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  • 2012

    2012 The Online Movie FINAL UPDATE

     

    Part I — THE HISTORY BEHIND 2012 — How time changes consciousness, rare 26,000 yr occurrences, how the RCC ties into 2012, 11:11, solar maximum, 2011 vs 2012, acceleration of creation, the numbers behind 2012, time speeding up, transformation of consciousness, corruption of Gregorian calendar, other 2012 end dates, the New Earth, world chakras, time travelers and 2012, Schumann resonance, alchemy and our solar system, climate change, the photon belt, the I Ching, Mayan astrology, Galactic Alignment, Mayan obsession over time, the cycles of time, the end of a world age,timewave zero
    Part 2 — THE MAYAN CALENDAR EXPLAINED — Ian Lungold thoroughly explains the levels of creation in the Mayan calendar
    Part 3 — CROP CIRCLES AND 2012 — Daniel Pinchbeck, David Wilcock, Geoff Stray and Gregg Braden talk about crop circles and 2012
    Part 4 — FEAR AND 2012 — The roots of terrorism, 911, social engineering, how the few control the many, Illuminati, RFID chips, love, fear and spirituality, vaccinations, aspartame, fluoride, GMO’s and Monsanto, government propaganda, mind control, TV mind manipulation, ET help from above, neocons, fear mongering, consciousness and fear, Freemasons, ordo abchao (order out of chaos), 33 longitude and latitude, reduction of stress, the mind and illnesses, the gift of fear, fear and love vibrations,
    Part 5 — DNA UPGRADE? — the DNA of love and fear, activation of DNA, phantom DNA effect, emotions and DNA, Fibonacci sequence, DNA upgrade, gratitude and DNA
    Part 6 — SPIRITUALITY AND 2012 — negative prophecies will not occur, synchronicities and 2012, metaphysical phenomena, consciousness shapes reality, left brained versus right brained thinking, suppression of the feminine, spiritual transition of the psyche, seeking inner truth, repression of emotions, intention, how some people may get left behind, the Mandelbrot sequence, thoughts = manifestations, harmonic unity, the miracle of YOU, centering yourself spiritually, torsion fields and consciousness, the power of meditation, opening a channel to your higher self, following your intuition, the power of light, now is the time to expand your consciousness, time travel, expanded consciousness, listening to your heart, the end of a 26,000 year opportunity, research tools, the bottom line

  • The Amazing Cucumber

    cucumber
    cucumber

    1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every
    day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5,
    Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus,
    Potassium and Zinc.

    2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated
    soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and
    Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours..

    3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a
    cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a
    soothing, spa-like fragrance.

    4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a
    small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The
    chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent
    undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the
    area.

    5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to
    the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a
    few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin
    to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of
    cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

    6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices
    before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain
    enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the
    body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

    7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers
    have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and
    explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

    8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don’t
    have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the
    shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks
    great but also repels water.

    9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub
    it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

    10. Stressed out and don’t have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa?
    Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals
    and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be
    released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown
    the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

    11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don’t have gum or mints? Take
    a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for
    30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria
    in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

    12.. Looking for a ‘green’ way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel?
    Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only
    will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won’t leave
    streaks and won’t harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

    13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly
    use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that
    the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

  • The Afterlife Investigations – Rupert Sheldrake

    This complete, unedited interview was filmed for the upcoming documentary

    “The Afterlife Investigations” and features Cambridge Scientist – Rupert Sheldrake, PhD.

     

  • The Afterlife Investigations – The Scole Experiments

    The Scole Experiments.

    Breakthrough scientific evidence for the afterlife.

    The Scole Experiments.

    For five years a group of mediums and scientists witnessed more phenomena than in any other experiment in the history of the paranormal, including recorded conversations with the dead, written messages on sealed film, video of spirit faces and even spirit forms materializing. These experiments may finally convince you there is life after death. The scientific team in change of overseeing these experiments include world renowned Cambridge Scientist – Dr. Rupert Sheldrake, Dr. David Fontana and Researcher Montague Keen who died during the filming of the scole experiments documentary.

  • Greatest Speech Ever Made – Charlie Chaplin

    Arguably the ‘Greatest Speech Ever Made’ in recorded history was given by a great comedian and commentator by the name of Charlie Chaplin.

