Marikana massacre - a Public relations mess for both the SAPS and Lonmin mine




"SHOOT TO KILL": Members of the SAPS watch as Lonmin platinum mine workers lie breathless and defenceless on the ground after being shot like useless animals by police officers during their strike against minimal wages.
Photo adapted from:  bolekaja.wordpress.com

There are so many things to be said about the tragic Marikana massacre whereby at least 34 people were shot dead and 80 more injured when police opened fire on striking workers at a platinum mine in Marikana, in the North West province of South Africa last Thursday [August 16].

One thing I'd like to discuss is the Public relations mess in which the SAPS and Lonmin mine find themselves in. PRPs have to get to work and clean up this mess!

The SAPS's reputation has gone from neutral to negative!

We all know that the SAPS still has a lot of issues to address in order to be perceived in a good way by the public, challenges facing the SAPS at the moment include amongst others:

• The brutality of police officers;
• The negativity caused by former National Police Commissioner Mr Bheki Cele's corrupt activities;
• The newly appointed National Commissioner with no police experience (Mrs Riah Phiyega)

On top of all this - the Marikana massacre has just made matters worse for the image of police. Now the PRPs will have to put measures in place to restore the dignity and good image of the SAPS and also to change the negative perceptions and attitutes held by the publics!

Lonmin Platinum Mine is losing millions and it's certainly on the verge of losing investors because of greed!

Lonmin makes billions of rands every year and they achieve that through hardworking, poor and unhappy miners. This is greed! How could I give my worker as little as R4000 monthly while I make millions through their hard labour?

Lonmin also has to work very hard to restore their desired image. Failure to do so will see investors pulling out because of this incident. Who wants to do business with a company that treats it's employees like garbage?

A public relations lesson to be learned from the Lonmin Massacre:

• The SAPS took their time to address the brutality of police officers, it got worse and resulted in the Marikana massacre.
•  PRPs always need to be proactive towards any issue arising in their organisations rather than having to be reactive at a later stage.
• Lonmin turned a blind eye on the needs of their starving miners who then took matters into their own hands.

Read more on the Marikana Massacre from: Mail & Guardian 

Bobby Motaung's arrest could have a negative impact on the Kaizer Chiefs brand

Kaizer Chiefs' Bobby Motaung arriving in Nelspruit  (picture from Twitter)

It's not only politicians who're giving us this corruption! 

The arrest of Kaizer Chiefs' caretaker Bobby Motaung can only prove one thing - that corruption is not only amongst government officials! I've always thought that the private sector was so innocent when it comes to all the activities of corruption we always hear about by our local politicians. It looks like I was very wrong!

When the news about the arrest of Booby Motaung hit my ears, it was really an element of surprise. Motaung was arrested by the Hawks on Wednesday on charges of fraud - it has been reported that Motaung was arrested in connection with alleged tender fraud and corruption related to Mpumalanga’s R1.2-billion Mbombela Stadium.

Motaung is a director of Lefika Emerging Equity (Pty) Ltd, which won a tender to design the stadium. The construction of the stadium has been fraught with allegations of fraud and corruption that might have led to the assassination of former Mbombela council speaker Jimmy Mohlala.

From a PRP's desk, Motaung's arrest could have a negative impact on the Kaizer Chiefs brand!

It now seems like Motaung's arrest has something to do with the death of former Mbombela council speaker Jimmy Mohlala, but we can only wait for the trial to commence. If this turns out to be true, Amakhosi might find themselves losing a lot of support from the Nelspruit side.

I would personally not be happy to support Kaizer Chiefs especially when they play at Mbombela Stadium knowing that the Stadium was build on dirty money and blood. Kaizer Chiefs now has to work extra hard to ensure that they don't lose supporters following this unforeseen and unfortunate incident otherwise the reputation might go down the drain!

National Women's Day recognises only women in the ANC

South Africans celebrate Women's Day 2012 - Pretoria.
Photo by: demotix.com

Women's Day is supposed to be for all women in Mzansi

The national women's day is supposed to be the day whereby all women, from all over the country are recognised as people who have had a very significant role in the liberation of South Africa. I was very disturbed to learn that there are women living in SA today without proper houses, no jobs or benefits whatsoever.

Forced into the army at childhood against apartheid - but it was all for nothing!

These are not just ordinary women, they are women who had to leave SA to become soldiers in exile. Some of these women left the country at a very early stage of their lives, some as young as 14 years old. Today these women are living in shacks, they're jobless and are not recognised by the ANC led government as what one would call freedom fighters because they were never members of the ANC.

PAC:
 one of the political parties which
 played a significant
 role in the liberation of SA,
 today very little is said about them.

This is quite disturbing for me. Why is it that only women who are associated with the ANC get recognition for the fight against the apartheid regime? We constantly see and hear about women such as Winnie Madikizela Mandela, Charlotte Maxege, Adelaide Tambo and others. But what about women who belong to other political parties who also fought for liberation? Don't they deserve to be applauded for their efforts?

Where are women from other political parties who also fought tirelessly for this freedom? 

Have we been led to believe that women in the ANC Women's League are the only ones who marched to the Union Buildings to fight for our rights and therefore those who are members of the ANC will not be recognised by the government or have streets, museums and hospitals be named after them.

”Team SA” is “too white”: white South African Athletes' success at the London Olympics 2012 becomes a racial issue and negative publicity for SA

South Africa's positive image during the 2010 FIFA World Cup Tournament VS London olympics 2012

EARLY TRIP BACK HOME FOR BANYANA BANYANA : 

SA national women football team failed to progress

to the finals of the London Olympics 2012

In 2010 South Africans were all united behind the national football team (Bafana Bafana) during the 2010 FIFA World Cup Tournament. We projected a very positve image to the rest of the world.



The spirit of 'Ubuntu' reigned among us, for a few weeks we lived in what seemed like a non racial South Africa — free from racial prejudice. Our hearts were all  in delight as we were the host nation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Tournament.



A very positive and appealing image of South Africa was showcased. I personally felt like I was beggining to enjoy living in the kind of South Africa which the great Nelson Mandela had always stood up for.



Happiness, glitter and glamour could best describe the feeling which I possessed during the 2010 FIFA World Cup Tournament. Some moments of the South African 2010 FIFA World Cup Tournament appear to have all been a distortion of reality.

Just two years later, the real image of South Africa is resurfacing

The London Olympics 2012 are currently underway. Two white South African  athletes have scooped gold medals: two in swimming and one in rowing won by the South Africa four -- James Thompson, Matthew Brittain, John Smith and Sizwe Ndlovu. It's been about two years since the 2010 FIFA world the 18 year old democratic South Africa's real problems or should I say challenges are now resurfacing.

WHITE, JOYOUS AND PROUD:
Cameron van den Burgh won a gold medal in
 swimming at the London Olympics 2012

Cameron van den Burgh and Chad Le Clos' success for having won gold medals at the Olympic games in London, has raised complaints that ”Team SA” is “too white”. the sight of two young white men winning gold medals have not been good news for all South Africans.

Is it plain jealousy or is there a deep issue about few blacks in TeamSA at the London olympics 2012?

Sapa reports that expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema has defended the racial make-up of the SA Olympic team after suggestions that it was too white. When questioned about lack of black people in TeamSA at the London Olympics 2012. Malema said the team members were chosen because they were qualified.

“We think that we’re a non-racial country and all South Africans who have qualified to make Team SA should carry the flag proudly, and we support them,” he said.

Clearly, there is a crisis here but what is it going to take for South Africa to get through the profound issue of racism? When are going to stop blaming things on skin colour?  Are we ever going to live in real unity without soccer "uniting" us?