Doctors VS Governmentt

Doctors should be awarded fully for their commitment to serve this country instead of severely punishing them with insulting living wage for not going abroad to seek for greener pastures. In the same breath, they Health Department should improve working conditions, increase equipments, award a transport tender to companies who can deliver medication in time and to increase subsidies as an additional performance allowance.

If we can afford Cuban doctors, then why not doing the same for our own doctors as we all ways claim to be Proudly South Africans?

"Political Condomization"

The tendency of "Political Condomization" of Churches, celebrities and some personalities has left much to be desired.

One need to ask why now these organization are so madly interested in me campaigning for them as a member?

I've seen how former President of the Republic was unfairly harassed by certain organization to canvased on under their banners and one asked himself if one need to be a "Political Condom". For the benefit of those who might not know the meaning of "Political Condom", it means people who voluntary agreed to be a election campaign billboards for certain organization during election after being persuade to do so; and after election they will be left in a cold without any further consultation or compensation for their efforts.

We need to involved them through out and treat them like any other ordinary member in our beloved organizations and not to create a class society within the same party we all belong to. If we fail to do so, then it will manifests itself in an unbearable manner as we have seen the outcomes of Forth Hare (PAC) and Mpumalanga (ANC) conferences.

Regards
"Agitator" Mavela

A Policy of non interference

Dj Sbu is once again a victim of the bureaucratic tactics to silence public figures from associating themselves with certain organization of which their radio station are allergic to. Sbu like any ordinary South African has ultimate right to choose his political home.

Maybe it was going to be a winnable case for his radio station if he mentioned his radio station as been the one who has deployed him to campaign under its banner for the said organization; unfortunately no such a statement was uttered by his majestic mouth and thanks Lord.

Last year Winnie Ntshaba (Khethiwe) from Generation soapie has criticised ANC for brutality and murdering of Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) members during early 90’s in KwaZulu Natal area.
Ntshaba, who plays Khethiwe in the soapie Generations on SABC1, reportedly said: "The ANC tried to get rid of IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi". She was further quoted as saying: "We know what the ruling party does to people who oppose them. They kill them." Quoted from http://70.84.171.10/~etools/newsbrief/2008/news0129.txt

The two incidents are just a drop in the ocean if you have to interview all our artists. The media and political parties must try to separate their authority from social gatherings and behaviours of its employee members.

All artists have a “Freedom of Association” as it enshrine in our South African Bill of Right and its Constitution. Before stardom, our stars were ordinary people with ordinary right and therefore can not be stripped of their fundamental rights by their employers through threats of loosing jobs or suspended without proper hearing.

In all, media personalities must enjoy their right without infringing other people rights and companies and political organization must refrain from threatening people jobs because they happen to act contrary to their believes after office hours.

To my Son with Love

I am sorry that I am your father
I am sorry that you are stuck with me
I’m sorry that I can’t redo what I’ve done

Life has so many expertise but not for me
Live life as if I don’t exists
I am sorry that you were born out of my presence

History repeats itself, ask your sister

When you were young I got involved in politics
And today I’m suffering the consequences of that,
I should have choosen the popular political home
But instead I’ve choosen my own political home
And I am sorry for what I’ve done

I’ve survive the threats of popular organization
But I still severely suffer the consequences
I thought I was doing it for the love of Azania,
Hence I am sorry for the Xenophobia

The former comrades are now oppressors of us
We can’t wear t-Shirt or put stickers on our cars
And if we dare to do so, our cars will suffer scars
Or vandalization if not burnout
I am sorry that I can’t opt out

Politics has changed to pollute tics
With lot of confused confusion tricks
I wish I can bridge the gap between the haves and have not,
I wish I can have leaders not ladders
Unfortunately I can’t and I am sorry

A Divine intervention is needed
So we can be sure the demon has been defeated
And be free instead of sorry
Without being lonely

I am sorry my dearest son
From me with Love
Dad

ATM for Disabled

Today I went to our student centre to withdraw money and I was so shocked to notice the challenges which are facing disable students in withdrawing money from ATM.

The beautiful queen was on wheelchair and could not reach the screen and keyboard of the ATM; and was forced to climb her wheelchair to reach to the greater view of ATM. Firstly, I wanted to assists her but something strike my mind that, this is a private matter so I refrain from infringing her right to privacy.

