 “South Africa risks gaining a reputation as one of the most corrupt countries in the world if we do not nip the scourge in the bud. In the midst of abject poverty and hunger, greed and the speedy accumulation of wealth have become the most defining characteristics of South Africa's post-apartheid democracy.” |
“I have been attacked at my home where the 2 black male assailents were laying in waiting. They shoved a pistol into my mouth and pulled the trigger. Luckily I survived but then to my horror realised that the Police could not be bothered to investigate the attempted murder. They did noyt bother to take statements from me or collect the evidence - bullets, shelld, hammer, belaclava. I had to phone them. 2 years after the bullet have been removed from my head they still have not bothered to collect it for evidence....... Please, we plead with you - whites are being attacked on a daily basis and we need to know the world will help us- don't let another Zimbabwe develop here.”
-- G. Joubert, Dec 15, 10:28 White Refugees Petitioner # 191
“I left South Africa due to the racist policies of AA/BEE and the continued persecution of the white people of South Africa. Rampant crime, corruption and nepotism have made South Africa unsafe to move back to. I support Mr. Huntley's applicatrion for refugee status!”
John Kerlen, United Kingdom, Sep 17, 2009; White Refugees Petitioner # 60
 |
South Africa's Reputation in Europe is Cratering
2009-10-23 01:49
Leopold Scholtz, Die Burger
Rought English Translation (Afrikaans Original Below)
 In an interview with CNN in Sept 2009, Robert Mugabe stated once again, his support for the Final Solution and Extermination of White Farmers from Zimbabwe, as the ‘best thing to have happened to an African nation’. “Africa for the Africans”... » » » » » » » Only 70 miles from a 2010 World Cup football stadium, a farmer's wife and a boy aged 13 learn to defend themselves with lethal weapons... There are comparisons here with Zimbabwe and other calamitous reforms under the banner of “Africa for the Africans.” Special Investigation: The Secret Race War you won't read about in your World Cup brochure |
This week Sake24 had a prominent article, one which would probably shock some South Africans. For someone like me, who observes South Africa from a foreign land, it was however no surprise.
According to the article South Africa did extremely badly in a report from the Reputation Institute, which measures the reputation of the 34 most important economic nations. With a point score of 44 out of 100 -- which is described as a “weak” reputation -- South Africa was country number 30, out of 34.
It is quite interesting to see which other countries did even worse. Surprisingly was South Korea, but less surprising was Russia, the Ukraine and China.
This week Media-24 newspapers additionally carried a few reports which confirm South Africa's weak reputation.
The one is that the goverment admitted in a report the state of the country's 283 municipalities, and that the wheels of local goverment, especially in rural areas, are fast falling off. In the extremely honest report it was admitted that nepotism, political infighting and the appointment of cadres on the grounds of political loyalty, instead of experience and merit, have paralysed municipalities effectiveness.
This report has not yet been reported on in the foreign media, but be sure of it, it will within the next few days.
A Second is the news that the former President Thabo Mbeki and Ministers Trevor Manuel and Mosiua Lekota, made serious edits to a report about the former arms deal of 1998, and according to allegations made false alterations to the report before its release. This report has already been reported on in the international media.
A Third report is from a German Sports Newspaper, which reports that the members of the German soccer team to the World Cup Soccer event in 2010 may be required to wear bullet proof vests, when they leave their hotel complexes -- to protect them against crime in the “country with the highest murder statistics in the world”, as the newspapers stated.
Naturally its absurd and an overreaction. But it is such reports which determine South Africa's reputation, in the foreign media.
The democratic transformation of 1994 was received in Europe and elsewhere, here and there euphorically and enthusiastically. Immediately you as a white South African on your frequent foreign trips were no longer automatically the accused; you were even regarded with a measure of admiration.
It was enjoyable times. But that time has passed. Since I arrived here in Europe in January last year, as a foreign correspondent for Media24, I have discovered that South Africa's reputation has almost cratered as much again, as it did before 1990.
By far the most newsreports in the media -- the printed media, the internet, radio and television -- about South Africa are negative. They report on crime, corruption, the ANC goverments quiet attack on democracy, the goverments protectionist hand over dictators in Africa.
Overtly goverments are not so outspoken -- in the diplomatic world other rules rule -- but if you speak to politicians and high officials behind the scenes in Berlin, Paris, The Hague and Brussels, you find out that they are very concerned about what is going on in South Africa. With the handing over to President Jacob Zuma, there was a willingness to give the benefit of the doubt. Or alternatively simply to admit that he was not as bad as his forerunner; the perception towards him is that of cynisism and skepticism.
If you talk to normal people, including those who are on principle well-wishing towards South Africa, their first question is: “Will I be safe if I walk around on the streets of Johannesburg or Capetown?”
When they return from their trip they surprisingly comment: “But we weren't even robbed once!”
Naturally the foreign criticism of South Africa is overblown and unnuanced. In exactly the same way as it was during Apartheid. But in light of reports as indicated above, you cannot say the grounds for concern are not justified.
To conclude: Is one report writer, going to use this as justification to once again accuse me of lack of patriotism?
