completed her Grade 12 in 2004 she already possesses more than four qualifications from different institutions including TUT. She acquired her B-Tech in Strategic Management in 2009. Her aim was to obtain as many qualifications as possible, that is why in 2011 she registered at TUT for masters in Entrepreneurship (she is completing this year.) Other qualifications that she possesses includes: National Diploma in Administration Management, B-Tech in Public Management and a Certificate in Business Communication obtained from the University of South Africa (UNISA).

“Education changed my life and my family’s lives. The only thing that could change the poverty situation back at home was through education. I wanted to use every opportunity I get to study and become a better person for myself and my country. So I wanted to learn as much as I can and broaden my knowledge as you can see my qualifications are broad, from Business to public management and to communications,” Lebambo said, answering why she did so many qualifications.

Within the TUT premises, Lebambo is not just an academic but she’s also a practical person who is hands-on and doing a great job in everything she touches. She is the editor of a TUT-Residence newsletter and works on TUT-FM community radio.  “The newsletter’s aim is to stay in touch with our residence students and provide a platform for them to voice out their grievances so that we can ensure proper service delivery for them,” Lebambo said.

“Most importantly it (newsletter) provides a platform for journalism students to write stories to improve their journalistic skills,” she added.

On Radio she is a presenter of a current affairs show, titled ‘Live@6 (Tuesdays – Thursday from 18:00-19:00pm.) Lebambo said TUT-FM is her space where she is “able to touch thousands of people’s lives all at once.” She presents news to the people even though this is not in line with what she has studied for.

Marcia Lebambo rejoicing next to her first car.
Picture: facebook album

“I always loved radio. Its role to inform the public boost my passion for it… As a TUT alumni and employee, I wanted to play my part in informing communities especially the youth about issues that affect us, hence I chose a current affairs show,” said Lebambo.

Lebambo is also participating in various projects outside her profession. She enrolled to Oncue communications academy which is a radio course offered by distinguished radio personalities. She also recently registered her Tourism business (Guest House) in Bushbuckridge. She said her “aim is to grow the business and employ young people and contribute positively to the country’s economic development.

“My short-term goal is to complete my masters and enroll for my Doctorate,” she added.

ANCYL’s Culture of lambasting leaders is dangerous to the new generation

By: Lindokuhle Mnisi

@LindokuhleMnisi

The African National Congress (ANC) together with its under-wing league, African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL), has been having difficulties in terms of unanimity and understanding among themselves. The tensions between the mother body and its youth league has been dragging for quite a while especially ever since the former leader of the ANCYL, Julius Malema, started undergoing disciplinary hearing and later got expelled, left with no political home.

The youth league developed a culture which has divided these too parties into many groupings. This is the culture of publicly lambasting and lampooning those who are in power and the leadership. This particular culture started trending and causing a lot of schisms and factions within the ranks of the ANC. It does not only affect the national executive committee (NEC) of the ANC but it has gone to the extent of touching the president of the country, Jacob Zuma, where it is more painful. One can argue that the youngsters are feeding Zuma the similar vaccine he fed former president Thabo Mbeki when his lobby group forced Mbeki to vacate his office on the 24 September 2008.

Malema, who was one of the Zuma allies, was one of the first people who went in public and criticized Zuma for being a polygamist. He has made pronouncements that really brought Zuma’s reputation and dignity down to his knees. Even though Zuma pretend to be strong all the time, all these criticism are really getting to him. Recently, the former ANCYL president who is now a Minister of Sports and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula, pulled a massive punch at Zuma and nobody in the ANC wants to comment about it.

Mbalula, as reported by TimesLive on 21 October, said “I don’t have time for Zuma. He has caused his own problems. He marries every week.” His remarks come two weeks after it was reported that Zuma and Mbalula had a one-on-one meeting at Luthuli House. “They came to me and offered me a position (Deputy Secretary General of ANC or any NEC position) to neutralize me. They realize that they cannot survive politically. They only survive on the basis of corruption,” Mbalula was quoted as saying in The Star newspaper. 

