Just hang in there: News24: MyNews24: Letters

Glock 22 c 7/6/2009 10:37:13 AM

I was thinking the same thing , Life is to short. Focus on your family and friends after all they are most important things in life.

Topdog 7/6/2009 10:42:53 AM

Can we just call you MC Ostrich?

SimonP 7/6/2009 10:47:35 AM

Just hanging in there is what will cause further problems. Hoping things will get better without actually taking action will change nothing. It seems a very African way of doing things, ignore the problems until they are out of control.

Mzi 7/6/2009 10:47:55 AM

I could not have said it better. we are so used to whining that we forget to enjoy the quality of life. let's stop expecting miracles from the government, your taxes should help the poor not the privileged.

GP 7/6/2009 10:51:03 AM

Thanks for the positive remarks.

Anele 7/6/2009 10:52:25 AM

YAWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Juan @ MZI 7/6/2009 11:00:52 AM

YES I AGREE, our taxes should help the POOR... So PLEASE explain to me how "THE POOR" are being helped when zuma's little minister buddies are all getting new E-CLASS mercedeses? How is a R90million wall feeding the poor? Does BILLION RAND rusting submarines help fight crime? Does X5 bmw's with flashing blue lights give unemployed people work? Does zuma's little dance keep people warm at night? NOTHINH is getting better, so HOW can a THINKING person and REALIST be positive?!!? If things WERE getting better (even slowly) we'd ALL be a little more positive!

SimonP 7/6/2009 11:12:42 AM

@Mzi, if the government did not promise miracles then perhaps people would not expect them. Taxes should help the poor, tell that to the privileged MPs who are busy helping themselves and their buddies to our taxes via corrupt tenders.

Jacqui 7/6/2009 11:15:10 AM

Hear! Hear! We need a bit of both, hang in there appreciate your family and plan for the next downturn, it is going to come just like death and taxes. Learn to take pleaseure in little things from this difficult time so that the next one is easier to cope with.
Jacqui

TL 7/6/2009 11:18:02 AM

It is people like you who will hang in there, while people were treated like slaves, people like you who claimed its not so bad when Zim people were voting ZANUPF over & over again, people like you who are happy that the SABC was still active, when it is on the brink of collapse, people like you who are happy when your kid come home with a school report that just states "pass", without outlining what the OBE grab our kids are being fed at school.. MUST I GO ON?

Phehello 7/6/2009 11:25:28 AM

It's better to be positive than to be negative. Yes, there's too much negativity oing on in our country we canot deny that. But feeling depressed and angry all the time is not worth it, rather find something that will make you smile and feel good like friends and family, forget politicians for a while.

T 7/6/2009 11:26:51 AM

Nice to be reminded about the good things in life. Nice one...

Sinudeity 7/6/2009 11:33:48 AM

"Whinging" - Unfortunately, the corruption in the government will just keep on going on and on, if we dont 'whinge' about it. FS premier, and his casino bribe of R3mill. What about the ANC using R1mill tax monies to run an election rally? What about the Durban ANC gov, spending almost R7 mill, on a R25,000 website? Help the poor?! Thats EXACTLY what we are doing.

Sinudeity @Mzi 7/6/2009 11:35:35 AM

EXACTLY. Our taxes should help the poor. Not the ANC elites, who keep stealing and using it. Do you know, that we spend more on Security for MP's, then we do, keeping our borders safe? I WANT to help the poor, the government doesnt, but, it lies to you "We are the party for the poor". LOL - ANC is a joke.

carol 7/6/2009 11:39:18 AM

Trying very hard to be positive like you, MC, just praying we do not go the Zim route!

Gareth 7/6/2009 11:43:29 AM

You say we have about seventy years on this planet, well not in South Africa. CIA reckons we in SA have 42.45 years on this planet, which is 183rd out of 191 countries. This is apparently about ten years lower than it was when the ANC took over. The ANC, like a virus, is devouring it's own host.

Dean Sassmann 7/6/2009 11:45:19 AM

The time is now.