    The music and the additional modern day videos make it just amazing.

    Sadly the final speech in his film, The Great Dictator, is nearly a hundred years old.

    Who speaks for us now?

  • How Apt For Africa

    Stated way back in 1931 and it says it all…

    “You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom.

    What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

    The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. 

    When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets  the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get
    what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation.

    You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.” 

    ~~~~ Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931

  • Nassim Haramein – From Three Conferences

    If you are not yet familiar with Nassim Haramein’s exciting work, prepare yourself for an exhilarating odyssey into hyperspace and beyond. Haramein, who has spent his lifetime researching fields of physics from quantum theory to relativistic equations and cosmology, will lead you along a fascinating discussion geared to a layman’s understanding of the fundamental nature of the universe and creation that includes black holes, gravitational forces, dimensions, and the very structure of space itself – all of which are integral parts of his now-complete Unified Field Theory. Haramein’s theory is currently in peer review process for publication in physics journals; however, the presentation does not end with the introduction of his theory alone, but includes the discussion of the path that he took to arrive at his views, which weaves between the texts and monuments of ancient civilizations, biology, chemistry and the primordial role of consciousness – all of which lend further credence to the science behind the theory.

    Please note this is a four hour journey into the meaning of what makes our universe and beyond.

  • What is Consciousness?

    THE INSTITUTE OF NOETIC SCIENCES- What is Consciousness?

    For almost 40 years, the Institute of Noetic Sciences has explored the fundamental powers and potentials of consciousness using the tools of basic science. This video produced for the recent IONS 2011 Conference explains how.

    Consciousness Matters:Exploring the Mysteries of Inner Space from Institute of Noetic Sciences on Vimeo.

    What is Consciousness?

  • 7 Ways to Help You Manage Your Blood Sugar Levels

    7 Ways to Help You Manage Your Blood Sugar Levels

    The sugar in our blood is essential as it serves as food for our body’s cells. The cells in our body, which makes up the structure of our organs – heart, brain, liver, blood vessels, skin, etc. These important organs will not be able to function properly if they are deprived of the necessary energy which comes in the form of blood sugar, or blood glucose.

    However, people should not desire for high amounts of blood glucose; conversely, they should not desire for low blood glucose either. Having high amounts of blood sugar in the blood, a condition known as hyperglycemia, can lead to diseases, such as Diabetes Mellitus, that may cause the development of other diseases. Low levels of blood sugar, or hypoglycaemia, can lead to comatose and seizures, since the brain is deprived of its much-needed energy, which in turn can lead to death.

    Blood glucose levels that are within the normal range is the most desirable. The normal blood glucose level is 64.8 to 104.4 mg/dL. For an average human, blood sugar rises after taking regular meals (to about 135 to 140mg/dL) and this is considered as normal. It is not really difficult to control one’s blood glucose levels, especially if one is not suffering from the hereditary elements of diabetes. All one has to do is take note of the following guidelines:

