Circumcision victim takes to the hills

Say it with a sting.....

Mbalula flees circumcision
Philani Nombembe and Buyekezwa Makwabe

Published:Sep 13, 2008

Controversial ANC bigwig Fikile Mbalula put up a desperate fight when he discovered he was about to be circumcised last week.
Mbalula made for the hills, even managing to flag down a taxi to make his escape. But he eventually decided to stay, after talking to a traditional surgeon.
The surgeon, 73-year-old Ruben Nqabeni, said former ANC chief whip Tony Yengeni phoned him last Saturday to say “they had a problem” and they needed help.
Yengeni apparently drove to the traditional surgeon’s house in Guguletu, near Cape Town, that afternoon with an unsuspecting Mbalula, 36, — with ANC provincial secretary Mcebisi Skwatsha following in his car.
Yengeni left Mbalula, in the car while he discussed circumcising Mbalula with Nqabeni. Yengeni said Mbalula was willing to go through with the ritual, but kept on postponing it.
“Then Mbalula walked into the house and asked what was happening. I jokingly asked him when was he going to undergo the ritual and he replied in December. I said: ‘But you’re so old’. And we all laughed,” said Nqabeni.
Matters turned more serious when Mbalula, who was due to fly home to Johannesburg later that day, was informed he was going to the bush. He made a run for it.
Nqabeni said Mbalula managed to flag down a taxi in an attempt to escape, but was eventually persuaded to stay.
A special hut was built for Mbalula to keep prying eyes away and several bodyguards had been deployed to keep watch, Nqabeni confirmed.
Family spokesman Zizi Kodwa denied Mbalula had been duped into “becoming a man”.
He claimed Mbalula had been willing to undergo the ritual for the past four years.
He said Mbalula had expressed an interest in being circumcised when he had been deployed to the Western Cape last month along with Mpumalanga provincial MEC Dina Pule to unite the ANC’s warring factions.
“As a boy going to the mountain, he wouldn’t know what to do, there are things that need to be done. He obviously had spoken to a number of people in the Western Cape that may include (Yengeni and Skwatsha) but it is not them who facilitated everything. They could have been part of the people who handled it,” he said.
ANC heavyweight Mnyamezeli Booi said chiefs from the amaMpondomise — Mbalula’s clan — had sent a delegation to visit him.
Nqabeni said he had been circumcising initiates for more than 40 years — many of whom had gone on to become politicians. These include Yengeni and,
now, Mbalula.
“I have to take care of him myself because he is not an ordinary initiate,” said Nqabeni.
Chief Ngangomhlaba Matanzima, chairman of the house of traditional leaders of the Eastern Cape said circumcision was a rite of passage that no one should avoid for the sake of their families and children.
“Circumcision is not only about the operation by the surgeon. It goes with the teachings one receives while there,” he said.
Matanzima said he commended those who decide to undergo the ritual “however old he might be”.
He said in traditional royal houses, uncircumcised men may not assume leadership roles and may not even take a wife.
“I do not know how it works in the political circles,” he said.
Yengeni and Skwatsha could not be reached for comment.

Comments by Sonny

The young comrades in the ANCYL are brave with their calls for 'war and killings' but take to the hills when called upon to be circumcised.
Are they afraid of the sight of their own blood or the pain of the circumcision?

Zapiro does it again

Say it with a sting.....

skip to main | skip to sidebar Citizen Alert ZA
Without fear or favour.

Monday, September 8, 2008
Zapiro in Zuma cartoon uproar

IMKE VAN HOORN | JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - Sep 08 2008 16:57

Award-winning cartoonist Zapiro is in the firing line over a controversial cartoon that appeared in this week's Sunday Times.

The drawing shows African National Congress (ANC) leader Jacob Zuma unbuckling his belt in front of a woman who is being held down by leaders of the ANC, the South African Communist Party (SACP), the ANC Youth League and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu).

The woman in the cartoon represents the justice system, so identified by a banner across her body -- implying that Zuma, together with the ANC and its alliance partners, is "raping" the judicial system.

Zuma is currently facing corruption charges, though he has challenged the decision to charge him. Some of his supporters in the tripartite alliance insist the charges are part of a political plot to smear Zuma's name.

Zapiro told the Mail & Guardian Online on Monday of massive reaction to his cartoon. "Perhaps the biggest reaction ever in the shortest space of time," he said.

He had expected the cartoon to be controversial, but not to this extent. "The idea of this cartoon hit me in the same way it has hit readers, I think. When the idea popped into my head, I thought it was too heavy," he said. "But, later I reversed this thought. I thought, this is exactly what I want to say."

