Through the barrel of a pen

Unions- Government Dichotomy showing the nation middle finger...

2010-09-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

The civil servants industrial action that endend recently has layed open the cracks in our system of governance that has been going on for some time.The usual drill is- the government(being the employer) comes with a new offer as is required by law( occupation specific despensation or pay progression, whatever way you wanna call it). The unions will then deliberate on the offer and decide on the plan of action, which will normally entail refusing the proposed offer and setting thier own percentage.This will obviously lead to a strike action.
My question then is, why do the leadership let things go this far? Is there no fruitful way of managing these wage negotiations rahter than waste time and let those who are caught in the crossfire suffer. I believe that we need radical novelty when coming to these issues.Why don't we have a system that ensures far- reaching resolution like the one we had on soldiers and the medical doctors? Such skirmishes sap out the enengy of the entire nation. Please let us recosider the way we do things......

The scum of the earth

2009-12-15T03:03:00.000-08:00

I was walking down-town with my friend on Saturday morning. We were passing through the Johannesburg High Court Precinct to mind our own business. There is always a group of distitute Zimbabweans seated listlessly on sidewalk benches. On this particular day what captured our hearts was this one woman with a child who asked us any money that we can offer her and the child, as she pleadingly openened her hand.It was a very touching experience as my friend turned and offered the only money that he had by then. The touching thing about the whole incident was different stories the faces of the child and the mother told. The mother's was that of distitution, hunger, hoppelessness and misery whilst that of the child spoke careless disregard of the precarious situation there were in. It spoke of the one oblivious of the fact that It did not care where the next meal was going to come from?....or where there were gonna be sleeping that night?

These were the things that concerned my friend and I as we talked about the factors that lead to this group of economic refugees to be living in conditions that they were leaving in. And that the present Government of self- styled messiahs are doing nothing to ease the situation. That this is basic politics that needed the Malemas of this world. Where are the "men of the people" who had been splashed all over newspaper front pages like popstars that they are? South Africa is a country sitting on a ticking time -bomb with the scum of the earth seated at the top and bottom layer of Society. The leadership is rotten and incompetent. The tax payer's money is being used with no care in the world and even individuals are pompuos about holding the whole county to ransom, thereby kicking the very same tax payer in the teeth..

A City slicker at heart.

2009-12-09T05:50:00.000-08:00

I have spent the last six months outside the confines and comforts of Johannesburg to go and witness life in some parts of South Africa. To be more pricise, the specific locations had been George and Oudtshoorn in the Karoo, and Upington,Springbok and Calvinia in the Northern Cape.
What strikes one about these areas is their complete laid-backness and calmness.One can hear himself think in these areas. These areas does not offer much in terms of entertainment for the person of my age. The days are long and dragging in Upington and temperatures mostly in the mid- thirties. As for George, it is the exception for it has the sea, which,for the most time,provided the necessary distraction.

For the time I spent there I found myself constantly thinking abouth the energy that is Joburg.Perhaps you could say that my problem is not having the ability to adapt to different situations.Well, maybe yes. But then the experience opened my eyes to the city slicker that I am .I realised that I thrive in a fast- paced enviroment of quick decisions and constant feed of information. I thrive on the constant buzz of humanity going through their daily business and the pulsating sounds of different cultures being reborn in a melting pot of song, dance and a constant search for creating news meanings. For me...this is home....this is where I draw my strength ....my resolution to look at the coming day with determination and hope in the knowledge that things will work out well in the broader scheme of things

The Living Years

2009-04-09T13:25:00.000-07:00

Time lost ....time never regained - the saying goes. Mike Rutherford and the Mechanics (the US Music Band)say that every generation blames the one before. And that how beffiting it could have been that they could have been given a chance to show their gratitute to their mentors .....be it the parents or those who had been influential in their lives.... who unfortunately had passed on. The chance to say whatever they had to say had slipped by and they have only stinging memories to console themselves with...
Eversince I learned of the passing of Jean Powers this song [the living years] had been rechoceting through my consciousness. Jean had been such a person. Gone too soon. A Mother Theresa reicarnated.Yes, the world has become much poorer whith the passing of Jean. And I believe that that the World of Work would never been the same without her ( Much respect to Lesley and Roy) .... and others who made the programme for what it was.
I believe the same goes for fellow WOWERS who had the previledge of meeting the person of the calibre of Jean Powers. I believe that the spirit that Jean ecompassed will continually live whithin us who had the blessing of having met her......
PEACE....Themba.

