Ow man, a pretty lazy week last week I must admit, in terms of writing. Shoot its getting pretty cold on the Highveld I tell ya, nights are lonely and the days are so sad…joookes

Trust you are all superbly well. Been loving the football fever in the country, particularly up here in Jhb, CT I must say was a bit pap, but what to do ey. Pity about our 7 african teams and their rubbish performances. Saddest of all being Nigeria and Cameroon, they were in groups they should have gotten out of, but alas story of our continent isn’t it?!!

Speaking of which, how useless are we on this continent? BP spills oil in the USA and 20billion or so is set aside for starters to clean up etc. I wonder how many such spills/accidents have taken place on this our continent…a palm or 2 greased here and there and poof…oil spill what oil spill. It got me thinking about something. Here in SA we have been thinking, what’s this Julius guy shooting his mouth off about nationalization of the mines. I was one of those saying guy, please hush little baby don’t u cry. But then I got to thinking, look at this continent… and before I go on let me add that I have not done any research into the failure or success of nationalization of national resources.

So lets look at this continent. I cant say I have travelled extensively on this continent, shame on me, but I think it would not be misplaced for me to say that the state of this continent is dire, to say the least and its not due to the lack of resources, because resources we have aplenty! Both in people and natural minerals. Lets see,
Oil - Nigeria, Guinea, Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Gabon to name but a few.
Gold – South Africa, Ghana, congo, Gabon, etc.
Iron – Botswana, South Africa
Copper – Zambia, Congo
And the list goes on…but look at the continent sub-sahara, the majority of its inhabitants live on less than $1 or so a day. Come now how can that be? When the price of platinum > $1500, gold is over $1000/ounce and Oil at over $70. Yeah I know most of this is of our own doing, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t change.

Before I go on, I am not saying that nationalisation is the way forward because we have all dealt with organs of the state and man, they are more frustrating than watching African teams in this years soccer world cup. Other than maybe China, I am not sure which nation has got that right. But then again, China is a special animal, in that service and I guess pride in their work is part of who they are (but once again, its me speaking from the sidelines). But this was thought and we too can learn this on this continent

Mining definitely does drive a country’s economy on many fronts, it provides jobs for many, generates taxes for governments, has many spin offs into other industries and its integral in countries flourishing in a way. But let me look at a miner. Lets say an 18 year old or however old. Comes to a mine not much of an education and learns the trade of a mine. The mines resources run out and his job is done, what is his future? He goes back to not a mansion in Sandhurst or a villa in Camps bay, but perhaps a little shack in the sticks where there is no running water, electricity perhaps no ablution facilities either. All he has on his CV is I know how to dig holes. Lets look at the spin offs of that. He has 3 or 4 children. His wife is more than likely not a heavy hitter regarding income neither, so food problem, kids education…problem, healthcare…problem, and the domino effect is endless.

On the other hand right lets take at a push the top end of the company even if we say 15 – 30 people at a push, they run these companies and they most definitely run them well. But them and their families live the rockstar lives, homes in Sandhurst, Camps Bay and Knysna and for each of the 2 kids who are at Saints and St Mary’s life is peachy. There are other foreign investors who are invested in these company’s who benefit greatly too. Now I am not saying that this is wrong and this is huge dramatization, but just so we understand the extreme polarization that leads to people like Julius saying that mines should be nationalized. Trust you me its not just talk, because something will have to change. From what I have read the mining charter is still so far behind in relation to the Mining BEE charter set out and agreed upon a few years ago.

I don’t think I know enough about this topic to get into an in depth discussion about, but as a lay man sitting on the sidelines, I can definitely see that there is a huuuge disconnect, shoot I like that word. This disconnect, used it again, will result in disharmony and a ‘paradigm shift’ is inevitable one way or another. But to me it is pretty simple, but then again that’s cos I aint making all that money. But how hard is it to set aside a portion of your billions in profit and reinvesting it in the country in which you are generating this wealth, because at the end of the day when you deplete all the resources all that is left is a big hole and poof like Casper, you are nowhere to be seen! Shee, if I was a president of a country and your company was making plenty moolah out of the resources you are taking out of the ground. I would definitely want to keep you mining because you win…we win, but I would want a lasting legacy. Ie for every X’000 ounces/barrels you extract, $Y has to be re invested in schools, hospitals and roads in certain communities. A lot of people would argue in developed countries this would work, but not in Africa, these same people said Africa could not host a World Cup.

I don’t know man, I really don’t believe its that hard and maybe some of these mines are doing this but I have no idea about it. Anyway my rant for today, let me try get some shut eye before I go watch the Black Stars play for the first time ever tomorrow.

Birthdays
20th Jake, Kgashane, Gareth and Belindas little baby girl…yay for them
21st Hamish
22nd Cader, Zul, Simmy
23rd Pete
24th Gretchen

And that’s me, maximum respect to you all as always!