'Off the mark'
In a statement on Monday, the ANC, SACP and ANC Youth League said they deplored the Sunday Times's abuse of press freedom by publishing a "disgusting cartoon" that "borders on defamation of character and insults the integrity of the secretary general of the ANC, comrade Gwede Mantashe, and alliance leaders".

Mantashe is one of the leaders holding down the woman in the cartoon.

"Zapiro has gone off the mark and he needs to be reminded of the basic tenets of press freedom for which insult and defamation are not counted amongst them," said the three parties.

"We can only hope that the newspaper will find a suitable leadership other than the ranting dictator who finds joy in manipulating the truth," they added. "The ANC is keen that the public should get [Sunday Times editor Mondli] Makhanya to answer for abuse of press freedom by the Sunday Times."

According to Zapiro, his cartoon depicts the ANC, Cosatu, the ANCYL and the SACP putting their allegiance to Zuma above the criminal justice system. He said: "There are layers in this cartoon. The primary point is that Zuma is violating the justice system and the spirit of the Constitution. That violation is depicted as a rape."

The violation of institutions is often described as "the rape of institutions", he said, adding: "It has become part of the language and you can even find it in the Oxford dictionary."

Secondly, he said, it is part of the Greek tradition to represent aspects of society through human figures.

"It has become general knowledge that justice is represented by a woman with scales of justice and a blindfold. It's a figure that we understand to be justice. The ANC, the ANCYL, SACP, Cosatu -- they know that, as every reader knows that. They do understand, but they pretend not to know that."

Zapiro said that in this cartoon, Zuma should be seen in a metaphorical context. "He is raping the justice system and they [Zuma's political allies] are complicit in that."

He continued: "It's unfortunate for him [Zuma] that he comes with his history [of the rape trial]. But that's a secondary thing."

More cartoon anger
SACP spokesperson Malesela Maleka told the M&G Online he was not only disgusted by the Sunday Times cartoon, but also revolted by Zapiro's cartoon published in this week's M&G.

The M&G cartoon shows United States presidential candidate Barack Obama's nomination speech in a packed stadium, and then portrays Zuma holding his nomination speech in a stadium filled with his wives, children and lawyers.

Said Maleka: "Does Zuma have so many women to fill a stadium? Does he have so many lawyers? No. So these cartoons are wrong. They don't tell the truth, they are inaccurate." He added: "Zuma is not a rapist. What Zapiro does is beyond the line."

Maleka said the ANC, Cosatu and the SACP are projected in Zapiro's Sunday Times cartoon as organisations that don't care about the criminal justice system. "But if you read our statements you can only conclude that we are committed to the criminal justice system and that we want to run justice fairly to the people."

Cosatu, demanding an apology from the Sunday Times, said it was also "utterly disgusted" by the Zapiro cartoon. In a statement the trade-union federation said the caricature depicts Zuma as a rapist, despite the ANC leader having been found not guilty of rape charges against him.

"It [the cartoon] was clearly intended to poison the minds of the readers against the ANC president and support the campaign to discredit him," Cosatu said.

Secondly, according to Cosatu, using the image of a woman who is about to be raped to represent the justice system was grossly insensitive in the context of a crisis of rape and violence against women.

Zapiro said on Monday he felt saddened by the fact that the editor of the Sunday Times stood accused by the ANC of abusing press freedom, with the ruling party even calling for Makhanya's resignation.

Makhanya is under "unbelievable pressure" now, and unfairly, Zapiro said. "I have enough brains to think about this cartoon myself. Mondli Makhanya only supported me."

In 2006, Zapiro was sued by Zuma in a R15-million defamation lawsuit for the cartoonist's depictions of the ANC leader around the time of his rape trial. Several South African newspapers were also named in the lawsuit.

The amount was later dropped to R10-million and, after the ANC national conference in Polokwane last year, Zuma stated that he was lowering it to R2-million, and that the case was only about "injuring his dignity", said Zapiro. No court date has been set.

The Sunday Times was not available for comment on Monday.

Comments by Sonny

Zapiro is our "Hero of the Week!"
What some people say and demand in words and anti-social actions, he depicts in cartoons.
Bullseye Buddy.
Everything you drew, is nothing but the truth!
Congratulations once again.
You make SA proud of democracy!
Posted by Sonny Cox at 11:03 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: ANC, ANCYL, Constitution., Cosatu, democracy, Jacob Zuma, justice, Zapiro

Firebrand Malema plays peacemaker

Say it with a sting.....

Nkosana Lekotjolo Published:Aug 29, 2008

Allegations of fraudulent nominations caused strife

FIERY ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema has managed to broker a truce between rival factions competing for the party chair at its Northern Cape provincial conference.