I observe with little pray what was happening and asking God to help her not to fall because I will feel guilty for not assisting her. After she finished, she turn with her radiant smile and walk away.

My question was, “Is there any ATM which is designated for disable? If there is one, why is not available for public use”?

I then navigate the search engine called google for some answers and the following links were good Samaritans to my questions:
* ATM) For Disabled Peoples
* Accessible automatic teller machines for sight-impaired persons and print-disabled persons

The last links highlight some challenges and suggests some solutions to this problem and I am hoping that our South African Banks will make use of this ground breaking invention and innovation skills.

What do you think?

I remain
"Agitator" Mavela

Devine Sinister Agendas

Last December of 2008, I attended a Blessings ceremony for graduate at our local church to please my mother. Even though I knew it was a criminal offense to attend a church ceremony in order to please someone but I've done so.

I know I don't have powers to judge other human beings but I can't just standby and endure the sinister agendas.

Our ceremony came to an end and it was the time to listen to the Bishop. He told the congregation to Vote for the ruling party and he quoted from the bible on how sinful it is to disobey his church stance. I thought for a while, when was this decision taken by the church members? I tried to consult some elders there about my question but they told me to follow the Bishop "wise" advise.

He demonize Congress of the people (COPE)and Democratic Alliance (DA) existence.

I still recall his comment after he saw that the church was degenerating because of his statement. He said "I can see that these word are already burning like hell to other people".

Yes of course he got a democratic rights to canvas for his organization without cursing those who support alternative parties".

Churches are the first Community Based Organization (CBO)which are independent from association with any political organization. This is caused by nature of its membership who is derived from different political organization but integrated through the common goal of Praising and Worshiping of God.

Thanks God because some church leaders have stood their stance as church. Click on the below link to view some church leaders opinion on my statement.

I pause
Agitator

School furniture that generates foot out of its premises

Being grown up in the township has thought me a lot. For instance, I have learnt with regret the truth that as human we must agree to disagree for the sake of progress. Sometimes we have to comply with the major principle of democracy which is majority rule, whether or not such rule is fragile invested on the negative impact.

Before I can puzzle you with some mere rhetoric statement, let me register my bone of contention without further dislocating it.

New Brighton is one of natural beautiful location with high redundant number of qualified graduates who are directly and indirectly in organized crime due to job wilderness. One of its divine blessing is construction of one and only Apartheid Museum in the world to mark the path of liberation struggle so as to remind our youth of where we came from and where are we heading as the nation. This is complemented by number of high standard school buildings and beautiful churches.

However, such blessings are demonized by looting of school furniture and vandalizing of school properties. This year for instance, the police department and Abahlali (communities) have fought a tooth and nail battle in combating these afore-mentioned crimes and what made things worse was the involvement of so called professionals. School toilets are vandalized by metal and copper hunter; and as a results the Sewerage system is malfunctioning and learners are left with the honours of troubling neighbouring communities or search for bush to relieve them. Most respected shebeens and taverns are occupied by established professionals and to be specific teachers.

Teachers are not ashamed of sitting on school furniture with the school name on it and some lawyers are more pleased to see looters illegally dispatching tables from school for their extravagant whiskeys to be put on. I’ve tried to engage some of these professionals and I was massaged with insultive political jargons and my intellect demoted for lacking skills of triggering constructive dialogue.

One still wonders if we still have people with teaching skills as calling or just a money making career. How on earth a qualified teacher can enjoys the comfort of sitting on school chairs and the pleasure of displaying overrated whisky on school’s learners table? How is their feeling when the return to school and only to found furniture missing and some learners sitting and writing on the floor? Do their children attend school in the township or Model “C’?

Before I can pause let me suggest that:
• Our communities must own the schools and its property
• Our education and security department must join arms in fighting this crime. They should together raid our streets and yards in search of school properties.
• Chicks (Metal and Copper recycle) companies must not accept any recycle material without the seller producing a positive green ID document and a certified affidavit from the police station.
• Security in schools should be reinforce
• We must stop buying stolen goods.