If Mbalula can pronounce such remarks, we tend to question “what is the difference between Mbalula, Malema and the current ANCYL deputy president Ronald Lamola?” because their surnames rhymes and what comes out of their mouth sounds the same too. And on top of that, the world’s greatest icon, Dr Nelson Mandela who was also a champion in the ANCYL in 1944, also has a surname that rhymes with their surname. (Mandela, (Peter) Mokaba, (Malusi) Gigaba, Mbalula, Malema and now Lamola) all these names sound the same. The culture of the ANCYL is very far from change; hence it is coming a long way. It is not new and will not expire.

The road to Mangaung seems to be very uphill than the 2007’s road to Polokwane. Many of those who supported Zuma in Polokwane have turned against him and are now in support of Deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe, who has been nominated by many branches of the ANC to challenge Zuma in the 53th’s Elective Conference in Mangaung, this coming December. The ANCYL is the league that has been championing the campaign for Motlanthe’s election, and in that process of campaign, they have been attacking Zuma and slamming at his leadership. There’s a still a lot that will happen on the run to Mangaung.

Community Media

By: Lindokuhle Mnisi

@LindokuhleMnisi

Introduction

The focus is on community media and various aspects attached to it. Before we can even look at its broader view, we need to understand what it is first. We will, therefore, answer the question of what community media is then dwell much on its counterparts including its role and importance in the South African communities. We will look at the impact on citizens, the watchdogs function, reporting of national issues or events and all look at the future of the community media.

An overview of what we specifically mean by “community media” is that, these are the media platforms that are available and utilised in communities. For example, we talk about a community radio station and a community newspaper where most of the articles and reports/bulletins focus more on the community where these media is situated. On these media platforms, various issues are covered that the people relate to. These stories include reports on farming, agriculture, religious, entertainment, witchcraft and developments. The focus is on informing the public about their area. Some national stories are reported but not with more emphasis that the local news of that region.

Role and importance of community media

The community media has a mandate to fulfil. One example of what it needs to do is to report on the issues of the community. Its role is to tell the untold stories of and about the community and the people living in it. The aim is to reach the local people and keep the informed about certain things around them. Even on the licence agreement between either ICASA or the Press Ombudsman it is said and specified which people will be serve through this media, that is why in most cases, community media uses the dominant language in that community.

People of the community are more interested in what is happening around them. They want to know about the party or celebration that took place over the weekend, they want to know what is going to happen in their community in terms of development and improvement. People want to know about the entertainment sites and events around that community. They want to know where to go for leisure time on weekends.

People want to use the community media as a platform to speak to their leaders, especially the councillors and executive mayors. Business people around the community also want to use the media to advertise through the media so that their businesses can succeed. Community media should not forget about their responsibilities in the community. They should not begin to serve the national interest before serving the communities’ interest.

Community media – impact on citizens

Although we may all agree that community media plays a very significant role in the community but it also has an impact on the people it serves, the citizens. The impacts cannot be always good, at some point they are bad. These citizens are the ones who make the community media to be a success, through public participation. They are sources of all the stories that are reported. Some go to an extent of reporting themselves what has just happened around the corner, these people are then called “citizen journalists”. A researcher on “The role of community media” (he/she didn’t write his name on the internet) wrote that “Professional journalists are the core of a reputable media environment. However, they are by no means the only ones actively chronicling the world around them. New technology is giving an unprecedented opportunity to citizens to inform others.”

There are many ways in which community media impact on the citizen’s lives. In real fact and reality it might stimulate hatred and fights among the citizens of that particular community. It might also create a distance between the ordinary citizens and their leaders. These can happen especially if the citizens are not happy with the living conditions around them and they blame the councillor for not providing necessary services to the public. For example, the public will complain about the falling RDP houses and the fact that they were forcefully chased out of their homes because they stay at the informal settlement. They will go to an extent of saying in the media that they are going to burn the councillor’s house and burn tyres on the main road. The councillor will be listening on radio and will vacate on that night.