    • Monitor your Carbohydrate IntakeCarbohydrate is one of the major food nutrients essential to the human body. Carbohydrates, when broken down into functional elements in the digestive tract, turn into glucose. Glucose is the one that is being used by the cells for energy.  A human being needs to eat, since food is necessary for the repair of the body’s cells and for energy. If a normal person binge on food, especially carbohydrates, the body will just store the extra amounts of broken-down carbohydrates, glucose, and keep on maintaining the normal blood levels through the functions of insulin. But there are times when the insulin cannot anymore perform what it supposed to do. If the pancreas produces less insulin, blood glucose cannot be broken down into energy. Glucose will accumulate in the blood and will cause conditions that will result to a disease called Diabetes Mellitus. If someone is experiencing problems with insulin, or if someone is susceptible to insulin problems, like an inherited diabetic problem, it is necessary to monitor one’s intake of carbohydrates, to reduce the amounts of glucose in the blood.
    • Increase Fiber IntakeFiber is actually a carbohydrate; but unlike the usual carbohydrate, fiber is not broken down into glucose, therefore it can help in controlling the levels of blood glucose in the body. Fiber can be found in vegetables, fruits, and whole grain products. In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, results showed that people who ate at least 50 grams of fiber daily were able to control their blood sugar compared to those who have less fiber in their diet. Having a diet rich in fiber can help in managing blood sugar levels. Research shows that having 20-35 grams of fiber in the diet per day is effective in lowering blood sugar and in reducing the tendencies of having adult-onset Diabetes Mellitus.
    • Indulge in moderate, regular exerciseWhen a person exercises, there is more energy needed by the body. Because energy is the result of breaking down of glucose with the help of insulin, glucose decreases when there is increased consumption of energy through physical activities. When a person engages in moderate, regular exercises, the body will be trained to utilize a constant amount of glucose, with the constant release of insulin by the pancreas that is essential for energy consumption. This will in turn allow the body to manage blood glucose well.
    • Test your Blood Glucose Levels After a Strenuous ActivityParticularly for those who have problems with glucose utilization and insulin production, it is important to constantly monitor blood glucose levels after every strenuous exercise. Since high energy is released by the body during this activity, there is a tendency for blood sugar to decrease to a level that is not enough for a person to function properly. Signs that a person is experiencing hypoglycaemia are feelings of body tremors, irritability, restlessness, extreme hunger and excessive sweating. When blood sugar levels goes lower than the normal range, make sure that quick sugar is within reach. Fruit, juice, hard candy or glucose tablets are good sources of quick sugar.
    • Bananas are Great and Healthy Means to Balance Blood Sugar Levels

      For those experiencing constant low blood sugar, it is recommended that one consume 15 to 20 grams of sugar or carbohydrates to boost ones energy. Among foods that can help in boosting energy but with a lower glycemic index, is banana. Glycemic index is a measurement of the effects of blood sugar after ingesting carbohydrates. High glycemic index foods are those foods that scores from 70 and above. But banana’s glycemic index ranges from 42-51. Snacking on bananas will help in the regulation of blood sugar while at the same time providing the necessary amounts of protein, fiber, vitamins and potassium.

    • Manage your Stress LevelsWhen there is stress, the tendency of the body is to activate the fight and flight response through the sympathetic nervous system. With stress, the heart will pump more blood to supply oxygen to vital organs, the lungs will expand for more air, the blood vessels dilate pushing more blood into the major organs, and the liver that stores glucose to convert it into glycogen will revert back the process so that the major organs will have enough energy to keep on functioning. This means that if stress is increased, blood glucose will also increase since the liver goes into the process called glycogenesis and glycogenolysis. The more stress the person experiences, the higher their blood sugar will be. Because it is impossible to remove stress, a person must learn to manage stress instead; this way, blood glucose level is also controlled.
    • Quit smokingThe study published in 1936 in Canadian Medical Association Journal shows that smoking cigarettes can actually raise the level of a person’s blood sugar. 30 minutes after cigarette smoking, the blood sugar levels of a person would always come down to normal. A research study made in South Korea also shows that those who are smoking have low levels of adiponectin, hormones that has anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing effect. This means that if there are high levels of adiponectin in the body, insulin is more sensitive which could bring about lowered blood sugar levels. With decreased adiponectin due to smoking, blood sugar levels will increase. It is therefore recommended that one stop smoking to control increasing blood sugar.
    Written by Frank Mangano  
    Saturday, 23 July 2011 21:17

    7 Ways to Help You Manage Your Blood Sugar Levels

  • Speech by F W De Klerk to the Adele Searll ladies 100 Club: 1 June 2011

     

    SOUTH AFRICA 2011: THE BALANCE BETWEEN FAILURE AND SUCCESS  

    It is a great pleasure for me to address this gathering of Cape Town’s most influential women leaders. The venue is also splendid. I always enjoy returning to the Mount Nelson – which is one of our most venerable and elegant hotels.

    Most of us will also agree that no matter how far – or how often – we travel it is very difficult to find a city that is as beautiful as Cape Town. I travel a great deal and firmly believe that this is the best place in the world in which to live.

    There is so much of which we South Africans can be justifiably proud:

    The resilience of our young democracy has once again been illustrated by last month’s successful municipal elections. The elections were free and fair and were preceded by vigorous political debate. Sadly, the great majority of South Africans still voted according to their race. However, there are heartening signs that significant numbers have decided to break racial ranks by voting according to their values and their perceptions of the performance of the contending parties.

