It was like a scene from the ‘Walking Dead’ TV series – incomprehensible grunts from a mob hell-bent on madness
“We Are Marching To Pretoria” is a popular old South African folk song. Many of senior years could today still sing it being well versed with both the lyrics and the tune. However, ask these same people what this song means – that is, who and why people were once “marching” to Pretoria – they are clueless.
Some trace it back to an Anglo Boer War (1899 -1902) melody but few factually know!
Fast-forward to the present, most could also be excused for not knowing why people marched on the 2nd November on the Israeli Embassy in Pretoria. Or maybe many did know which explains why so few pitched up. Organized by the EFF (Economic Freedom Fighters) and supported by BDS and the usual suspects of Israel bashers to protest the centenary of the Balfour Declaration of 1917, some 700 arrived on the scene. This was an embarrassingly low number from the 2000 plus that was expected.
While Jews celebrated the Balfour Declaration, most people around the world could not even tell whether “Balfour” related to a person or place. The “Balfour Declaration was little more than a letter – short in word but immense in impact – written by then British Foreign Secretary, Arthur Balfour announcing in 1917 for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine.
Close to the Madding Crowd
Seeing Red. Malema addressing his supporters outside the Israeli Embassy in Pretoria.
Sporting the crimson uniform and military beret, Julius Malema, the leader of the EFF, fulminated incomprehensibly into the microphone, making little sense.
Between spewing venom upon Israel – only discerned from occasionally hearing its mention in his harangue – his vitriol would quite suddenly change ‘lanes’ to “We are going to liberate our highways and freeways from white racists.”
And this crimson peacock has pretentions for national leadership!
Which only goes to show how low under President Zuma the leadership bar has sunk!
For a country so rich in talent, it is so sad that in the post-Mandela era that the most inept – albeit devilish, devious, and dangerous – gravitate to politics.
As one astute South African observer noted: “Leadership in South Africa today is less about serving the people and more about serving oneself.”
Was the EFF Pretoria protest against Israelis, Jews or white South Africans – or all?
Who knows, and who even amongst his Zombie like “Walking Dead’ supporters even cared. It was a fully-payed outing to Pretoria.
I refer to these protesters as “Zombies” with good authority. In my recent article “Clueless in Joburg – a close encounter with BDS reveals ignorance”, I interviewed a retired lawyer and graduate of a South African university, Charles Abelsohn relating to his brief encounter earlier in 2017 with BDS at a conference of the South African Municipal Workers Union at the Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre in Johannesburg.
Approaching the three men manning the BDS booth, Abelsohn enquired, “What is this BDS all about?”
“It’s about bad people,” one replied.
Hardly a reply reflecting any depth or understanding, Abelsohn persisted.
“Who are these bad people?” he probed “and what exactly do they do?”
This was met with sheepish grins and raised eyebrows.
Not only were they clueless but also speechless.
He prodded them further with: “And where do these ‘bad’ things happen?”
One of the three ventured forth into totally unknown terrain, muttering:
“In Israel.”
When asking “Do you know where Israel is?”, the vacuous facial expressions revealed all.
If history was baffling to these BDS morons, so was the geography!
Embarrassed, one of the ‘Three Wise Men’ walked off to “fetch the boss who can explain.”
As with so much about South Africa, it is a case of ‘leave it to the boss’ – and looks where that leads!
It’s All Junk!
Back to the Israeli Embassy in Pretoria, other pearls of wisdom, included “Israel was not the Israel of the bible”! This was from EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.
Do the party ‘bosses’ understand what they are talking about? If verbal junk is all that is blaring to their protesting fan base, is there any surprise that South Africa’s credit rating finds itself in the same position – junk status!
Who can have confidence in a country where people “march” behind such pretentious leaders – whether to Pretoria or more assuredly – over the abyss!
Christian Zionists, numbering three times the number of EFF supporters, were obstructed from getting close to the Israeli Embassy grounds in support of Israel.
And if they did enjoy such confidence in their cause and subscribe to the spirit of “freedom” as sandwiched between the ‘E’ and the second ‘F’ in their abbreviated EFF (Economic Freedom Fighters), why physically prevent others attending in support of Israel. Reports reveal that Christian Zionists, numbering three times the number of EFF supporters, over 2500, were obstructed from getting close to the Israeli Embassy grounds in support of Israel.
Are the leaders of the EFF and BDS – that called for complete boycotts and a breaking off ties with the Jewish State – afraid of people discovering the truth?
Is this the freedom that Mandela fought for and “an ideal for which I am prepared to die for”? (Rivonia Trial, 1964)
Beyond Absurd
As Ben Swartz, Chairman of the SAZF in Johannesburg expressed in a press release, “Today’s protest march by the EFF on the Israeli embassy in Pretoria is beyond absurd. South Africa is in the midst of seemingly insurmountable challenges, and yet the EFF elects to spend time, capital and resources pursuing a highly emotive and polarizing issue.”
The planning and funding of the EFF protest, says Swartz, reveals “the political agenda which the EFF is supporting, namely – the demise of the State of Israel.”
Worse, it is bad for South Africa.
“By attempting to destroy the relationship with Israel, South Africa and its people stand to lose the most. Time and time again, Israel has offered to cooperate across many vital sectors, including water, technology, agriculture and cyber security.”
Clearly, says Swartz, “the State of Israel is here to stay.”
Can’t say the same about South Africa if ‘Malema and co’ are the standard bearers of the South Africa of tomorrow.
It is time to have credible leaders who will lead marches promoting peace and cooperation.