Community media - The watchdog function

A watchdog is defined as "a person or group of people that acts as protectors or guardians against inefficiency, illegal practices" (Collins English Dictionary.) In news journalism a watchdog journalist also fulfils this function of a guardian. The term watchdog is strongly related to the practice of investigative journalism. To perform in an investigative manner, the journalist is in the "role" of a watchdog. However, watchdog journalism cannot be defined by the amount of investigation alone but is used in many different contexts. Watchdog journalism can be located in a variety of news media, like radio, television, Internet and print media where it can be seen as "a unique strength of newspapers" and additional new media and concepts like weblogs and citizen journalism. Watchdog journalists are also called "watchmen", "agents of social control" or "moral guardians". – Wikipedia.

Watchdogs play a vital role in the accumulation of the top secrets and those that are regarded as classified information. They investigate deeply on the issues that impact on the citizens and the community at large. They tell the untold stories, especially the sensitive stories. Their lives are always in jeopardy because they are mostly hated by the people who are exposed to the public. Watchdogs unearth the corruption within the municipal management and councillors and expose them to the public which then create a tension between them and the leaders of that community. Most leaders of this nation, including the national level, hate watchdogs with their whole hearts. The current ruling party, African National Congress, went to an extent of introducing a BILL (protection of state information bill) which aims to sanction all the whistleblowers and watchdogs of this nation. The BILL, which poses a threat to journalists, proposed a jail sentence for everybody who will be found in possession of classified information. That sanction also applies to watchdogs.

Community media – reporting of national issues/events

In most cases and instances, reporting on national issues and events is avoided. Unless the national politician has visited the community, then more emphasis will be put on that particular report. But as specified above, community media are there to speak the language of the community and address the issues of the community. Of course there are stories that can be national but localised because the readers/citizens relate to them but local content is the prioritised one. For example, a person from a particular community can be making national headlines on national newspapers and the community newspaper of where he comes from would also like to interview him and run the story. Another example can be if the councillor gets a top job in the national government, it would be a big story for both national and community media.

Looking at the size of community newspapers, they are very small with at least eight (tabloid) pages compared to national newspapers which consist of more than 30 pages (tabloids and some broadsheet). In those eight pages, local stories need to be dominating. National events can only be covered if there is a specific significance and need to do so. Such a report must have a particular impact on the citizens of that community. If state president Jacob Zuma was to visit Dundonald (village in Mpumalanga), obviously that would be the biggest story for all community media in that place (if there was any media in the village).

Community media – the future of community media

History has revealed that most of the national newspapers of today started as community newspapers in the past. Some were newsletters and some were government gazettes. The growth and improvement of many communities had an impact of the community newspapers as many of them decided to go nationally, and grew into bigger and developed mega newspapers. In that process, other community newspapers have disappeared while others were swallowed by big companies which became national media companies. Some of the reasons for these were national and public interest. The editors saw it necessary for them to serve the nation than the communities. Business is also the reasons why they upgraded to national servicing.

Community media are dying slowly but surely if not dissolving. Sponsorship is a problem as many newspapers need them. The only thing that can save the community media are advertisements from local business and companies. Most community media are not for sale and some are very cheap, so they depend on sponsors to sustain. An abstract from the internet was quoted as saying “Community participation and access are the major tenets that characterise and upon which community media are credited. Other tenets include issues of ownership, control and funding which are rooted in the hands of community members and they empower them to have control over the communication systems. They also empower marginalised communities to define and manage their own development. As such community media are driven by democratic principles which are socially oriented and not profit driven”

Conclusion

In this research we looked at all the issues that affects or impacts on community media. We looked at the ownership and sponsorship of newspapers and how they can survive for more years. Other issues that were tackled include the community media’s impact on citizens and the role of watchdogs. Reportage of national stories was also one of the issues tackled.

Many people see a joke where there is abuse.

By: Lindokuhle Mnisi
@LindokuhleMnisi

Joke or Child abuse?: A picture of a child hanged on
 a washing line circulates on the social networking sites

A gruesome picture showing a helpless child hanged on a hanging-line has been circulating on the social networking sites with most people posting it with a caption that reads “When a nanny is fed up”.