    The sound macro-economic policies that Trevor Manuel has implemented have brought us sustained economic growth that was only briefly interrupted by the recent global economic downturn.

    Most countries would envy the fact that our public debt is less than 36% of GDP – and external debt is only 16% of GDP.

    We have the 24th largest economy in the world. We produce more than 30% of the GDP of sub-Saharan Africa with only 6.5% of its population.

    Our natural resources are legendary – including gold and diamonds, platinum group metals and abundant and inexpensive coal.

    Nevertheless, tourism now contributes 8.3% of GDP – considerably more than mining. We have superb game parks, mountains and beach resorts. Cape Town is one of the world’s premier destinations with great facilities including three of the world’s top 100 restaurants.

    Automobile production now contributes almost as much to GDP as mining. In 2008 we produced 600 000 vehicles of which 170 000 were exported.

    Government has made great progress in improving the lives of millions of South Africans. It has built 4 million houses and had brought electricity and sanitation to more than 72% of our homes.

    According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report our auditing and reporting standards and regulation of securities exchanges are the best in the world. We are also in the top seven with regard to the soundness of our banks, financial services and the efficacy of corporate boards. The Report also gives us high marks for the quality of our management schools, our anti-monopoly policy and local supplier quality.

    South Africa has resumed its position as a respected and influential member of the international community – and has become a member of the exclusive BRICSA group.

    The magnificent success of the 2010 FIFA World Cup has shown the world what glories we South Africans can achieve when we all work together.However, there are many things of which we are not so proud.

    We see them in the daily barrage of press reports about corruption, crime, incompetence and divisive racial politics.

    Unfortunately, we are becoming so conditioned by such reports that our responses have been deadened. Developments, that in other countries would lead to the fall of governments, are routinely brushed aside by South Africans as being just more of the same old tiresome thing. Among many of us there is a feeling of disempowerment – and almost of detachment.

    My message to you today is that we have a Constitution that empowers all of us. We must not allow ourselves to be lulled into a situation where we no longer respond to situations that are constitutionally, morally and politically unacceptable.

    It is unacceptable to sing songs calling for the shooting of anyone. The historical context is irrelevant. It would be equally unacceptable for Afrikaners to sing Boer War songs calling on people to shoot the English – or for Americans to sing World War II songs about killing Japanese people. It is incomprehensible that the government of a non-racial democracy continues to support this song.

    It is unacceptable for Julius Malema to call whites criminals – and to add that they should be treated as criminals and that their land should be seized without compensation. It is even more unacceptable for President Zuma to sit on the same platform, smiling, while Malema, as a key office bearer in the ANC, makes such racist comments. Malema’s behaviour is irreconcilable with the Constitution that the President has sworn an oath to uphold.

    It is unacceptable for the Judicial Services Commission to ignore unambiguous constitutional requirements regarding the manner in which it should be constituted – and then to refuse to fill vacancies on the Cape bench, despite the availability of eminently fit and proper candidates, simply because they happen to be white.

    It is unacceptable for COSATU and the SACP to set as their mid-term vision the utterly unconstitutional goal of “worker hegemony in all sectors of the state and society.”

    it is unacceptable for Gugile Nkwinti, our Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, to declare in Parliament last year that all “colonial struggles are about two things: repossession of the land and the centrality of the indigenous population.” Just think for a moment about the implications of this statement. He is actually saying that

    the colonial struggle is not yet over;

    whites are colonialists whose land must be repossessed;

    only South Africans who are ‘indigenous’ should be regarded as being central to our society. People from minority communities must presumably be content with a peripheral or second-class status.Can one imagine the outcry that would rightly ensue if a member of the United States government were to call for the re-establishment of the centrality of the white majority?

    Much of the legislation that is currently before Parliament is equally unacceptable:

    Although the Protection of Information Bill has been improved, it will, as things stood a few days ago, still inhibit journalists from publishing stories on corruption and incompetence,

    based on leaked government information. They will still not be able to make use of a public interest defence and will still be liable to long terms of imprisonment without the option of a fine. Officials in more than 1 000 state organs will still be able to classify any documents that they think will affect ‘national security’ and the state itself will still be the arbiter in the process.

