Friday, September 26, 2008

FREE STATE NEWS (SEPTEMBER 2008)

FREE STATE NEWS PUBLICATION

This web page(s) would regularly focus on the leading Free State (South Africa) newspaper – Free State news – the first regular newspaper to be orchestrated fully by black people in the Free State province (soon the paper will be celebrating it’s 10th year anniversary). The paper has been published on a weekly basis since 1999. Here, we shall have regular items like “Feature of the week” – which started in July, 2008

Free State News crew

Publisher
Moses Vinger

Confidential Secretary/Manager
Maki Mohapi

Editor
Kaya M

News Editor
Omoseye Bolaji

News Desk
Julia Stuurman
Flaxman Qoopane
Neo Mvubu
Thabo wa Makae

Sports Reporter
Michael Tlhakudi

Lay-out artist
Tumisang Takang

Photographer
Fresh Pix

Contact number:
051 447 1655


26 SEP – 02 OCT 2008 Edition

FEATURE OF THE WEEK:

“Mbeki recall a display of democracy” By Tiisetso Makhele (page 5)
(reproduced here)

MBEKI RECALL A DISPLAY OF DEMOCRACY

By Tiisetso Makhele
District Secretary, Young Communist League, Caleb Motshabi

In his paper ‘A dialectical approach to inner party unity’ Comrade Mao Zedong writes, “…our attitude (towards inner-party unity) should be one of unity towards every comrade, no matter who, provided he is not a hostile element or a saboteur. We should adopt a dialectical, not a metaphysical, approach towards him.” Comrade Mao goes further to define what a dialectical approach is: “…being analytical about everything, acknowledging that human beings all make mistakes and not negating a person completely just because he has made mistakes.”

And, in a rather disciplined application of this principle President of the ANC, Comrade Jacob Zuma (JZ) says, “Comrade Mbeki will continue to be given tasks as a cadre and one of the senior leaders of the movement.” This indicates that because Comrade Mbeki is a highly esteemed and senior leader of the ANC he will not be ‘negated completely just because he has made mistakes.’

The National Prosecuting Authority and their political principals suffered yet another defeat at the hands of processes of popular democracy and fair justice. Those of us who always held that the case against the President of the ANC is a political trial were indeed vindicated. When Judge Chris Nicholson handed his judgement at the Pietemaritzburg High Court on 12 Sept 2008 he made some startling observations, inter alia;
Ø Comrade Jacob Zuma and his legal team were not accorded an opportunity to make representations when the NDPP reviewed his earlier decision not to prosecute Comrade Zuma, irrespective of the ‘prima facie’ evidence
Ø Comrade Zuma was not entirely wrong to suggest that there was political ‘interference’ on the part of Comrade Thabo Mbeki and two successive Ministers of Justice & Constitutional Development, and
Ø The decision to prosecute Comrade JZ is invalid
All of us, on the basis of rights enshrined in the constitution, expect the institutions of the state, like the NPA, to protect us and defend the constitution itself. The political meddling mentioned in this judgement has seriously damaged the credibility of the state. This is especially true because the Head of State, a deployee of the Alliance, is implicated. We cannot allow the image of our alliance to be injured when we are watching. It would be incorrect.

Therefore, we support the stance of the ANC NEC to recall the President of the Republic. This is not a sentimental move, but, rather, a revolutionary and politically logical move. We must also stress that unity in the movement must be primary. The high degree of loyalty and discipline displayed by Comrade Mbeki when asked to resign from government must serve as an example to many other comrades facing the similar situation. No one is above the ANC, irrespective of their position either in the ANC or government. We note with utter disgust incidences where some comrades, when instructed to leave positions where they are deployed, by the ANC, simply choose to ignore this instruction. This is an indication of poor discipline.

As the Young Communist League we must state it categorically that our full support for President JZ is both political and ideological. It is because we know that Comrade JZ sympathizes with the working class and the poor that we shall continue to support him. We have no doubt that ANC under the leadership of Comrade JZ will usher in policies biased towards the majority of our poor and destitute communities, rather than those directed at a small, elitist minority. We shall, on these bases, do all we can to ensure that Comrade JZ ascends smoothly to the Union Buildings next year!


19 SEP – 25 SEP 2008 Edition

FEATURE OF THE WEEK:

“Ground-breaking literary workshop” By Flaxman Qoopane (page 2)
(reproduced here)


Ground breaking literary Workshop

By Flaxman Qoopane

A special short story writing Workshop was held at the Free State Provincial Library Services Building in Bloemfontein, with many writers in attendance.