The conference, which was supposed to kick off in Kuruman on Tuesday , has been delayed by allegations of fraud in the nomination process and overshadowed by violent clashes between the supporters of rival leaders, John Block, the provincial chairman, and Neville Mompati, the ANC’s provincial secretary.

Proceedings finally started at midnight on Wednesday after the intervention of Malema and others.

The conference was still under way last night. Malema, who was dispatched to Kuruman on the instructions of the ANC’s national executive committee, told The Times yesterday he had held separate discussions with the two rival candidates — and that they had agreed to put their differences aside to ensure that the conference was a success.

Malema said he told both Block and Mompati that they needed to redeem themselves because they had caused a lot of pain and ‘‘embarrassment” to the ANC.

‘‘ I was frank enough with the comrades to tell them what they did not want to hear. I asked them why were they dividing the province instead of raising their grievances in the conference.

‘‘I told them that the only apology they can now give to the ANC was that they should ensure that they deliver a peaceful conference.”


He said the major stumbling blocks to the smooth running of the conference were the allegations of fraudulent nominations from branch level as well as complications around the verification of the credentials of the voting delegates.

These had since been resolved.

Sunday Times

Comments by Sonny

Julius Malema; Peacemaker, Shitstirrer or shot-firer.

Rate this article
0 votes with an average rating of 0.00

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground rules for posting comments:
1. No personal attacks.
2. No vulgar or discriminatory language.
3. If you do not follow these rules, we will remove your comment.


Add Your Comment (You must be logged in.) Login | Register

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twingly blog searchBlog about this article
If you comment and link to this article in your blog, your post will be linked from here.

Ping your blog at Twingly for us to find it.

Comments: (38)View Latest
DDarko said at Aug 29 2008 5:46AM
Gangsters involved in a turf war. The public must be made aware that the principle objective of any ANC structure is to steal from the people. Therefore membership of these structures is the first step to criminal enrichment.

That is why there so many criminals willing to kill each other to ensure membership.

Vote ANC in 2009??

phreewil said at Aug 29 2008 6:08AM
Ja I know what he said... 'sort your sh*t out or I'll kill you!'...

grant7 said at Aug 29 2008 6:26AM
This could only happen in Africa!
The boy who came to power amidst chaos and brawling and recently incited his gang to 'kill for Zuma' has been sent as a peace maker.

The delegates realize that the trough is nearly empty so it's a case of 'dog eats dog' in the stampede to get their snouts in it.

sechaba30 said at Aug 29 2008 6:49AM
Congratulations Malema. This intervention really shows that you are a true leader. A True leader doesn't listen to these negative afrikaners and boers who want to immigrate to Australia and New Zealand. The must shut up and leave south africa

DDarko said at Aug 29 2008 6:55AM
True leader + bullshit rhetoric = confirmed thief.

Dukeboy said at Aug 29 2008 7:17AM
sechaba30 said at Aug 29 2008 6:49AM
A True leader doesn't listen to these negative afrikaners and boers who want to immigrate to Australia and New Zealand.


How about us souties who don't want to leave?

Is it too much to ask, having taken your lot out of the stone age, that you don't take us all back there!

Chumza said at Aug 29 2008 7:19AM
‘‘ I was frank enough with the comrades to tell them what they did not want to hear. I asked them why were they dividing the province instead of raising their grievances in the conference.

What rubbish, when this idiot and his blind worshippers have succeeded in creating two factions of the ANC.

The_Homicidal_Maniac said at Aug 29 2008 7:25AM
Malema either has a split personality, is an utter baffoon, or has very short term memory. Or worse, all of the above.

Not long ago he repeatedly declared publicly he would kill for Zuma and incite chaos should the trial not go his way.
---------
‘I told them that the only apology they can now give to the ANC was that they should ensure that they deliver a peaceful conference.”

"..they had caused a lot of pain and ‘‘embarrassment” to the ANC."
--------
is it just me or there is a tonne of irony in these statements.South Africas' political jester never ceases to amaze


goproteasgo said at Aug 29 2008 7:31AM
boring, go back to sleep malema, moron

Meiki said at Aug 29 2008 7:37AM
Well done Cde, that is the true spirit of an ANC cadre...openness and not factionalism...you have done good. keep it up

Svegubbe said at Aug 29 2008 7:47AM
Bring me my machine gun and let us kill for Zuma because both Block and Mompati needed to redeem themselves, they caused a lot of pain and ‘‘embarrassment” to the ANC.

pickedlast said at Aug 29 2008 7:54AM
"Malema said he told both Block and Mompati that they needed to redeem themselves because they had caused a lot of pain and ‘‘embarrassment” to the ANC."

