City of Joburg (COJ) tweeted a picture showing their disdain 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 that 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 and dressed in #PicknPay clothing, working in the dark, trying to boil the water we had to buy and turn on our tiny solar lights, even though we’ve paid heavily for these services. And you 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 that have been crushed by the illegal work they do. At last count there were twenty-one 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 run this whole mining operation. The no-name-mafia.
A resident from a nearby town spoke of horror stories. #Halloween every day. All the tricks but no treats. 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”. South Africa, it’s time to name and shame. 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 into the mire? #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 hypnotized and hear nothing. That’s how I felt about #Ramaphosa standing up there talking about big numbers that no one can relate to. He seems to have forgotten how to speak to us laymen that 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 after the question of us joining the rest of the world in getting 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. It was striking, though, 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 that #PaulOSullivan was also involved and then the file came out the bin faster than a Chiefs shirt: Ramaphosa’s nephew, #Maumela, has been linked to some seriously dodgy tenders involving theft from hospitals. R138 million, he may even be wearing a pair 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 with the stars. #ThePoliticsOfDancing
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 addressed that 100 million 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 was. Remember when we thought he was leading us through a pandemic, we loved him, but instead he was picking the pockets of the sick and the dying. I had to shake my head – a lot – to get out of 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 months later, she is still fighting to put the perpetrator behind bars. You have a “separate desk”? Bin It.
Naturally, given the timing, the headlines were filled with successful cases against child rapists and women killers who got jail time. #RedPill. But 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 ninety-three 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 definitely don’t get that, but next on the list: #FourDayWeeks may actually be a thing and #Rasta painted the King. Jeremy #Mansfield passed away after a long battle so another radio legend leaves us.
Here’s my empowering story, you ready? The #KingsCoronation. Wow, what an event. The Zulu Nation in all its magnificence made epic viewing and left us with a true feeling that we are unique. The Brits can only dream of having a get-up like 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 our only platform that really makes you think. It maybe 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; #AmberHeard left the building too and 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.