Zuma' s dogs set free

2008-09-13T03:17:00.000-07:00

The Zuma cohort had won round two as Jugde Nicholson dismissed the corruption charges against him on technical grounds. The mob had probably downed a number of Johnnie Walker Blues in celebration of that victory.Every possibe hiccup had been "eliminated". The airhead, Julius Malema was heared yesterday bellowing and baying for blood of certain individuals. Yes, South Africa, brace yourself to the leadership that is made up of a cabal that will resort to anything to achieve its objectives, even if if undermining(or threatening)the legitimate institutions of the state. Yes, brace yourself to be ruled by the likes of Fikile Mbalula and Julius Malema with a morally inept leader at the helm....

Brutus, in taking a decision to conspire and, eventually, in killing his best friend Julius Ceasar had this to say about him...."it must be by his death, and for my part i know no personal cause to spurn at him....He would be crowned : How that might change his nature , that's the question? It is the bright day that brings forth the adder. Crown him and therefore put a sting in him" In here Brutus talks about how crowing Julius Ceasar an emperor will corrupt him and make him a puff adder with a sting to match.Fast - foward that to 2008 South Africa and you have a similar situation. Blade Nzimande, Malema, Vavi and others - a dangerous combination .....Yep, brace yourself good citizens of this intriguing nation.

Welcome Team 2008!

2008-04-09T02:45:00.000-07:00

Well, where does one start on an issue like this? Anyway welcome to the World of Work team 2008. What I can promise you guys is that the programme is fun -packed and engaging, which leaves one drained at the end of the day. But it will be one of those programmes that you'll pat yourself on the back that you chose to join. In one way or the other the programme is gonna be useful to you guys.
As you are in ground zero in terms of carreer prospects I will advise you guys to let loose and let the the normal proceses of events takes you where you needed to be. Be yourself and know when you are not up for the task. I know it helps....Did I say that? ....oh wow ....I am starting to sound like a guru!
Everyone have a lovely day....cheers

When chickens come home to roost

2007-09-27T04:09:00.000-07:00

In less than three months' time it will be christmas and we will be losing our heads with all the fun and boozing that goes along with it. The ANC conference is approaching quickly and blood is starting to smell in the air. Earlier on, there was an expose` on Dr. "Do Little", Manto Tshabalala Msimang- The National Minister of Health. Due to the sterling work of the Sunday Times we now know the she has a tendecy to be kleptomaniac and she takes her cognac with relative ease. No wonder we had been a laughing stock of Nations when coming to the HIV pandemic . The minister had not been soberly considering the consequences of her talk about beetroot and all those cynical concotions for she had been, at most, drunk.

On the other front Cosatu had come out in the open that it is going to support the embattled JZ (Zuma) in the upcoming ANC conference. I am waiting with bated breath . In the first month of his presidency South Africa will go down ten points on business ethics barometer and the women's rights advocacy groups will have an uphill battle when cultural conservatives like JZ and company takes centre stage for take old-fashioned views on women. What is also of importance is that deputy health minister who had seen unceremonious exit from the cabinet and the NPA boss who was suspended over this past long weekend. Do I see a common threat running through all this developments. Hugh!! It's tense, frightening and yet enjoyable. Watch the space...

