Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Does he fit to Govern? Let the Populace decides

Fit to Govern: the Native Intelligence of Thabo Mbeki, by Ronald Suresh Roberts has been launched at the 2nd annual Cape Town Book Fair. Since, critics still rise against this Roberts’ work.
We have done in a short time for poor people in this country more than Hugo Chavez in Venezuela….if we don’t see it is because the publishing world want to tell us what to believe”, says Ronald S. Roberts.

During “Interface” a Sunday 19:30 SABC discussion-program, Mr. Roberts explained himself. Is this a tool for Mbeki electoral agenda; I don’t know. But I think it is questionable to see how publishers and newspapers’ editors are vigorously telling us that this book doesn’t deserve credit from public. Who gave press practitioners mandate to decide for everyone? By saying that Roberts covers more on Mbeki’s policy on HIV and ZIM instead of discussing also about the economy… isn’t that an attempt in censoring by defining the content? What about freedom of expression?
Personally, I don’t see any problem if Mbeki should find some good singers among his friends and try to fight back criticisms because even the publishing world plays drum sometimes for some hidden forces. Democracy means also that no one should dictate what to believe in.
As we are at the task of writing a book with my friends on what we have learnt out the work place training, I realise more and more how the press business worldwide is conservative. Neologism is not welcomed. I wish we stand steady once our idea is inevitably exposed to what I can call a “Professional Red-pen treatment”.

5 comments:

Ijeoma Uche-Okeke said...

Helo Adam, interesting post. My question though is has the press not always been influential in the direction public opinion takes? In this age of media overload and lazy intellect, most people would prefer to take what they read at face level. It will always remain a primary tool for 'African democracy'. Praise singing afterall is part of African culture so why not put it to good use? There are too many issues to address and perhaps Mbeki is dealing with what he knows he can at least finish before he has to take a bow. Surprising to me was the claim by the minister (in charge of police affairs etc) that crime would not affect the 2010 world cup. Is he living in another world? Obviously he's not paying close attention to the bad publicity crime and violence are giving SA. More shocking he presented the rising statistics! Incredible!!

Bruce said...

In a world driven by information it will be helpful for one to be able to distinguish facts from propaganda. During the Hefer Commission, Mo Shaik (a former ANC intelligence agent), said in the world of intelligence before information can be intelligence it has to processed. So do not believe everything you read in the media. Apply your mind.

Thomas Michael Blaser said...

You need to distinguish criticism from threats to freedom of expression. As a matter of fact, Mr. Roberts has sued people who wrote negatively about him. So it is rather him who is a threat to freedom of expression than he being a victim.

Unknown said...

I am quite baffled by how MR. Suresh Roberts had been treated so far in the South African media. I Still recall the furore caused by the wrangle between him and Mrs.Nadine Gordimer when she did not wanted MR. Roberts to be the publisher of her auot- biography. How about him and John Matshikiza?

I also think that the debates should not only be centered around the Mbekis and Zumas of this world. The debate should rather be about the track record of the ANC itself, the guiding policies of the organisation and stuff like that.I think ritght now we should be previewing the impending ANC policy conference in December.

Susan Mwangi said...

Given, we all love to hate the media… and with good reason (for the most part). Anyone who takes the time to write or put their ideas out there, more often than not, has a motive or an agenda they are peddling.

So, dear readers, it would serve us well to read the two texts simultaneously – the human text and the hard copy. There is no such thing as an objective text. As Bruce says, the reader owes it to himself to apply his mind.