Beyonce costs South Africa R17 million

News of Beyoncé coming to South Africa later this year for the second Annual South African Sports Awards has become a hot topic on the social network platforms.  Minister of Sports and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula revealed his plan of wanting to bring Beyoncé South Africa on Kaya FM a few weeks ago. Mr Mbalula brought a jarring mix of American film and music stars that included Brandy Norwood, Vivica A Fox and Regina King to perform and present at last year’s awards. The event was held at the Sun City Resort in North West on August 21 and reportedly cost R46 Million.

Fulfiling a lavish lifestyle with

INTERNATIONA MUSIC SENSATION: Talented world star, Beyonce knowles. Source: www.videomedia.com



INTERNATIONA MUSIC SENSATION: Talented world star,

Beyonce knowles. Source: www.videomedia.com

Mbalula is indulging his need for a lavish lifestyle with the tax payer’s money and what has Beyoncé got to do with the South African Sport Awards? South African government is supposed to develop local artists not give money to the established musicians like Beyoncé Knowles. In South Africa we have a vast of talented musicians who still need to grow and becoming popular like Beyoncé. This feels like a slap in the face of South African musicians, for not being appreciated by the government or for such concerts such as SA Sport Awards. What does this have to say for our country, what image is the government portraying to the young upcoming musicians; does this mean that in South Africa we don't have enough talent to showcase on the South African Awards. So why bring international stars to present themselves to what belongs to us who are already rich?

PREFERRING INTERNATIONALS: Vivica A Fox,
 Fikile Mbalula, Nozuko Mbalula, & Regina King
during the SA Sports Awards from Sun City Superbowl
on August 21, 2011. Source: www.bantumedia.com

What happened to building sports courts and fields on our school for youth development what happened to building sports facilities in communities that need those most to get these kids off the streets? The media plays a major role in promoting local and international musicians. This clearly shows that the government Public Relations is poor, how can you appoint or hire people who does nothing for your country at such an exorbitant amount, while you can invest on more important things.

Instead of wasting so much money, that money can be donated to the Roads Agency for the e-tolling system, buy school books for Limpopo's children, build schools. I mean, the list of positive sustainable things you could with that money is endless, but thanks to Mbalula who wants to throw that away. What is your take on Mr Mbalula paying Beyoncé R17 million for an hour's work when we have so many artists in SA?

Violating your organizational social networking policy can get you in trouble- but How?

DO IT RIGHT: People need to follow social media guidelines
and never do anthing that is out of line.
Image Source: http://www.beth.typepad.com/

By now, most companies or organisations have launched blogs, Twitter accounts and Facebook pages, mindful that actively engaging online audiences is essential to the survival of any business. But social media
offers a major benefit that is too often ignored, which is the ability to monitor the online space to glean information about your customers, your competition, and even your own company. Facebook continues to be an issue and an employee time drain, despite all the warnings about carefully using the privacy settings. Even updating your status from work can violate company policy if you're not supposed to be using Facebook in the office. Twitter is an issue too. Every tweet shows up in Google, so it's easy to see what you're posting. Blog posts show up on the search engines, too, so be cautious what you say when you blog. LinkedIn can be problematic, as well, even though it's a professional networking site. I read a story about the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU)' spokesperson, Reagoikanya Molopyane, who was suspended because of a post on the union’s Facebook page and tweets to the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) boss Zwelinzima Vavi. The news about SATAWU's spokesperson got relayed to her bosses and she was out of a job sooner rather than later. This issue is so controversial because when you work for a company, it is important that you follow your organisation's social media guidelines, properly in order to avoid expulsion from work.

 Here are some do's and don'ts on social media:

• Do not post something that is against your company's social media policy
• Don't get fired because posting inappropriate information on Facebook are just a couple of examples of what can get you in trouble, or even cost you your job, especially when you do it from work
• Becareful about what you tweet because you don't know who might read it. Search Twitter for "I hate my boss or my jobs sucks", is an example of what I mean.

Be consistent and practice social media carefully, because if you have a presence in the social media space, incorporate monitoring into your overall strategy. The information you gain may be just what you need to take your business to the next level. do whats right and keep you job, I am sure that you don't want to end up like the SATAWU spokesperson, who lost a job because of  a tweet that apparently angered her bosses and costed her fortune of losing her job.

South African Freedom Day- Are we really free?