JZ, must act and act now if there is any chance of a good clean gov, JZ must root out corruption, by publically shaming these people in newspapers and on websites, TV and Radio, so that they find it hard to find their next job, thus ensuring corruption does not pay!!!!!!!!!

geanann 7/6/2009 11:45:48 AM

Pigs find wallowing mud, excrement and filth a pleasant experience...it makes them happy. If mismanagement and incompetence results in raw sewage spilling into the water resources we should look on the bright side, unlike the pigs we do not wallow in it we just bath in it and drink it. The falling life expectancy has a bright side...it will take us longer to exhaust the resources and start us eating each other. Also, unlike the average global citizen we in SA have a life expectancy of only 51...we do not have to hang in there so long.

warmaster 7/6/2009 11:47:07 AM

I totally disagree, this attitude of "be positive" is part of the root cause of many problems in SA. People tend to have valid reasons for being unhappy/negative about something. Igroring these valid reasons and "being positive" only makes this worse. In SA there is a culture of acceptance which we will have to root out to make any progress. Call me negative if you will, but...I DO NOT ACCEPT THE CRIME LEVELS, I DO NOT ACCEPT BEING RIPPED OFF BY CAR COMPANIES, TELKOM AND BANKS ETC., I DO NOT ACCEPT INCOMPATANCE WHERE INCOMPATANCE IS UNACCEPTABLE...(thank you, I feel better now)

@Juan 7/6/2009 11:58:41 AM

I guess you know how we felt when the previous gorvenment was spending money and no development in the townships was taking place, so at least some of our people are experencing some change in their lives, its people like you that fluff and fuss over little issues as if you doing anything to alleviate the situation, even if we were to exempt you from paying TAX i doubt a difference will be made, and make you drive on the gravel etc. so i guess " What goes around comes around" but above all to the author "great article" we need to be positive!

LM 7/6/2009 11:59:43 AM

MC, Dude! You don't sound all that positive. Sounds more like you're planning to just hang on until you get to 70 so you can die... Live a little!

SimonP 7/6/2009 12:01:30 PM

@Phehello, "forget politicians for a while". And let them continue to mismanage the country while we all turn a blind eye?? Madness

SimonP 7/6/2009 12:03:09 PM

@Phehello, "forget politicians for a while". And let them continue to mismanage the country while we all turn a blind eye?? Madness

Mzi @ Juan, et al 7/6/2009 12:04:08 PM

You guys are part of the problem in this country. you need to differentiate between corruption and government perks. the problem with our country is that wrong people get hold of confidential information that they can't even interpret and therefore spreading lies through the racist media. the US white house ran into hundreds of million dollars just for renovations, not even CNN entertained that. Why? because the spending was necessary. The ANC remains confident on poverty alleviation, housing for the poor and job creation. If there is corruption currently happening in government, i am sure the justice system and the hawks will investigate.

The current government is likely to rule forever considering the support base, so you might as well help them not to go the Zim route as you claim.

I 7/6/2009 12:08:24 PM

Maybe a true piece of writing, but that doesn't help me. My husband and I are very well educated people (5 degrees between us), but we lost our jobs. I was lucky to find another job 4 months later, however, he still struggles. The past couple of months we haven't had enough money to pay our car and house (we are as a result under debt counselling as well)and some months not even enough to buy food for weeks (really). We made popcorn and that was our food for 3 weeks. If you don't have money, you can also not have heat, light and warm water. My friends and family live 12 - 60km away - I don't have money to phone them or to put fuel in my car to visit them.

So if it was that easy to forget about the hard life and recession etc by focussing on your family and friends, I would have gladly done it. BUT no money = no fuel + no food + no movies + no electricity + NOTHING.

Wake up and smell the really bad situation SA is in! And the world for that matter.

Dean Sassmann 7/6/2009 12:12:19 PM

Big up Warmaster well said.

Juan @ 7/6/2009 12:18:39 PM

So, I'm walking down the street, positive and high on life, and the next second I'm shot dead for my cellphone. HOW DOES THAT HELP? I rather choose to be a REALIST and be VIGILANT and LIVE than be 'positive' and dead.

Eles 7/6/2009 12:22:21 PM

Sure be positive it is easier and less stressful but we can't be stupid and complacent either we cannot expect things to change if we do not demand it. We cannot unfortunately just expect government to do the right thing though they have been entrusted with the most votes (not mine)_they need to be reminded and reprimanded when they step out of line. I would love to see the statement of abused taxed funds. Tenders are awarded to friends who don't even know what they are doing hence the requirements for expensive consultants to be brought in and do the job correctly all at the tax payers expense with backhand to the friend. I think there are very few people in politics who want to make a difference and enrich the lives of others - very sad.

Alicia 7/6/2009 12:22:50 PM

Thank you for your encouraging words. Words like these help so much, even days after they were printed.
I have been through the mill so many times. I put all my worries, also when my children were small, my husband was in hospital for three months at that stage, after Masterbond dug our faces in the mud and deeper.... I gave everything to God, over and over and over...until it stuck in my mind that I need not worry, He is carrying me and will see me through. My children are married now with children of their own, and I own a big shop to which is attached a lot of worries, once again. I see everyday through to the best of my ability, I do not think about tomorrow, God is there, and trust and believe that these bad times will change. It has, so many times before, why should I give up hope now. I am 62, work 7/7 and am determined to ride this out and leave this earth one far off day, in a better state. For those who know and love me.

