Friday 21 December 2012

Saying Goodbye to 2012

Bow To Thee' year 2012_ from Politics to Entertainment, News around the World, Sports and the latest reviews of the year.  What made history? Who came last and Who made it to the top! The fallen one's_ Heroes, Celebs, Fanatics and the odd ones. 

I must admit, it has been marvelous and yet starling 2012 for me.  I have accomplished a lot through hardships, excelled here and there also speed bumps along the way.  Of course I'm not complaining... I'm just appreciating every moment of it, I can  only say "It's part of life".

We want meaning in our lives.  When we raise our sights, strive for excellence, dedicate ourselves to the highest goals of our society, We are enrolling in an ancient and meaningful cause-
The age-long struggle of a man to realise the best that is in him. -John W. Gardner-

Allow me to begin Home South Africa: 53rd ANC National Conference .  Motlanthe bowing out 
Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe yesterday turned down the nomination for membership of  the ANC national executive committee after 15 years in senior positions in the party. Motlanthe chose to contest only the party presidency, though the odds were heavily against him.  In the unscheduled speech to the conference delegates, Motlanthe said; "I wish you strength and wisdom in uniting the ANC and it's leagues, the alliance and, most importantly, all South Africans.
He thank Zuma and the other top five leaders for allowing him to speak.  Which is never been done before... how generous of him for saying that with a heart beat of disappointment? ANC spokeperson Jackson Mthembu said that, the party had not been aware of Motlanthe's plan to decline nomination to the NEC " It was between him and the electoral".  Really Mr Mthembu? It seems like everything was planned from the word go...

Less than an hour after his re-election as ANC president was announced, Zuma appealed for unity.  "Once the ANC has spoken we have to look at how we treat one another... It's in the manner in which we interact and conduct ourselves, then begin to address one of the fundamental principles of the ANC, the unity of the ANC; HE SAID. 

SPORTS

South African sportsman and women made us proud around the world and at the London Olympic Games.
Golden Boy: Chad le Clos won Olympic Gold in men 200m butterfly final at the Aquatics Centre, London, in July
Oh  the fanatic Bert le Clos, Chad's dad! He was awesome.
Ring Master: Cameron van Burgh won gold in 100m breaststroke at the Olympics
Four Awesome: James Thompson , Matthew Brittain, John Smith and Sizwe Ndlovu won Gold medals.
Master Stroke: Natalie du Toit also won gold in the 400m freestyle at the Paralympics
The Magnificent one: Oscar Pistorius won gold, silver medals with determination as always in progressive style.

Cricket: South Africa, the Proteas  well played their opponents the "mighty" Australia and remain unbeaten.  A win with the two controversial  draws against Aussie, remain World No1  in rankings.

Australian Captain Michael Clarke was the best player, score unbeaten 200runs double centuries, in separate test match . Named man of the match and of the series.

Former Cyclist Lance Armstrong, was stripped all his tour de France tittles by the US anti-doping agency."Cheeky"  Armstrong resisted to come clean about doping scandal which he won the Tour a record seven times from 1999 to 2005.
International Artist: Lady Gaga, Eve, Ciera, Chris Brown, Anthony Hamilton etc, came to South Africa to blaze, entertain us most importantly fell in love with Our Country !

The  horrific incident that came just before Christmas, in USA: Adam Lanza, who killed 27 people in Connecticut, including his mother and 20 primary school children. A painful thing any parent would not want to go through...

Barack Obama re-elected for the second term, a moment we shall not forget.  Mitt Romney's  dreams were shatterd to run White House.   Leaders must be vigilante and prospective, have the ability to lead engage with people and acknowledge the significance.  We salute leaders who excelled and progressed well in 2012, especially USA President Barack Obama... he's not perfect! 


Sources by Pretoria News and The Times newspapers.


If there is anything I forgot HALA ME: @portianel even here.

WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR .    
 
   

Friday 7 December 2012

SARU resist Transformation

The South African Rugby Union resist change when selecting a National Squad.

"If YOU ARE BLACK AND POOR IT'S NOW HARDER TO BECOME A BOK"

Another indaba, more promises-but transformation is still passed around like a hot rugby ball, writes Liame del Carme.

How long does it take to get noticed? Well you have to engage, make amends, connections with people who are in superior ranks to put you on the Map.  Sound familiar to Politics hey! Well even in sports same things are occurring immensely.  If you are an African, poor , you got less opportunity-chances to make it on top. As for richer ones, they are targeted and used as development figures for transformation.
The Sport Minister Fikile Mbalula say's, we must name and shame those who resist transformation in sport, especially in rugby and cricket.

Cricket South Africa and South African Rugby Union persist on with their tactics, empty promises including development.  A month ago Saru, along with the Department of  Sport, held an indaba.  Transformation, they declared with first thumping authority, would be tackled head-on...nothing happened just another stance.
Transformation is a "slogan" , no one seem to act above the matter.  Yet , they convey cohesion through sports.  The Sports Committee need to work hard in order to change this critical formation, an era which 'degrade' and 'demoralize' other race.

Owen Nkumane, a Springbok in 1998, didn't bite his lips.  "I think they have been bullshitting us for years", said the sceptical  Nkumane.  ''I don't know who they have consulted", about last month's indaba.  "What makes this better than the previous plan? I'm really disappointed in the whole management at Saru.  Where are the black coaches and managers? And what is the SA Rugby Players Association's take on this? They know how black players are treated.  "Teams are simply too white. You can't tell me, almost 20 years after we got democracy, that six , seven, eight black players can't call that transformation," said Hendricks, one of the black players who actually made it on the top, even if only briefly.

'African players got what it takes to achieve greatness'.

Ricky Thomas Ponting Fact File

On the lighter note, we salute the greatest, the magnificent one Ricky Thomas Ponting.  He retired recently after Australia lost against South Africa in a Test Series 1-0 score, top ranking.
Ricky Ponting Factfile: Test Matches 168, Run 13 378, Highest 257, Ave 51.85 and Centuries 41

ODI Matches: 375, Run 13 704, Highest 164, Ave42.03, Cen 30
Twenty20 Internationals: Matches 23,Runs477, Highest98*,Average 23.85

Ricky Thomas Ponting  born : December 19, 1974 (Age 38)
Major Teams: Australia, Tasmania, Somerset
Test Debut: v Sri Lanka, Perth, December  8, 1995
ODI Debut: v SA in Wellington, February 15, 1995
T20  Debut: v New Zealand, Auckland , February 2005

For more information log www.cricketaustralia.com