I remain
“Agitator”

Disadvantages of dependent workers union

This blog seek to address and identify disadvantages of having a workers union which is aligned to the ruling party. In doing so, I will use certain case studies to illustrate the danger of trade union being infiltrated by ruling party and the manipulation of greediness of its own members should they be incorporated to govern bodies of the ruling party.

The trade union’s primary concern is to strive to better the working conditions of its workers and to see to it that workers are compensated fairly for the profit they bring to their respective companies. For this reason, a workers union needs to be allergic to any form of alliance with specific political party especially the ruling party. In Namibia, the worker’s union was in alliance with ruling party and its National Executive Committee member were offered senior position to government departments and as a results they found themselves being kept busy with government issues instead of worker’s related issues. In some extent they were easily silenced by being reminded about their commitment to the alliance and not to combat government policies publicly.

Herbert Jauch (2004) described these form of alliance between trade union and ruling party as “ideological onslaught”. The reason for his labelling was based on the fact that, trade unions in Namibia found it difficulty to cope with neo-liberally policies of government with those of the ideology of nationalism that was embraced by SWAPO since its inception. At independence, nationalist policies were coupled (in often contradictory ways) with the global onslaught of neo-liberalism. Entangled in the national liberation paradigm and at the same time confronted with a global wave of neo-liberal policies, trade unions found it difficult to clearly identify and articulate the specific needs and aspirations of their working class base. Instead, they were drawn into continuous compromises in the name of the ‘national interest’ – as defined by government.

Another dilemma was around union empowerment. As unionists started serving on company boards, they had to adjust to business perspectives of profit maximisation, restructuring and cost-cutting exercises which clashed with traditional union values of socio-economic justice, living wages, security of employment and elimination of inequality.

So when one argue for independency of trade union in South African context, one had to acknowledge the current issues in hand. For instance, the current stance of Congress of South African Trade Union (COSATU) is that, for next year National election in 2009 they proposed a 30% representative in government structures as form of empowerment of its National Executive Members (NEC). Their logical explanation is that they want to influence directly the structures of governance, more especially policies which contradicts workers rights. However, one has critically analyze this exercise of empowering trade unionists as some strategically emergence exit for the ruling party to silenced to vocal trade unionist and to yard stick them to compromise their party stance when it comes to government policies. How on earth a unionist can agree to privatisation while its policy is fighting for equal distribution of the wealth and to advance the idea of the workers to own the means of production

One has to be constantly reminded about what happened to a former unionist member Mr. Mbazima Thsilowa who was elected to be a Gauteng Premier and has practically done less to what was prophesised by workers. Instead he was more involved in government issues than union issues and in some extent workers were Toyi-toyi (Marching) against his administration .This resulted to internal politics as number of trade unionists was striving to acquire highly paid positions and factions were the awarding ornament of the day.

To date, the trade unions are affected by factions of the ruling party who favoured an outstood (Mpumalanga’s resolution) former President of the Republic Mr. Thabo Mbeki and those who favour the new breed leadership under the current president of the ruling party.


In all what workers want is the firm and independent workers union which is free from any political ideological influence. As one has studied so many alliances in different countries between trade union and ruling party, one can not help to observe Chrystal clear defiance and betrayals of workers interests.

In conclusion, there is no recognizable agreement between the jackal and Sheppard without involving the sheep. Such an agreement is based on betrayal.

Insufficiency of Thesis Supervisors

For the past years I've been surrounded by highly frustrated PhD and Masters candidates. Many of them complain of insufficiency and effective of Supervisors in guiding them in accomplishing their task and fulfilling their dream of writing a eloquent thesis.

Right here next to me are two guyz who are also faced with similar case and I just can't sit down like a spectator. Our Brothers and Sister are dedicating their valuable time and energy in drafting and writing thesis everyday with no supervisor guidance. They keep on neglecting their duties while earning as ghost workers. This is academic crime which is intolerable by me as a growing eLearning Champion. Three weeks without feedback from a supervisor is total negligence and there's no justifiable excuse for it. Supervisors must just be restricted from Supervising more than three candidates per semester to avoid overloading of work to supervisors since they are also lecturing during day time.

Our institutions should design a commitment form for both Supervisor and Students to sign under Oath that they will mutually work with each other until the thesis is submitted and accepted by Varsity department council as good enough for a candidate to graduate.A draft programme should accompany this document and must be agreed upon by both parties involved.