Dean Sassmann 7/6/2009 12:25:57 PM

Mzi, here is a wake up call, we (South Africa) not USA, and dont have that kinda of money to throw around and look closely to USA and look at how much they in debt.

We need to stop corruption and stop it now.
Name and Shame the looters, irrespective of what politically party they belong to.

Stop wasteing money and stop corruption now.

Walton 7/6/2009 12:35:50 PM

@Mzi you and your kind are getting what you deserve - yes. Zimbabweans - GO HOME, you voted for MAGABE now go and enjoy him and your country, same to follow for South africa, we are getting there soon!!

Sinudeity @Mzi 7/6/2009 12:39:08 PM

"The current government is likely to rule forever considering the support base" - Not true, the ANC support base is DYING out, thanks to IDIOTS mismanaging the health department. Pretty soon, white people will be the majority in South Africa. All thanks to the ANC.

Adrian 7/6/2009 12:42:09 PM

Can somebody please tell me the fuck every article gets turned into a bitching contest. For fuck sakes, keep politics out for once, then there will only be positive responses.

Ryan 7/6/2009 12:49:54 PM

I am pleased that the author is still feeling positive about the situation in our country. I also used to feel the same way until I recently experienced life in a certain European country. Let's just say that the number of years that I will be staying on here definitely now has an upper limit.

JL 7/6/2009 12:58:32 PM

We work our butts off selling our services, skills, etc in our businesses, so that we can get paid, so that we can pay our bills etc etc. So that we can continue to provide a service/skill to uplift fellow human beings. What selling does the government do? Except sell us a lot of bull? Get pro-active. Get out there government, bring us investors. Job creation is imperative. SME's are the biggest contributor to job creation. Yet, when it comes to support from government, we are not recognised. I'm an owner of a private training company(accredited and all) and now the government is talking about spending more of the skills development levies on FET Colleges/University's.....what the heck! It's difficult to stay positive. But i'm burning candles and selling, selling, selling. We WILL survive!

Juan @MZI 7/6/2009 1:07:42 PM

Oh, ok.. so because the white house got fixed up, it's OK for people here to live in poverty? Wow, so you'd rather have your menesta's driving luxury cars than have kids in schools with electricity and running water? - WOW I find it hard to believe that you are so self-destructive and primitive in your thaughts.

luthando 7/6/2009 1:22:29 PM

dude its difficult to hang in there when there is no ray of hope. Im sorry but Im better off than poor ppl staying on the street in this blistering cold weather yet still have serious problems, the type that does not make u sleep easy at night. It is difficult to be positive and high on life when u dont even have a plate of food. i wish I could help even the poor ppl on the street when I drive by but I myself need that liitle bit of money I cant give away because I as well need it for something serious. I mean how do u hang in when there is no ray of hope?

luthando 7/6/2009 1:25:24 PM

this article and the comments are real funny!

frank 7/6/2009 1:29:51 PM

Spoken like a true politican.

Fred Basset @ Mzi 7/6/2009 1:33:59 PM

It is not in our power to help the gov avoid going the way of Zim.
Every time a non-black citizen offers advice on the subject, he is branded as racist or anti-revolutionary or some such crap.
Your posts alone tell the story of a party unwilling to learn the lessons of their poor african neighbors. You are on your own brother.
You make your bed, so your time will come to lie in it. All the mlungu will one day be swallowed by the sea and there will be nobody left to hear you scream

emma 7/6/2009 1:41:10 PM

Hang in where, for what? We have no money to visit the beautiful places in our own country, no money to visit our family or friends or send our children to universities, all our hard earned money is going to the government for taxes and electricity and interest to pay our bond. Our hard earned money is going to the masses, is that what we have to work for? I can't wait for my only child to leave this country - SOON, at least he will experience true living.

Glock 22 c 7/6/2009 1:51:02 PM

And it only takes one comment by a MZi or a fool a like. To send that positive attitude down the drain...

Dragonfly 7/6/2009 1:58:12 PM

Poor people cannot help poor people

Adrian 7/6/2009 2:02:01 PM

Why does every article get turned into a bitching contest about politics??? For f@#k sakes, leave politics and Showerhead and Mbeki in your heads, dont bring it out. Enough about those pricks!!!