The writer is Media24's representative in Europe -- Die Burger
SA se reputasie laat in Europa veel te wense oor
2009-10-23 01:49
Leopold Scholtz, Die Burger
 Between 30 and 40 newspaper clippings were presented as evidence of life in South Africa. “One article exhibited was published in [the Daily Sun in 2004] by Africa Ka Mahamba. [It was] entitled ‘Taking from whites is not a crime’,” Kaplan said. The article quotes the leader of the “Uhuru cultural club” as telling youngsters who attended a Human Rights Day celebration to steal from whites because “it is the right thing to do”. |
Vandeesweek het Sake24 ’n berig prominent aangebied, een wat sommige Suid-Afrikaners moontlik kon skok. Vir iemand soos ek, wat Suid-Afrika vanuit die buiteland bekyk, was dit egter geen verrassing nie.
Luidens die berig het Suid-Afrika baie sleg gevaar in ’n opname van die Reputation-instituut, wat die reputasie van 34 belangrike nywerheidslande gemeet het. Met ’n telling van 44 uit 100 – dit word beskryf as ’n “swak en kwesbare” reputasie – was ons land nommer 30 uit die 34.
Dit is nogal interessant om te sien watter lande nóg swakker gevaar het. Verrassend genoeg is Suid-Korea daarby, maar minder verrassend is Rusland, die Oekraïne en China.
Vandeesweek het die Media24-koerante bowendien ’n paar berigte gedra wat Suid-Afrika se swak reputasie bevestig.
Die een is dat die regering in ’n verslag oor die stand van die land se 283 munisipaliteite erken het dat die wiele van plaaslike owerhede, veral op die platteland, vinnig afval. In dié wreed-eerlike verslag word erken dat nepotisme, politieke binnegevegte en die aanstelling van kaders op grond van politieke lojaliteit pleks van bekwaamheid die munisipaliteite verlam.
In die buitelandse media het dié berig nog nie uitgeslaan nie, maar wees verseker dat dit binne ’n dag of twee gaan gebeur.
’n Tweede is die nuus dat die destydse pres. Thabo Mbeki en ministers Trevor Manuel en Mosiuoa Lekota ’n verslag waarin ernstige leemtes rakende die wapentransaksie van 1998 blootgelê is, na bewering vervals het voordat dit uitgereik is. Dié berig het reeds tot die internasionale internetmedia deurgedring.
’n Derde berig is van ’n Duitse sportkoerant wat berig het dat die lede van Duitsland se nasionale sokkerspan met die Wêreldbeker-sokkertoernooi aanstaande jaar verplig kan word om koeëlvaste baadjies te dra wanneer hulle hul hotelkompleks verlaat – om hulle teen misdaad te beskerm in die “land met een van die hoogste moordsyfers ter wêreld”, soos die koerant dit gestel het.
Natuurlik is dit absurd en ’n oorreaksie. Maar dit is sulke berigte wat Suid-Afrika se beeld tans in die buiteland bepaal.
Die demokratiese oorgang van 1994 is in Europa en elders in die Weste uiters welwillend, plek-plek eufories, ontvang. Opeens was jy as wit Suid-Afrikaner op jou gereelde buitelandse besoeke nie meer iemand wat byna outomaties in die beskuldigdebank geplaas is nie; jy is selfs met ’n sekere mate van bewondering bekyk.
Dit was lekker tye. Maar dit is verby. Sedert ek in Januarie verlede jaar hier aangekom het om vanuit Europa vir die koerante van Media24 verslag te doen, het ek ontdek dat Suid-Afrika se naam amper weer net so krater is soos voor 1990.
Verreweg die meeste nuusberigte in die media – die gedrukte koerante, die internet, radio en televisie – oor Suid-Afrika is negatief. Dit gaan om misdaad, korrupsie, die regerende ANC se stille aanslag teen die demokrasie, die regering se beskermende hand bo diktators in Afrika.
Uiteraard is regerings nie so uitgesproke nie – in die diplomasie geld ander reëls – maar praat jy agter die skerms met politici en hoë amptenare in Berlyn, Parys, Den Haag en Brussel, ontdek jy dat hulle diep bekommerd is oor wat in Suid-Afrika aan die gang is. Met die oorname van pres. Jacob Zuma was daar ’n effense afwagting, ’n gewilligheid om hom die voordeel van die twyfel te gee. Maar ofskoon erken word dat hy nie so erg soos sy voorganger is nie, is die houding ook teenoor hom sinies en skepties.
Praat jy met gewone mense, ook dié wat in beginsel baie welwillend teenoor Suid-Afrika is, is die eerste vraag: “Sal ek veilig wees as ek in Kaapstad of Johannesburg se strate rondloop?”
By hul terugkoms word amper verwonderd vasgestel: “Maar ons is nie eens een keer beroof nie!”
Natuurlik is die buitelandse kritiek op Suid-Afrika oordrewe en ongenuanseerd. Net soos in die apartheidstyd. Maar in die lig van berigte soos bogenoemde kan jy die kommer ook nie as totaal ongegrond afmaak nie.
Ten slotte: Gaan daardie een rubriekskrywer my op grond hiervan al weer van ’n gebrek aan patriotisme beskuldig?
Die skrywer is Media24 se verteenwoordiger in Europa. - Die Burger
Source: Die Burger :: Reputation Institute: Country Rep
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