    The Land Tenure Security Bill is equally problematic. It will create unlimited rights for farm workers to build communities, graze animals and cultivate crops on the farms where they work. At the same time it will impose unlimited obligations on farmers to provide land, services and training to farm workers. Ironically, it will also weaken the tenancy rights of farm workers.

    The Labour Relations Amendment Bill is intended to end the practice of labour brokering and contract employment in our economy. Employers will be forced to convert the 3,7 million contract jobs in the economy to permanent jobs. Estimates are that they would re-employ no more than 60% of those involved – which would result in the loss of 1,5 million jobs at the very time when President Zuma has quite rightly identified job creation as our main national priority.One could mention many other unacceptable aspects of our society:

    the parlous state of our education and health systems;

    unsustainable levels of unemployment;

    the failure of half of our municipalities;

    the deplorable levels of crime;

    the inefficiency of most government departments; and

    recurrent reports of endemic corruption and incompetence.Unfortunately, South Africans are in danger of allowing this dismal litany to pummel them into accepting the unacceptable as part of the daily reality of their new society. They must not do so.

    The fulcrum on which South Africa’s future will pivot is our Constitution. It is a carefully balanced document that represents an historic compromise between all the significant sectors of our society. It makes provision for a fully democratic society; it is based on the rule of law; it protects the fundamental rights of all our citizens; it entrenches our language and cultural rights; it envisages a society based on equality and human dignity. It is a transformative document that rightly rejects the status quo. If we can maintain this excellent Constitution I am confident that our future will be secure.

    I believe that we are approaching a pivotal point in our history where all South Africans of goodwill, regardless of their race, circumstances or political affiliation will have to rally around the constitutional rights, values and vision upon which our new non-racial democracy has been established.

    The country is balanced between success and failure. If the forces of history come down on the side of constitutional values we can all look forward to a positive future. However, if the balance tips against the constitution, the consequences for all South Africans could be very dire.

    The main force seeking to disturb the constitutional balance is the ANC’s National Democratic Revolution.

    According to the ANC’s Strategy and Tactics analysis, the establishment of our non-racial constitutional democracy in 1994 was not the end of the liberation struggle – but only a beach-head on the way to the ultimate goals of the revolution.

     

    In the ANC’s own words

    “…The notion that South Africans embraced and made up (after the 1994 settlement), and thus erased the root causes of previous conflict, is thoroughly misleading. April 1994 was neither the beginning nor the end of history. The essential contradictions spawned by the system of apartheid colonialism were as much prevalent the day after the inauguration of the new government as they were the day before.”

    The ANC admits that it had to make painful compromises in the constitutional negotiations because of the then prevailing balance of forces between it and the former government. Its first priority was accordingly to shift the balance of forces in its favour by seizing what it calls the levers of state power. The levers of state power include “the legislatures, the executives, the public service, the security forces, the judiciary, parastatals, the public broadcaster, and so on.”

    Developments during the past 17 years have shown that this is not just empty rhetoric. Assisted by its unconstitutional use of cadre deployment, the ANC has taken vigorous steps to take over – or to try to take over – all these institutions. In the process it is obliterating the constitutional borders between the party and the state; it is undermining the independence of key constitutional institutions; and it is opening the way to large-scale corruption and government impunity.

    The ultimate goal of the NDR is a ‘non-racial democracy’ – in which all aspects of control, ownership, management and employment in the state, private and non-governmental sectors will broadly mirror the demographic composition of South Africa’s population.

    Like the communist ideal of the ‘classless society’, the non-racial democracy has a superficial appeal – but is equally unattainable in practice.

    Closer examination reveals that demographic representivity would simply result in racial domination – what the ANC calls “African hegemony” – in every facet of the government, society and the economy. To achieve its goal of eliminating what the ANC regards as “apartheid property relations” the NDR would require massive and forced redistribution of property and wealth from the white minority to the black majority. It would also require the disemployment of large numbers of people from minority communities.

    Whites, Coloureds and Asians would be corralled into demographic pens in all aspects of their economic and professional lives according to the percentage of the population they represent. The prospects of South African citizens would once again be determined by the colour of their skins – and not by their skills, their contribution to the economy or by what Martin Luther King called the content of their character.