I suggest that, Deans, Head of Department, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Head of research Unit should should spearhead this process and form part of this committee as it seek to dent the image of some South African Institutions of Higher Learning. The Varsity Senate Council should also adopt this as a strategy to provoke confidence to these candidates and to safe guard them in the same time.

Candidates are loosing their sponsors money because of taking too long to complete their thesis at the stipulated time and others are being sued for breach of contract for the afore- mentioned reasons.

"Education to Us means a Service to Africa", Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe.

Where is men species?

For the pass 3years I have been invited to Pre-School Graduations ceremonies as some kind of a Chancellor to Bless the Children who are about to start their Grade R education. I have done this with a passion and dedication without expecting payment since I viewed these events as a platform for me to encourage parents "to serve, suffer and sacrifice for their Children education because to me, education means a service to Africa".

However, in these event I found it so hard to comprehend the fact that "The Male parents are always absent". It puzzled me because I'm sure not all of their fathers are migrant workers, died or unknown by their mothers.

What happened to men? Have we lost Love for our children?

On one ceremony, a drunken men came with his heavily intoxicated friends to the ceremony. Firstly, I got so angry with this unspeakable behaviour but later I was so pleased to hear him telling his friends to leave if they careless about their children. On that day we were six men there, me, Preacher, Principal's Husband and the drunken men with his friends. Usually is me and the Pastor who represent men species.

Qouting Pastor Chris Oyakhilome "If you're a parent, you ought to have a vision for your children, especially while they're still young".

I challenge every men out there to demonstrate the "Spirit of Ubuntu" towards their own children and also appeal to those women who are cutting off their children father involvement in the child daily life to please involve them for the sake of the child. To stepmothers to allow their partners to visit their children more often without a fear of loosing them.

The fundamental duty of male species is to Protect, Love, Shelter and Cater for his family. We as men need to restore our dignity in the community which is tinted by cloud of being associated with Child and Woman abuse.

We can do all this if we show them Love, because Love conquers everything.

Are the Youth Political Organisations contributing to youth development?

Recently, there has been an outcry of lack of visibility and meaningful contribution of Youth Political Organizations in a Development of our Youth.

This is speculated to be caused by Power- Hungry young politicians whose main aim is to rise to Parliament one day. Our Young Politicians has lost focus and resorted on competing on power- struggle and some are operating at the mute level.

It is more worse these days because the so called Youth Commission is dysfunctional. I wonder what are these comrades doing and if they are accountable to any government institutions. On what budget are they operating from? Another fact is, the structure has been infiltrated by one organization who claim to represents the youth of South Africa.

I've been told that Dr. Manto Tshabalala-Msimang is appointed as Minister in Presidency: Sport and Youth Affairs; and I was wondering the relevancy of her in that portfolio. We need an energetic Youth Leader to lead that portfolio since she's old enough to fall under Youth. Alternatively, she needs to be capacitated with a designated Youth Leader who have Youth aspiration at heart.

I am also disappointed with Pan Africanist Youth Congress of Azania (PAYCO) visibility. They have not come out of closet and introduce a progressive youth programme to rally and unite our youth. I don't mean they have to be controversial like Mr. Julius Malemela (ANCYL President) but rather be persuasive and constructive in their effort to seek political fame.

Resolution:
* We need to Capacitate our Youth Commission
* Our Sport personalities needs to be more aligned to Youth Agendas
* Our Youth political organisation needs to establish a meaningful Youth Agendas
* To restore discipline among youth leaders
* Contextualized the Awareness programmes
* To tackle the crime prevalence in our community
* Graduates to be more involved in Youth projects as role models.

Lastly, Youth organizations needs to swallow their visible political pride and work together for the upliftment of our community standards and assists government in job- creation.

I Remain
"Agitator"
*

Xenophobia

The recent attack on fellow Africans by Africans has left much to be desired in the eyes of International Community, especially investors.

Our Democracy has been demoted to Xenophobia by individuals who honour the segregation boundaries which were created by colonists of our mother continent, called Africa. Since AD and BC, our fore-fathers used to seasonally migrate freely around our great continent without having to produced "Passport and Identification"; and with the invasion of the colonialist we saw the introduction of of boundaries based on who has conquered what part of geographical area of Africa and rename such region according to their preferred name.

