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You're absolutely right, Chris
22/04/2008 08:58
We can't have anybody think that a crazy man is running our country. I mean, all the hard work that Mbeki, Manto and Zuma has done to give our fair country's respectabiltiy will go down the drain!! All the clever AIDS strategies, all the delightful singing and dancing of Zuma will be in vain! Damn, what a shame!! - Johann Eksteen |
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Time for action
22/04/2008 08:59
The time for action came quite a while ago, yet our government is in limbo about zimbo. Our nation needs to act swiftly against our northern neighbours. The article is 100% right... Zimbabwe is ruining alot more than just their own country. And with so many illegal imigrants in the country already, one could probably say that SA and Zim are one and the same... - Brian |
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The truth
22/04/2008 08:59
Basically South Africa is a little speck on the map, why should other countries even aknowledge it's existance? The only people that worry about SA is South Africans, the rest of the world couldn't care what happens there. - Tank |
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Mugabe is killing brand SA
22/04/2008 09:00
There is undoubtedly spin-off from what Mugabe is doing to Zimbabwe; but the spin off hurts all of Africa.
However, those who may be put off by Mugabe (and his like) tend to be uninformed, perhaps ignorant. They are unlikely to visit SA, and definitely not invest. They can safely be ignored.
What REALLY hurts brand SA is corruption, crime, mismanagement of infrastructure and Ministers like Manto Tshabalala Msimang. In fact, I think the brand is stuffed and a name change won't change a thing. - William |
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Mugabe not the only brand-killer
22/04/2008 09:10
You're right about Bob killing our brand, but our own president is competing for the honour. If there were shares in SA Inc. I believe we would have lost about 75% of heir value in the last month as Bob and Thabob (yes Thabob!) compete for the honours.
- Philip |
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White Whine
22/04/2008 09:13
Hi there, that was a good read, however it sounds alot like white whine. A very common addition to all northern suburb dinner parties. I really am sick of it. If us as whites put as much effort into saving our country that we do into whining about it, then maybe we could make a difference. Instead of thinking about ways to rid ourselves of Mugabe, we should rather think of ways that we could make a difference to our immediate surroundings which is a realistic goal, instead of fictitious ideas. - Fedup |
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No Crisis SA
22/04/2008 09:14
I would add the following to what is killing brand SA: Inept politicians who do not recognise the very issues hurting this country even exist. ?No crisis SA? is the brand they are punting..... - Gestapo |
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It is like the time when
22/04/2008 09:14
My mom met a woman overseas and upon asking where my mother was from she said "Oh South Africa! I have a friend that lives in Kenya, you might know her!" - Nicky |
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Name change
22/04/2008 09:15
Just because other people are ignorant, does not mean that we have to change our country's name. - No name |
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Name change
22/04/2008 09:16
Interesting article, well reseached and to the point, this is the feeling i have had for a long time, that some day we gonna have to change our name, even long before the mugabe dibacle took place.South Africa is not really a name you can use to name the country, it only specify where we wre on the map. Your suggestion of Mandelaland though is not sinking well with me, dig deep again and come up with another one.How about AZANIA like other political parties have suggested. - Thokozani |
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What's in a name anyway...
22/04/2008 09:21
I agree with CM,the SA name can change now not because of the association with region as that is not what is dragging us down!Take Pta for instance it never has been more dirty and unsafe so I say change the name to Tshwane at least the association with the once beautifull city can be laid to rest.Change SA's name to something that means 'dumping ground' or 'place of misconception' at least we will be able to relate to the state of things! - MIKE |
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Mugabe
22/04/2008 09:21
If Bob didn't exist - the racists would have invented him. They love the fact that they can smirk and nudge each other and say "look - africans are like that". Its shameful for us all. - Tom |
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a new brand
22/04/2008 09:22
It's the allegiance with Mugabe that is killing brand South Africa, even in the minds of those who know exactly where it is. I'm all with you in principle.I say if we decisively break that allegiance, and solve the crime problem, then we choose a new name to break with this horrific period in our history.It will be said though, but necessary. - kwk |
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What does it help?
