Paradox, Parody and Paranoia

Hell this Eugene Terreblanche thing isn’t going away in a hurry is it? No doubt it soon will, so don’t seat it. I know how these things work, I’ve seen it before, a big fuss for a few days, maybe a week or two until the next big thing captures the headlines and then it will fade. Bad timing though just before the World Cup, but no ja what can we do.

It is quite interesting to look at what this thing means. I mean this accusation against Eugene that he was some kind of a moffie- it’s a skande isn’t it! Could this be true? Is it possible that this bastion of white, Afrikaans, traditional, Neder-Duitse, Protestant, puritanical values could be a moffie?

I remember they said a few years ago that something happened with one of ET’s bodyguards. A big drinking party and afterwards the bodyguard came around to find ET reaching for his, his ah….well you know what I mean. But no doubt ET was actually reaching for his bodyguards sidearm, possibly to check if he was ready for an unexpected assault, and simply grabbed the wrong gun.

But this incident, the defence are apparently claiming their client was the subject of a sexual assault, and their client is a 15 year old boy. A 15 year old African boy. Hell man I don’t know the mind just boggles. And then they hacked ET with ‘n Panga and beat him with ‘n Knopkierie until he died, and then they said – self defence?! It must have been one hell’ve a display of self defence, a bit like a snuff movie by the sounds of it.

Well, we put our faith in the judicial system and the media to uncover the truth. They haven’t let us down so far, have they?

Anyway I don’t believe it, not Eugene! I think it’s all just scandal mongers talking a klomp kak. But hell if it is true it would ask a few probing questions, wouldn’t it?

This scandal with the Catholic Priests in Ireland, wow, that’s another story. I heard they are asking the Catholic Church for 2 billion Pounds Sterling in compensation. So the Catholic priests have been fiddling with the choir boys. But that’s not new is it? I imagine that’s been going on as long as the church has been in existence.

Why would you join an all male organisation, foreswear carnal knowledge (well carnal knowledge of the opposite sex anyway), and wear a dress if you were straight shooter- seems unlikely to me, I don’t know. Maybe I’m just a cynic.

Another Lunch with the Veraaier (ex-patriot)
I had lunch with Michael Van Rensburg again the other day. Guess where we were? Ja, Woolworths of course. Anyway apparently Michael says I misquoted him in the last post I come not to Praise ET but to Bury him. He said, quite emphatically, I must add, that he ‘was mortified’ ‘ fokken Engelsman (English gentleman) – at being so badly misunderstood. However he acknowledged that ‘one must take a responsibility for the listening that takes place’

I don’t where he learns all this stuff, I went to London, I saw a lot of hot woman especially on the subway, but I can’t say I came back home any more illuminated than when I left.

‘Stephen I went through quite a process after reading your last post, it upset me.’

Shame Engelsman.

‘I didn’t say England is kak. On the contrary it is fabulous, everything works in England. What I said is they have problems and they’re not willing to look at those problems. Unlike here where everything is so polarised, in England they can pretend their problems don’t exist.

In England I can walk in through a park without fear of losing my life, it’s fantastic. And I didn’t say I’m going to preach to the Afrikaners! God knows if Jesus couldn’t do it for them, what chance have I got? They’re angry I tell you that much, it’s a permanent condition with them. They go to England so they can be angry with the blacks for taking their country away from them, from a distance.
They have so much potential, but they have got to get over their own bullshit.’

‘But what are your long term plans are you planning to come back to South Africa?’ I asked sipping my cappuccino- have you ever had a cappuccino at Woollies? They make a great cappuccino.

‘Yes, yes…I am, I am going to provide training to dementia care givers.’

‘Dementia, what about preaching to the Afrikaners?’

‘Same thing!’

The Paradox of living in South Africa
All of which got me thinking about paradox, specifically the paradox of being a South African today.

‘ The paradox of the have’s and the have-not’s, white and black. The X5′s and Audi Q7′s waiting at traffic lights, surrounded by beggars.

‘ The paradox of loving South Africa but knowing how cheap life is in Africa and that yours could be forfeit at any time.

‘ The paradox of having an iconic statesman like Nelson Mandela and someone like Julius Malema both being members and representatives of the same political party.

‘ The paradox of simultaneous construction and destruction.

‘ The paradox of a peaceful transition from apartheid to democracy and the rampant levels of violent crime. It’s almost like the earth under our feet simply would not allow a transition like that to happen without blood being spilt. And you have to wonder how much needs to be spilt before our debt is paid.

Resident Alien
The best book I have read on this topic recently is Rian Malan’s Resident Alien. I highly recommend it. Riaan Malan is a great journalist, brilliant writer and his book makes a real statement on the South African psyche post 1994.

And honestly if he is a Boer, as he claims to be, and that’s the way Boer’s think, then I think we still in with a chance. The problem is who knows if he is representative.

I see Julius Malema has quietened down after his recent drubbing by President Zuma. That’s encouraging; we can almost believe that our comfortable status quo will return. Hopefully we can all get on with making this a fantastic Soccer World Cup!

And I think that we need to applaud the President for taking a stance, even if it is a case of too little too late, he’s taken a firm stance against a populist character, and I suspect it’s not an easy position to take in the inner working of African politics.

I think it’s just possible, possible mind you not a certainty, that we could pull this Soccer Wolrd Cup off with aplomb. And if we do (please God we get through it without killing any tourists ) a sense of national pride may just be restored.

And that would be great wouldn’t it? It would be great to once again feel the pride of what it means to be South African, to be part of our Rainbow Nation. Well anyway that’s how I feel, and it’s what I’m praying for right now.

Stephen,
over and out.