The picture first appeared on BlackBerry Messaging (BBM) site with many users placing it as their profile picture before it went to one of the most popular social site, Facebook. In a period of 10 minutes, many facebook users have shared the picture and shared their comments about it.

This picture shows an African baby boy wearing a light-blue gown, hanged under a tree using packs on the line at the back of a house. The boy who appears to be at least 10 Months-old looks vulnerable and helpless. His arms are bent to the back in a manner that shows that he is probably in pain and his arms are breaking.

The caption of the picture “When a nanny is fed up” on facebook attracted a lot of comments with people expressing their views about Nannies. “Love it…so glad I am done with nannies,” wrote Lulu Gwagwa commenting on the picture posted by former Rekord NOWETO editor, Sinenhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Most of the people who commented on the picture were of the same race as the abused child but mostly started their comments by either saying “LOL” (laughing out loud) or “haha” (meaning laughter.)

Even though some people were happy to see such a picture, some were not pleased by the nature of it. Ramaupi Arnold Makgoo wrote: “wa tseba gen ka bona motho a beile ngwana ka tsela ye ketla mo direla BOTHATA,” (translating: If I can see a person having placed a child in this manner, I would create problems for that person (sic)). Tlaki Flo Baloyi wrote: “Aowa bathing mara, selonyana sa Modimo” (translates: Oh no people though, such a small thing of God (sic))

The picture hasn’t been reported to the child abuse courts yet.

Right to know won’t back down

By: Lindokuhle Mnisi
@LindokuhleMnisi

One of the Right2Know posters on one of the 

tall flats in Cape Town

Civil society organisation called right2know is continuing with its campaign against the controversial Protection of State Information Bill in the Cape Town city.

Several huge posters are plugged in various flats around the city aiming at raising awareness against this Bill. The posters are written in bold that “The truth will keep us free” and are also written “Say NO to the secrecy bill”.

The posters attribute the late struggle veteran, Mr Kader Asmal. Asmal has been vocal in support of freedom of expression and asked for the Bill to be scrubbed by the government that proposed it.

The Right2Know campaign has organised marches since last year demanding that this Bill must be removed as it poses a threat to journalists and freedom of expression that is enshrined in the constitution. Clause in the Bill proposes jail sentences of close to 25years imprisonment for anybody who is found in position with classified information. Whistleblowers would also face a 5years jail sentence.

The Bill has been going through the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) before it could be passed. Recently, some of the clauses were abandoned, meaning there will not be a jail sentence for journalists. 

Robben Island is depressing

By: Lindokuhle Mnisi

@LindokuhleMnisi

The entrance at the Robben Island. Picture: Robben Island pictures

A group of Journalism Students from the Tshwane University of Technology visited the Robben Island to witness the land where South Africa’s freedom fighters were arrested during the apartheid era.

Students were taught about the history of this country and were given clarity about what transpired at Robben Island in the past. Divided into two groups for two buses, students took a tour around the Island with Tour Guides who were explaining everything while the buses were moving. Buses would stop near the spots (buildings, playgrounds, graveyards, etc) and the tour guide would explain briefly about the history behind that spot.

“All these things that you see around here were erected and utilised during the apartheid period. Some or most of these were built by the men who were arrested and given hard labour here in this Island,” said Anderson Friedman, one of the tour guides. As the bus was moving, he pointed at the cemetery where people were buried, churches and mosque where they worshipped, the Robert Sobukwe house and ended near the cells where the prisoners were detained. 

Friedman told the story the late PAC leaders, Robert Sobukwe. As a result of the “Sobukwe clause” that was aimed at arresting only him, Sobukwe was detained in an isolated house where he was not allowed to communicate with anybody. “He was kept here (house) for six year. Due to the isolation and lack of conversation, he was diagnosed with throat cancer. He also picked up a mental state because he was no longer able to put words together anymore by forming sentences. At the age of 54year he passed away as a result of cancer,” Friedman explained.

