DnA 4-15: Other Governments Part I: South Africa

eZine lover (@eZine)

Published in 

DnA Electronic Magazine

 · 1 year ago

Article written: 05/08/93
by: ShezZ/MoT/WEiRD
on: South Africa

Intro

I'm just sitting here on the 5th August(Yeah our date system is different), sick as a dog and with nothing to do.. Arclight asked for an article on other governments and it looks like he just might get one. Ok why am I qualified to write this article? COZ I COME FROM THE GODDAMN COUNTRY! Well, theres so much to talk about I think I'll start with something thats been fixed...

Emergency Act

The 'Emergency Act' was an act passed by the government in the 1970's when there was civil unrest in certain areas and they were desperately looking for a way of hiding the information from the rest of the country and world. This policy states that the police (and in effect the ruling government) can censor certain articles that may contain information which may be harmful in its release over any medium, be it electronic or physical. No definition of what was or was not harmful in content. This, for years on end, was the most effective and legal method of propaganda and also allowed them to control what was believed by the general populous. Anytime anything happened that was deemed bad to the goverment, a 'State of Emergency' was declared. The only way one could get any information on anything was either by word-of- mouth or by reading regurgited police bulletins. Thus no one really knew what was going on outside there area, and people fighting the ideals of the government had no idea what was going on outside their area and could not come together and unite and stage an uprising, which would most likely have occurred. Rather intelligent and well organised I must say. However, the horror of this act has been removed with it being repealed late in the 1980s, just before negotiations for a new government and constitution was started. Still, one cannot say what one wants. Censorship is rampant and in the XXX scene anything remotely pornographic in content is immediatly banned, be it sex education videos or otherwise. In fact, up until last year, nipples were not even allowed to be shown in magazines or otherwise. On a personal note, I still thing that the real thing is better than a three minute 'stand-with- the-hand', however people should be allowed to choose what they do or do not want to see themselves without morals being force fed to them. An issue of a magazine here was banned for showing a picture of a pregnant woman!

Now that I've done my bit of 'government-bashing', I'll continue to bash what appears to be our next government, proving that NO ONE is the good guys.

ANC misinformation is rife and violence to get their way seems to be the order of the day. For example:

1. Maidservants and gardeners are requested to pay a nominal fee of R3-R5 a month($1-$1.65) and in exchange for this they will be 'given' the houses of their employers when the ANC come into power. How they are to go about this, or explaining to their people that they cannot do this I don't know. I'll leave you to think about the repercussions. This came to light when I was speaking to a friend of mines neighbours ('black' friend, 'black' area) and she asked if we were employing a maidservant or gardener. When we replied no, she replied if we were lucky, no one would have taken out a 'licence' on our property yet.
2. People are threatened and told if they do not attend so-called 'Peace Rallies' their houses will be burned down. These are not idle threats.
3. Mozzie (Mzoqolo or 'house of peace'), a friend of mine, was told if he did not go to the ANC Youth Meeting he would be stabbed. These are NOT idle threats, I know a child that was stabbed with a screwdriver because he did not listen.
4. A one off 30% wealth tax has been put forward. If your total property value including everything in it is worth R600 000 ($200 000) you are to be expected to hand over R180 000 ($60 000) in cash. If they DO implement this, I question how they are to evaluate the properties, how they are going to obtain the money from the people that do not consent to losing their hard-earned money, and most of all, how they intend to redistribute this wealth.

I wonder whats going to happen in this country after the first non-racial elections in April '94. With any luck, total destruction can be avoided. I can only hope.

---------

`What you don't know, can't hurt you.' - Anon.
Oh but they were SO wrong... - ShezZ

Another shameless plug for:
CYBERNiA
+27 41 345843
pure HAPCV
no PD, no warez, no lame shit.