There are more than 100 confirmed bookings for the Spring Biznews Investment Conference in the Drakensberg at the end of the month. Given the current limit on gatherings is 50, we’ve been considering all kinds of contingency plans. Hopefully they won’t be needed after what was contained in Stanlib chief economist Kevin Lings’ weekly raft of graphs that hit my inbox last night – especially the one republished above showing that Covid’s Third Wave has well and truly broken. That’s a trifecta of much needed good news for SA adding to the continued commodities boom and Saturday’s Springbok victory.
Had a good smile at community member Guy Whitcroft’s email which reminded me of a descriptive word that I last used in 2015 when the Zuptas were in full cry. Guy reckons not much has changed – he wrote:
One from me – a single word description of our government today: kakistocracy.
It might sound like a South African word due to the first 3 letters, but is, in fact, a few hundred years old being traceable to at least the seventeenth century and meaning, “a government that is ruled by the least suitable, able, or experienced people in a state or country.” A sad reflection of our times, indeed, and ironic that it has such an appropriate local connotation.
Here’s the dictionary link: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/kakistocracy
My word of the year!
Another BizNews community member, Rod Hering, shared his personal experience when commenting on the Eskom CEO’s advice on how to beat the loadshedding blues. Rod writes:
I read with interest Andre de Ruyters’ comment on grid tied solar systems. I saw the writing on the wall where load shedding and electricity prices were heading. Three years ago I installed solar water heaters and a grid tied solar electricity generation system. I am probably 95% self-reliant. I have total immunity from load shedding, City Power infrastructure failures and ever increasing costs, as well as adding to the value and desirability of my home.
When calculating the ROI on the project I was looking at an 8 year amortisation. With the increases in price in the last three years it is now closer to 7 years. I know the man has to try and upsell his failed SOE, but even if he does manage to sort out their infrastructure problems, the cost of electricity is still going to sky rocket over the medium term.
Take a lesson from Zimbabwe and make yourself as independent as possible from the ESKOM supply .
There were quite a few responses to Andrew Harrison’s sharing of the lyrics to Bob Dylan’s masterful “Like A Rolling Stone“. Fascinating insights from Correio da Frota who wrote:
Andrew Harrison’s contribution last week, drawing a parallel between Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” and the current state of the ANC is one way of heaping scorn on that organisation, although dear Edie Sedgwick, of whom the song was supposedly written, might throw up at the suggestion. Indeed, Dylan himself described the piece as originating as a long piece of vomit. Many love it though. The poor little rich girl, her fall from grace, the “chrome horse with your diplomat” (apparently a reference to Andy Warhol), and the Napoleon in rags, are powerful images.
Napoleon – now that’s pertinent! Our very own Napoleon and his miserable minions still present a challenge to the gendarmerie, but until he and his henchmen are ferried off to some faraway island, no serviceman, past, present or future, deserves the taste of Beef Wellington ever again.
Tex Lerena wrote:
I would make this Bob Dylan’s hit as the theme song for “Gatvol”!!!
Jamie suggested:
A song written by Stevie Wonder around 1976 called Village Ghettoland. So apt. Similar vein to Dylan. Give it a listen.
And Helene Vermeulen added:
That song really could have been specially written for the ANC of today. Well done Andrew Harrison for spotting it.
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