Poli[tricks]

I suspect that the most busiest person at this stage is politicians trying to campaign / canvas for votes...

I have the priveledge to read the manifesto of the ANC, DA and even EFF and the most interesting thing they all mention is what have done and achieved over the past five years... however I find it alarming why no other politician nor party ever mentioned the hardcore facts!

It is a fact that during the last election campaign many promises were made and break but none ever bothered to mentioned such...

The President recently announced about the schools that was build but he failed to mention:

• the reasons why so many children in particularly rural settings still attend school under a tree and
• why each year of the academic calendar we still fail to deliver books and resources on time and why so many learners
• still have to endure the sound of an empty stomach in a classroom.

He also made mention about the hospitals that were build but yet he failed to provide an explanation as to why:

• existing hospitals is under-staffed and under-resourced
• not having the adequate facilities

The most interesting part of the electoral campaign is that so many parties remind the public about what who done and not... while everyone fail to inform about what happened to their promises of

• fighting unemployment and ensuring that youth is employable
• proper housing and sanitation
• infrastructure improvement
• fight against corruption in the public sector

Clearly if I look at the promises made by the Blue and Yellow parties than I am not certain if any of them is capable of running the country without empty promises. Strangely enough, the name of the party may be different but their failures remain the same.

What amazes me is the fact during election or canvassing time our politicians get more in touch with their voters. This is the time when the same politician who often drive pass an elderly person now suddenly offers a lift; the same politician who cant assist with a domestic problem now suddenly have interest in the wellbeing of the single mother.

Confusing as it may be... one of hear how one party want to lead in one province currently managed by another but my question is, how can wish for more hay on your fork if you can't even managed what you already have.

Politicians is no longer playing the political game for the shake of their voters; or have they ever?  Are they just playing a game of polit-tricks in order to gain that important vote...

Whatever may lay ahead of us in the next months, I trust that each South African will use their vote in order to exercise their right as a citizen but to make that important cross next to the name of the party they believe is the best...

South Africans been held hostage for too long by leaders who claim what they have done neglecting to stand on the podium reminding us where they failed!

... moving from tradition!

As a batchelor I own very few cooking utensils, and my shopping list contain the very basics.  I often rely on take-outs and the more than every "buddy-call" to a burger or pizza. 

What surprises me is that we have norm of to often follow tradition and trends. How often did you stress about what on the Sunday lunch menu... Coloured people for a fact I know believe in their roast chicken, rice, beetroot salad and the more occasional carrot or cabbage stew. Whatever the traditional believe in terms of what to eat and where to eat often make us to comfortable to follow a trend which is often no longer relevant to our needs. 

I observed a few close-buddies... Their preparation for Sunday lunch on a Saturday night, the early Saturday-morning shopping and the KFC or McDonalds on pay day... During the month many shopping at Woolworths using the famous W-Account, when there is a buck or two they rush to Shoprite for a bargain or two and on pay-day their is nothing better than Pick n Pay irrespective of the long queues.

Recently, a friend made a remark saying that she is tired of the menu of a famous steakhouse and that the steakhouse in particular lost their touch when it come to service and preparation of the food; although I may be disagreeing to her to some extend I somehow shared her sentiments... 

Traditional restaurants that use to draw customers in long queues certain lost their touch. The food is no longer finger licken good and the service is can often be compared to something that belong down the drain. 

Strange but true... a week ago, a few friends visited and suggested burgers from the famous finger licken good... took a stroll down Pretorius Street (Pretoria). Handing over my card to pay for the transaction, I receive the notification that the amount was debited... the cashier took my card again with no warning and swipe it - paid twice for one meal. Questioning the cashier about this I am then told that the transaction did not go of on the tills; however confirmation from my bank proved that I paid the amount twice. 

Although the explanation from the cashier was appropriate and acceptable; it came as a shock realising how rude and unprofessional the manager was.

The question though... Do you go back to such service irrespective of the traditional believe that KFC have the best chicken, McDonalds the best burgers and Spur the best steak? Have you ever thought of trying something different, something more challenge, something unique but which add a taste of home...

Now believe me I am no food expert, yes I can cook; I am no professional to determine the calories and fat in a burger, but I can taste when something is good or not...

In Cape Town the most popular place to get flame grilled (braaivleis) surely is Mzoli's; a few others try to get the recipe but Mzoli's certain come out tops... In Pretoria on the other hand, the fastest growing brand seem to be Chesa Nyama in particular the latest addition to the family in Pretorius Street (Pretoria)...