Mathene Mahanke, Manager for Language Service in the Free State Department of Sports, Arts and Culture welcomed the facilitator Mandla Matyumza who is the Executive Head of the centre for the Book, National Library of South African and his colleagues Nelly Luneka the Co-ordinator for the Community Publishing Project, from Cape Town and the thirty Free State poets and writers who attended the workshop.

“Ace Magashule, the MEC for Sports, Arts, and Culture fully supports this workshop. He wants to see many of our Free State writers writing short stories, poems, drama and novels in their indigenous language so that there is development in our African languages and literature,”

Mahanke congratulated the Free State Provincial Library Service for organizing the Workshop in partnership with The Centre for the Book/National library. Matyumza said that the Centre for the Book is the unit of the National Library of South Africa, “Its mission is to promote a South African culture of reading, writing and publishing in all local languages and easy access to books for all South Africans.”

During the first day of the Workshop, Mamothibedi wa Sehlabo Sehlabo, a writer and poet read the Writers’ Pledge. According to Matyumeza the Workshop was mainly for those writers who write in Sesotho. “Its purpose is to help the participants to develop their short story writing skills” he said.

The participants were asked to close their eyes, relax and meditate. After meditation some of the participants read what they composed. That revealed some amazing talent from those who read their work.

They learnt so much about what constitutes the short story as a literary genre. About the structures that make a short story, including the opening, body, the end, theme, plot, dialogue, character and names and title.

The facilitator gave each participant specific homework to write his or her short story. During the second day of the Workshop, some participants were asked to read their homework. They discussed and commented whether the written work was an authentic short story. Some of the work proved to be good stories.

The facilitator asked the participants: “what is a good writer/author?” The participants’ response embraced writing well; expressing experience/feeling in his writing, being creative, open minded, good teacher, knowing the language, being a visionary.

Nelly Luneka talked about the Community Publishing Project. She said: “The Centre for the Book promotes South African publishing, including small community and self-publishing. Each participant received a certificate of participation from the Centre for the Book.

Boniwe Modupe from the Library and Archive Services of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture made a Vote of thanks saying: “On behalf of the Department I would like to thank the department. I would also like to thank the Centre of the Book, Matyumza and Nelly for their contribution to literature in the Free State I want also to thank all the participants who learned from the Workshop”


12 SEP- 18 SEP 2008 edition

FEATURE OF THE WEEK:

“Vagaries of a balanced health” (letter) By Ken Lambert. (Page 7)
(reproduced here)


VAGARIES OF A BALANCED HEALTH


Health is synonymous with life. Life without good health is loathsome. To live life is not just to stay alive. Good health is not just the absence of disease or virus in a moving body. Life is a gift; to keep it is a duty. A clean and tidy environment is a boost to good health.

Medical practitioners make unassailable input to rid the body of ailments and thereby lengthen life. W.H.O (World Health Organisation) in its fashion hand out laudable health tips and policies, which if implemented minimizes health hazards and risk of epidemic. Environmental pollution is unacceptable as environmentalists and Curb-global warming Activists busy themselves in attempts to cushion the envisaged debilitating effects of the ultra-violet rays of the sun on our globe.

From my perspective, balanced health is the striking of an equilibrium between the three facets of the human composition. Man is a three-partite being – (The soul, spirit and body) Three square meals in a day with relevant nutritional values give the required balance to the body. If repeated on daily basis, without biological illness, ensures the Body is in proper function. However the Body is just an integral part of the complete human species. It is therefore imperative to give adequate attention as required to these three segments of a man. (Barring external factors)

Very often, people fall short of the ideal approach by according so much attention and care to the one at the detriment of the others. For instance, there are people who eat, drink, wash and perfume their bodies without giving their spirits or souls the least attention. There are those who read, study and chase academic prowess and status at the very expense of the body and spirit. Others are too fanatically religious that they do not give a damn about their souls and bodies.

Your probable question may be “how do I care for these three aspects that make me up?” To take care of the Body – eat well, drink well, clothe well and look good.

To care for the soul – study, acquire useful information, nourish your intellect and keep your emotion stable.

To care for the spirit – get devotion, consecration, prayers, consume meaningful spiritual stuff and all necessary spiritual exercise.

Furthermore, BALANCED HEALTH could be defined as the “state of wellness of the body”: SOUL AND SPIRIT. The “state of wellness” in this regard is established by the approved, ideal and recommended standard. To single out one of these components of the human being for attention in isolation of others, will without doubt bring about catastrophic consequences. The soul is the seat of emotions and intellect, so get information and stay healthy intellectually. Attend to your body, and look smart and stay biologically healthy.

