SA’s Economy: DDF versus the ANC.

Posted on 03/01/2014 by johnbarri

A hard look at the ANC led economy paints a grim picture for 2014.

By contrast a Direct Democracy Forum administration will both liberalise and discipline the economy with emphasis on economic fairness, including but not limited to:

Investing heavily in education and training (particularly for the youth and unemployed), health care, jobs, housing, food security, industrial and agricultural import replacement, and so on.
Providing safety nets for the truly destitute.
Engaging all South Africans in SA’s economy so they can benefit from that engagement.
Creating mutual reliance and respect between Capital, Labour and the markets in SA, acting in partnership for their common benefit.
Emphasising a South Africa and South Africans first approach to all elements of the economy and South African society.
Support and advance the cause of civil society, including institutional support of human based charities and animal based charities.
Support and advance the cause of democracy in South Africa by returning politics to the people in the Senate.
Support and advance the cause of democracy, communities and service delivery by making local government transparent in their activities and immediately and continually observant, answerable and responsive to the needs of the communities they serve.
Reverse the catastrophic decline in the value of the Rand that is driving import costs through the roof and feeding inflation beyond what is bearable.
Apply strict adherence to the rule of law at all levels of society.
Most of the above will be enabled by the adoption of TEAL as the only tax in South Africa.

Out the window will go patrimony, nepotism, graft and corruption. While the DDF cannot guarantee the absence of these practices in the market-place and in the public service, what the DDF can guarantee is that any evidence of such practices will be pursued timeously, diligently and to the full extent of the law, irrespective of whomever is involved.

Look at DDF Policies to see how they can help you.

Support the DDF Follow the DDF on twitter

The buck stops at the ballot box.

No More Player Referees

Posted on 21/08/2013 by johnbarri

This tale of self-enrichment will not occur under a Direct Democracy Forum administration.

The DDF understand that people in government who see opportunity to enter into business dealings with Government are tempted to do just that, and there should be clear cut and reasonable rules which permit freedom of association and freedom of trade without compromising the integrity of either the government, the service provider or the transaction itself.

The only way this can happen is for the government employee/service provider, to completely disassociate himself from government (resign) and tender (get in the queue) along with all the other bidders, and that all the other bidders should be privy to the same information available to the most privileged bidder.

The penalty for not disengaging in this manner should be an all expenses paid sojourn in one of our prestigious places of incarceration. In short, deal-rigging, should be a criminal matter with meaningful consequences.

The DDF are committed to this sort of transparency and corruption busting. DDF policies speak for themselves.

The buck stops at the ballot box.

Something is rotten in the State…..

Posted on 22/07/2013 by johnbarri

Something is rotten in the State of Denmark. Shakespeare could have been writing about South Africa:

All involve politicians diverting or stonewalling investigations into their activities. There is indeed something rotten in the state of South Africa that a Direct Democracy Forum administration will take the wraps off and let the law prevail.

The buck stops at the ballot box.

Athletics SA victim of power grabs

Posted on 24/06/2013 by johnbarri

Our bureaucrats are not the only people subjected to power grabs and interference in their jobs. It seems South African athletes are subjected to similar attacks. The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc), a body designated by the Minister of Sports and Recreation as mandated by the National Sports and Recreation Act No.110 of 1998 to act as an umbrella body for multiple sport activities, such as the Olympics and Commonwealth games, is trying to assume overriding authority over SA’s sports federations.

The act does not state that the body allotted that task (currently Sascoc) has the right to interfere in or with the various national sports federations, either in their leadership, management or selection processes, yet this is exactly what Sascoc seem to be attempting with Athletics SA (ASA) by inserting Sascoc choices into ASA (at least one of which apparently resulted in financial mismanagement at ASA).

This is apparently a similar pattern of interference experienced by other national sports federations. In terms of the new companies act, to which both Sascoc and ASA are subject, you cannot have control of one non profit company vested in another and this seems to be what Sascoc is attempting to achieve. ASA would not play ball and Sascoc suspended ASA from Sascoc. (do Sascoc even have the right to do that?). Sascoc also seem to be usurping the reporting channels of national sports federations to Parliament by inserting themselves into that line of authority and accountability. This doesn’t look good for Parliament or South African sports or SA sports federations.

The practical effect for South African athletes is they no longer have representation at the IOC or the Commonwealth Games and are no longer recipients of any funding that is normally channeled through Sascoc. A ray of light is that the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) recognise ASA and not Sascoc as the controlling body of athletics in SA and continue normal relations with ASA and athletic events under IAAF auspices continue.

A Direct Democracy Forum administration will ensure that power grabs by Sascoc will cease and the authority, accountability and responsibility of national sports federations to their members and Parliament will be reinstated and reinforced. Sascoc will have to limit their activities to that of mediator and coordinator of multiple sports activities, as envisaged by the act. Then our national sports federations can get on with doing what they do best – seeing that our sports men and sports women continue winning on international playing fields and bring honour to our country.

The buck stops at the ballot box.

Oh to be wrong! :={

Posted on 28/05/2013 by johnbarri

Anyone reading these post could be forgiven for thinking the Direct Democracy Forum relish the opportunity to trash government. The truth is that being right about the abysmal state of our government gives the DDF no pleasure. The DDF would prefer to be wrong, to sit back and enjoy the fruits of living in a well run society. What pleasure and joy that would give the DDF.

What set this of was the M&G on-line report ‘Threatened Metro Manager‘. The report demoralizes and uplifts at the same time.

The degree of political interference in the administration of the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality just beggars belief. The nature of the threats against a municipal manager, if not explicitly so then obviously and by deliberate innuendo, are violent and border on criminal assault. The whole is simply demoralizing.

The report however does contain hope and upliftment.

A senior member of the municipal management, the metro manager herself, has had the courage to challenge the outrageous behaviour of her political bosses. In short she has blown the whistle. Hats off to Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela. What Lindiwe is doing requires courage, determination and strength of character.

The DDF‘s approach to undue influence and bullying tactics imposed by anyone on civil servants would be to treat it as criminal and ensure that prosecution in the courts follows as a natural consequence, so, in common with all other criminal behaviour, it will be rendered too unprofitable to pursue. The DDF will also fully support efforts of civil servants like Lindiwe to pursue their career goals, professionally, ethically and honourably, without let or hindrance. Anyone who doubts the intent of the DDF should visit the DDF Local Government policy page which illustrates the seriousness with which the DDF view local government and service delivery issues.

The buck stops at the ballot box.

R100 Million deals and no statements for customers

Posted on 07/04/2013 by johnbarri

It is very hard not to get personal about maladministration, nepotism, incompetence and graft because it effects us all in a very personal manner.

Some 15 years ago my family bought a house. The house was modest, the down-payment was equally modest, the monthly bond repayments excessive but just bearable and the utilities bill was not cheap but was also just bearable, and we had regular statements of account from the Johannesburg municipality.

15 years down the line the monthly municipal utilities and rates and taxes bills far exceed the bond repayments we have had to make, we have not had municipal statements of account mailed to us in almost twelve months even although the municipality was able to mail notice of municipal property evaluations to us (it took two months to reach us, by the way) and during the 2011/2012 financial year the Johannesburg municipality did business with its own and other state employees and office bearers to the tune of R100 000 000 (100 Million Rands).

So it’s very difficult not to get personal about maladministration, nepotism, incompetence and graft. It effects everyone so personally.

The Direct Democracy Forum intend fixing these problems through application of DDF Policies, particularly with regard to the way municipalities behave and run their affairs, through DDF local government policies and the way municipalities fund those affairs through DDF tax policies and the application of TEAL.

The buck stops at the ballot box.