THE JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE AT YOUR SERVICE

2007-08-03T05:03:00.000-07:00

A visit to the JSE (Johannesburg Stock Exchange) is the one I wish every individual in the WOW 2007 never to forget, especially the money making opportunities that are there. It is the place where dreams are made and broken. I personally will not like the thought of enjoying the fruits of my labour when I am all grey-haired, and tired to the bone due to long years of hard labour. Times have changed and you no longer have to wait for pension funds or retirements packages to have any substantial financial resources.

With the JSE you can make money right now and really grow your profile. Investment is the buzzword of the 21century. Investments options available on the JSE are the Exchange Traded Fund, the Bond market, Agricultural Derivatives, Money markets, etc. What is interesting is the fast way in which individuals can create wealth in a very short time unless, of course, they are willing to take investment risks. So jump into the bandwagon of the fast paced money markets!

Today's insight

2007-08-01T04:15:00.000-07:00

"And what is the most valuable thing in life? It is, quite simply, the association of a perfect human being."Bhakti Siddhartha, The Most Valuable Gift

MY 30 MINUTES AT "THE BUSINESS PLACE"

2007-07-10T05:07:00.000-07:00

Today I finally made it to the lion’s den called the interview. I arrived almost at the same time with Maxwell, who seemed well prepared for the gruelling questions that awaited us. Adam arrived a few minutes later after Maxwell went in for his turn to be put on the spot. While we waited for our turn, Adam and I were given a task to write up a newspaper advert and a formal email for the impeding seminar on Small and Micro Business development. It was actually fun to be doing that though it was also quite obvious that they were looking for something specific to work with.

Tracy, that’s that lady who was interviewing us, was quite cordial and friendly. She actually made the interview an informal affair. For me it felt as if it was an informal talk that needed to understand my interests. The place was itself abuzz with young entrepreneurs brainstorming ideas. I was later to learn that the place actually cater for a wide range of entrepreneurs, not only the youth. Finally, I must say, I don’t know what to expect. I guess I just have to let fate decides.

See ya! Themba.

my links

2007-06-08T02:39:00.000-07:00

http://adammukendi. blogspot. com http://beautykatong o.blogspot. com http://ijeomaublogc reativity. blogspot. com http://maxwellnyama jiwa.blogspot. com/ http://mbuso. blogspot. com http://nkgodi. blogspot. com
http://susanarthur. blogspot. com http://susanwamwang i.blogspot. com/ http://temiadewunmi .blogspot. com http://thblaser. blogspot. com http://thembanyauza .blogspot. com http://valentintass ev.blogspot. com
http://mainamutonya .blogspot .com__._,_.___

CUSTOMER SERVICE TURNED ON ITS HEAD!

2007-06-05T05:31:00.000-07:00

We all have come to experience some sort of customer service in our lives. Some of it phenomenal, whereas some pure dismal. And I guess the experience had been that of gratefulness and sheer disillusionment respectfully. Both good and bad service makes a significant part of our memories. Some of those we will want to cherish for the rest o f our lives, and others we could just as well forget them- they makes us cringe, negative and bad tempered.
Perhaps, you could ask –where am I getting at? I am dedicating this entry to the 2007 WOWers. I am asking – who is the customer in your blog? Is it someone who happens to stumble on your entries or someone specific? How are you treating them? As individuals who have values, passions and interests or what? Without trying to be grandstanding I will like to see the customers of the Armchair Critic as not only possible employers, but as individuals who like to critique, who like to push the boundaries, and perhaps individuals who are “constructive radicals”. I cater for group of individuals who do not feel intimidated at all in speaking their minds. Sometimes I don’t crack it well, but on a daily basis I try to reflect this and to be truly committed to serving this “hard –to- please –customers”. I will like to think that you bloggers (WOWers) are writing for a specific category of customers out there (or employers for that matter).That you are not just shooting in the dark hoping to hit your target (the proverbial shooting- from -the -hip)

I would like to hear you thoughts on this. Please get back to me as soon as you can… (Mwagi, Stallion, Ijeoma…and others)