22/04/2008 09:25
Can we help teach Americans Geography so they don't bomb us by accident? What if we gorilla-rebranded Zim to "Zimrak". Would the US invade and impose regime change and get rid of Bob? - Hugo |
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Change from South Africa to Azania
22/04/2008 09:25
During apartheid we always called this country Azania, it will make more sense to foreigners and locals as South Africa is just a geographical illustration. I would consider changing the name of the country than changing street names. Viva Azania Viva!!! - Libembe |
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People not knowing...
22/04/2008 09:29
Has nothing to offer us. Thus they are of no value. - Martin |
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Hear Hear
22/04/2008 09:32
Sadly I have to agree!!!! - Sam D |
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Geography
22/04/2008 09:35
It is not geography that is damaging 'Brand SA' but the incompetent fools that mismanage the brand - ANC, Eskom - with impunity. Fire these idiots and regain credibility. 50% of americans do not even know which is their capital! Why worry about the people that you know who aren't even smarter than a 5th grader? Fire our corrupt politicians - Travelgate, Oilgate, Zuma - Sipho |
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Good idea
22/04/2008 09:37
What a good idea. Our government has always been in favor of changing names & have had this on top of their itinerary for a few years now. Its even been a priority above Aids, hunger, housing etc, so why not change the name of the whole country. After all,The name "Republic of South Africa", is synonymous with the apartheid error. A nice new name in an African language, meaning something like, "bulls testicle" would be appropriate. - Malcolm X |
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Chris Moerdyk said
22/04/2008 09:38
"But, it really worries me that millions of people the world over might think that Mad Bob and I actually live in the same country."
They're probably right, now aren't they? Think about it... - Kabous |
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Brand S.A.
22/04/2008 09:39
Hi, i'm not quite sure about the article that "Mugabe is killing brand S.A." by Chris Moerdyk...I believe that South Africa has gainned the International recognition as a country(South Africa) given the fact that we've hosted Global Events, like the Rugby World Cup, Cricket World Cup and WSD at the Sandton Convention, also Miss World Peagent couple of times.So i strongly believe that Brand-S.A,is doing very well internationaly,also 2010-WC.Most Americans think that New-Mexico is in Mexicot - Tshepo |
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Thumbs up for Mendelaland!
22/04/2008 09:39
Couldn't agree with more on the Mandelaland name. EMANDELA wouldn't be bad as well. - Z |
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Mzanzi for Sure, is that a type of fruit ??
22/04/2008 09:41
SABC already thinks the country is called Msanzi with its stupid (yet catchy stuck in your head tune) adverts, maybe they can change their name to MBC. This would probably be way too close to MDC and this would cause Mugabe to invade Mzansi (the New SA) to close the propaganda mouthpiece of the opressor. Man Africa is hosed... - me |
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Mugabe is killing brand SA
22/04/2008 09:43
Frankly, I don't have a problem with the name "South Africa". I am proud of it and prepared to get into fights in bars to protect its integrity. WHAT INTEGRITY, don't blame Bob, SA polititians are doing a grand job of killing SA brand along with 20,000 of it's citizens every year..........The Force - Paul Blenkinsop |
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Who cares
22/04/2008 09:45
Who cares what the Americans, the British and Germans say? They are even a greater threat to mankind than Southern Africa. Look at America's record of mass murder in Iraq, Afghanistan,Latin America and Somalia.
We don't need warmongers to teach us anything, they should clean up their own house first.
