eTolls - The Political implication

[KiLRoy]

Well ICM, you were laughing your ass off for my statement yesterday.  Seems a few more share my sentiment.  Even using the tipping point word which you struggle to understand.  Remember - you heard it here first....

http://www.news24.com/MyNews24/A-practical-approach-to-the-post-democratic-era-20131204

[KiLRoy]

Cosatu is still keen to fight

http://www.news24.com/Multimedia/South-Africa/E-toll-fight-will-continue-Cosatu-20131204

[IceCreamMan]

Well ICM, you were laughing your ass off for my statement yesterday.  Seems a few more share my sentiment.  Even using the tipping point word which you struggle to understand.  Remember - you heard it here first....

http://www.news24.com/MyNews24/A-practical-approach-to-the-post-democratic-era-20131204

nothing here worth noting , millions have shared yr view regarding etoll, but they here and they go beep beep...so merely sharing of views makes no difference ,surely by now this must be understood....

its when ppl take positive action that things change ........

[Dwerg]

yr tpng is drvn me fkn nuts.

What are you 12?

[KiLRoy]

Well ICM, you were laughing your ass off for my statement yesterday.  Seems a few more share my sentiment.  Even using the tipping point word which you struggle to understand.  Remember - you heard it here first....

http://www.news24.com/MyNews24/A-practical-approach-to-the-post-democratic-era-20131204

nothing here worth noting , millions have shared yr view regarding etoll, but they here and they go beep beep...so merely sharing of views makes no difference ,surely by now this must be understood....

its when ppl take positive action that things change ........

You underestimate the power of social media my friend.

You also underestimate the influence of the middleclass in Gauteng - who have access to the internet.  Weird that you underestimate the impact of the internet?   I dont

[IceCreamMan]

Well ICM, you were laughing your ass off for my statement yesterday.  Seems a few more share my sentiment.  Even using the tipping point word which you struggle to understand.  Remember - you heard it here first....

http://www.news24.com/MyNews24/A-practical-approach-to-the-post-democratic-era-20131204

nothing here worth noting , millions have shared yr view regarding etoll, but they here and they go beep beep...so merely sharing of views makes no difference ,surely by now this must be understood....

its when ppl take positive action that things change ........

You underestimate the power of social media my friend.

You also underestimate the influence of the middleclass in Gauteng - who have access to the internet.  Weird that you underestimate the impact of the internet?   I dont

   lol ..... not so much underestimating the power of the internet as right estimating the power of the middle class to actually do anything ...

[Go Big]

The SA middle class still have it too good! Its slowly changing but at the moment its still to lekker! They can be squeezed allot more.

Die os is nog nie heltemal moeg nie.

[KiLRoy]

The power of the middle class lies in the fact that its pretty multiracial.  Something the ANC hates.  Middle class have decent access to information.  Social media not only facilitates information sharing, but it also helps forming opinions.   Gauteng has a relatively large % middle class voters.  I see an bad moon rising for the ANC.....all thanx to resistance to etolls.  So laugh some more....

[Veldbrand]

 

but seriously ouens , I will refrain from posting in these hallowed threads about resistance and defcont's numbers ............................so take this as my last post ...............

[IceCreamMan]

The SA middle class still have it too good! Its slowly changing but at the moment its still to lekker! They can be squeezed allot more.

Die os is nog nie heltemal moeg nie.

this I think is the problem.....the good life is still too good..we are also very accustomed to driving in our luxury cars an 4 x 4 bakkies all by ourselves and refuse to change this behaviour (I take the fact we do not have effective public transport) . fact is we should be car pooling more, using scooters or efficient vehicles, taxis ,more efficient forms of transport...

I bet of those "claimed" 985 000 cars that went through the gantry at William Nichol there were less cars with more than 2 occupants than cars with etags...

I don't think the middle class will result in the failure of SANRAL , we are too law abiding...to don't rock the boat ...to conformist

but lets see in Arpil, if the DA win Gauteng then I scheme we going to be rip roaring away

@veldbrandt...resist I must...but the pull of the bait was too strong 

[KiLRoy]

Well logically speaking - only the middle class can stop etolls ---- they have cars.

[GRIM]

yr tpng is drvn me fkn nuts.

What are you 12?

+1... You used to be able to string a coherent sentance together...

[KiLRoy]

He is drinking hard tac now that he is saving so much money with his etags

ICM - we must do a comparison of expenses soon?      You are already minus R50

[IceCreamMan]

He is drink hard tac now that he is saving so much money with his etags

ICM - we must do a comparison of expenses soon?      You are already minus R50

you know that brings me to another point, why have etags at all ...why not just register yr number plate and use the same principal ...I don't understand the need for an etag with the software they have in situ already.

but yes I am minus 50 bucks  and in all likelihood that's where it will remain until u guys ensure I get a full refund    then I buy beer at bash 2014

[KiLRoy]

If the DA has any brains, it will draft and push for a bill governing tolling in SA.  Incl rules about collection, off shore interests, transparency etc etc

But alas - its easier being a kef dog

[KiLRoy]

O-man, on a calmer note - why did you get a etag if you dont intend to drive on the toll roads?  seriously

[IceCreamMan]

O-man, on a calmer note - why did you get a etag if you dont intend to drive on the toll roads?  seriously

because on the odd occasion I may have to use the highways when I need to save time or for emergencies......also my wife uses my car on the odd occasion an I don't want her to have shit....