BEAUTIFUL COLOURS OF OUR FLAG: Freedom day is portrayed
to our flag. Source: www.southafricareview.blogspot.com

Freedom Day, is a South African Holiday, celebrated on April 27. It celebrates freedom and commemorates the first post-apartheid elections that took place on that day in 1994. What does it really mean to be free? Being free should mean having choice over your life as well as your rights that need to be respected and protected by others. In the South African context, it also means the political freedom to vote. But the bigger question here is, are we really protected or are our rights respected? It has been 18 years since apartheid, but freedom is far from absolute. The legacy of apartheid is still evident to this country's poverty, racial inequalities as well as socio-economic disparities. There are people saying "everybody is free", but people can still not walk everywhere they want because of fear of crime such as getting robbed, raped or killed.

There is so much crime in this country compared to other countries. and we are not even at war. My question is; are we abusing freedom or valuing it? The former President of the African National Congress Youth League, Julius Malema, sang traditional struggle song, 'DUBUL' IBHUNU'  meaning that 'Shoot the Boer',  which contains explicit violent lyrics that implies the killing of white farmers.  Even the government is introducing legislation's  that could suppress our freedom, such the Secrecy Bill, aimed at violating our rights and freedom of expression and as well as access to classified information about the state.

What Freedom Day needs to be about?

• Its supposed to be the time to heal the old wounds for those who died fighting for freedom
• Honouring and respect the rights of others
• Focus on building a new South Africa and safer one
• looking outside ourselves and finding balance where we can coexist in peace instead of being selfish.

Freedom Day, is valuable. It is the time by which we pledge to achieve a better life for all. We need campaigns and the support from our government, so that we make everyone aware that they need to stand up for their rights and and fight for what they believe in. If we are selfish with our freedom and violates rights of others, we are not better than the apartheid government. Is this kind of freedom we have in South Africa leading to chaos?

Gender based violence facing women can be stopped

The recent story on the news currently about the 17-years old girl from Braamfischer, in Soweto, Johannesburg, who was allegedly gang-raped by seven boys aged between 14-20 years old, has touched me a lot because its a cruelest torture anyone could imagine. Well in South Africa, sexual abuse are serious problems that transcend racial, economic, social and regional lines. Sexual abuse is frequently directed towards female and the youth, but it can happen to anyone. Adolescents and young women in particular may experience abuses in the form of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault, sexual exploitation and female genitals mutilation.

(Image: www.imow.org)

The article I read recently by "Sowetan Live" clearly states that the most disgusting and humiliating part is the video that was later posted to youtube, where anyone can see it. The video clearly shows faces, genitals and several acts of penetration which are clearly visible and her attackers can be heard offering her R2 in exchange for her silence. I mean what is this? Surely they do not have respect and I blame their parents for their behaviour.We need anti-rape and non-violence campaigns in our society that can contextualise a difference regarding this issue and help rape crisis on our knowledge base that could provide an effective service to survivors who go through no secondary trauma also know as Post-Traumatic Disorder (PTD) and their trial to completion.  What perception does this issue creates to the society and to children still growing?

Gender based violence is a significant public health problem which impacts women, men and children. Little is known about the correlation based on this issue in South Africa. There is a body called "Sonke Gender Justice" which is a non-profit organisation based in South Africa, working throughout Africa to promote gender equality and prevent the spread of HIV also fighting for human rights as well as ensuring healthy and happy relationships to men, women and children.

If you think that rape can never happen to you, think again, you have a choice to support anti-rape and violence campaigns because you might not know what might happen to you. The power lies in you hands to stop this. Are you ready to fight this horror?