Said the pot to the kettle

Wonder said at Aug 29 2008 8:10AM
Too little too late!

bokfan said at Aug 29 2008 8:12AM
If malema continues in this role it may indicate that he is growing up. However, I doubt it and am convinced that he will remain the party's blunt instrument in perpetuity.

beuzana said at Aug 29 2008 8:17AM
The national leadership were misled by people who are in the NEC of the ANC and hails from the North Cape.
If you need the truth you must come to the branch , they have the evidence of the fraudelant activities that were conducted by Block's supporters

phreewil said at Aug 29 2008 8:33AM
Sechaba,

Refer to my last comment on

http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=831398

Same applies to you.

PrincessofPeace said at Aug 29 2008 8:39AM
OMG, you mean Malema can actually do this? I'm impressed.

Slindile said at Aug 29 2008 8:51AM
Well done Malema...u done good boi

Khubla-Khan said at Aug 29 2008 8:55AM
C'mon, we all know he went there with advisors... and he said precisely what he was told to say at HQ, verbatim.


Loggenberg said at Aug 29 2008 8:57AM
I`m impressed.

Dukeboy said at Aug 29 2008 9:26AM
Loggenberg said at Aug 29 2008 8:57AM
I`m impressed.


But you so easily are, Loggies.

Loggenberg said at Aug 29 2008 9:27AM
Dukeboy said at Aug 29 2008 9:26AM
Loggenberg said at Aug 29 2008 8:57AM
I`m impressed.


But you so easily are, Loggies.
---------------------------------------
I don`t like Malema but one have to give credit where it`s due.



Khubla-Khan said at Aug 29 2008 9:34AM
Loggenberg said at Aug 29 2008 9:27AM

Loggz mtshana, don't fall for this crap. This fool probably got there and threatened to kill both Blok ad Mompati. Surely that would get them to get the conference under way.

geanann said at Aug 29 2008 9:37AM
Very good comrade, keep the hate speech for the dreaded Mbeki and evil counter-revolutionary forces

phreewil said at Aug 29 2008 10:48AM
You will never be free for as long as you need someone to tell you what to believe in. You will never be free for as long as you blindly follow a movement, verily a cult, solely because you live in the past. Your fears and trepidations of 'white rule' are unfounded and irrational. Sure, you might have memories that trigger an automatic defense mechanism that makes you incapable of trusting pinky. But your emotions are dominated by the past.

Thing is, we don't live in the past. We're here, now.

Pinky is not interested in white rule, in much the same way most rational darkies aren't for exclusive black rule. It's about letting the crackpots that run the ANC, or ANY political party for that matter, know that they can't hijack us as a nation. You're allowing their criminal and immoral behaviour simply because you don't have the balls to be a man and think for yourself. The sooner your rotting generation (black and white) dies out, the better.

pacaveli said at Aug 29 2008 11:06AM
You know the only thing that hampers african unity and stability is political selfishness. Africa why can't you unite for the benefit of your beloved children? Africa what hope do you give to your children where there is genocide in sudan, where there is political and economic instability in zimbabwe?

sears said at Aug 29 2008 11:13AM
It is easy to make a saint out of a libertine than a prude or Pharisees

sotheysay said at Aug 29 2008 12:07PM
Dukeboy said Is it too much to ask, having taken your lot out of the stone age, that you don't take us all back there!

Why do you keep on sayin "us" "we" , first of all how old are you to have been there during the stone age. You did shit. All those old bags did was enslave our ancestors and looted all the natural resourses , greedy bastards and now you cry about corruption in the ANC... Why can't people just the common in all human beings without regard to race of colour. If black people ahd oppressed whites for years and the whites gained freedom and ruled, they'll will be doing the same things. Its human nature. White eople can relax and seem not so corrupt 'cause they've have been doing this for centuries after all, this is English ..corruption, fraud, bribes etc

phreewil said at Aug 29 2008 12:47PM
sotheysay,

It's interesting to note that, according to you and your type, it's human nature to rape, murder, pillage and plunder. That's probably why Duke uses the terms 'us' and 'you', to 'us' that's not human nature.

Mommacyndi said at Aug 29 2008 2:35PM
LOL

I will kill for a bit of peace and quiet.

whizzkid said at Aug 29 2008 2:39PM
"Malema said he told both Block and Mompati that they needed to redeem themselves because they had caused a lot of pain and ‘‘embarrassment” to the ANC."

How this moegoe can say this to a fellow SENIOR comrade with a straight face is beyond me!