Feed your spirit and stay spiritually sound and alert. Balanced diet certainly does provide essential nutrients needed by the body. In the same vein, the “total man” requires all the essential nutrients to stay balanced. This balance and state the whole being enjoys is what is known as “BALANCED HEALTH”. If the spirit is under-nourished, the total man suffers. If the body is uncared for, the total man suffers. So is the soul.

Do not get too busy and occupied with one to suffer the other two. Essentially, the body is the most visible and obviously erroneously gets the most attention. Do not be too natural to undermine the other two. Do not be too spiritual to neglect the soul and body.

Utilize your time wisely! Give your health a boost. Balance up!!!
- KEN LAMBERT (Bloemfontein)



05 SEP- 11 SEP 2008 edition

FEATURE OF THE WEEK:

“Women deserve the best!” By Dikeledi Moleme. (Page 2)
(reproduced here)


Women deserve the best!

By Dikeledi Moleme

During the month of August women from all corners of the continent often divided by colonial boundaries and by ethnical, linguistic, cultural, economical and political differences came together to celebrate Women’s Month looking back to a tradition that represents five decades of women struggle for equality, justice, emancipation, empowerment and development. During this period of struggle women were oppressed by the apartheid regime, patriarchal laws and many other policies that prevented them from participating in socio-economic activities which were informed by the capitalists of this country. The month of August commemorated the 52nd year after the 1956 women’s march to Pretoria to protest against the Pass laws, and that is why it is no accident that women began the Russian Revolution of 1917 on International Women’s Day. The struggle for women’s total emancipation is far from over as long as we have a class society. The emancipation of women can never be achieved under a capitalist society which holds the working class, both women and men, in subjugation. This emancipation can only be realized in a classless society.

Modern women are not really free from the material realities and that is why hunger, unemployment and the need to earn money to survive force these women to accept capitalism as the only correct and perfect system. The basis of capitalist class exploitation which is commonly found in the domestic workers’ sector lies in the difference between the daily wage paid to women and the new value that women produce in the course of working each day. The oppression of women has been a key question for Marxism hence the struggle for gender equality remains the class struggle even today. The way in which gender issues are raised today, even in the last decade of our democracy, the focus is mostly on women representatively at the expense of the broader issues affecting women. Marxism sees the liberation of working class women as a part of the struggle for the liberation of the working class as a whole. While feminists set women against men, which we are opposed to, the socialist movement, like the Young Communist League of SA, attempts to forge solidarity between male and female in a common struggle against all sorts of capitalist exploitation. We are aware that the worst features of class society reflect the most cruel and brutal form of exploitation. We have noted that the struggle of women has changed its face. Today, women are faced with challenges of high rate of unemployment, teenage pregnancy due to peer pressure, lack of education and access of information on child support grant, HIV and AIDS due to lack of education, young women taking care of the household at the young age, high escalation of poverty resulting in young women opting to sell their bodies to support their family.

The capitalist society regards exploitation, classes and social division as eternal whist we, as the YCL believe that the classless society we are advocating for is built on completely different egalitarian foundations. But, however, we must never forget that these anticommunist tendencies don’t simply fall from the skies but they reflect and arise out of the material interests of monopoly capitalist and unless they are firmly rebuffed, they are likely to make an impact on those stake in society-women-makes them vulnerable to ant-communist scare-mongering. Women do not occupy a special perch outside its social environment. It is very much part of society, the working class in particular. The rung occupied by each section of women on the social ladder reflects their relation to the means of production. All societies pay special attention to women because for any society to shirk this responsibility is to do great harm to it. This applies particularly to peoples struggling to break the shackles of capitalist exploitation. It is our argument as the YCL that no revolution can be victorious without the effective education, organization and mobilization of women into political action because women act as such as a separate contingent vi-a-vis the motive force of the revolution, but as an integral part thereof. This calls for a wise approach in dealing with women issues; a balanced and timeous combination of severity and patience, seriousness and good humor.

Engels says that “The communistic household, in which most or all of the women belong to one and the same gens (clan),while men come from various gentes (clans), is the material foundation of that supremacy of women which was general in primitive times” it is upon this that in the socialist society, women are held in high esteem.

The slogan: “Business unusual, all power to women” should be put into practice where women will be empowered politically and ideologically.

FORWARD TO WOMEN EMANCIPATION, FORWARD!!!!!!!
* Dikeledi Moleme is the Deputy Secretary of the YCL Caleb Motshabi District