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Only of 2021: Niemöller – A novel contribution by author of brutally lawful Open Letter to Ramaphosa

The article became as soon as first printed on 26 July 2021

The Open Letter to Ramaphosa penned closing week by a BizNews community member captured the zeitgeist, having been be taught by extra than a quarter million of us within a few days. The video had over 75,000 downloads within the first 24 hours. On the conclusion that you simply would possibly well never derive too noteworthy of a immense thing, here is the follow up, the first of what we hope will be many contributions by “Niemöller” the nom de plume our correspondent has selected. It honours the anti-Hitler German theologian of that title whose favorite poem “First they came…”  resonates as powerfully this present day as it did when written precisely three quarters of a century ago. In the allotment under, our Niemöller offers reasonably background to the first Open Letter – and follows up with an equally principal second one. – Alec Hogg   

By Niemoller* 

I didn’t mediate my letter would shuttle somewhat as a ways and as wide as it did. I didn’t write it for circulation; it became as soon as largely to let off steam. I’d correct had ample. It looked address its many readers had too.

One would possibly well maybe restful doubtlessly quit while one is ahead, but I essentially did maintain reasonably extra to enlighten. Alas, freedom of speech is only a minute of an illusion in South Africa, which is why I’m restful anonymous. Probabilities are you’ll call me Niemöller.

So I belief – for now – that essentially the most efficient thing to enact to would be to double down, because there’s extra on my thoughts. And to quote a favorite South African, I write what I address.

I investigate cross-take a look at I made a mistake in pronouncing we didn’t maintain a white Minister, when there’s Barbara Creecy. But frankly, having one is practically worse than having none. Zero is now not any longer less than politically lawful.

So here we lunge…

Dear Mr President,

My letter to you closing week looked as if it would possibly well mirror what heaps of of us were thinking, but no one had said aloud. On the least no longer to you. Not that you simply maintain no longer got the relaxation else to your plate, but I maintain reasonably extra to enlighten. Forgive my frankness. It is – or no longer less than became as soon as – the South African plot. On the certain aspect, you obtained’t maintain to be taught between any lines.

So here is a few extra advice you would possibly well care to listen to.

Originate up entertaining extra of us for planning this insurrection. Obvious, we don’t need the NPA to mess it up, but for goodness’ sake, how noteworthy proof enact you would possibly well per chance like? The Zuma daughter incited violence. It’s on Twitter. Jog derive her. Her twin impressed of us to “loot responsibly”. He essentially did. It’s on YouTube. It’s impossible that nothing has been done about them. And in particular the now-favorite “12”. I’m certain there are others. Many of them.

Repeat a Recount of Emergency in KZN when you happen to proceed to feel anxious regarding the temperature on the floor. It doesn’t can maintain to be a nationwide one. It’s no longer draconian, it’s perfect. They’re a scenario, and everybody is conscious of it.

Reshuffle the Cabinet for crying out aloud. The RET brigade lost. They’ve very minute popular toughen, and practically none from the very immense center floor. Your lengthy recreation is over now. Completely you would possibly well muster up ample mavens with political clout to give protection to you as you purge your Cabinet of these loathsome, incompetent, ineffectual of us?

Originate up reading the Stand up Act to provincial public prosecutors. Because while we’re on the matter of arrests, why haven’t obtrusive crooks been arrested but? Love definite politically linked thieves inquisitive regarding the depraved rip off at VBS. It’s definite that some Provincial Directors of Public Prosecutions obtained’t play ball with Shamila Batohi, and are refusing to prosecute. Obtain a ability to exchange them. In every other case, she has no vitality, and to boot you realize it, even when you happen to haven’t told the final public that.

Be sure that the DPP within the Free Recount has his ducks in a row. There’s loads at stake prosecuting Ace Magashule. And make certain that that they nail Edwin Sodi when you’re about it, odious, flawed, rent-in search of reptile that he’s.

Procure the NPA to derive a lunge on prosecuting Markus Jooste, who restful strolls round Hermanus, undisturbed and unperturbed. Adequate. He’s a crook. It’s been four years now. Probabilities are you’ll’t per chance need extra proof – PwC equipped all of it – or preparation time. Procure Jooste out of his mansion and into Pollsmoor. And make certain that to movie his trial so we can all stumble on him lunge down.

Speaking of these that haven’t but had their day in court docket, where is our Deputy President? Non-public effectively being care is restful pleasing here (no longer less than for now) so why didn’t he overview into the closest Mediclinic? And he leaves for Russia on the valid time of the looting. Weird and wonderful, that. A minute bit address the Ayatollah placing out in Paris until the revolution became as soon as all the plot in which by bar the shouting?

Procure a telephone call to David Unterhalter to apologise for the appalling anti-Semitism that reared its head right by his interview by a definite member of the Judicial Carrier Rate. It became as soon as revolting. Repeat him you strongly abhor. And where became as soon as the Human Rights Rate? Asleep all but again? Cry at them.