We have some form of tradition in the office where we order from the Centurion branch every Friday. Believe me the service ain't that good but the meat is tasty. I sometimes more than ever have my complaints about the delay in delivering and at more than ever I felt like boycotting the brand but I recently got amazed by the service, effort and speedy and friendly service of the branch at Pretorius and Paul Kruger Streets. Somewhat there is something different about them; that personal touch from the manager that keep following up on your order, the waiter who ensure you leave the restaurant with a smile and that urge in you to have a bigger tummy to digest more meat and burgers.

If you want a burger - theirs is better than Mc D; If you crave a good piece of lamb or steak - you will definitely return for more and if you want chicken, theirs is not only finger lickin good but also "Naymalicious"....

So if I need to compare Chesa Nyama (Pretorius & Paul Kruger) against the traditonal brands, I will certain score them higher than the other...

So two of my buddies and myself decided to put the challenge on us... and to independently rate the service, product and store in general. The task was to order exactly the same product while trying to be served by the exact same waiter / cashier... strange enough, our findings appeared to be the same... The scoring was done out of 5

Brand	Overall Customer Service	Manager Interaction	Food: Quality & Freshness	Store: Cleaniness	Waiter	Referral
KFC	3	1	3	2	3	No
McDonalds	2	2	2	1	2	No
Spur	3	2	3	2	3	Yes
Chesa Nyama (Pretorius)	5	4	5	4	5	Yes

So buddies, if you really up for the challenge, than visit your nearest Chesa Nyama for a Nyamalicious experience. There food is worth the money and it serve in every ones needs from young to old.

That his all from the pen at this stage... I wish the management of the Pretorius Chesa Nyama all the best. I trust they will achieve all the business success and that there business will go from strength to strength... The management set a good example of entrepeneurship in the country but more so they are testimony that no business can function without excellent customer service...

Have a Nyamalicious evening...

Something written a while back...

THE FOLLOWING PIECE WAS WRITTEN A WHILE BACK (2 JUNE 2013). JUST THOUGHT OF SHARING IT WITH YOU:

Good morning,

I hope things are going well that side. When you are blessed like me, one can’t complaint... but to pay honour and to count the blessings. We may not live in a mansion but we have a roof over our head; we may not drive a convertible or a luxury BMW but we have the ability to walk and move from point to point.

How blessed are we this morning that I am still able to write an email to you; how blessed are we that no matter what we may go through each day, God still come and say, My child take my hand and I will lead you to prosperity.

Yes I may have been hijacked a week ago; have lost my laptop, my account been emptied and for the past few days I have been stressing about how I will travel to work, how I will pay my rent and how I will survive throughout the month (those things are material and life is priceless). But then looking back in life; this have not been my first hijacking; it been my 3^rd. Yep, I survived 3 hijackings, 2 accidents and been held hostage once... I had endless episodes of bad health, been in and out of hospitals, operations and whatsoever; but God remained faithful. He protected me and He made sure that I fly from the storm to reach the rainbow.

He promised me in Jeremiah 29:11 that He plan a life of prosperity for me; and keeping that in mind, I can testify that the devil is a liar; my Father is mighty and will never bring harm over me. My Father have yet blessed and woke me up this morning.

More than anything else in this world; I wish to share Numbers 23:19 with you... the scripture itself is a not only a testimony but also a promise that our God is faithful, and like the scripture says: “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfil it?”

My dear friend, if I think of these two powerful scriptures, than I can promise you that Our God is able to do what He promised to do... In Jeremiah 29:11 He made us aware that He plan a life of prosperity for us; while in Numbers 23:19 we receive the calmness in knowing that yes, it may not be now but it forms part of his greater plan to take us and to give us what we want and need... Numbers remind us that our God is no liar, He does not go back on His word and whatever He promised, He will deliver.

Let us not give up hope, let us not dwell on what we don’t have, but let us be reminded of His great love and His ability to carry us through and when we fight some battles, let us call upon Him for help and let us continue to remember Him in our every walk, our every talk and thoughts. Let us free our minds from hate and pain no matter the pain caused by others and when we cry let it be tears of joy knowing that our God is mighty and He will carry us through...

Have a blessed day!

It makes you think...: Greatness beyond fear...

It makes you think...: Greatness beyond fear...: I walked into the office this morning after a few days of sick leave. As I make head way to the office; I bumped into a female colleague wh...

Greatness beyond fear...

