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“Anonymous” Speaks – South Africa Rise-Up! Or is it?

Melanie Nathan- March 23, 2011-

“WE Are Anonymous – says ‘Anonymous ‘- Zuma tells the World you are a rainbow democracy!  While that is not true”  But is it THE “Anonymous,” the shadowy online ‘hacktivist’ group that is rapidly gaining worldwide fame  in this Video on YouTube   entitled “Message from Anonymous: To the South African people”, calling on the people to rise up and take back their country from corrupt and inept rulers.

I am currently visiting South Africa and have been writing mostly on LGBTI issues – let me say one thing. Anonymous you are right.  But the people here are living in the shadow of pretense.

The common denominator for every cause I have had brief insight into in SA, since my arrival some weeks ago is the fact that services are NOT being delivered:

1. Cape Town: I participated in a meeting with the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development. Luleki Sizwe’s representative Ndumie Funda spoke to many urgent needs for victims of rape – the National Prosecuting Authority, notwithstanding their full cooperation in the meeting, pointed out that there were certain such services in place.   My question is – how come the “victims” do not know about.  If I may be so bold as to apply a simple  mathematical metaphor  -  the answer would be equally simple -

AS follows:-

VICTIM NEEDS SERVICES +SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE – VICTIMS DONT KNOW WHERE TO FIND SERVICES = NO SERVICES

and

TOP AUTHORITIES STILL ASSERT AVAILABILITY – LOCAL AUTHORITIES ASSERT NOT THERE = CORRUPTION!

2.  Johannesburg:- I was filming with Carte Blanche outside the SA Constitutional Court , in Johannesburg, yesterday,  when a man and a woman greeted me – somehow we got chatting. Well if you know me it was not somehow. Anyway I asked what they were doing and the Constitutional Court. They had come there to pick up booklets for seniors in Soweto. The booklets contained the South African Constitution and how to protect one’s rights – the seniors are receiving too low of a pension to cover the costs of the shelters which they need.  There were only two booklets available.

I asked questions about the services for seniors in the Townships. They told me they had been told such were available, yet undeliverable….  I asked why …. they responded corruption.  I believe my above Mathematical conclusion applies.

3.  I was sitting at my Dad’s Rabbis Shabbat table on Friday night – an orthodox religious family. I asked one of the young sons – what would you dream about changing most in SA if you could – he answered corruption.

4. AND as for Statistics – of the very many one example – since 1994 the amount of child birth deaths has risen to 635 out of every 100,000 from the prior stat of 156 out of every 100,000.

Those are but a few examples…….

If one were to read my past few posts and the mockery made of the National Day of Human Rights, the unconstitutional behavior of Jacob Zuma, et al;  the Department of Justice that is complicit in the continued victimization of  victims of brutal corrective rape, and other crimes…  the disparity in poverty vs. ultra wealthy.  I did a photo series of all the magnificent gates protecting houses of the wealthy in Johannesburg.  One security  gate costs R500,000 (which here has the feel of $250,000 – I would say)    Imagine one such gate could purchase 8 decent homes in a Township. That excludes the humongous wall and electric fences attached to the gates.

SO back to Anonymous:- An Article by Jeremy Daniel: Memeburn  describes the VIDEO by Anonymous as follows

“The message, which had been viewed 800 times at the time of writing, begins with some grainy footage of wind sweeping over Table Mountain, evoking the famous Winds of Change speech by Harold Macmillan which foreshadowed the end of the colonial era. The video then cuts to a head shot of a smiling mask and a female computerized voice begins with the words “to the people of South Africa, Anonymous would like to address you on the state of your society”.

The message goes on to detail how the people have been robbed of the wealth of the country, and how companies like Anglo American and the Oppenheimer family have gotten rich at the expense of the masses. This is followed by a list of South Africa’s social problems, from drugs and murder to domestic violence and organized gangs “while the police are rendered impotent by the very laws that govern South Africa”.      And then Jeremy Daniel: Memeburn   goes on to  question whether or not the video was in fact the work of “Anonymous” or if it is the work of a SOUTH AFRICAN activists.

Personally I do not care who it is by – although I like the attention it will draw….. to a very badly led country that has so much potential.

At this time I do not believe South Africa will rise against this Government- notwithstanding this corruption. Maybe ten years  from now depending on the status quo.  South Africa is a different climate from the rest of Africa, by virtue of its history and the victory by the current administration over  an oppressive minority apartheid regime.  The South Africans are feeling the corruption – but they are not feeling the dictatorship. They are feeling the poverty and the crime, but they have yet to feel their rights!

That said not sure if the right people will ever see this Video – the people in the Townships remain empowered because they have limited access to the internet – which is beyond expensive for an average township home – and not to mention the fact that there is NO affordable way to own a computer.

If the Video is by Anonymous – I believe that it would be threatening its own usual  method of attention which is to shut down websites and the like.  Maybe Anonymous should find a way via satellite to immobilize the 8 luxurious vehicles of the 8 wives of Jacob Zuma – that may be a revolution in itself!

See Video Below….

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NOTE; 3/22/2011  – Copyright Article and Pictures MELANIE NATHAN©
Permission for use Please contact nathan@privatecourts.com.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
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