Larry Goodfella

YA ya ya – aint gonna happen

Bonginkosi

Whilst I acknowledge the right of Ms Ginwala to make whatever statement she deems fit to make, what I find SO problematic about most of the people who are/were very obviously Thabo Mbeki supporters is that:

-They were extremely silent during the Mbeki era about the things that were going wrong then.
-They did not dare show any sense of leadership within the ANC when obviously incorrect decisions were being made.
-They never dared challenge controversial decisions that were made by Mbeki. Instead, they whole-heartedly supported these decisions. Cabinet minutes will bare witness to this.
-Now that they no longer hold any power within the ruling party, they now have a Damascan zeal for criticism (positive or not) and no longer feel obliged to counsel the people within their own organization as responsible senior citizens should.
-Without resigning from the ruling party, they are now behaving as though their wisdom is no longer welcome within this organization.

Criticism is always a good thing. But dishing out criticism without demonstrating any acceptance of responsibility for the things that may be falling apart, is just downright disingenious. They belong to this organization; they should own up to the failures of the organization to carry out its mandate. They must roll up their sleeves and fix it. They have the Veterans League now; they have the full opportunity to have a proper go at the mother organization for any failings. Running to the media doesn’t seem to help much; you are just using the same tactics as Malema!

Larry Goodfella

Bonginkosi.

Very insightful and excellently put.

However I would argue that the new ANC is a new animal, completely divested from the ANC of old. It is a completely ravaged organisation and its ties to the real ANC are in name only, (brand name), and those few from the old era (no error) who sold their soul to the devil Zuma, to prop up the party trick; – and thoroughly bul.lshit and bamboozle a whole nation.

The ANC has been stolen by the left and corrupt elements, now headed by the chief thief who usurped at Polokwane with his mshini wami louts.

Those who now openly criticise from within the ANC are just waking to the new dawn, albeit very slowly and with brave temerity.
Its got nothing to do with the Zuma Mbeki spat – thats just smokescreen cloak and dagger K.rap.

What aws that analogy – The cattle have left the kraal, you fool… (or somewhat something like such and such.)
Listen to Tutu. He aint afeard of nuthink.

Bonginkosi

Larry,

For a little while there, South Africa had a dictator. Let’s not forget that. I know Zuma is not your favorite person, but in some respects he was the boldest of the lot who stood up to that situation.

Most of the noise-makers stood by. Certain things did not just fall aprt this week or this year but they started falling apart many years ago and somehow most of the noise-makers who were powerful people in government stood by and did nothing.

That is the truth, Larry.

Larry Goodfella

I dont disagree with you Bonginkosi.

I dont think that Zuma stood up to the Mbeki dictatorship, inasmuch as he took advantage of the poor Mbeki leadership. I believe that as bad as Mbeki was in some areas, he had a better grasp on government and the economy, compared to Zuma’s tribal statesmanship.

Just because Zuma is a good leader, does not make him the right person to lead SA incorporated. I fear he will prove to be far more dangerous to this country and its people than Mbeki ever was.

That is a truth for later verification.

Bonginkosi

Larry,

On what basis do you make that last statement?

Can I tell you a story? When Lou Gestner took over the leadership of IBM some years ago, the company had been in trouble for many years. What had been the biggest and most profitable IT company had lost its mojo; the quandary being how to grow and make agile a company that big. A few CEO’s had done the usual flip-flopping and come and gone and still the company was not making money. So when Lou joined the company as CEO, the first press conference he had with analysts, he dropped this whopper:”What IBM needs right now is not another vision. In fact, I have no new vision for the company.”

They had fun with that one for months.

Some years later, when Lou retired, the company was into revived glory and was sitting on top of the heap again.

The moral of the story: Sometimes, too much vision (and plans and strategy etc.) is a bad thing. Execution is always a good thing.

The country’s recent past has been characterized by too much strategy and vision and plans etc.

The people on top can look like real superstars by just executing all the strategies, plans and visions that have been created over the last couple of years.

Larry Goodfella

Well Bonginkosi,

Hitler was also a great leader, but look what he did to his country.

Your story of an ailing IBM made good by a strong capable CEO is a nice story. It shows that good, sound management principles breed good, sound decision making.
Zuma exibits none of these, and what we are in fact seeing, is the downward slide caused by flip-flopping presidents, that you so aptly described in your IBM analogy.

Zuma is corrupt and corruptible and he will destroy this country to the point of Zimbabwean permanence.
Ginwale recognises this eventuality and thus says …” the ANC is leaderless.”