The night of the stars

2007-05-27T03:53:00.000-07:00

Hello out there,

I had been lying low quite lately trying to figure out some solutions to my personal problems. But, of course I am not here to talk about problems. It is boring and depressing. I am here to talk about the night of the stars where everyone was partying and “jollying”. I must say, when I was sitted over there I silently made a quick reflection in my head and realised how close we had become attached to each other. I felt like the workshop could start all over again. Guys, you been a great and inspiring company. I cannot exchange the opportunity of being with you for the whole five weeks for anything. What I want to say guys is that, given the fact that you’re in the process of building your careers, have you thought about the feeling of landing your dream job? Well, the Armchair Critic has solution for you.
For example, one might ask you a question like- what is the very first thing you will do if you had all the money in the world? Is it buying a yatch? Taking an overseas holiday? Or doing the very thing that your heart had been aching for? Why not build your career based on those innate emotions -like working in a shipping industry, or travel industry for starters. I think it will bring you closer to your dream. Remember a human being is always in process of growth, evolution and expansion,(i.e. human being = human becoming)…
Cheerio…

BEING AT THE HELM…

2007-05-17T01:45:00.000-07:00

I must say I was quite thrilled by the session by Fiona MacDonald on leadership. She raised important issues that I think are important to everyone out there who want to make something of his life. She drove the point home that every one of us is a leader in a given situation. Come to think of it, I used to think that leadership was a prerogative of certain individuals – that certain calibre of personalities have an inborn knack of leading. How wrong I had been? I am especially interested in the leadership style that fosters co-operation and team work. Cut-throat competition, though also good, it has led to viciousness and enmity. I believe in support in all my endeavours as a living person and competition always brings the worst in me. It makes me feel or believe that I am the best in relation to the next person. But, all in all this is a competitive world. It is either you swim with the flow or sinks, and if you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen!

Shifting boundaries.

2007-05-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what might be going through the head of Jonathan Shapiro (nee Zapiro) every time he sits down and draw those tongue- in –cheek cartoons? The humour, by which he manages to make sensitive statements, is quite a craft on its own. He gets away with murder. That’s the media industry for you; it gives you the freedom to say anything (or almost anything). I am by the way I am anti- establishment. I hate things like bureaucratic red tape, waiting in queues at banks and governments department is not my idea of fun. Perhaps that is the reason why love the media. I also do not believe in the “rule –of- thumb, conventional wisdom” approach to life. I believe in fresh approaches to life. I don’t buy the argument that as an African my culture is static and cast in Stone as the Self –appointed custodians of African culture seem to claim. I believe that mine is forward looking and contemporary like any other. Otherwise how am I coping with this fast- paced life of the 21st century? I want to challenge the general assumptions made in the name of African culture by bunch of buffoons who claims to be speaking on our behalf. Hhm! This sounds tough, but maybe I was taught by ROY to speak in this manner.

MY CV

2007-05-07T12:43:00.000-07:00

CONTACT DETAILS

NAME: THEMBA NYAUZA

CELLULAR NO: 076 7066 922/ 072 634 1864

EMAIL ADDRESS: tnyauza@yahoo.com

CAREER OBJECTIVES

JOURNALISM, RESEARCH & COMMUNICATIONS

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

UNIVERSITY ATTENDED: UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND

QUALIFICATIONS: BACHELOR OF ARTS (HONOURS)

MAJOR: DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

LEADERSHIP ROLES

LRC PRESIDENT 1994 (HIGH SCHOOL)
MEDIA AND MARKETING OFFICER (WITS PLANET KHOMANANI SOCIETY ) 2004

ACHIEVEMENTS
CERTIFICATE OF FIRST CLASS IN 2005
MERIT AWARD FOR HONOURS DEGREE IN 2006

INTERESTS
WRITING & READING

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

COMPANY NAME: UNIVERSITY FO THE WITWATERSRAND

DURATION: FEBRUARY TO NOVEMBER

POSITION HELD: TUTOR

DUTIES:
CREATING A SPACE FOR STUDENT TO DEBATE
HELPING STUDENTS WITH THIER ASSIGNMENTS AND ESSAYS IN MY HOMETOWN DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