Today in Elexander, Crossroad and Motherwell people are web-trapped with this confusion of identity and lack of Brotherhood. In our oral tradition we were educated about the "Spirit of Ubuntu" which is more about "Love one another as we love oneself" and we have preserved these preaching for ages. In modern world we have generated hatred, individualism, tribalism and xenophobia (the rest I will leave on you to explain) from our imperialist and we thought we were moving towards "Modernization theory" of improving our living standards.

We have forgotten all our guiding principles (e.g.Ubuntu) and our African Culture of sharing our resources in times of needs. As a results, xenophobia in misleading our African masses.

Our so called political leaders were haboured, trained, catered, educated and groomed in our neighbouring regions so we can be politically free and through our 1st Democratic President Dr. Nelson Rolihlala Mandela we have pledged as South Africans to return the flavour to fellow Africans in times of needs. We opened socio- economical ties with all African regions with the sole aim to rally Africans under the banner Pan Africanist Parliament, African Union and Southern African Democratic Countries (SADC).

Tell me who has advocated xenophobia which has containmeted our Motherland? Xenophobia is an insult to our young democracy and all organization should swallow their political pride and extinguished this monster. They should be starting to begin preaching our Spirit of Humanity and explain further what it means to be an African rather than shouting slogan of "I am an African" in every opening of parliament.

As UWC, we must embark on a campaign of " take one or two foreign students home' can also alleviate the fears/perceptions that the Africans have about our African brothers/sisters and can eventually accept them as their brothers and sisters". Be advise that I am not subscribed to the use of a term"Foreign" when is referred to fellow Humans, especially Africans.

Are we studying for huge salary or to plough back to our communities?

Today youth is caught up in the confusion of not knowing whether they were studying for big fat salaries or to assists our under- developed communities to a more developed stage.

The reason for the above heading is, I am provoked by fact that our youth have moved away from the basic foundation of being educated in order to plough back to our communities. They simple study to enrich themselves through getting that job which will pay them big salaries so they can be semi royalties and neglect their parents under their newly created idiom “Ayincanci etholeni”, meaning “a cow can not breastfeed from its own calf”.

Have we lost the “Spirit of Ubuntu” or are we playing stupid? Remember, the Holy Bible “Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you” [Exodus 20:12] and also Quran "'Do not worship except Allah; and to parents, do good…'" [Quran 2:83].

In our country South Africa, our youth potential to upgrade the living style of each other is contaminated by high organised crime rate and the absentee of graduates as role model has yardstick them to believe criminals are role model of our societies.
If we as graduate are failing dismally to rescue our society from crime and other social challenging issues then we have lost our primary reason why our parents have been cautiously raising us for. If we as society are failing to address these issues, then big fat salaries are being demonised in our society. Quoting Councillor Mike Whetton “Residents will see measures that they themselves have identified as priorities to reduce crime and the fear of crime.

Our highly paid graduates are migrating from location to suburbs and displaying their haves through drinking expensive whiskey and driving C class cars. If one tries to engage them to social developmental structures they simple denounce your suggestion under the good name of Youth Commission’s duty to modernize our communities.

I appeal to all graduate to be involved in our community development projects and to offer skills whenever is dim necessary. We supposed to be Ambassadors of our institutions which are community based institutions.

There’s totally nothing wrong to be harboured at suburbs and be pocket filled with big fat salary. We need to administer ourselves with dignity and to freely contribute towards the development projects. We must be role models of our younger brothers and sister; and not display liquor as if is a Olympics medals for being educated.

I challenge every graduate to be a true Ambassador of Development in our society.

HOPE/e-Learning Outreach Project

The e-Learning Development and Support Unit (EDSU), of the University of the Western Cape is committed to become a leader and producer of knowledge in the community through the innovative and effective application of information and communication technologies, systems and services (ICTS).

In its recent eLearning/ HOPE Worldwide Outreach Project which was launch on the 29th July 2008, they bridge the gap between theoretical projects and practical project by training Hope Worldwide fieldworkers on MS Office packages.

