Political Comment
Lifetime Bluff resident serving his third term in office as representative
of the area. Member of the Democratic Alliance.
This weeks Councillor comments
Duncan Du Bois
You can contact Councillor D Du Bois by e-mail @ dubois@axxess.co.za
Phone:467-0343 or mobile:083 291-4913
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SutcliffeM@durban.gov.za
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Bluff Ward 66
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JUNE'08

9 APRIL 2008

Whilst the Thabo Mbeki government's
affinity for the regime of Robert Mugabe is
well-known, it is deplorable that the SABC
emulates that bias in its coverage of political
matters in Zimbabwe. The reports emanating
from SABC reporter in Zimbabwe,
Thulasizwe Similane, and the interviews
conducted by Sifiso Makwetla in recent
weeks have been consistently negative
towards the groundswell of popular opinion
that Zimbabweans bravely expressed in the
March 29 ballot.

It is only when one consults other news
sources such as East Coast Radio, eTV,
CNN and the website of The Zimbabwean
newspaper that a proper perspective on
developments in Zimbabwe emerges.
Despite overwhelming evidence of the extent
to which Mugabe marginalised the
democratic process in the run-up to the
election,  Makwetla and Similane
continue to spout what is in effect Zanu-PF
propaganda about the so-called free and
fair circumstances  in which electioneering
and the election took place. They never
reported that some 300 opposition rallies
were forbidden by Mugabe's police or that
torture and physical abuse was meted out to
opposition candidates and supporters or
that the voters' roll was in a deliberate
shambles.

Despite the mood of jubilation amongst
Zimbabweans at the evidence that Mugabe
has been defeated, a fact made more
obvious by the tyrant's refusal to allow the
presidential vote to be disclosed,
Similane and Makwetla have remained
cynically disposed to these realities. Time
and time again they have trotted out blatant
Zanu-PF nonsense about why the tallying of
the votes was so pedantic or why
the High Court could not rule on the
announcement of the presidential result.

The SABC is supposed to be a public
broadcaster, not a propaganda arm of the
Mbeki regime and its fawning posture
towards Zanu-PF.
The reality is that against all odds the
Mugabe regime has been defeated.
Makwetla and Similane need to accept that
fact. Ever-ready in the past to pour cold
water on prospects of change
in Zimbabwe, Makwetla and Similane need to
get their heads around the prospect of
salvation that the vote for the opposition has
now brought to that country.
If they can't manage that then they should
join the Zanu-PF spindoctors in the exile that
awaits them.

Yours faithfully

DUNCAN DU BOIS
Ruth Bhengu should not hold public
office.

Editor-in-Chief
Local Government Bulletin
Bellville

Greetings  Mr Steytler

In that we are all supposed to be committed
to good governance,  I am offended by the
editorial in the Feb/ March issue of  Local
Government Bulletin.

Ruth Bhengu is commended for her
elevation to the ANC's NEC at its Polokwane
conference.
Ruth Bhengu is a convicted fraudster having
been one of those involved in parliament's
Travelgate scam.
She should not hold public office. Yet you
commend her and look to her for making the
voice of local government heard in the
ANC's NEC.

Perhaps you and your team should
contemplate the advice of President
Woodrow Wilson: You cannot find your way
to reform through the forces that
rendered reform necessary in the first place.

Cllr D L Du Bois
Ward 66
Ethekwini Durban Metro
MBEKI IS SOUTHERN AFRICA'S CRISIS
13 April 2008
Thabo Mbeki's denial that there is a crisis in
Zimbabwe beggars belief and is
unforgiveable. By his latest failure
to deal decisively with the tyranny of Robert
Mugabe, Mbeki has demonstrated that not
only does much of the blame for the crisis in
Zimbabwe rest with him. Worse still, by his
ongoing stewardship of Mugabe's despotism
Mbeki is plunging all of southern Africa into a
crisis of confidence.

If blatant, serial electoral theft, denial of an
oppressed people's vote for change,
state-sanctioned violence against political
opponents, racially motivated seizure of
private farms, 80% unemployment, mass
starvation and misery coupled with ongoing
flight of refugees does not constitute a crisis
then Mbeki needs psychiatric help. His smug
attempt to deny the critical circumstances
that prevail under Mugabe's jackboot regime
are an insult to our constitution. Having
pledged  to uphold the right of South Africans
to a democratic society based on the will of
the people when he took the oath of office as
President, how can Mbeki deny that right
to the people of Zimbabwe ?

Mbeki's supine posturing towards Mugabe's
comprehensive destruction of Zimbabwe is
not only destabilising all of southern Africa
by the message it projects, but after eight
years enough is enough. Mbeki must go. He
is an abject failure as a leader. Allied as he is
with Mugabe, he is an embarrassment to all
who proclaim to uphold fundamental human
rights and a free, open and democratic
society.

It is naive to say that history will deal
harshly with Mbeki.
History will deal harshly with all of us if we
do not demand his resignation.

Yours faithfully


Duncan Du Bois
MDC DECISION APPLAUDED
23 June 2008

Morgan Tsvangirai must be applauded for his
decision to withdraw from the June 27  
presidential election in Zimbabwe. In so doing
he has demonstrated statesmanship and
courage.  Through coercion, terror and fraud
Mugabe intends to perpetuate his tyranny.
But apart from Mbeki and his cronies, few are
deceived by Mugabe's evil.

The world knows that Mugabe's regime is
illegitimate and that the real winner of the
March 29 election was Morgan Tsvangirai.
Even after Mugabe spent three weeks
manipulating the result, the best he could
muster was 43% of the vote. The moral high
ground belongs to Tsvangirai and the
incredibly brave members and supporters of
the MDC.

Having invoked the will of God to justify his
hold on power, Mugabe has therefore set
himself up for judgement of a kind about
which there can be no debate when his
inevitable downfall occurs. May the wrath of
the Lord Almighty strike soon.

DUNCAN DU BOIS