REASON FOR LEAVING: JOB WAS A REQUIREMENT FOR MY COURSE

REFERENCES

PROF. Nixon Kariithi
Course Coordinator and Lecturer of Media Studies
nkariithi@languages.wits.co.za
011 717-4112

NAME: SAMUEL KARIUKI

POSITION / RELATIONSHIP: LECTURER (SOCIOLOGY)

TELEPHONE NUMBER: 011 717 4435

E-MAIL ADDRESS: kariukis@social.wits.ac.za

Freedom of expression on a tightrope!!

2007-05-01T04:28:00.000-07:00

Hi, once again

Let me not beat about the bush. I am a firm believer in the freedom of speech, and was very much annoyed by what happened last week, a day before freedom day celebrations. Apparently the SABC (public broadcaster) had committed censorship again. This time around it was supposedly to prevent hate- speech propagated by the Sowetan newspaper advertisement. The advertisement borrowed on the famous Martin Luther King Jnr. “I have a Dream Speech”. For an example it says “…I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up against each other and erupt into an oasis of crime, grime and home to racial attacks and injustice….I have a dream that my children will be repeatedly raped, sodomised and left to fend for themselves long after HIV and AIDS have taken me away”, and “…I have a dream that one day farmers shall be brutally murdered and workers thrown into lions’ den”.

If you ask me, this is a relevant advert – conceived at the right time. It flies in the face of political correctness that it is South Africa today. The South African physique is so sensitive to freedom of expression that it end up be coming difficult to say anything at all. I know the rationale behind the legislation that prevents hate speech and racism and respects the constitutionality thereof. But, by the same token, we can’t be a nation that finds it difficult to laugh at itself, to reflect upon itself and so on. I fully agree with the various commentators across the various spheres of the media industry that the advertisement was just a “decries of South Africa’s ills.” It is South Africa’s problems turned into sharper focus. It problematises the values of freedom that all of us so dear hold. Thirteen years of freedom had come up with a whole lot of problems to the South Africans- child rapes, murders, deepened racism and the like. The SABC, as a public broadcaster should be the vehicle for such public statements like the Sowetan’s advertisement. It should not bury its head in the sand with hollow excuses, but it should encourage the public to face the stark reality that is facing South Africa.

It is even telling in the advertisement itself that it encourages the South Africans to take their freedom seriously and challenge things like crime and rape. Its punch line reads thus: “What have you done with your freedom South Africa?” and “Don’t let it go to waste, cherish it”.

Regards, themba (The Armchair Critic).

Conflict resolution- is this perhaps what South Africa needs?

2007-04-26T04:42:00.001-07:00

I just want to reflect on the session about conflict resolution that we had with Berenice the other day. For me, personally, it was an eye - opener indeed. It led me to think back at those days and situations were I had behaved irrationally or even said some things which I was not supposed to have said in the first place. The session centred around the issue of dealing effectively with conflict.Berenice highlighted some of the salient features of a conflict, i.e. the style of a conflict can be about to compete, withdrawal or avoidance, accommodating, compromising and collaboration. All these styles have in themselves their in- grained results. For instance, in competing you win and the other party wins, when you accommodate you loose and the other party wins. Finally when you collaborate you create a win – win situation where everybody becomes happy.
This issue of effective conflict resolution is very important to me. For starters, I love South Africa very much though I cannot claim to be a “proudly South African”. Whatever that phrases is supposed to mean! Anyway I am interested in the way in which the political developments have been unfolding in the country. I must say that the ruling party occupies a very precarious if not significant position in uniting the divided public and nurturing the young democracy. What is happening in the ruling party raises more questions than answers. The succession debate is more about personalities than the interests of the country at most. Does South Africa deserve a President who has a dark cloud hovering above his head? What about the vehement pronouncements that had been made in the public domain in the name of a person like Jacob Zuma. I am well aware of the moral- highground talk about “not guilty until found so by the court of law”. But we are talking here of the most powerful position in the country. What kind of messages are we sending to the business community, the global community? What does this say about our moral values? Hhmm! Much food for though on this one I guess. I pose this question to anyone who is concerned about what is happening in the country. Is the recent conflict, and the tone that it is taking the tonic for South Africa’s burgeoning democracy. Is it about individuals’ insatiable hunger for power? You make your own decision and tell me …period

