And these idiots want to run the country in future?

I'm not a big commentator on political issues, but this interview by Redi Direko of 702 Talk Radio, trying to get some sense out of the ANC Youth League's Floyd Shivambu, really takes the cake.

The scary thing is that this wally simply refused to answer a straight-forward question. Is he unable or unwilling to provide a coherent answer? And these are the guys who have aspirations of running the country in years to come?

Listen to the interview, and decide for yourself. DA leader Helen Zille's lawyers must be licking their lips as we speak!

COPE may nominate past MCSA Presiding Bishop as their presidential candidate

I was somewhat taken aback to read this news on Dion Forster's website, and quickly flipped over to The Times to make sure that my eyes weren't deceiving me.

Now I must say that if this news is subsequently confirmed, I have mixed feelings about it.

On the one hand, it's important that Christians use their God-given talent in whatever sphere they are called to, and Lord knows we could do with a Godly person leading this country. I haven't personally met Rev Dandala, but from what I have heard from various quarters, he is a relatively young, dynamic man possessing the utmost integrity (SA's answer to Barack Obama, perhaps?). On the other hand, my understanding of our disciplines is that while Methodist ministers are free to exercise their democratic right to vote for the party of their choice, becoming a part of a particular party is another matter entirely. It is for this reason that I have resolved never to become a card-carrying member of any political party.

I am therefore concerned that these developments, as was the case when another past Presiding Bishop of the MCSA, Rev M Stanley Mogoba, left the church to become the leader of the PAC some years back, somehow go against our stance of being "neutral" as far as direct participation in party politics is concerned.

Having said that, one must be fair to Rev Dandala in that he has not held office in the MCSA for some years. One must also remember that Dr Martin Luther King Jr, one of the leading lights of the American Civil Rights movement, was a Baptist minister. Let us also not forget the prophetic voice that was (and still is) Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu (although, to my knowledge, he has never entered politics, with his fight against apartheid coming from the perspective of his role as the leader of the Anglican Church).

So if it is true that Rev Dandala is in fact going to be COPE's presidential candidate, my prayers are that he will bring integrity and Godliness to the South African political landscape in a way that is both meaningful and influential.

In fact, I was somewhat undecided as to who to vote for in the upcoming elections. This news has probably determined who will get my "X" this year.

Some thoughts on politicians...

Given that this has been a crazy couple of days, what with SA President Thabo Mbeki resigning over the weekend, followed by a number of Cabinet ministers following suit today (and some of them back-pedalling shortly thereafter), these two thoughts about politicians come to mind (source unknown):

• "Politicians and babies' nappies have a lot in common. They both need to be changed regularly, and for pretty much the same reason..."
• "How can you tell that a politician is lying to you? His lips are moving!"

I cannot quote chapter and verse from L & D on this one, but I understand that ministers in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa are not permitted to be members of a political party (although they are free to exercise their democrtic right to vote as they see fit).

For me, this will be no sacrifice whatsoever. I once had half a mind to join a political party, but then I realised that that's all I'd need...