Quotas and transformation

Housing quota go ahead
Apparently exclusive neighbourhoods are too exclusive. The regime is concocting a scheme to impose racial quotas on housing developments.
Transforming the electricity sector
Government’s contentious electricity restructuring programme hit another snag yesterday when the Chamber of Mines, Eskom and major industrial electricity consumers raised serious objections to a bill dealing with reticulation. The bill is highly sensitive as it circumscribes municipal electricity provision. It also assigns powers to Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica to set national reticulation norms and standards while limiting the powers of the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa).
Judges slam poor appointments
Two high court judges yesterday criticised poor judicial appointments and the increasing number of reserved judgments that drag on for months, and in some cases years, saying this was an increasing feature of court rolls. The criticism follows persistent reports that inexperienced judges are clogging up high court rolls by taking months to deliver judgments.
Cosatu should visit China
SA’s trade unionists should go to China and see for themselves “the brilliant experience that country has had in achieving its integration on its own terms into the global economy”, Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana said. Just as toys and cars were produced by China and sold all over the world, SA needed to learn to export its cars and toys to the rest of Africa.
Even in hospital, she can't stay out of trouble
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang is being treated at Johannesburg Hospital’s private ward for a lung infection. DA provincial health spokesman Jack Bloom said yesterday the wards were badly managed, and cost more to run than they brought in. Bloom criticised the minister for using the ward, saying she was costing the taxpayer money as the ward billed less than it cost to treat patients.
TB programme a failure
Government’s TB programme is failing because it has not bothered to educate patients about their treatment in the way that HIV patients have been educated.
Mobilise the civil society
South African Minister of Intelligence Services, Ronnie Kasrils castigated the reason put foward by Israel that it attacked Lebanon as a way of seeking release for captured Israeli soldiers. "What is happening is atrocious and there is need to mobilise the civil society in South Africa to help in resolving the Middle East crisis," said the Minister.
Drug tests will make schools less dangerous
After introducing metal detectors and security guards in schools, the regime will now resort to random drug tests to stem playground violence. There have been several incidents of violence in schools recently with two pupils stabbed to death, a girl shot in the leg in class and a high-school student in hospital with concussion after a fight about a cellphone.
Minister to meet owners of gutted taxis
Jeff Radebe, the minister of transport, has indicated that he would like to meet with the taxi owners whose vehicles were gutted by fire at the Nyanga taxi rank. The ministerial spokesperson says the invitation should not be interpreted as a guarantee for financial assistance nor any precondition to the taxi recapitalisation programme.
Whistle-blower violated confidentiality
Pascalis Mokupo, the whistle-blower who leaked a report he wrote for the Gauteng Shared Services Centre (GSSC) exposing tender irregularities involving the housing department, was was fired for undisclosed “dishonesty”. Mokupo looks set to face criminal charges for revealing the tender fraud. Apparently he is going to be charged for violating the confidentiality provisions in his conditions of employment.
BEE is a mockery of Mandela's dream
When a black man tells the world that white people are not doing enough to make him rich, what message is he sending to future generations of black South Africans? Black economic empowerment (BEE) is the easy way for black people to wealth: buy small portions of companies owned or run by white people, sit back and voila! In a few years' time you become a millionaire.
Attempt to contact Hamas
Diplomatic officials in Jerusalem are sharply criticizing South Africa for attempting to open a dialogue with the Hamas government, and receive President Mahmoud Abbas’ approval for the meeting.