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Carletonville Herald
2 Mei 2014
Lesers sê hul sê
Readers have their say
‘Why should workers celebrate?’
We all have a responsibility During the past week South Africans celebrated the fact that our country has been a democracy for the past 20 years. As part of the celebration, many commentators hailed some of the good things done in the past by former leaders, such as former President Nelson Mandela; but expressed their concern about the way in which our democracy is heading under its current leadership. Our current president is not only facing various allegations of corruption, but the current government has also tried to pass new legislation that will ensure citizens know less of what they do. During the past week, however, much attention was given to the circumstances surrounding our country’s becoming a democracy 20 years ago. Many people spent a lot of time to ensure that our first democratic election became a reality and progressed smoothly. Thanks to their almost superhuman effort to ensure that everything went well, in spite of various actions by others to derail our country to become a democracy, South Africa made international history for its smooth and peaceful political transition. This peaceful transition made our country stand out against the violence into which simi-
lar transitions in most other countries fell. Just looking at world history during the past five years will show how seldom such transitions had been done peacefully. According to political scientists all over the world, one of the most important responsibilities of citizens in a democracy is to choose their own leaders. If this is not done, people who do not really have the most support or deserve positions can come into power. If people thus do not vote, they refuse to play the important part what is expected of them in a democracy. Many people might currently still not have an idea for whom to vote as there may be no political party that really catches their fancy. Voting does, however, not only concern the wants and the needs of an individual, but also those of the whole community and country. People who then do not find a party that they like 100% or even 80%, must then vote for whoever they think will carry the best interests of the people of South Africa at heart. It is the democratic responsibility that was thrust upon us by those who fought for our country to ensure its freedoms and equalities were honoured for all South African citizens.
It is very disturbing that after 20 years of our democracy the working class and general community are still living under extreme conditions of poverty. Merafong is one of the districts around South Africa which homes the richest of mining minerals, but do you see this reflected in the community? Where do we see Merafong 10 years from now? We could end up like Welkom in the Free State. We too could become a ghost-town with more than 70% of our residents unemployed. We should stop being ashamed of being honest about Merafong’s current situation. There is a political and socio-economic crisis unfolding. Some of the incidents which took place in our midst but not limited to are; On 16 August 2012 we witnessed the horror of armed forces of the state (ruled by our own ANC government) slaughtering innocent workers whose only crime was to demand a living wage (Marikana Massacre). Andries Tatane who was brutally murdered by the same forces of our own government in the name of service delivery. Countless protest marches have taken place in four corners of our country, including Bekkersdal. Throughout all these incidents, nobody was ever held accountable, not even the government. As workers, we have always been vocal about E-tolling, labour brokers, the Nkandla saga, ‘Guptagates’, the uncontrollable inflation rate, sustainable job creation, the working condi-
tions and living wages for the workers... but all of this has fallen on deaf ears. Then we are encouraged/told to support the very same organisations that doesn’t deliver in favour of the working class and the poor. Instead they choose to support the capitalists at our expense and marginalise us as a working class. Merafong is known to be an area which contributed and continues to do so to the South African economy, but when you see our standard of living it doesn’t affect our economic situation. This is due to a lack of leadership in all levels and structures within our communities. In our municipality you can’t help but notice that there is a lot of tension, discussion, discomfort and many allegations have been raised. These include; misappropriation of funds, maladministration, nepotism, favouritism, issuing of tenders and corruption. This is clearly not the ANC we voted for. We thought that there would at least be negotiations, engagement or pursuading of other mines to, for example, try and absorb the workers from Blyvoor, preventing them from just being stranded and unemployed. We are of the view that employers, trade unions and other formations need to engage in creating other job opportunities in other sectors while we still have something, before its too late to revert from being a ghost town. - Deon Boqwana (National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa)
