A seven-day Acumen Media report by Tonya Khoury.
City of Joburg tweeted a picture showing their distaste for Kaizer Chiefs’ poor performance at the #SowetoDerby. The picture showed a Chiefs shirt in the bin with a caption that read: “Now that we’ve recovered from the weekend that was, remember to throw your litter in the bin.”
I laughed out loud; it wasn’t that funny, it was the irony that got me. #LitterInTheBin? That would be a first for COJ but also, have you seen the state of the place? Apparently, word on the street is they’re bankrupt but this was refuted by the lady of the chain, #Phalatse. She said it was just a ruse. She was dressed in designer-wear that many can only dream of. What is it with politicians and their snappy dress sense? It’s such an insult when we’re all struggling dressed in #PicknPay clothing, working in the dark, trying to boil the water we had to buy and turn on our little solar lights, even though we’ve paid heavily for these services. And you’re still dress to kill? There is no shame, well unless you’re a Chiefs fan (*hides).
I’m Tonya Khoury and let’s #ScratchTheSurface of a week littered with all sorts of headlines you’d rather chuck in the bin.
Headlines rolled in, one by one, as we learnt of the #ZamaZamas underground who have been crushed by the illegal work they do. At last count there were 21 bodies and there are bound to be more. I wonder if that job was worth dying for? The news media blamed the heavy rainfall in #Krugersdorp but I blame the mafia that runs this whole mining operation. The mafia without a name.
A resident from a nearby town spoke of horror stories. #Halloween every day. They are unable to sleep at night because every little noise makes the community get up and check on their neighbours. Literally living in fear. He went on to say the #Zamas returned the very same day that the “gang rape” charges were dropped. His words: “They came in like bees in buses”. It’s time to name and shame, South Africa. Who is behind this tyranny, who is the big wig? Come on let’s hear it … which one of you sold our dangerous mines to dangerous miners? Which one of you is allowing Joburg to literally sink? #RedPillKlap
I tell you what else gives me that sinking feeling, the President’s Q&A. Have you had a conversation with someone and for some reason (no matter how hard you try) your eyes immediately glaze over? It’s almost as if your brain completely leaves the room and you are hypnotised and hear nothing. That’s how I felt about #Ramaphosa standing up there talking about big numbers no one can relate to. He seems to have forgotten how to speak to us laymen who are being used as fodder for the hungry South African corruption machine. He blamed apartheid for the first time. When you’re sinking, you generally pull out any card you can.
In essence though, he said we are going to bleed. We are going to bleed for a while and that we will not be taking first world money to sponsor our electricity problem. He gave an “honourable member” a schooling on accounting with those loans/grants that come in Euros for #ClimateChange. He said it wasn’t our fault and why should we pay for it? (Fair point!) I was watching this on the teevee with my ma; she turned to me and said: “Why do we call them ‘honourable’ when they are not?”. She’s smart that goose of mine. It’s her 75th birthday today. Mashalla. Her wisdom and constant positivity make her a very strong woman, but she doesn’t buy nonsense, she puts litter in the bin.
I digress, I told you my eyes glaze over when I’m addressed by the Prez. What was striking, though, were his mechanical motions. He’s really concerned about #FarmGate. It showed. The media is littered with stories about links to some big shot property developer in Cape Town. They’ve also said #PaulOSullivan was =o involved and then the file came out the bin: Ramaphosa’s nephew, Maumela, has been linked to some seriously dodgy tenders involving theft from hospitals. R138 million, he may even be wearing one of those #SkinnyJeans. I told you about this clothing politics! Sickos. #LindiweSisulu has all her ammo lined up #BitterLitter and she’s playing politics like its dancing. #The PoliticsOfDancing
Unrelated, (take the #RedPill), #ZweliMkhize who also stole 100 million from the sick. Side note: It seems the bar for looting at the medical industry is 100. Earlier in the week #Zweli was interviewed about his run for President and of course the journo addresses that 100 #whatwhat randallas. He binned the question by saying it was just an inconvenience and he isn’t implicated. He threw his family under the bus. Just the kind of President we need. He spun like a master though. A real master! I’d forgotten how captivating his presence is. Remember when we thought he was leading us through a pandemic? Ee loved him, but instead he was picking the pockets of the sick. I had to shake my head – a lot – to emerge from that hypnosis.
The President was out and about this week; he was giving speeches on the war in our country. No man, not the RET thingy, the war against woman. He spoke again of how every police station is equipped with a #GBV desk. This is where battered and raped women can queue up to make a case. #AreYouSure #MrPresident? Our team member was told to go home and forget about it, repeatedly, by POLICEWOMEN. Our friend was told not to bother and still today, months and month later, she is still fighting to put the perpetrator behind bars. You have a “separate desk”? #BinIt
Naturally given the timing, the headlines were filled with successful cases against child rapists and women killers getting jail time. #RedPill. There was one story that made our jaws drop. “Serial rapist pleads guilty to 93 rapes.” Ninety-three? What? My ma again, (she’s working here): “How can you not catch him or even get a hint of him when 93 women’s souls were damaged forever.” It’s okay though, don’t worry, don’t stress, we have that extra desk.
Let me tell you who added insult to injury, our so-called public protector – #MadamBusi #Mkhwebane,. The woman who gives me night terrors. You remember uDali left the building last week? Turns out he didn’t leave her as a client (which is what he said). I really can’t be bothered to tell you more; it’s just litter on my desk. But, and here’s the point, Busi told the chair that she was being held hostage by this Concourt-vetted process and that what she was going through was akin to gender-based violence (GBV). Point her to the desk and then to the #KaizerChiefs t shirt.
There are other stories, so let’s speed it up, this desk is full. #Jagersfontein – charges on the horizon. Tongaat go into debt rescue, I don’t get that, but next on the list: #FourDayWeek may actually be a thing and #Rasta painted the king. Jeremy #Mansfield passed away after a long battle; yet another radio legend left us. Spin those decks high in the sky!
Here’s my empowering story, you ready? The #KingsCoronation. Wow, what a magnificent event. The Zulu Nation in all its magnificence made epic viewing with a true feeling that we are unique. The Brits can only dream of having a get up like this of a nation. Don’t let the politics fool you, #Sisonke, we are together.
I suppose we should look across borders. We made peace in Ethiopia, what else can we do? There was an assassination attempt on Imran Khan. Many ended up dead in a Halloween stampede in Korea. #ElonMusk is now the ruler of the only platform that really makes you think. It may be the end of an era. He walked in with a sink. I thought the analogy was, I’ve bought everything “including the kitchen sink”, but turns out I’m not that woke. He’s message was let that “sink” in. He basically fired everyone; work from home left the door; blue ticks now cost money; oh and #AmberHeard left the building too, she shut down her Twitter account. Oh well, that’s something I guess.
Right that’s it, I’m out too. I’ll leave you with this why do divers roll backwards off the boat? Because if they rolled forwards they’d stay on the boat. Don’t forget to Go on Go. I’m Tonya Khoury and you’ve just scratched the media surface with Acumen Media