McCainsweets said at Aug 29 2008 3:14PM
Big ups to malema. I don't care what you say,but we all know how eveil the aprtheid regime was. At least these guys dont send hits and bomb malls. You want to tell me that killing is better than steling? Stop harasing the ANC because of your stupidity. They are doing a slow but good job. In every sky, there will always be a less bright star. It does not mean it's not glowing. ANC shall conquer. To my white brothers: I am not being apologetic, i'm just stating facts (I would better steal than kill)

Iamgone said at Aug 29 2008 3:56PM
Now if you have to send the kids to the party to tell the grown ups how to behave, then you know you are sitting with serious trouble. Its even worse if the grown ups listen to the kids

grant7 said at Aug 30 2008 6:07AM
"Malema plays peacemaker.."
Does this mean just chaaf-chaaf?

phreewil said at Aug 30 2008 6:27AM
Sweety,

What is the purpose of comparing the current leadership to the past? The argument that it's now a better life for all is moot as any party that comes in now can only pick up where the ANC left off and improve on it. Which I daresay won't be too difficult.

You justify it to yourself with the infant attitude of '...well he did it so why can't I?...', and from your standpoint, who knows, it's probably justifiable.

But is this it? Is this all you're going to be content with? Sub-standard governance? Complete disregard for human dignity and life? You speak of the atrocities inflicted on your race over the past few centuries but you fail to honour their suffering by squandering your inheritance.

Let's face it, you're not going to let go anytime soon. You're like a child in a toy shop. This is your entire world and you have no concept of togetherness of humanity. Is oppression to blame for this? Maybe.

It still confuses me the way you rant on about how much you hate pinky. How much you profess to not want anything to do with him or his kind. But oh how you lust for his goodies. The Blue Label. The BMW. The gold chains and the penthouse. The suits, the shoes, the food. Tell me, why is it that the one race you detest so much is the one race you aspire so hard to be like?

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but don't treat me like a dumbfuck. You and I both know the apartheid regime was run by a bunch of kaffir boers, Afrikaans morons who us souties probably hate more than you do. I am not him. See? no comb in my sock. And I can say with, not wif.

Loose the attitude chum and you'll make more friends.

BraTabs said at Aug 30 2008 9:59AM
Malema u got too much leisure time ever since u were elected.

it wouldn't be a bad idea to use this time to enrol for Political Edu 101, that u been preaching.

u just like your uncle Zuma, keep changing spots and pleasing crowd.



Dukeboy said at Aug 30 2008 7:03PM
sotheysay said at Aug 29 2008 12:07PM
All those old bags did was enslave our ancestors and looted all the natural resourses , greedy bastards and now you cry about corruption in the ANC...


Apologies for missing this comment - and the late response thereto.

What natural resources, sotheysay? You mean all the minerals that lay in the ground undiscovered and oblivious to the black of the time?

Or do you refer to the vast square kilometres of farmland producing crops to feed both the local population, with enough excess to sell to neighbouring territories.

Ah, you say, but had we been able to use cocopans and tractors things would have been different.

Good point, sotheysay. But Europe didn't have these things prior to the industrial revolution. But they did have the wheel - upon which cocopans and tractors were designed and developed. Care to discuss the "African" invention of the iron horse which opened up the continent to commercial and industrial viability?

Slavery? The least said about slavery the better. But we might just mention that blacks, working on the development of the continent, were paid, housed, fed and medicated.

Which led to the necessity of an infrastructure in which other blacks were employed.

Would you like to compare that with the slavery of blacks perpetrated by other black tribes?

Here's something for you to ponder. Despite your ability to procreate, had it not been for white intervention, you'd be an endangered species.

Malaria, sleeping sickness, bilharzia, blackwater fever and other waterborne diseases, crocodile and lion kills, snakebites and tribal wars would have made you as rare as hens teeth.

So how about saying thank you, whitey. Thanks for bringing your skills, building cities with potable water, electricity, roads and transport, farm and mine implements, et al.

Not forgetting European syle clothes, shoes, cellphones and BMW's, all of which you aspire to.

And let's not forget that this whitey "greed" now has you outnumbering us by 6:1 in SA and probably 10000:1 on a continent basis.

Is it really unreasonable if 'we' get a little miffed when you take the above (and more) and instead of making improvements and progress 'you lot' make every effort to take the country back to digging holes in the ground for iron-ore with a few crude furnaces for production.

And what do you do with this 'new, magic metal'? Make ploughshears, make railway lines? Make engines and transport?

No. You make spearheads and pangas for your incessant tribal wars.

Does that answer your questions, sotheysay?

zuluboybob said at Aug 31 2008 2:08AM
more bananas please....(must be running out... surely...)

Sunday Times