Stop already with the Cuban obsession. Possess you ever ever visited there as a traditional citizen? It’s appalling. Completely after 30 years, the ANC has repaid the favour of pre-democracy toughen from them? Adequate now. It’s a brutal, repressive regime that tramples on human rights. We don’t need their aid. Nor their social, financial or political example. So rein in Lindiwe Sisulu. She’s jaw-droppingly arrogant and stark raving mad.

Stop prioritising the employed and originate caring regarding the unemployed. The employed don’t need your aid. Adequate with the stranglehold of labour legislation. Stop with this Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act. It’s a anxiety.

Disbelieve commerce if it says it broadly supports this novel Act, because many of them don’t. They’re correct too unnerved to face up to the accusation of being “anti-transformation”. Moderately maintain some lawful one-on-one conversations.

Here’s the headline: contemporary South African capital is agnostic; it correct doesn’t care.

What enact you essentially mediate – that executives sit round in dark, smoke-filled rooms dreaming up novel and imaginative ways to exclude murky and girls folks executives from their companies? Capital doesn’t care, Mr President, it correct doesn’t care. We’re so critically instant of abilities on this nation that even essentially the most unreconstructed racist would concede that the pool became as soon as too exiguous to discriminate.

The reality is that we don’t care if a job applicant is a dreadlocked, homosexual, disabled particular person that self-identifies as a Martian each alternate Thursday. We correct need the abilities and the expertise. And a propensity for labor and an valid attitude. We enjoy them on these items, and the dispute of their persona. The comfort is basically irrelevant. We don’t factor in it. So why enact you pronounce on this ruinous protection which correct extra divides South Africans, is of questionable public or financial profit, and handiest serves to lag abilities away to foreign international locations? It critically isn’t worthwhile you any votes.

Introduce us to a stay beneficiary of affirmative stream. Guess you would possibly well’t. Because when you happen to query any murky South African if they’re of their job due to the it, they’ll plan shut it as a deep insult. They’ll sing you that handiest advantage, potential and potential played a feature. So, if it’s so offensive, why maintain it as public protection? If it’s this kind of worthy pursuit, why enact the courts procure that calling someone an affirmative stream appointment or quota participant is racially offensive? Completely in case your protection is aspirational and ethically defensible, beneficiaries would possibly well maybe restful plan shut into yarn it a source of pride? Please enact us all a favour and mediate deeply regarding the screaming hypocrisy of this.

Procure some valid potential into the authorities – rapidly. Hire extra of us care to your Minister within the Presidency. She is self-assured, assertive, neat, no-nonsense, and everything your complete ministers would possibly well maybe restful be. While you happen to grab what’s steady for you, chain her to her desk and refuse any attempt for her to lunge away. There wants to be extra correct address her. Obtain them. Hunt them down.

Stop with the planning already. We maintain got ample plans. You’re address a discipline marshal who comes up with perfect militia technique, but has no battalions. Success lies in execution. So assemble a Marshall Understanding for South Africa, because we certain as hell need one.

Call in essentially the most efficient and brightest, and don’t drown them in politics, kinds and brick walls, comparable to you’ve done to Martin Kingston. Build a query to Commonplace Financial institution to disencumber Sim Tshabalala for a few months – he must maintain time on his palms now. Call in Dikgang Moseneke, Vincent Maphai, Malcolm Wyman, Shameel Joosub, Jay Naidoo, Adrian Gore, Sipho Maseko, Cheryl Carolus, Calvo Mawela, Koos Bekker, and certain, even Trevor. There are many others. They’re all perfect, networked tacticians who handiest need what’s simplest for the nation. Procure them on board for a few months – their companies will spare them because there’s so noteworthy at stake. Procure that telephone call. Give them some valid vitality so they don’t derive pissed off and exit stage.

Lose the National Democratic Revolution rubbish. It’s lengthy previous its promote-by date and it’s detrimental, divisive, and so anachronistic that it’s correct undeniable ridiculous in a most recent democracy. You’re no longer a liberation occasion anymore, you’re the damn authorities. Adequate now. There’s no revolution to plan shut. You’re in vitality. Grow up and behave address it.

Kind out direct security for goodness’ sake. Bheki Cele is correct undeniable incompetent and the SAPS is dire. Khehla Sitole is even worse if that’s doable, and unforgivably MIA right by the looting. Ayanda Dlodlo doesn’t precisely glance address she’s cracking her job either. They’re so busy sticking knives in each other’s backs that they’re no longer doing the job they’re paid for. Admit it. It’s a large quantity. R4-billion a year on felony intelligence and so they couldn’t station the insurrection coming?

Stop with this novel gun aid an eye on nonsense. What enact you believe you studied citizens were armed with when they stood as much as the looters and defended democracy? The excellent these that obey gun aid an eye on approved pointers are of us who utilize them responsibly anyway.

