The Day After the Elections

So here we are. The day after the elections. No official results yet, but it looks like the ANC will once again have their 2 thirds majority.

Jacob Zuma said in one of his pre-election speeches that there was nothing in the constitution that says a party with majority is bad for the country. There is also nothing that says that it is good either.

I happen to be one of those people that belives absolute power corruptes absolutely. While there should still be checks against people doing whatever they like, it always seems like those in power can find away. When one party has the two thirds majority it means they can vote through the government whatever law their party wants to pass.

The ANC has had a a majority in the South African government for what seems like a very long time. I was hoping that this time they would lose their majority, to enable the resulting government to create some balance.

Onto other things concerning the election.

I was surprised at the amoung of people that did not vote. Not the statistics that they show on TV. Those stats belong to the nameless and faceless hoard that you always hear about. Today I saw at least three people who did not have the voting ink on their thumbs. I always wonder why people did not vote. I wonder if they are not interested in doing what they can for themselves in their own party.

Now of course, some of the channels here are showing nothing but non interesting stuff about the elections. Going over things about which parties might form what coalitions in what provinces.

Only a little bit longer now and then we will know for sure which way things are going. And there is nothing that we can do about the result now anyway.

National Elections

We are heading towards another step in our democracy. Next week on the 22nd of April 2009 South Africans will once again be making their X for a better future.

Most of the main parties have stayed the same, with on major new addition. Perhaps this will make a big difference for the country but I doubt it. We will all make our mark and hope that our party wins, and maybe this time things will work out a little differently.

One of the major parties had a crisis of identity a little while ago, and while I think that their split away party has taken some of their supporter base with them to the new party, I do not see it weakening the major party to any great degree. Perhaps I will be proven wrong, let history be the judge of that.

Some things in this country have changed and some of them for the better.

I do not trust the people who are true politicians i.e. the ones who are in it just for themselves, for the money and the prestige.

I have read some articles lately on the best way to influence people. The singularly most important tool that stands out amongst all the others is public speaking. The ability to get your ideas across clearly and with purpose. There are only two figures that are currently involved in politics in any major way that have the ability or the skill, because it can be learned, to speak very well to their followers. The other players would do well to take notice of their example, and emulate it. Please do not copy their style or their speeches, for while imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it only makes the imitator look worse than before.

Most of the current leaders are people who do not understand the importance of good communication. If you look back over the history of the world all of the great leaders that we have documentation for have been great speakers, either though talent or hard work or both.

So my message to those "leaders" out there is this: Learn how to speak effectively. Take lessons or personal coaching, get an image consultant. Whatever it takes.

Hluhluwe

Some thoughts from the middle of nowhere. This particular middle of nowhere being Hluhluwe, and not even in the town. Northern Kwa-Zulu Natal in the Republic of South Africa, for those of you who would like to know.

The wonderful thing about the world of the internet is that all sorts of people get to pass on their information and experiences. This is something that until recently was reserved for those people who could convince a publisher that they has something worth writing, and more importantly from the publishers point of view, something that other people would be willing to pay for.

So, my dear reader, you get the singular privilege of reading my rambling thoughts that would in another time and place be consigned to a written diary forgotten in some dusty attic. Probable to be taken out and sold by some distant relative or used to start a fire.