    Nearly all of the unacceptable developments that I have listed – including Malema’s inflammatory rhetoric, the JSC’s behaviour; Gugile Nkwinti’s land reform proposals, cadre deployment, the failure of municipalities and government departments – can be traced back, directly or indirectly, to the NDR’s corrosive and unconstitutional ideology.

    The NDR is, in essence, the continuation of the ANC’s pre-1994 revolutionary struggle against segments of our population based primarily on their race.

    Let me put it plainly:

    Achievement of the NDR’s goals as expounded in the ANC’s Strategy and Tactics documents would end any prospect for racial harmony in South Africa. It would destroy the basis for national unity that we created in 1994; it would lead to national disintegration; to the loss of hundreds of thousands of people with indispensible skills and to the collapse of Africa’s largest and most sophisticated economy.

    None of this is necessary.

    No reasonable South African would question the need to promote genuine equality; to achieve fair and sustainable land reform; and to remove any barriers that might remain to black advancement in the economy or in any other sector of our national life. We would, however, disagree fundamentally with the ANC on the manner in which we should achieve these objectives.

    South Africans urgently need to speak to one another and to the government on the best ways of achieving these goals.

    Such a dialogue is necessary because many ANC members truly believe the myths and historic distortions that underlie the NDR. They really think that the NDR will build ‘a society based on the best in human civilisation in terms of political and human freedoms, socio-economic rights, value systems and identity”. Black intellectuals sincerely propound ideas that

    blacks cannot be racists;

    the land that whites occupy was ‘stolen’ from the blacks – even it was purchased after 1994; and that

    white wealth was acquired solely – or primarily – through the exploitation of blacks.We need to talk with one another in the frank and constructive way that we did during the negotiations of the early 1990s.

    At the same time it is essential for all people of goodwill to oppose the threats that the NDR poses to our constitutional accord.

    The main safeguards against the further erosion of the Constitution lie in

    the genuine support for the Constitution that still exists among many principled ANC members;

    the Government’s reluctance to alienate international opinion and foreign investors by breaching global governance and economic policy norms;

    our Courts, which are for the most part still courageously free and fair; and,

    finally, in South Africa’s free media, civil society institutions and opposition parties.The media and civil society have an impressive track record in defence of the Constitution:

    the TAC successfully pressured the Government to change its disastrous approach to AIDS;

    in 2006 civil society persuaded the Mbeki presidency to withdraw the Constitution 14th Amendment Bill that would have seriously undermined the independence of the judiciary;

    in 2008 civil society actions led the government to shelve an expropriation bill that would have made it possible for government to expropriate property without payment of court-approved compensation;

    currently, civil society and the media are combating the Protection of Information Bill and proposals for a Media Appeals Tribunal;

    a single citizen, Hugh Glenister, succeeded in the Constitutional Court in having the government’s abolition of the Scorpions declared illegal;

    I am confident that civil society together with NEDLAC will be able to stop, or greatly ameliorate, the worst excesses in the labour and land reform bills that are currently before Parliament.But it will not be an easy process. The defence of liberty has always been a hard and difficult struggle.

    The media, civil society and opposition parties will need all the support they can get from people of goodwill inside South Africa and in the international community to continue to play their role.

    My message to the Adele Searll Ladies Club is this:

    Do not regard today’s lunch as just another item in your busy calendars;

    Do not accept developments in South Africa that would be unacceptable in any other genuine democracy in the world;

    Think about – and actively support – other, much more effective, ways of promoting genuine equality, non-racialism and a better life for all our people;

    Consider the concrete steps that you can take to support the work of NGOs – like our own Centre for Constitutional Rights – that are fighting night and day to protect our Constitution – and your own fundamental rights.I can assure you that your future happiness, prosperity and security – and the future of everyone in this country – depend on it.

  • South Africa: Only a matter of time before the bomb explodes

    South Africa: Only a matter of time before the bomb explodes

    Moeletsi Mbeki - South African Author, political commentator and entrepreneur
    Moeletsi Mbeki – South African Author, political commentator and entrepreneur

    I can predict when South Africa’s “Tunisia Day” will arrive.

