What do you feel about the COSATU ‘protests’ that have been planned from today onwards? They say that they are protesting spiralling food, fuel and electricity rates amongst other things. But is it meaningful?

I wonder if they understand that striking and ‘mass-action’ will only perpetuate many of these problems. It also means that many already cash-strapped people will be forced to participate and lose money due to the ‘no work, no pay’ rule.

I wonder why COSATU has not gone on strike over crime. Why have they not held mass-action against the governments corruption?

According to Cosatu provincial secretary Zet Luzipho, KZN will be brought to a complete standstill as far as economic activity is concerned. The problem is that who are they protesting to? No-one. This seems to be a general protest against no-one about the spiralling prices. How does that help? Why are they not protesting directly to the government?

To me this protest is an absolute waste of time and effort. Not only can the government do very little about these things (as we are told its linked to the falling dollar, rising oil price etc. etc.), but this incompetent government wouldn’t be able to do anything even if they wanted to!

So here we sit back and know that in the coming months, our country will be crippled further - all thanks to COSATU and their protest to no-one … sounds kind of like our government doesn’t it?

Petrol price is going to increase ’substantially’ again in May according to the minerals and energy department. We are looking at an increase of perhaps up to 50 cents at least.

Funnily enough this announcement comes just when the Central Energy Fund (CEF) is closed for the week and they have said that all queries should be directed to the department of minerals and energy.

The increase is to recoup about R3-billion not passed on to the motorist in previous price adjustments - or so they tell us.

It is about time that the government scrapped this stupid legislation and allow petrol companies to compete in a fair and open market! Supermarket chains should also be allowed to discount petrol if they see fit. That is what free enterprise is all about.

Why do we just stand idly by while our incomes are raped by an incompetent government? I am pretty sure that the price increase is probably to pay for the massive bonuses that the hierarchy will probably receive shortly. I am sick of being screwed over each year by these people! Aren’t the people of South Africa suffering enough without doing this? Petrol increases = food increases = even less money to spend = increase in crime. Remember most of South Africa are living below the poverty line!

Following an article on IOL questioning whether the price increases were due to a lack of money or a lack of management, we hear today that the National Electricity Regulator (Nersa) is officially investigating Eskom.

The focus of the investigation is regarding the January load shedding and their unplanned maintenance of their generators. If they are found to violate their license agreement, they could face fines of up to R2-million per day.

In addition, they will be looking at the public submissions on Eskom’s application for the 53% price increase. Nersa is expected to make their decision by 6 June.

After speaking to a number of people, although they welcome the investigation, they do not feel confident that the truth will emerge or be made public. I must admit that I do not have great confidence either. We all know that public submissions these days have pretty much been disregarded - just look at the road name change fiasco’s in KZN.

One of the biggest problems these days is the publics lack of confidence that their voices are being heard. People are feeling that they are being ignored and that the media in particular are not fighting for the issues very strongly. People also feel that the powers that be just shove through their agenda whether we like it or not. I totally agree.

It is about time that government and public bodies realise that they are meant to be the servants of the people. They are meant to represent the people of their constituency and to fight for the things that those people want. They are not there to ignore the people and do as they please. As soon as they ignore the people they are meant to represent, we have ceased to be a proper democracy and moved over into the realms of repression. Isn’t it funny that this repression is a communist idea and most of the government are communist sympathizers?

I am considering selling apples and was a bit unsure on how to price them (per bag). Luckily Eskom has shown me an fair and profitable way of doing it!

Firstly I will ask people how much they earn. If they are poor, I will charge them only R2 a bag of apples. If they are rich I will charge them R60 a bag. Some of the apples I will sell to people in Gauteng at R1 a bag which I can subsidise from the sales from local people.

In addition, you will be unable to buy apples for 2 hours a day in some areas, but in others you can get them 24 hours a day.

Does anyone smell communist theory in all these shenanigans? Rich people must subsidise the poor …

This is a letter which was sent to a newspaper recently. Personally I feel that it sums up exactly what people are feeling about the current ANC government. Click on the image to view it, or right click and save it. Let me know what your feelings on the subjects raised are!