The problem arose from the fact that the fieldworkers have access to computers but they lack skills on how to utilize basic computer programmes, e.g. Microsoft word, Excel, etc. HOPE Worldwide Manager Mrs. Joan Daries approached one of her Internship student from UWC Mrs. Nelisiwe Maleka (Masters in Admin.) to device means of capacitating the fieldworkers with relevant basic computer literacy training so that they can have the skills and basic knowledge to use computer programmes in their day to day office duties.

Mrs. Maleka appraoched Mr. Ncedikhaya Magopeni (Manager: VICE-RECTOR: STUDENT AFFAIRS) to assists them. He then refer it to eLearning Development, Support Unit (EDSU) Manager Mrs. Juliet Stoltenkamp who gladly agreed to assists them and proper arrangement were formulated to meet the needs of fieldworkers. Mr. Mavela (eLearning Student Support coordinator) was selected to administer and facilitate this project.

The project took place at Thintana lab every saturday for 12 weeks with some class exercises and tests between.

Lesson covered:

• 3 Weeks for MS Word
• 3 Weeks for MS Excel
• 3 weeks for Powerpoint
• 3 weeks for Internet and email

Outcomes

Learners were able to:

• Record the information/data of the performed activities for safe keeping and future references.
• To use the recorded data to monitor and evaluate the status of their programme.
• To use the recorded data to compile their programme reports.
• Use graphs and pie charts to illustrate the outcomes of the programme.
• To search information on the internet for the educational purposes that they offer to the community.
• 
  
• To communicate by e-mail.
• Learners confidence in utilising Computer Literacy skills were Developed and strengthen to suit their daily office duties.
• Learners are able to do their awareness programmes through Powerpoint presentation.
• To use search engines for relevant topic in preparation for their awareness programmes.
• To communicate with fellow collegues and national office bearers.

Both Learners and their Manager agreed that the project was a success and recommended the project for any illiterate person to undergo it.

Qouting one of the student

" I would like to thank Mr. Mavela, Issa and UWC for taking the trouble of training us with the skills which are necessary for our development. He was so patient with us and always willing to help assists us. The training was supposed to be 2hour per session but because we were slow and needed extra cautious attention he then extended it to three full hours without complaining about his supposed to be family time. He has done this without expecting a pay as he was training us outside office hours without payment. We really need a person of his calibre to develop our communities and to equip us with skills which will later benefit us to combat poverty "

To view HOPE Worldwide view on this project, please feel free to open the below link:

http://www.hwwafrica.org

As elearning team, we are glad to be part of this historic programme and hoping to be involved in more community based project through the Office of Vice- Rector.

User Resistance to Technology

This blog is about the user resistance to technology and how it affects online learning (Electronic learning).

The modern ways of revamping the class room has to meet with the high demand of technology and user resistance to technology. " Some students find it difficult to adopt the use of computers due to different explanations, most students from a low socioeconomic societies turn to have problem in expanding their potential towards the use computers. Factors such as sociopolitical status and economic background have an enormous contribution on degree to which some people are utterly against the use of technological devices such as cell phones, computers, etc".

The University of the Western Cape has adopted an E-learning stratergy to enhance the teaching and learning of both Students and lecturers but this strategy has met with lots of resistances from both parties. I am focusing my argument on students because they are the core fundamental client (user) which has caused the inventing of this Learning Management System (LMS).

Students (users) without computer literacy background are forming a large amount of statistic of resistance to technology. Without computer literacy course being introduced at first year level for users of online learning, the facilitators of it are faced with too much resistance and lecturers are also affected through submission of assessments online and some are frustrated by lack of computer laboratory space for students to complete their assessments.

Some students from Law Faculty could not see a link between computer literacy and online learning versus with their courses. The honours are left on facilitator's shoulder to contextualise the use of technology in their mainstream. What the users seems to forget is "To some degree technology resistance creates intangible barriers that tend to make it uneasy in the way people work in their fields and also intensify the rate of unemployment in our country".

My recommendation are:

• Basic Computer Literacy should be intergrated to all courses in all faculties to combat the technophobia.
• The use of more exciting technology should be intensified to at all levels of academic teaching and learning with more support for first time users of technology.

Acknowledgement
Mr. Sinethemba Mandyoli