Zimbabwe's economy was sabotaged by British and Americans and replacing Mugabe with puppet Tsivigaria will be even worse for the Zimbabwe. - Prowler |
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Our President
22/04/2008 09:52
Together with our own President I might add. The man who continues to deny that there is any crisis. Surely with Mr. Mbeki's stance, the international community taint us with the same brush. It is no difference to the denialist approach he takes with regard to crime, our single biggest problem that the international community keeps questioning. - ST |
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mugabivic
22/04/2008 09:54
The problem is that the brand would remain at risk even if we change our name. The reason being, is that hidden amongst the ranks of mad bobs local admirers lies a replica waiting for his time on the stage. Worse still is that the global community understands this reality
- anton kleinschmidt |
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Ignorance of WORLD POWERS
22/04/2008 09:54
It is blatant ignorant for any intelligent person to believe or even assume the ZIM and RSA is part of the same country ? both Mbeki and Bob have been in the international news for the past 10 years and to conclude from this that one country have two ruling parties and two heads of states is just stupid ? please people like this need not to be taken seriously. It is the same for us as South Africans to believe that Canada is part of the USA ? this is the same people how proclaim to being more advance than us Africans. - colin |
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@Libembe and the other idiots
22/04/2008 10:09
Will someone PLEASE inform the people who think that LITERALLY changing the names of the country is a BAD idea. The last thing on government agendas should be the name changing of Streets / Towns / Cities / Airports etc.
It's a WASTE of time, money, effort (which is scarce in government) and history. - Brian |
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SA spin
22/04/2008 10:13
Chris, you are now like a frog in a pot water on a flame, starting to get a bit uneasy with the heat, stirring a bit, moaning a bit , staring up at the sides of the pot. You better jump broer, before the lid plops down. Zim and SA, these two leopards have the same spots, so dont worry about image problems. - frog |
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Prowler
22/04/2008 10:16
Why do people continue to think the USA committed mass murder in Iraq? Anyone thought that their previous leader was as bad if not worse than Mugabe? Mugabe who was responsible for the massacre of thousands of Ndebeles during the 1980's? Mugabe who sabotaged his own country without help of any other outsider, as Prowler seem to think... Prowler, speak to any Zimbabwean. I have. They WANT Tsvangirai. Sorry, completely of the subject, but Prowler's comment caught my eye. - Chantelle |
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South Africa (and Tshepo).
22/04/2008 10:18
I am proud of our country! Regardless of all the wonderful things we've hosted - many foreigners are still clueless about South Africa. You should speak to foreigners. Millions of them don't know where SA is, so Brand SA is not doing as well as you would like it to. - Chantelle |
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Mandela Land?
22/04/2008 10:20
Get with the show people, My addy is 37 Nelson Mandela Court, Nelson Mandela Street, Mandela Land. Please let's try and be original. - John Camp |
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World confuses RSA vs Southern Africa
22/04/2008 10:24
I agree with that people out there can't distiguish RSA from Southern Africa. Perhaps, we can keep RSA as RSA but whatever happens north of RSA affects us dearly. Love RSA (aka Mzansi). MySA - MySA.com |
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South Africa must stay
22/04/2008 10:27
you'd be surprised how ignorant the west can be, at least they know South Africa must be somewhere in Africa. I know people from the UK who think elephants and lions walk the streets. The problem we have needs to resolved by removing the cause and not hiding from it. - John Camp |
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Confused Americans
22/04/2008 10:29
I full agree with your column, however, I am not suprised the Americans are confused. The only country they DO know is America!! They are uneducated when it comes to world geography. I believe some beauty pagent "finalist" also got it wrong when asked about South Africa! They are supposed to be the "world leaders" Hmph! - ALS |
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Bob The Nob
22/04/2008 10:31
On a lighter side. An American Tourist was Standing on top of Table Mountain and asked her husband "Is that a lake dear?" True Story. Ignorance is bliss now isn't it???? - Mike |
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Act now!!!!