    Tunisia Day is when the masses rise against the powers that be, as happened recently in Tunisia. The year will be 2020, give or take a couple of years. The year 2020 is when China estimates that its current minerals-intensive industrialisation phase will be concluded.For South Africa, this will mean the African National Congress (ANC) government will have to cut back on social grants, which it uses to placate the black poor and to get their votes. China’s current industrialisation phase has forced up the prices of South Africa’s minerals, which has enabled the government to finance social welfare programmes.

    The ANC inherited a flawed, complex society it barely understood; its tinkerings with it are turning it into an explosive cocktail. The ANC leaders are like a group of children playing with a hand grenade. One day one of them will figure out how to pull out the pin and everyone will be killed.

    A famous African liberation movement, the National Liberation Front of Algeria, after tinkering for 30 years, pulled the grenade pin by cancelling an election in 1991 that was won by the opposition Islamic Salvation Front. In the civil war that ensued, 200000 people were killed.

    The former British prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, once commented that whoever thought that the ANC could rule SA was living in Cloud Cuckoo Land. Why was Thatcher right? In the 16 years of ANC rule, all the symptoms of a government out of its depth have grown worse.

    • Life expectancy has declined from 65 years to 53 years since the ANC came to power;
    • In 2007, South Africa became a net food importer for the first time in its history;
    • The elimination of agricultural subsidies by the government led to the loss of 600000 farm workers’ jobs and the eviction from the commercial farming sector of about 2,4-million people between 1997 and 2007; and
    • The ANC stopped controlling the borders, leading to a flood of poor people into SA, which has led to conflicts between South Africa’s poor and foreign African migrants.

    What should the ANC have done, or be doing?

    The answer is quite straightforward. When they took control of the government in 1994, ANC leaders should have: identified what South Africa’s strengths were; identified what South Africa’s weaknesses were; and decided how to use the strengths to minimise and/or rectify the weaknesses.

    A wise government would have persuaded the skilled white and Indian population to devote some of their time — even an hour a week — to train the black and coloured population to raise their skill levels.

    What the ANC did instead when it came to power was to identify what its leaders and supporters wanted. It then used SA’s strengths to satisfy the short-term consumption demands of its supporters. In essence, this is what is called black economic empowerment (BEE).

    BEE promotes a number of extremely negative socioeconomic trends in our country. It promotes a class of politicians dependent on big business and therefore promotes big business’s interests in the upper echelons of government. Second, BEE promotes an anti-entrepreneurial culture among the black middle class by legitimising an environment of entitlement. Third, affirmative action, a subset of BEE, promotes incompetence and corruption in the public sector by using ruling party allegiance and connections as the criteria for entry and promotion in the public service, instead of having tough public service entry examinations.

    Let’s see where BEE, as we know it today, actually comes from. I first came across the concept of BEE from a company, which no longer exists, called Sankor. Sankor was the industrial division of Sanlam and it invented the concept of BEE.

    The first purpose of BEE was to create a buffer group among the black political class that would become an ally of big business in South Africa. This buffer group would use its newfound power as controllers of the government to protect the assets of big business.

    The buffer group would also protect the modus operandi of big business and thereby maintain the status quo in which South African business operates. That was the design of the big conglomerates.

    Sanlam was soon followed by Anglo American. Sanlam established BEE vehicle Nail; Anglo established Real Africa, Johnnic and so forth. The conglomerates took their marginal assets, and gave them to politically influential black people, with the purpose, in my view, not to transform the economy but to create a black political class that is in alliance with the conglomerates and therefore wants to maintain the status quo of our economy and the way in which it operates.

    But what is wrong with protecting South Africa’s conglomerates?

    Well, there are many things wrong with how conglomerates operate and how they have structured our economy.

    • The economy has a strong built-in dependence on cheap labour;
    • It has a strong built-in dependence on the exploitation of primary resources;
    • It is strongly unfavourable to the development of skills in our general population;
    • It has a strong bias towards importing technology and economic solutions; and
    • It promotes inequality between citizens by creating a large, marginalised underclass.

    Conglomerates are a vehicle, not for creating development in South Africa but for exploiting natural resources without creating in-depth, inclusive social and economic development, which is what SA needs. That is what is wrong with protecting conglomerates.