Clamp down on illegal firearms, in particular these circulating on the Cape Apartments, largely gifted by rogue SAPS contributors (you know this to be lawful). And while I’m about it, what the hell are your of us doing with Jeremy Veary and Andre Lincoln – and a few others? They’re the corruption-busting steady guys. Where are their commendations? Nope, correct years and years of focused harassment by half-witted, under-expert, flawed, politically motivated morons within the SAPS management. Adequate. Dangle up the telephone.

Reel within the Competitors Rate. You simply can’t block a foreign acquisition on the muse that BEE would be diluted. What does that indicate in notice? That murky shareholders are caught with their shareholdings and can never promote their shares until it’s to but one more murky South African shareholder? You’ve correct wiped out the associated price of their shareholdings, for goodness’ sake! Not to mention the message you’re sending foreign traders. Repeat the Rate to derive out of the plot in which and prevent meddling in stuff that doesn’t maintain them.

Stop giving groups and individuals a free lunge on tax. The kind that’s correct sitting there, laughing at you. Taxis, shebeens, spazas. The illegal industries are thriving – liquor, tobacco, gambling, textiles. Cease something. The illegal markets for liquor and tobacco are nearly as substantial because the fitting market now – how’s that for a gangster direct? It’s a howler.

Procure Edward Kieswetter an military of enforcers to derive available on the streets, and query these guys pay what’s due. No tax return? Easy. Shut it down. Honest taxpayers maintain critically had ample of paying Scandinavian ranges of tax for shut to no return, when others casually flip a center finger on the tax collector with out a final result. In the event that they don’t pay up, prison them. While you happen to don’t, tax morality will tumble even extra by the floor.

Build Kieswetter aid in his box when he talks to the dwindling selection of law abiding citizens. How dare he dispute he’ll query taxpayers well handiest as soon as? No. Ravishing no.

Repeat your SARS Commissioner to derive down on bended knee and thank each taxpayer for their contribution, and to genuflect on the feet of the tip 1%. We maintain got one in all the heaviest tax burdens on this planet. Without us, you’d be in valid effort, and to boot you would possibly well dispute goodbye to social stability. Kieswetter will be uncorruptible and maintain a stratospheric IQ, but he would possibly well maybe enact with an large dose of humility.

Repeat SASSA grant beneficiaries the reality about where their money is coming from. It isn’t the ANC. Over 30% of the population receives a grant, so don’t you believe you studied there would possibly well maybe restful be “Your SASSA grant courtesy of the taxpayer” printed on each SASSA receipt?

Stop opening your mouth to commerce feet. How would possibly well maybe you defend MPs’ salaries by pronouncing that they fight to tag ends meet? On R1-million a year plus advantages? Are you serious? Many of the deepest sector maintain had deep cuts of their salaries right by Covid, with some shedding their advantages altogether, no longer to mention of us who essentially lost their jobs or agencies. And these are these which can be preserving the financial system going, sustaining jobs and paying tax. Ravishing how tone deaf are you? Couldn’t you would possibly well per chance maintain got correct done a cuddle-up with MPs and outlined that on these salaries, they’re within the tip 4% of earners in SA, and that they better correct tag enact for the reason that relaxation of us maintain blood on the floor? Attain on, critically.

Stop of us thinking that any criticism of the authorities is subliminal racism. That’s essentially juvenile. Most South Africans couldn’t care less what colour the authorities is. They correct need super authorities. Ravishing products and services they pay for. Ravishing taxation. Appreciate. Law and pronounce. The chance to exchange their abilities for most attention-grabbing-making an attempt compensation. Ravishing treatment under the law. The fundamentals. We don’t noteworthy care regarding the relaxation else. So yell them to develop up.

Let me stop by asking you a steady query. Cease you no longer essentially realise that you simply’ve obtained? Since you certain as hell don’t glance address it.

I don’t indicate the election, I indicate the insurrection. Electorate all the plot in which by the board gathered to man the barricades, shoulder to shoulder. The frightful guys were repelled. Sanity re-emerged. The RET brigade lost. South Africans stood collectively to defend no longer handiest their lives and property, however the Structure and the democratic direct. The one you lead. So, the RET gangsters lost the fight, but to boot the psychological one. And the political one. It became as soon as a shut-flee thing now and then, however the centre held.

I’m no longer in politics (there would possibly be a God) but you would possibly well restful know this from your previous lifestyles: in commerce, half the trick of a hit management is behaving address a frontrunner, and the opposite half is sounding address one. So why don’t you? When your enemy is down, you don’t originate taking half in a lengthy recreation of chess, you kick him. We don’t investigate cross-take a look at any proof of kicking, and it’s making us worried.

The attempted coup became as soon as an inflection level. It’s no longer the time to tumble the ball. Bustle with it.

Procure out of the Fresnaye bunker. Elevate the complex choices. Cease reasonably of anxiety and terror, and the momentum of resolute stream will be unstoppable. Bring the nation with you. All of us. As equal citizens. Originate up acting address a winner. A lot is reckoning on it.

  • Niemoller is the nom de plume of a member of the BizNews community who prefers to stay anonymous.

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