I walked into the office this morning after a few days of sick leave. As I make head way to the office; I bumped into a female colleague who suggested a quick meeting…

So, as it is still early I popped in for a quick hello and to catch up on life in general. The strangest thing about the conversation is that this colleague doesn’t know apart of my life – of cause many don’t as I keep a subtle balance between my work and personal life.

Making headway through the conversation she raised the question… “Eduardo why are you scared?”, shock when through my veins as I am uncertain what she refers to, what is the intention of the question and what even made her to ask such thing.

“Scared?”, I could not help asking her with some sense of nervousness in my voices. And as we continue chatting about this and that I realize that the conversation is based on my personal and professional life.

The scariest part is that over the past few years, many people viewed and regarded me as a strong, independent and don’t-give up person. I have tackled and fought battles both from a medical and career perspective and somewhat managed to take the bull by the horn.

The conversation however took me back down memory lane when I was still around 20 years when I first started to work at WC NACOSA with Luann Hatane and Shirley Ilunga and how unexpected I been offered a position elsewhere; without an application and but merely and interview based on what been told about me.

At that point, moving to my second job; it brought a lot of challenges. I risk my permanent job for a 6 month contract position but with the hope to find a permanent position of which I did after my second month of employment.

This then led to some pretty bad challenges; my health went backwards. As a child I never been to a doctor not even for tonsils; there never been any need and suddenly when my permanent position came, I was faced with an emergency operation. It scared the hell out of me… but besides the fear it somehow made me to challenge my Maker in the greatest way. To me, the pain was too unbearable and I could not accept what I had to deal with. I was young, had my eye set on my career. I had plans for my life and saddest was that it all seemed to be ruined.

I remember after being discharged from hospital after the operation, a friend fetch me from the hospital and handed a letter over to me. At that point I have done anything possible to leave Cape Town immediately and to recuperate at home in Beaufort West. I told nobody about my plans and as the bus left Cape Town station I released the medical risk I put myself under.

That letter remained closed until I returned to the office after the 6 week six leave period. The first time I read it, it meant nothing to. It was just another piece of paper with letters on it – meaningless. Every time when I read the letter it end up with papers I planned to threw away; but it keep ending up in a place for me to read.

After my endless battle with God, my many days of “why me Lord…” the letter appear to me again and as usual read it again… this time I am reading and understanding it. This time the scripture Jeremiah 29:11 became clearer and clearer and the revelation of His love could be witnessed in my love.

The very same time when the scripture start to make sense to me; It reminded me how I worked at an organization where I had no benefits; but how God knew the plan for my life. He knew that sooner I will fell ill, I would need medical treatment and need to undergo an operation – something I would not have been able to afford with a NGO salary.

It became clearer that God’s plan was indeed much better than my dream…

Continuing the conversation, each word she spoke reminded me of something in my past; it reflected on the past pains but mostly the fear of the situation I found myself in… but the greatest of all was to be reminded of the courage and trust I developed in my maker. I survived three hijackings, two accidents, been held hostage in my flat and endless bad things – but He stood by me.

FEAR? SCARED? If I take this day as a lesson, I am reminded about my great potential, my gifts and talents but mostly challenged with the fact that I can achieve much more if only I have the COURAGE to do what is in my power…

Deep down my soul lies a gentle heart, a soul that long to do great but mostly a soul that lacks the courage and trust in him to do great. We are trapped in our comfort zones to work for someone… yet we fear our own greatness and too scared of taking up the challenge to be what we destined to be.

I am not who I am because of my inability; but rather because of my fear to stood above the rest…

Let the sun set on 2013 with the commitment to take on any challenge in 2014… And may we all enter the year FEARLESSLY!

Wednesday 11 December 2013

I woke up early with the buzzing sounds of military helicopters over the roof of my Pretoria CBD flat. Opening the windows I heard the sounds of joyous people with a sense of mourning and celebration.

Getting ready for work, all what is in my mind is whether I should not just stay home and join in on the activities...

Wednesday 11 December 2013 will remain a remarkable day... A day when I saw how history unfold infront of a young South African man who does not have much knowledge of apartheid but who have read and been told about it... Yes this day mark the first day for the public to view Tat Madiba's "body laying in state"...

What a remarkable morning... Local and International Journalists all over the streets of Pretoria, while every single person try to be caught on camera.

But as I walk through the people; a few things went unnoticed... The sense of ubuntu, the spirit of unity and reconcillation... The dream of being together just as Tata has fought for....