Few pointers to a Blissful career- from the horse’s mouth

2007-04-18T02:05:00.001-07:00

As the first week has passed with me and my colleagues in the World of Work Workshop, I thought it worthwhile to reflect on what I found useful to me in as far as preparing for the intimidating and yet alluring world of work. I realise that some of the colleagues had already alluded to most of the tips touched on by the speakers in the first week. What I am more interested in here is what the colleagues out there had missed. What has captured my attention is what the various speakers had pointed to - the human element in the whole process of looking for a job. The human element is comprehensive and broad in this regard. You need to factor in things like your passion, value system, company culture and perhaps your personality .The welcome address was quite great with that talk about transitions that individuals make at important points of their lives. What I personally understood was that- as an individual at the transition stage of your life- you need to have a mind shift that would make that transition quite possible. What I gather from this point is that, as recent graduate who is still wet behind the ears, I need to make a conscious effort to notice the difference between the world of academia and the corporate world. I have to also acknowledge the fact that these two entities are worlds apart in terms of organisation. Basically I need to prepare my mind to face the unknown. This is what transition and mind shifting seem to be telling me.

Perhaps the human element factor comes in with what Roy has alluded to in terms of our blogs.He mentioned something about giving our blogs an identity, that your personality should shine through your blog posts. There is a common thread running through what all those speakers said last week- that originality and openness about oneself should be what is coming through in our different forms of engagement, be it our writing or our speeches.
Parting shot: Values! Values! Values! I can’t over emphasise the importance of this guys. These guys are like the compass in ever expanding sea of choices, decisions and fears. It’s what encourages you to speak when everybody chooses to remain silent, what forces you to unashamedly stand up and let you anger rage on for something you doesn’t like. But hey guys, enough with the serious stuff! You know how I really felt like in the first week …like I am in the apprentice show. Remember that TV. Show by Donald Trump?…bye.

Passion in the small world of Themba

2007-04-16T06:19:00.000-07:00

The word “passion” conjures up images of something burning relentlessly like the oil fields of the Godforsaken Iraq. It is a thing that burns with such force that trying stifling it amounts to almost ending life itself. For Themba, passion is putting my thoughts on paper (writing). There is something about the written word that I find captivating and amazing. The beauty of a well written poem, a captivating newspaper article or even an absorbing novel that lets my emotions reach unimaginable heights, is what keeps that feeling glued to writing. I will like to see myself somewhere in the media industry, probably doing some writing and research. This is because I believe media is at the nerve centre of any Nations public debate. I think, therefore, that being employed in the Media industry will put me at the convergence of cutting –edge ideas and theorising. There are very interesting debates in the Media that caught my attention in the passed few months. What comes readily to mind is the succession debate that the ruling party is grappling with at the moment and, of course the sand situation in Zimbabwe.

how do i feel now that i have managed to post

2007-04-12T04:09:00.000-07:00

Quite elated i must say cos it will get me in touch with most of tyhe people out there. I like sharing information so it will be the right tool to do just that.

how do i feel about blogging.

2007-04-12T04:06:00.000-07:00

Well for me blogging will open up a new world to me. I first felt quite scared because itis completely a new concept to me.