22/04/2008 10:34
You know Tshepo all the events you mentioned are all Western events (Rugby, cricket, soccer, beauty pageant...) None of them are truly South African. They are all from that hated nations like Britain the US, you and your brothers and sisters so dislikes. Robert Mugabe is and African like you and Mbeki. I think your reasoning is part of an African syndrome that "let hope and wait and see" .We/you should all be pro-active and not sit and wait for thinks to happen. Make it happen....NOW!!The world is watching South Africa and if people out there think that Bob is part of our/your country your 2010 soccer cup will be an embarrassment to the whole African continent. - Henry |
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Bush, Bob, Vervoerd Sadam and the Royal Family
22/04/2008 10:35
Chantelle ? I believe that Bush, Bob, Vervoerd Sadam and the Royal Family of England are all perpetrators of the same crimes against humanity and the fact is that only some of them will and have already stand in front of a court and pay for there crimes ? you decide for yourselves how get away with the murder and rape of millions of woman and children. - colin |
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SA
22/04/2008 10:38
Strangely, South Africa is the only country in the world named after it's geographical position. I'm not surprised foreigners get it wrong! I like Azania - not for political reasons, it just has a nice ring to it! - Dave |
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A waste of money
22/04/2008 10:38
We need to use the money on our power crises,not changing names.Mugabe does not rule our country, we need to blame our corrupt goverment.They clearly do not no how to use our taxpayers money. - Bongani |
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Just this morning...
22/04/2008 10:40
...I received an e-mail from one of my US contacts telling me they were so sorry for me and everyone else in South Africa. So I was like you're talking about Zim right? Uhm isn't Zimbabwe in South Africa? Doh! not since before the Union of S.A! - Sardonicus |
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Nicky
22/04/2008 10:43
I agree, as much as I agree with Chris, Americans are the most ignorant people in the world. I mean, 75% of them didn't even know where Afganistan was on the world map until the Afgan war. So why should their perception change...unless of course the government tells them whom they going to invade next so the country can look it up on the map! - Win |
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United states
22/04/2008 10:45
The obvious solution to the brand problem would be to form a new United States of Southern Africa. Call it whatever you like, but make it as large as possible. A lot of their citizens are here anyway. We could save millions on politician's salaries! - Jan |
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Azania...
22/04/2008 10:47
Anyone who suggests "Azania" as a new name should probably learn that the name is either Arabic (from ajam) or Greek (from azainein) in origin... and therefore even more foreign to the african continent than the current "South Africa". - Micky Wicky |
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Yanks
22/04/2008 10:50
On my travels, I had an American ask me which country in South Africa I was from :( - Jono |
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just call it ZIMBABWE
22/04/2008 11:06
most of them are living here anyway... - konstabel |
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Informed foreigner
22/04/2008 11:06
I'm proud to say I'm an Aussie who's just been to your very beautiful country and knew exactly it's place both geographically and politically in the world. I think maybe my interest in cricket helped me learn about SA though.As a result I'm following the Zimbabwe elections quite closely and am appalled at your president's 'appeasement' policy in relation to Zim. I know Americans who don't believe SA exists, they think it's a group of countries. I went to the Vic. Falls too; I loved the Zim folk. - Anne |
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Its ignorance
22/04/2008 11:11
South Africans never made mistakes like Basel is in Australia or Munich in Chicago because they laugh at us if you do that.But why we don't see anything funny when Americans don't know about our continent.Its just ignorance and I've met many foreigners at the airport who could show with pride that they don't even have a clue on geographic information of our continent. - Mluleki |
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get real
22/04/2008 11:11
you cant go changing the name of the country bloody idiots especially not to azania whatever the hell that is. if the name had to change it would have to be a name that reperesents the rich diversity of the new south africa which includes all the people of this country which makes this country unique to the rest of africa, as you know the RSA will never be a pure african country never ever ever ever ever..... - terence |
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Regardless
22/04/2008 11:20
It does not matter if you hate other politians, or if you feel others are ignorant - the fact is people lump SA together with Zimbabwe, and if things go badly there, then the perception of SA drops - causing things like a weaker Rand and thus higher petrol prices. Or did noone notice how the Rand fluctuates with Bob's ramblings? It does affect us...! - MJ |
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