Friedman then handed over to one of the veterans who were arrested back in the 1970s.

A man who identified himself as Lulamile Zozo Madolo led the tour to the very important parts of Robben Island, including inside the cell of the world icon Dr Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela. Madolo (58) said he was arrested in 1976 for taking part in the Soweto Uprising and he was brought to Robben Island in 1977 January 21. “I was a student from Port Elizabeth. They arrested me for taking part in Soweto Uprising. In that year all the black South African students refused to be taught in Afrikaans as a medium of instructions,” said Madolo explaining how he ended in Robben Island.

He said they tried to engage with the Apartheid regime in a form of demonstrations and petition and “...we thought that they would listen to us but police responded by shooting at us”. “Some of us died, others fled to other countries while the unfortunate ones like me were arrested and brought here,” he added. Prisoners were divided into four categories (A, B, C & D) which provided different privileges. Those arrested early in the 1960s were only allowed to write one letter and have one visitor after six months. Those with better privileges would write four letters a month.

Madolo showed those on the tour a picture of Mandela standing with his friend Walter Sisulu, wearing smart outfit. He shared the story behind that picture saying it was taken in 1966 when there were rumours around the world that Mandela was dead. “This picture was taken by a journalist from England. The apartheid regime knew in advance about the foreign media’s visit so they bought new clothes for prisoners so that they would look smart in front of the visitors. After the visit, they were given back their torn clothes and forced to go back to work,” Madolo explained. 

While still in prison, Nelson Mandela illegally wrote a book called “Long Walk to Freedom” and the pieces of pages he used to write on were transported to the people by his friend, Mac Maharaj (now President Jacob Zuma’s spokesperson). The book was published in London.

Jacob Zuma, Ahmad Kathrada, Walter Sisulu, Govern Mbeki, Mosiuoa Lekota to name but a few were among those who spent years in prison. Before students and other tourists left Robben Island they had more knowledge regarding what transpired there. Robben Island is now used as a historical site and museum.

Politicians lambasts each other in parliament

By: Lindokuhle Mnisi

@LindokuhleMnisi

ACDP MP, Mrs Cheryllyn Dudley addresses students in parliament

Journalism students from the Tshwane University of Technology convened in a news conference with representatives of different political parties in the parliament house. Students raised burning issues and questions which were answered by representatives.

Political parties’ representatives who participated in the news conference included MPs of parties like ACDP, UDM, IFP, COPE, DA and the ANC. As normal with all politicians, each of the speakers campaigned for their parties and took a swipe at the other political parties. “IFP is not a Zulu party even though the majority of our members come from KwaZulu Natal. Another MP was addressing you earlier saying Christianity is the only way in life. They represent Christians and careless about other beliefs.,” Mkhuleko Hlengwa of the IFP said in an attack to the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) and MP member Mrs Cheryllyn Dudley who represented it.

The top six leadership of the ANC was criticised by opposition parties mostly about the situations at Marikana’s Lonmin mine. The critiques were based on the strike where mine workers demand R12 500 as their salary increase.

Former COPE MP, Faruq Qassim said in the 2014 government elections, issues that need to be considered include education for all the people. “Even after 20years of democracy, government can’t get education right. This is the party that doesn’t deserve to be in power again because millions of people’s lives will be sacrificed as a result of indifferent education,” Qassim said.

“We have a party where there is education for the rich and there is education for the poor. The education for the rich is super good education and the education for the poor, as offered by the state, is pathetic,” Qassim added.

A logo of the South African Parliament.

Jerry Tebedi, an MP at the National Assembly and Chairperson of the ANC Parliamentary Caucus, went to the podium to defend the ANC on the critiques that were re-raised by students. He acknowledged that the ANC has challenges which he regards as “triple challenges”. “We have identified and are dealing with three challenges which are unemployment, inequality and poverty. Our society is divided by wealth in which the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poor,” Tebedi said. 

He said the ANC have developed a National Development Plan which gives a 30year focus. NDP is the 30year vision of South Africa. Tebedi said all these challenges can be only defeated if government can merge and work with the people.