    The second problem with the formula of BEE is that it does not create entrepreneurs. You are taking political leaders and politically connected people and giving them assets which, in the first instance, they don’t know how to manage. So you are not adding value. You are faced with the threat of undermining value by taking assets from people who were managing them and giving them to people who cannot manage them. BEE thus creates a class of idle rich ANC politicos.

    My quarrel with BEE is that what the conglomerates are doing is developing a new culture in South Africa — not a culture of entrepreneurship, but an entitlement culture, whereby black people who want to go into business think that they should acquire assets free, and that somebody is there to make them rich, rather than that they should build enterprises from the ground.

    But we cannot build black companies if what black entrepreneurs look forward to is the distribution of already existing assets from the conglomerates in return for becoming lobbyists for the conglomerates.

    The third worrying trend is that the ANC-controlled state has now internalised the BEE model. We are now seeing the state trying to implement the same model that the conglomerates developed.

    What is the state distributing? It is distributing jobs to party faithful and social welfare to the poor. This is a recipe for incompetence and corruption, both of which are endemic in South Africa. This is what explains the service delivery upheavals that are becoming a normal part of our environment.

    So what is the correct road South Africa should be travelling?

    We all accept that a socialist model, along the lines of the Soviet Union, is not workable for South Africa today. The creation of a state-owned economy is not a formula that is an option for South Africa or for many parts of the world. Therefore, if we want to develop SA instead of shuffling pre-existing wealth, we have to create new entrepreneurs, and we need to support existing entrepreneurs to diversify into new economic sectors.

    CLICK – Architects of Poverty: Why African Capitalism Needs Changing

    Mbeki is the author of Architects of Poverty: Why African Capitalism Needs Changing. This article forms part of a series on transformation supplied by the Centre for Development and Enterprise.

     

    South Africa

  • Siyabulela Xuza-His Story Has Really Just Begun

    Siyabulela Xuza- His Story Has Really Just Begun

    Siyabulela Xuza

    Siyabulela Xuza’s story has really just begun. He is merely twenty years old and already has created an international stir. When he was eighteen years old and in Matric, he won two grand awards at the 58th Intel International Science and Engineering Fair which was held in New Mexico.

    His awards were in the Energy and Transportation category, and his project was a revolutionary cheaper rocket fuel. He is quoted as saying that when he discovered the amount of money spent on rocket fuels which could be better spent on other projects such as AIDS/HIV research, he decided to figure out a way to make them cheaper. In return for this innovative thinking not only did he win at the Fair but the Nasa-affiliated Lincoln Laboratory named a minor planet after him. Planet 23182 discovered in 2000 -just around the time Xuza became serious about rocketry- is now known as Siyaxuza and is found in the main asteroid belt near Jupiter with an orbital period of 4, 01 years.

    Xuza’s love for science started in 1994 in Umtata where he remembers following a Cessna plane which was dropping off election pamphlets. From there he began to build rockets in his mother’s kitchen and remembers once mixing the fuel incorrectly and having a mini-explosion which thankfully caused no real damage but did cause a mess.

    From there his family moved to Johannesburg where he attained a scholarship to attend St. John’s College where his love for science was further nurtured. With the guidance of teachers he built the Phoenix; a rocket which reached the height of 1 220 metres. This was done in 2003. He was fourteen at the time and with this achievement he won the Eskom National Science Expo as well as breaking the South African Amateur Altitude Record.

    After matriculating, Xuza went on to study chemical engineering at the University Of Cape Town, until he received the news that he had been granted a bursary to study at Harvard.

    While he studies science he says he wants to further grow in other respects. In his own words, “I’m learning to speak Mandarin, which keeps me up in the wee hours. I believe the relationship between China and SA will grow and would like to be able to facilitate communication between both countries in the area of energy. I want to be multi dimensional: educated in the West with strong African roots but with a clear understanding of the East.”

    Siyabulela Xuza is truly an African Renaissance man, educating himself in natural and social sciences and with a positive outlook on the impact himself and his generation will have upon the world and South Africa.

  • Nassim Haramein – Sacred Geometry & Unified Fields

    Nassim Haramein – Sacred Geometry & Unified Fields

    Physicist Nassim Haramein presents new concepts explaining how we are all interconnected and can access infinite knowledge.