Comments for Unisa Online - News & media

Comment on Freedom Charter discourse promotes provocative debate by Mbuso Kubheka

Mbuso Kubheka — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:39:00 +0000

The Freedom Charter – All about the people and representative of the aspirations of all.

For me the most striking feature of the Freedom Charter is its people centeredness. Every little statement the Charter makes has to do with the people as a whole as well as individual being. In the final analysis it advocates dignified human existence.

I believe it is in this context that Prof. Raymond Suttner put emphasis on the ‘The People Shall Govern’. It was by no co-incidence that the first words of the Charter are; ‘We, the people of South Africa….’but for me it was a clear demonstration of an intention to establish a democratic state governed by ‘the people’.
That understanding of the Freedom Charter’s philosophical stand point should enjoin us into striving for the establishment of a working participatory democracy.

Where people are directly involved or participate in governing their affairs they take responsibility for the realisation of all that the Freedom Charter contains.

The past (almost) twenty years of our democracy has many examples of how impossible will it be to realise the ideals of the Freedom Charter without ‘the people’ governing. One such example is on the housing front; ‘There shall be houses, security and comfort’ so said ‘the people’ in 1955, then the ‘people’s government’ allocated money for that, millions of houses were built for the people and not by the people. The result of that was shoddy work by the contracted few leaving people with insecure structures and no comfort at all. As we speak today thousands if not millions of those ‘RDP houses’ are being demolished and new houses built. I doubt if this would have happened if ‘the people’ had ample space to govern. There are a number of such examples in other sectors too.

Maybe as our democracy enters its third decade we should introduce a well structured ‘National Civic Education Programme’ as a deliberate effort to build ‘people’s capacity to engage with and influence the system, in the true sense of them being their ‘own liberators’. An open society in practise, as envisaged by the Freedom Charter will also reduce the possibilities fraud and corruption.

Finally I believe that the Unisa Freedom Charter discourse should be taken to local communities so as to raise the conscious of the ordinary folk who should be governing.

Comment on Open University of Mauritius to collaborate with Unisa by Anold Masehela

Anold Masehela — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:28:33 +0000

what a wonderful news i heard today,so my questions is,can a unisa students from polokwane apply there?if yes,am humbly requesting the information.

Regard
MASEHELA M.A MR

Comment on South Africa, the world’s rape capital by Cheryl Wylie

Cheryl Wylie — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 06:49:29 +0000

As a ‘reasonably’ safe woman citizen of South Africa,I am appalled and sickened at the daily reporting of violent actions…rape, beating, disrespect against our women.What sickens me most is that it almost seems to be becoming an acceptable norm like animal abuse, and rhino poaching. Filming these abuses seems to be a thrill of some sick sort to society.These women are people, human beings who are Mothers, Grannies, Daughters, Sisters, Aunts, and belong to families. Who are these perpetrators? Grand dads, Fathers, Sons, Brothers, Uncles, who belong to families. This needs to stop! Stop! Stop! Arrest the perpetrators, make an example of them! lock them up with no bail! Let the law for these violent cases take it’s course speedily and with ‘urgency.’Open up ‘Robin Island Prison” ‘again, just for these criminals who commit violence against women, also for other hardened murderers and drug traffickers. Please help create a safer environment for our country’s future,get these sick minded criminals out of the face of our society. Urgent Action!

Comment on South Africa, the world’s rape capital by Clem Davidson

Clem Davidson — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:53:54 +0000

25 April 2013. Christo Cilliers is quoted in the article above, “Men in general and fathers, specifically, should be aware that their sons learn from them.” Today, less than two months after we were stirred to consider the horror that rape has become in South Africa, the Newspapers trumpet that we are to be allowed to view Pornography on TV.
Who has authorised this ultimate public destruction of the Family? The people who stand to gain financially from this sickening intrusion into our parents right to guide their children’s development, need to be exposed so that we can shame them. The “Authoriser” must be dismissed from his /her job as “a person unfit to manage our Public Broadcasting Authority”.
Let us South Africans stand before the World as Moral and Ethical people, not as a Nation of perverts.

Comment on Freedom Day 2013: Unisa celebrates with Credo and Road to Democracy series by Darren Goodgall

Darren Goodgall — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:31:45 +0000

I’m proud to be a Unisa student!

Comment on Young accountant braves countless challenges by Cruise

Cruise — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:38:05 +0000

You are truly an inspiration.

Comment on Bringing humanity back to police by Phaka MP

Phaka MP — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:34:34 +0000

The management need to change current recruitment method and encourage academic learning and qualifications for candidates before recruitment and enlisment in the police just like in all other disciplines.

Comment on Bringing humanity back to police by George Manyika

George Manyika — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:08:44 +0000

The interesting or rather worrying aspect of this whole article in general and the conference in particular is the total lack of acceptance of the fact that the police force is largely poorly trained and unprepared to do the job they are supposed to do.
There is a clear case indicative of the skills dearth within SAPS and therefore translates into an incompetent force as largely exemplified by the shocking conduct of many officers found on the wrong side of the law.
The media needs to also come to the party by engaging constructively with the force as to elicit informed reports and articles as by and large many articles in the news are clearly meant to create a deep seated hatred and dislike for the men and women in uniform thereby making their already difficult job even harder.police do not operate in a vacuum but are part and parcel of the community and we need to feel that vibe emanating from the officers as well as the captains of the media via responsible journalism.

Comment on Bringing humanity back to police by RIEN PHAKOAGO

RIEN PHAKOAGO — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:49:13 +0000

First of the most part that led the police officer to be brutal is that:According to my understanding when they are wearing their uniforms they forget that they are people like us they think they are wearing “IRON”.Most of police officer they undermine the people living with them,for example in train to Mamelodi there are different kind of organisation and religion but some of police officer undermine the rights of organisation and religion in our trains by making noise.

But at the end will dicided to meet with them after work in pub or tarvens and undermine them,Why?because when they are wearing uniform are property of country.

Comment on South Africa, the world’s rape capital by sibulele

sibulele — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 13:47:36 +0000

i think men around the world do not want to change for the better because women are being raped and killed and some are abused by the people they love so people must show awareness to abuse and rape in South Africa