SANRAL to mends its terms and conditions for Gauteng e-tolls

Source: http://www.timeslive.co.za

South African National Road Agency Limited (SANRAL), is mending its terms and conditions for the Gauteng province e-tolls. SANRAL calls for re-registration for Gauteng tolls to those road users who have registered for the e-tolling system and bought e-tags.The new set of regulations will be consumer friendly, hence it is highly essential for every road user to get registered   under the new terms and conditions. I think that this is a better economic sense for SANRAL to restart a registration process under revised terms and conditions. This shows that SANRAL has managed to negotiate on the current terms and have got an indication of revised terms and conditions that has been implemented. There has been a huge controversy and public pressure about the newly established e-tolling system in the Gauteng province, especially by those opposing the e-tolling system.
Recently the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) led a march in protest over the e-tolling system, saying that the costs will cripple the poor and small businesses, already struggling with the accumulative price increase on fuel prices. I think that the new terms and conditions will allay fears thats consumers and road users may have. This shows that the communications team of SANRAL managed to paly a big part, because it is clear that the new terms were based on public concerns, opinions and recommendations. Ideally, SANRAL has put people's interests first by making sure that registered Gauteng roaf users would not be disadvantaged. The changing of terms, is a demonstration that has been take the concerns and inputs of the public seriously. SANRAL make a clear objection that, visitors to Gauteng need to register in advance fo day passes. Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan announed on his Budget speech, in February that toll fess would be capped at R550 a month. Sanral gives thorough instructions, on how road users can may be registered, here is a short summary on how this can be done.Registering for an e-toll Account may be done through any of the following methods:

•  At an e-toll Customer Servvice Outlet, located at a mall or along Gauteng e-road. (click here for locations)
• Online at www.sanral.co.za (click here)
•  By printing the Registration Form on the e-toll website and faxing it to 0800 SANRAL (726 725); or
•  By phoning the e-toll Call Centre at 0800 SANRAL (726 725)

SANRAL declares that the have a highly trained customer service staff that will work will all road users to ensure smooth regulations and e-toll readiness when the e-road becomes fully effective. So, why wait, if you know that you haven't restered and you live in Gauteng provine. Do not be reluctant to go and get registered to show that you are true cizen of this country.

Protection of Information Bill controversy

source: http://bushradio.wordpress.com  

The Protection of Information Bill also known as the Secrecy Bill, is the South African legislation that is intended to protect state information. The number of bodies such as the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), have raised objections about this legislature, claiming that it will limit the rights of people who are in possession of classified information. COSATU is said to have criticised the a lot about this bill especially for the lack of clarity when it comes to the classification of information in terms of making it criminal for individuals who are in possession of such information.

source: http://www.timeslive.co.za

There has also been stories published on the Internet for surfing, such as the one titled; "We Stand Against the Secrecy Bill" , numbering by hundreds of various human rights groups and media houses across South Africa - including the Right2Know organisation - are protesting against the Protection of Bill. There is a number of prepared documents, over 3000 , explaining about the Secrecy Bill on the state security website, therefore try and check it out yourself.  Within my community, I constantly here lot of people talking enough about this Bill, saying that we as people need to prevent the state from pushing through this issue, and allowing it to become a law. I therefore questioned a number of people whether they know what the Secrecy Bill really is, all of them confessed that they have never seen or read the Bill. However, they had seen advertisements against the Bill on television and they have heard opposition parties to the ruling party, African National Congress (ANC), calling for it to be blocked. The bigger question here is, where do we go from her and what do we do to fight against the Bill?

The answer is simple, in a communications' point of view, there is a body called the Right2Know Campaign (R2K) which is a nation-wide coalition of people and organisations opposed to the Protection of Information Bill. Therefore what are you waiting for, I urge you all to sign up on the R2K website, for statements regarding this Bill.

Troubles erupt for Jacob Zuma and National Prosecuting Authority after DA's victory in court

President Jacob Zuma accused for corruption.
Picture by: (AFP News)

The Star newspaper (March 21, 2012), article, reported about the Democratic Alliance's (DA) victory in court. DA's victory in court is perceived that its going to bring a big headache for the state president, Jacob Zuma and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). THREE years after dropping corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma, the NPA may have to retrace the steps leading to that moment on how Zuma was cleared out of all corruption charges he was involved in.

Important questions to ask yourself would be:

• What is going to happen to Jacob Zuma, if the charges are to be retraced?
• Will go to court and if found guilty go to jail?
• Where does the future of this country stand?
What is the perception by other countries regarding South Africa?

Well, the great thing to be done by the state, government need to launch PR campaigns to polish and secure the state image. It is enough with the publicity stunts caused by the former African NAtional Congress Youth League (ANCYL) President, Julius Malema and disrupture to the AFrican National Congress (ANC) name. If Zuma would go to court I am afraid what might happen to this country. This humorous article shows the DA anticipating long legal battle after Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ruling that a decision by the prosecuting authorities not to prosecute President Jacob Zuma can now be reviewed by the courts.