Those of us who have been around long enough can vouch for that old adage, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Was it Adam Tas or Adam Kok, who wanted rights the 1700's, and no, I do not pretend to be an historian, but take a look at history, the French revolted against an elitist regime who wallowed in luxury while the masses starved, the Russian Tsars who lived a life of luxurious decadence until it crumbled around them, the champions of apartheid who suppressed basic human rights from the masses, feathering their own nests and employing their own kith and kin to the disadvantage of anyone of a different coloured skin or home language.
In the seventies and eighties in South Africa, strikes were a national pastime, more money please, less work please, fewer hours and more rights and benefits, some twenty years later, nothings changed, more money, less work, more benefits please. Let's have a dance, a few days off work, break a few windows, plants, hey, why not our one vehicles and buildings, they represent oppression don't they. The fact that a state building belongs to us all and gets paid for, indirectly or directly by each of us seems to be completely irrelevant, good grief! Just as an aside, I heard someone say yesterday, "you know, one thing about a lousy job, it's a lot better than no job...".
I could never understand why, during the race and other riots in the eighties, why they burned and broke down a school, perhaps a clinic or hospital, when a government office was available for this particular purpose, a "Department of Bantu Affairs" building, a police station, or some such base asset of the regime of the time, why the school and the clinic, why not the prison. Yes, I do digress, let's wind our way back to tourism, the industry that is actually more important, when measured in jobs, and foreign income, than gold mining, that has yet untapped resources and no end to the possibilities.
The potential tourist to South Africa, the family who we want to tempt into visiting and holidaying in our beautiful country, to stay in our Hotels or Bed and Breakfast establishments, they have just viewed thousands of red coated, quite intimidating "workers" chanting, fists in the air, sticks in the hand...they have witnessed them looting a poor Durban shopkeeper, destroying hours of hard work in a Port Elizabeth garden. Well, they say, should I go to Maldives this year, perhaps a Greek Island or should I go to South Africa.
Guys, our noses are not far from our brains, to our leaders, to the leaders of the labour movements, to the workers who part you're your hard earned money to the paid leaders of the labour organisations, you might think this is the right way, but please, let's start thinking a little further than our noses, if you have a grievance, yes, do something about it, but hey, think about what it is you are doing.
Alan_Hawkins
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