Yes I do not know much about apartheid, and what I do know is that what been told to me through history books, articles, etc. I do not know where Mandela's death will lead us but I can be for sure that I we continue with the spirit in which we celebrate his life, then certainly we can reach milestones as a nation and continent.

The early morning spirit of the people brought some joy to my heart and it immediate made me to rethink back of South Africa a few years ago...

1. I thought of how many South Africans fought against foreigners in our townships but as I dwell in my own foughts, I could not help to witness how a foreigner is hugged by a local. To me that brought a sense of reconciliation.

2. I dwell further in my mind and could not help how we at times discrimante against homeless people but was granted the opportunity to witness how a "black suit" reach his pocket and hand money to the homeless. That is the sense of true Ubuntu

3. My mind immediately told me how nice it will be when people do not judge me on my race but will include me based on what I stand for and who I am. A son of Africa... and this thought made me to realise how different nationalities appear on one picture... That definitely is Unity...

Reflecting on the events over the past week since the official announcement, I can not help be reminded that Tata stood for Ubuntu, Reconciliation, Unity and so many other things... and that it now our time to just our bit of what he stood for to keep the legacy alive.

South Africans, the world has seen us uniting in 2010... They once again witnessed how death brought us closer and how we irrespective of our racial and other differences we can still stand united.

Let us not fall apart after his funeral... but let us use his legacy to continue doing the most simplest thing he did: TOLERANCE!

Are we safe...

On 19 November we will yet again celebrate International Men's Day... Yes not many is aware of these celebrations and unlike International (or South African) Women's Day, it does not get the neccessary media attention.

The 2013 is "Keeping our boys and men safe". And since the beginning of this year when writing concepts and proposals to business and government; I could not help to wonder are we equally in our power doing enough to keep our boys and men safe.

We were raised with the idea and mentality that men and boys don't cry; and while we believed in that, we neglected to understand that we too have feelings, emotions and often we too go through hardships and pain.

Yes generally and traditionally we regarded as the head of a house, the breadwinners and often the role model for the fatherless child in our community, but how can become that if we neglect and if we ignore our own self.

I was raised in a small town called Beaufort West in the Karoo (Western Cape) and through experience and observation, about 80% of households is often run by women... Single headed households if one may put it that way... What happened to the men, the fathers, the brothers and the uncles... And with no doubt many women did a good job.

But in essence getting back to the now... I am of the opinion that our men and boys are not well looked after nor cared for. This may be based on our perception that men need to be strong, but has it ever crossed your mind that it often our boys who fall victim of illegal activities?

Has it ever crossed your mind that drug lords often prey on your boys doing their business, that it often young boys who fill the juvenile centres and that it often our young men and boys who often in the lead and fell victim of criminal and illegal activities.

The question is still, what do we do to keep our men and boys safe. We have seen a tremendous increase in drug abuse amongst young boys... the increase in domestic voilence and unemployment and even lately the increase in suicide. So if we continue to believe that "big boys don't cry", are we not indirectly saying that men and boys don't have feelings and is it not maybe time to listen to their voice.

Madame, your 16 year old daughter was made pregnant by a boy who didn't understand what sex mean. That neighbour who lost her husband, committed suicide because he felt trapped in his own emotions and skin, that pastor's son who is in a juvenile centre committed that crime because he was judged for being out of line... and believe me Mr Police Officer, that boy selling drugs is doing it because he does not fit in at home.

With all the examples and experiences faced in communities, I suppose it is high time to focus on the wellbeing of not only our women but also our men in society. That men who ended in a hospital bed last night, was protecting your daughter from the evils of society and more so protected her from being a possible rape victim...

Truthfully speaking, we often warn our female counterparts about dark corners, about walking alone and to be careful of not attracting wrong peers; but when last have you ever told your son that...

The theme for 2013 surely is one of most importance in that it not only focussing on the men as partners in communities and business but it seek to:

• Keeping Men and Boys safe by tackling male suicide
• Keeping boys safe so they can become tomorrow's role models
• Tackling our tolerance of violence against men and boys
• Boosting men's life expectancy by keeping men and boys safe from avoidable illness and death
• Keeping men and boys safe by promoting fathers and male role models

South Africa, we in need of positive male role models not to only curb drug abuse and usage in our communities but also to fight crime and to ensure that one enjoy a safe environment. Let us help fight the evils and let us stand together in keeping each other safe.

Show your support on International Men's Day and let us strive towards UBUNTU!

http://www.mensday.ws/en/theme.php