Passing of former South-African President
Fri, 2021-11-12 18:41
#1
Passing of former South-African President
FW de Klerk (1936 – 2021) passed on Thursday 11 Nov 2021 of cancer.
Together with Nelson Mandela the country was led through a peaceful transition to a non-racial democracy and they shared a Nobel Peace Prize (1993).
A national referendum (1992) to change the constitution and an overwhelmingly “Yes” vote gave the majority and the authority together with parliament for changing the prior constitution and was followed by our first free and non-racial democratic elections (1994).
De Klerk was a man of courage and insight and often misunderstood and unpopular in his time. History will prove him a great man and a great statesman.
Well said Tom.....
My POV, in a snap shot.
Change in the form of disruptions, disrupters, public sentiment, revolution <in what ever form>. The political gravity shifts; both externally and internally in any culture are daring with uncertain outcomes. In my experience (as a witness to other such liken events) these momentum shifts in populations, social classes , ethnic groups, from urban dwellers, to the suburbs and outlying regions, etc. Is a massive tidal surge, so to speak, very difficult to see clearly let alone weigh and measure in the calculus. Not always clear and often rife with destructive and deadly uncertainties. And in this case a class, clash, of cultures and ethnic race issues mixed in, with hindsight- factored in-, with the disproportionate numbers of the aforementioned.
(head scratch)........
I don't know how he did it but I want to study in closer. You are so right as you wrote;
"De Klerk was a man of courage and insight and often misunderstood and unpopular in his time. History will prove him a great man and a great statesman".
May I also add.... "a man of foresight"..... And it still functions today, evolving and growing.
Change is often scary and painful. As often as bleak and troubling African politics have been and are today. De Klerk lead and inspired a podium position standard by example, in that; it can be done and it is possible. And then he handed it off to Mandela, again setting a standard of what an ethnic African statesmen really is and can be to the world, who lead and kept that peaceful momentum going.
De Klerk shattered the norms in the right place at the right time in a massive risk situation and managed it and transitioned it.
There's a stroke of genius in all that......
I'll be so bold to reduce this down to street slang, manu e manu to make the point.
(De Klerk had some big f'n B@Lzz to pull that off... Gotta man up & give him credit wether you like him or not or understand him or not)
Cheers Tom
Yes Kris! Thanks this is a very good contribution well informed and thought through. Sorry I didn't read it before at a glance looked like nonsense. You know the guys with their rants and raves and general rage. Looks like we've got trouble Now my friend. Tom
I think it's not that bad after all. The president spoke on the radio last night he keeps us informed, he was calm and confident it was reassuring. But the big question of course is whether the vaccines are efficient for the new variants. That is make or break and it's not just us, it is the whole world.
& Nolan
Good Point Nolan,
From my POV... its about buying some time to figure this out and get a good read on it and then adapt....(if needed)... A calm, cool, informative, presidential address set the tone...(watched it carefully).
(mean while gaurd-up, stay safe. vax'd and all that)...
With that said, hats off with a bow of respect for the S.A. virologist/ bio teams that ID'd this.... Gotta say it... That's some "Dam Good" bio detective work! (awesome) and reporting the tech data fast*
(K)
There was a state memorial service in Cape Town for the deceased President FW DeKlerk today he was deputy president for some time to Mandela in the nineties. President Ramaphosa gave the elegy. He asked to let De Klerk now at rest. I think he said let us leave the past behind and work for a better future for us all. This is a brave thing Ramaphosa did.
Would have liked to listen but it wasn't on the radio probably will be more in the newspapers tomorrow. We are all in nervous anticipation for his next radio speech we are in a fourth wave now perhaps over Christmas too. It appears now this "omicron" strain is not nearly so bad the virus is very contagious but not virulent people are not getting so sick. Perhaps even not more than a severe cold.
The hospitality sector will suffer badly and for people from overseas over the festive season.
Cheers Kris!
Tom, you might find the complete (Pres. Ramaposa speech) in this youtube link. I haven't had time yet to scan through it. (but I will)...
Ref:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=memorial+service+in+Cape+To...
Omicron: I remain cautiously optimistic... Not being an expert in this field, from my point of view, its all about the recovery or the come back for those infected and post infection. (As I witness it).... Being called back into Covid transport duty, i.e. from available beds from hospital to hospital, or back to home care for recovery & vice versa, or filling in slots on Air & ground transport trauma units......
My dialog with comrades in physio / recover therapist, in patient and out patient are saying same thing. The long term affects, from joint stiffness, arthritis type symptoms, short of breath, lengths of focus, inc reading and writing, +++ is an issue..(that may come later after a clinical diagnosed recovery). Severity & time is always a role of the dice so to speak from person to person.. As I understood it, in discussion & briefings, its about 50/50 = extended recovery of some kind..... But then that may change, hopefully for the better..... The bulk of that extended time recovery data is coming from S.A. (they're really pros)...
Thanks Tom*
Cheers Kris
Yes Kris. They say now President Ramaphosa tested positive for covid he is in isolation. Doesn't sound like a big deal. They are spartan these South-Africans. Just shows you, what goes around comes around. I wish him speedy recovery. Also good news Britain has lifted it's ban on travel to Southern Africa which was imposed just a week or two ago. Must say it did sound irrational. Thursday is a public holiday, Reconciliation day, traditionally the start of the festive season.