Sinudeity @Adrian 7/6/2009 2:11:37 PM

Adrian, but it if wasnt for the politicians, everything in South Africa would be fine. Service delivery, crime, education, racism. ALL attributed to politics, and the bastards that perpetuate the downward spiral.

Sinudeity @Dragonfly 7/6/2009 2:21:04 PM

And those people that can help the poor people, pay their taxes to the government, which in turn pockets the money, or buy's overpriced submarines to feed the poor. Then, when they have no money left, after wasting it, they blame the middle-class people, and start making idiotic statements, like nationalising mines and banks.

Tumelo 7/6/2009 2:24:40 PM

@Luthando, I'm in agreement with you. To think that all these clowns are parents and/senior people where they work,makes these theatrics more appalling.

Straighttalker 7/6/2009 2:35:30 PM

Reading all of the above comments the reality of South Africa hit me. This country is still very much racially polorised. For a certain part of the population when things go well its "our" country when they criticise its "they" and there is a undertone of "we can do better". And to those who complain about losing everything have you stopped to consider those who've lived all of their lives without anything....I think people should think twice before they start complaining about what they are losing...but than again South Africa (the world for that matter) has always been animal farm.

SimonP 7/6/2009 2:38:02 PM

@Mzi, I have not come across anyone so blindly loyal to the ANC. You are clearly denialist, deluded and plain stupid.

@ walton 7/6/2009 2:42:31 PM

stick to the topic above. how did you pass matric(if you did) with such loss of concetration? and Ryan, no one is forcing you to stay, you are not important. infact you are a burden to the state with your moaning.

@ fred bastard; what advice are you referring to? scrap BEE and AA and let ministers drive corollas? that will happen only in DA's time. my friend whether you jump to the sea or use your yacht i don't care, valuable people never think of leaving so I guess you are one of the useless, uneducated little bastard who never stay for a challenge, always running and blaming others for their misery.

@ Adrian 7/6/2009 2:46:47 PM

the correct titles is Mr President and Former Mr President. they are not pricks, they control your life and decide on your behalf. Says thanks to Mr Zuma, politics are now fashionable.

vankuijeren14@CHIN UP??????? 7/6/2009 3:04:56 PM

I HAVE TO KEEP MY CHIN UP...ITS THE ONLY WAY I CAN SEE WHERE THE POTHOLES ARE,WHAT TAXI IS CUTTING ME OFF,WHERE IM GOING WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OFF AND WHO THE FOOK IS BREAKING IN...
SO CHIN UP YOURSELF...ILL BE HAPPY WHEN I CAN FINALLY DROP MINE FOR A BIT AND RELAX...

@ the usual bunch 7/6/2009 3:13:15 PM

You all sound like broken records - the same over and over again.

Rather make a difference with positive inputs than being negative and insulting each other all the time.

@@The usual bunch 7/6/2009 3:22:34 PM

Fine, heres my positive input. Execute corrupt politicians.

emma 7/6/2009 3:27:52 PM

@the usual bunch - make some positive suggestions - what do you suggest?

@ the usual bunch 7/6/2009 4:08:24 PM

Here is my positive input. Bring back the death penalty.Then execute corrupt government officials. That alone will safe the country form going the zimbabwe way

LG 7/6/2009 4:19:46 PM

You know what, i'm so damn tired of hearing and reading negative news. I was going through all these comments and i can't read any further - all you hear is 'whinging' and 'moaning'! South Africans do nothing but complain. I agree with MC!!!

SimonP 7/6/2009 4:40:39 PM

@@the usual bunch, so whats your positive contribution? Its the likes of Mzi who is the broken record, forever singing the praises of a failed govt. We will continue to complain about the falling standards of SA until the lazy fat MPs get off their arses and start doing something. You can just ignore all the crap and pretend everything is great if you like.

MC 7/6/2009 8:14:20 PM

@Alicia
I just want you to know that God will never fail you, when you walk through the water you will not drown, when you go through the fire you will not be burned. God promised that he will never leave you nor forsake you.
You have touched my heart by your comment.

MC 7/6/2009 8:28:26 PM

@ ever1 with a negative comment
The purpose of this article was not to influence the readers to become complacent, I agree, we have to fight crime and corruption in all it's forms and levels. The purpose of this article was to bring hope to those who dont know how to face tommorrow, to encourage people who are down and out that they do stiil have a reason to live...I should know, I wrote the letter.

Trevor 7/8/2009 6:25:43 AM

It's difficult to stay positive when your parents are murdered by a bunch of (black)parasites on their farm, your friend killed for a cellphone by another (black) parasite......My advice to all of you (except the arsehole anc supporters), if you want to live to 70, get out of Africa!!

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Just hang in there

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