Oorwin met die opstandingskrag Ds André Kok, leraar van die NG Kerk Lees Efesiërs 1:15-22 Wanneer die Heilige Gees die geestesoë van gelowiges verhelder, kom hulle agter dat die krag van God wat in hulle werk, sterker as enigiets anders in die lewe is. Die Gees van God leer ons ook om met die krag van God reg op te tree (Die Boodskap, Ef 1:17). Die krag van God is so enorm groot dat Hy vir Jesus uit die dood laat opstaan het en met sy hemelvaart vir Hom die belangrikste plek in die hemel gegee het. Met daardie krag werk God in sy kinders. Paulus het gebid dat die gelowiges sal verstaan hoe groot die magswerking is wat God verrig het vir almal wat hulle vertroue in Hom stel. Hy kan en het dinge vir ons gedoen waarvan ons nie eens kon droom nie (Die Boodskap, Ef 3:20). Die wonderlike krag van God het Jesus in staat gestel om die Satan, die sonde en die dood te oorwin. Almal wat aan Jesus verbonde raak, deel in die krag van God. Ons ontvang en ervaar die krag van God wanneer Christus deur die
geloof in ons harte woon en ons in die liefde gewortel en gegrondves is (Ef 3:16,17). As ons geestelik een word met Hom, sal ons ‘n nuwe lewe kan lei. Ons kan en moet uit dankbaarheid vir die onverdiende goedheid van God net soos Christus ‘n totaal nuwe lewe leef (Rom 6:4-6). Daarom het Petrus verduidelik dat God in sy groot ontferming deur die opstanding van Jesus uit die dood die nuwe lewe, die wedergeboorte, aan sy uitverkore kinders geskenk het. Hulle is afgesonder om aan Hom gehoorsaam te wees (1Pet 1:1,2). Die kragtige werking van God stel ons in staat om die sonde te oorwin en God te verheerlik in ons handel en wandel. Ons is vry van die mag en heerskappy van die sonde (Rom 6:7). Deur God se liefde en genade is sy krag altyd tot ons beskikking, maar ons moet dit gebruik en oorwin oor die ou lewe. Omdat jy ‘n nuwe lewe deur die werking van die Woord en Gees ontvang het, mag jy nie langer ‘n slaaf van die sonde wees nie. Jou lewenswandel moet duidelik toon dat jy God gehoorsaam en liefdevol met die opstandingskrag op-
Brande is nie grappies nie ‘n Mens voel die afgelope week dat die winter op hande is. Ou Wysneus het die afgelope langnaweek maar gesukkel om so in die koue vroeg uit die bed te kom. Ongelukkig is dit nie net die koue wat mens in die winter pla nie. Wysneus kon nie die afgelope week sy oë glo toe hy sien daar is al klaar weer mense wat oral die veld aan die brand steek nie. Wysneus het Saterdag so oor die berg na Carletonville toe gery toe hy net rook aan die anderkant van die dorp sien. Dit het letterlik gelyk of iemand oral langs die treinspoor of die Khutsong-pad die veld aan die brand gesteek het. Sondag weer het Wysneus net rook gesien toe hy in Coronationstraat afry. By nadere onder-
tree (Rom 6:6). Gebed: Gee, o Here, dat ek altyd sal onthou dat ek vir die sonde dood is, maar vir God lewe, omdat ek een met U geword het!
vir hom of haarself kan wen indien hulle gevang word of hul dade ander se eiendom beskadig nie. soek het dit geblyk dat iemand lang En jy hoef ook nie eens met ‘n vuurgras of vullis op ‘n oop stuk veld naby houtjie rond te loop om van brandstigHoërskool Wonderfontein aan die ting aangekla te word nie... Wysneus brand gesteek het. wou juis nou die dag vir ‘n man ‘n stewiHoewel Wysneus ernstig twyfel, hoop ge preek afsteek toe dié sommer sy hy dat die brand wat hy Saterdag gesien brandende sigaretstompie by sy venhet deel van beplande voorbrande was. ster in die veld in gooi. Oor ‘n maand Sondag s’n was verseker nie omdat of wat van nou af sal só ‘n aksie versedaar niemand amptelik naby was om ker tot ‘n veldbrand lei. Intussen voel ‘n ogie oor die Wysneus ook of hy ‘n brand te hou nie. ekstra vakansie na die Wysneus wonder afgelope naweek se ook hoeveel mense einde-van-die-maandbesef dat dit onwetinkopies nodig het. tig is om sommer Die eerste probleem so die veld aan die wat ‘n mens gewoonlik brand te steek. Om kortwiek indien jy nie nie eens te praat so vroeg opgestaan het van die probleme Die veld in Uitbreiding 9 wat Sondag dat die personeel jou wat ‘n brandstigter aan die brand was. met die deur in al in-
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trek wanneer hulle in die oggend oopmaak nie, is dat daar dikwels nie genoeg inkopiemandjies of kleiner waentjies is nie. Tussen die rakke is daar gewoonlik óf mense wat met diep persoonlike gesprekke besig is, of personeel wat hul waentjie met goedere reg voor dit waarna jy op soek is, parkeer. Wanneer mens uiteindelik al jou goedjies bymekaar het, moet jy die tou by die kasregisters aandurf. En hoop dat jy nie soos Wysneus Vrydag na bykans ‘n halfuur se toustaan voor kom net wanneer hulle afkondig dat hul kaartstelsel skielik van lyn af is nie. Na dese begin Wysneus al hoe meer planne beraam om op ‘n manier die winkels heeltemal te kan vermy.