I hope Pres Ramaphosa is recovering well I hope he gets some descent rest he's been burning the candle on both sides for long now. The biggest problem we have with covid is that people are very reluctant to go for vaccines and they don't but I would say the pandemic is not our biggest challenge at the moment. There is general apathy as well then as complacency. Our biggest single problem now without a doubt is poverty. In numbers, most people are desperate and living beneath the bread line. I think people are losing hope.
Where I am Covid hasn't affected us directly. So far. I miss my friends but it's been so long now I'm used to it. Not rich not by far but we get by, just the basics maybe a small treat now and then. Nutritious meals every day and sufficient, and enough for the medicines, 7 years off the smoking and 20 years sober.
Limited internet, listening to the radio watching movies and writing. It's lovely green outside with all the rain we can hold out for long still. Abctales is the greatest, just like anything else know the rules play the game.
Cheers Kris, hear from you.
Greetings Tom,
Just catching up here, was off line and really busy but read your post from last month.... (thank you for the insight & snap shot from your side)...... A quick view from my side & tribute to Bishop Desmond Tutu (Another S.A. Icon)...
I've been living what I call a very, very narrow life = lifestyle... In that; I totally relate to what you wrote i.e. missing friends, living simple, or simplifying it all, good healthy food, limited online, catching up on some news & movies ++.... (my wife is the streaming entertainment director) = shes got all the cool movies & documentaries lined up..., so I don't have to think too much ;-)....... All good there*...
Just a quicky on the Covid situation were all facing.... + My tribute another South African icon......
Some months ago I got called into Ambulance duty, (the system is short on help), transport shuttling mostly C-19/Omicron patients from home to, hospital, to therapy, home care, hospital to hospital as ICU & recovery beds open up or availability and then the rotate back & forth + the emergency / rescue shifts..(that never goes away)... Vax station duty, etc.... Its like an ever moving 3 level chess game in motion as I describe it. All I do is eat ( balanced & simple focused), sleep, gym, swim, work and repeat, cant make any plans, schedule always changes... Hence the narrow life... Living in a kind of haze between slightly burned out, sometimes more-sometimes less, staying focused and game on*... (everyday).... Got some Air rescue duty to break up the grinding routine and delivered a few babies, in homes, which shook me back into the reality that there is love and hope in all this C-19, and Grey news cycle of other events......... The only real break I got from this was when I was out on a NGO rescue ship in the Mediterranean for few weeks search & rescue (SAR).....
With that said, I'm really struggling with my nicotine addiction....(got a shipment of Swedish snus for Xmas, satisfying but cursed at the same time)...... Ufff... I feel weak... its a ghost...more like demon at times...
With all this going on I wanted to take a moment and touch on some spiritual inspiration to you and anyone else reading this post about the recent passing of Bishop Desmond Tutu.... I was shaken... I didn't realize time had passed so quickly as he was 90 yrs old.... As much as my ego leads me into risk situations, and I'm guilty of not fully managing some of my bravado and I would like to think I've done some daring-risky things in the work I love, in my past, both military service and sports..... I could not and have not been as brave both in vision and faith as Desmond Tutu..... (Dam* I couldn't of done it)... In those times, with change, and many times violent change, tribal/Klan feuds, apartheid transition, politics, street gangs, calling out corruption at the highest levels, raising money for the poor and known for his smile....
I find my self in those if(y), living on the edge situations, where one does a quick prayer or chant, like come on 1 more time, God help me, do I feel lucky today?, help get through another hour or day... stuff like that.... I believe Desmond lived in that world x 1000 on steroids so to speak and lead, leadership with faith and prayer, political savvy & survival for decades in a fluid challenging situation that needed forgiveness = (that's hard one in that environment)... and a future vision, even if sometimes it was one step forward and two steps back..... in summary, the seeds he sowed back then is what is growing today......
I learned and was humbled from all of it, his deeds and example....... I'm not sure my spiritual strength, faith and vision with the power of that kind of love is in me...(yet).... I miss him.... Desmond Tutu... A survivor I learned from, the spirit I need to learn from him.....
All the best for the New Year Tom*
(Kris out for the time being
)......
Sounds at least you're not bored I don't have nearly that kind of energy and I hope you're getting paid. I take my hat off for emergency workers. You must have incredible energy, and guts. Unreal. I won't comment further on my current situation.
If someone plays on level 2 every move of a level 5 looks stupid. Chess. Actually been trying one or two games on the PC recently but it's not the same.
Nicotine is a bastard all that stuff the spray, gum, patches snuss. Terribly terribly expensive money down the drain. I've known hardly anyone who said they stopped like that and in your job the stress not a joke … The people I do know who did stop almost all said it was God. There is one thing I think can work - Nicotine Anonymous they have online meetings too.
Yes and our beloved National Party made Tutu out a terrorist a communist and an antichrist and it came out he was just short of an angel. 20-20. I can remember those days still but we are certainly not in paradise now.
Pity you're now on the silent mode I still wanted to ask how it is that you know so much about South-Africa. Not really news just seems to be getting worse. There was one event. A large part of the Building of Parliament in Cape Town burned down it was bad the firemen took almost two days to put out the fire there must have been terrific damage specifically historical documents, irreplaceable.
The usual stuff with opposition parties shouting their heads off all the time not contributing much more. We've had record rainfalls blame global warming and carbon-dioxide.
Right, have one on me! Cheers! Tom
( Just joking. One day at a time )