I have registered my car.... my bike I will not register and will take evasive action at the gantries to ensure I do not get a bill ....ever .....

[alanB]

Great article 

The politics of effective pilfering

December 4 2013 at 09:57am

Comment on this story
IOL pn kunene

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Patriotic Alliance president Gayton McKenzie and secretary-general Kenny Kunene during the partys launch in Paarl. Photo: Ian Landsberg

If I were a criminal in South Africa, I would see politics as a new way of doing business, says Fikile-Ntsikelelo Moya.

Pretoria - Gangland legend has it that when the FBI asked America’s most-prolific bank robber Willie Sutton why he robbed banks, he replied: “That’s where the money is.”

News that the Patriotic Alliance, a new party made up of former gangsters, a bank robber and a fraudster has been launched reminded me of Sutton’s memorable retort.

If you are looking at ways of enriching yourself quickly and easily, you have to fish where the fish are. In our country, that place is the public purse.

It is not the first time we have seen gangsters look to politics as an area of interest.

A few years ago, the northern Pretoria regional conference of the ANC was brought into disarray when two groups claiming to be the legitimate structure held separate conferences and each elected leaders.

Among those who claimed they were the legitimate ANC structure were men who had been arrested for a few heists and were themselves friends and relatives of some of the most-wanted men in the country.

For the record, I acknowledge that some of the leaders of the Patriotic Alliance have served their time and I do not have any basis to suggest they are still criminals.

I also do not wish to imply that anyone with a criminal past has nothing to contribute to the country and its politics. My Catholic upbringing taught me that every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.

But I do imagine that if I were a criminal in South Africa, I would see politics as a new way of doing business.

The business model is perfect. Sticking with Sutton’s theory, politics is where the money is. Big money.

The auditor-general’s last report told us that as much as R32 billion of state money was lost, misspent or not properly accounted for. Surely some of it was stolen. What is more, Minister of Public Service and Administration Lindiwe Sisulu admitted there had not been a single conviction of anyone guilty of flouting the Public Finance Management Act.

Now imagine what all this means to an intrepid criminal.

Thirty-two thousand million of rands available to steal if you play your cards right. And, as Sisulu has said, the chances of being caught are close to nil.

In the unlikely event you are caught, you can always accuse those who catch you of being racists (if white), ultra leftists (if black), or “pushing an agenda”, without needing to explain what that agenda is or why it should not be pushed.

If all that fails, you make an apology “to those who might have been let down” and continue with your life as before.

Unlike in your previous occupation, where Sutton said a gun was necessary because “you can’t rob a bank on charm and personality”, a criminal-turned-politician will no longer need a gun to pull a heist or spill blood.

Yes, a few people might die as a result of your actions or omissions, but the link will always be too tenuous to make you lose any sleep.

Instead of arranging for the best driver for your gang, you can get anyone with a licence to drive you as fast as they want provided they have a flashing blue light.

Another beneficial factor for a South African politician is that the issues are so clear-cut.

You merely have to show your unhappiness at the levels of unemployment, inequality and poverty.

When speaking to black people, warn them about the boers returning to take away their grant money, and when with whites, thank them for contributing to making the new South Africa what it is and spew something about Nelson Mandela’s opposition to white or black domination.

Around this time of the year, you rock up at a public meeting and mouth platitudes about the evil of hurting women and children. You can urge young people to stay in school and warn them about the futility of crime and how it might affect foreign direct investment.

In a phrase, perfect the art of talking about meat to butchers, bread to bakers and pies to both.

If you get your name in newspapers enough times and become part of the ruling party’s leadership, you could even be invited to be a shareholder in a huge company where you will earn millions of rands in exchange for having your name on the list of directors.

For this money, you do not need to threaten to separate the body and soul of anyone and merely have to make a call or two in case there are procedural or legal bottlenecks that might affect your new company’s project of making super profits.

The latest developments in the body politic suggest to me that the criminals are at last reclaiming their business from the politicians.

A patriotic citizenry should reclaim their country from both.

* Fikile-Ntsikelelo Moya is executive editor of Pretoria News.

[KiLRoy]

O-man, on a calmer note - why did you get a etag if you dont intend to drive on the toll roads?  seriously

because on the odd occasion I may have to use the highways when I need to save time or for emergencies......also my wife uses my car on the odd occasion an I don't want her to have shit....

I have registered my car.... my bike I will not register and will take evasive action at the gantries to ensure I do not get a bill ....ever .....

fair enough, but surely if its a case of 'the odd occasion', then the extra money will have a ver small impact?

To be honest - I very seldom use the freeways, but for the sake of solidarity I will run up a bill to give them the finger

[RobC]

you know that brings me to another point, why have etags at all ...why not just register yr number plate and use the same principal ...I don't understand the need for an etag with the software they have in situ already.

The OCR software is not really real time, it can be done but will take much longer for the money to be collected the old hard paper way. The TAG is a faster and more accurate system as it deducts from PREPAID monies already lying in SANRAL coffers. Each beep frees a few bucks to blow on Kapsh and overheads.