As I listened to South African minister of mines, Susan Shabangu, proudly declare that the government is soon to venture into the mining sector through a government owned mining enterprise, the SA fm presenter asked the question that was also on my lips at that time. Is this not the nationalisation that the ruling party’s youth league has long been trumpeting about? Even though this was an audio interview, I could tell just how the question made her squirm as she vehemently denied that this was a nationalisation launch pad. According to her this was just a simple empowerment initiative that “had long been in government’s plans, even before the nationalisation debate ever began!”
Believe me when I say that the last time that I heard someone squirm like that on air, was when Michael Jackson was bluntly confronted by Orprah about his virginity status. One could also say that she responded in the same way a “well-bred” lady responds soon after hearing from a ghetto-rough suitor in the most unflattering language, how he wants to have his way with her! Mass media has a way of making people uncomfortable and red in the cheeks I must say. Maybe a media tribunal or two is what the doctor has ordered to whip these naughty journos into line?
Well that is another blog post altogether. My point here is that while I listened to the minister and after her, an apologist from the state owned Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), sugar coating this latest initiative with glossy predictions of how the currently exploited masses will be empowered with a rewarding stake in main stream mining, something in me made me want to retrieve my dusty copy of Animal Farm. I found myself in need to do a revision lesson of the novel with my English class. I do not why that happened and what the SA fm interview had to do with this sudden urge; it really is a mystery to me. As usual I entrust you, the reader to shed some light on this rather baffling occurrence
