REAL WINNERS AND LOSERS OF MINE STRIKES



Mine workers from Lonmin Mine



Back home in the Eastern Cape or Kingdom of Lesotho and all other places were the mine workers come from, is a mother worried about were the next meal will come from for her and her children as their sole breadwinner was one of the mine workers who passed away. Also on the other side of the fence a woman has lost her husband and the children lost their father who was a good police officer. She knew a day like this may come were she would get phone call to be told her husband and father of her kids is no more. Clearly you can get a sense these two parties on opposite ends are not the winners in the topic at hand. I asked myself, “Are they any other losers?” I had forgotten all about the South African economy, were most of us are tax payers! South Africa is a loser in this because our international image and credibility as a stable economy for outside business companies to do trade exchange with. We have taken quite a knock if I can speak plainly. The international media and world sees as a risky African country to do business in, as our future is uncertain and unclear to the masses.

The mine workers union also took a nose dive in terms of popularity measures in the eyes of the people they are meant to serve and protect.

So you may ask “who are the winners? “  I would respond by saying, “can there ever be winners in a dispute? The only winners I can note down are individual people or groups who stand to gain a lot out of the saga our country is currently facing. Let us think for other people who are suffering more than us and as a collective we must also protect the rights they do not even know they have and protect our countries image .in doing so our future will remain prosperous for the benefit of our children.

YET ANOTHER BLUNDER

Woolworths. Photo by Simphiwe Mbokazi

 

 



The brand of Woolworths is slowly being associated with constant blunders in terms of how their image is being publicly perceived. How could a company so right get it so wrong once again one may ask! My view is perhaps the internal communications at Woolworths has a breakage somewhere. Employees and managers need to get back to being on the same page regarding issues and company policies. When mistakes happen, what will happen normally is that a correction and plans are made to avoid any further related mistakes. What I saw with the recent news doing the round in local newspapers is that the company has lost the plot somewhere.

Something so small was made into a big issue. I can only see one reason for this! Mismanagement of information. A chain reaction was created and released which represent the normal communication circle were the sender sends a message and receiver receives that particular message. In this instant the message was distorted and lost in translation. I am not saying mistakes do not happen but I am saying mistakes do happen and as communications practitioners we learn from them and move on.

Contingencies on how to handle the distorted messages should be always in place. But as we have observed sometimes those measures put in place may not be enough. Woolworths tried doing damage control online through their website and twitter account, to little effect. Sometimes the public’s view is so passionate and mis-directed at the wrong issues which plagues the topic at hand that no change will be done .it is more like a couple fighting always about the same old issue. We can all agree that it is tiring to go around in circles about communication failure and breakdown between Woolworths and its loyal and once loyal customers.

WHAT EVER HAPPEND TO RUBBER BULLETS

Everywhere I look and turn I see newspapers and television and even world headlines about the horrific Marikana massacre. I asked myself why was there no initial impulse to react in protest of the senseless killings witnessed in the North West province of South Africa. Through the media “updated news” or changing story as I call it keeps filtering in day by day. Some say 34 mine workers were killed, while others another number claiming the figure is wrong.

So when I heard that a bus full of mine workers who survived ,my curiosity got the better of me to go and hear the story from non-other than the men and women who were present on the day. The sound that echoed from many people was that the story delivered by the media was incomplete.

The minors retold their stories and their simple and broken English but were understood by all that their voices had pain written on them. For me it’s the first time in a democratic South Africa that I see the police kill so many men who were striking to defend what rightfully belongs to them. As Professor Peter Alexandra introduced the minors at a University of Johannesburg conference hall, one could hear cheering sounds that are normally reserved for heroes.

(Picture source: My camera phone)

One Xhosa speaking elderly woman stood up to speak, she introduced herself and told everyone in the room that a young minor who was staying with her has disappeared. It then came to mind for me that these minors were from different far away areas, with some coming from Lesotho and Eastern Cape Province. The role of the police is to serve and protect. I wonder if they were to visit the poor families of those breadwinners shot to death what will they tell the widows of those miners and their family who were they protecting when they used real bullets instead or rubber bullets or pressure water. Minors say their union has failed them dismally. The news television which stood out was the Al Jazeera news. Their news content is raw and shows you what actually happened.

Support came from far and across the world as far as Dublin, Namibia and Australia. Their message was that of peace and human rights. Moving forward I do not think as a country and as a nation we will ever be the same again. Does it really need a lot of people to die like senseless beings before we wake up as a nation to stop killing of one another.

Even Mandla Mandela's private affairs requires a spokesperson.

Mandla Mandela and his French bride, Anais Grimaud
(source : www.iol.co.za )

Comments such as ''She's French, what do you expect?" and "Family gatherings must get a little tense." were the order of the day on the Daily Mail online newspaper article. What was the whole fuss about? The humiliation of a love triangle scandal involving Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela and his French bride Anais Grimaud.

I was first surprised that the first time I read about this was from an overseas article about the affairs of my own backyard. I quickly remembered the difference in approach and delivery African newspapers have in comparison to the rest of the world. Locally I know such issues are respected and treated as a private family matter which has no place in the public domain. Even if a particular individual is a well-known public figure, culture and tradition of respecting another man’s private affairs takes precedence over the sale of a publicly intriguing story.

As I observe article after article including this latest one I cannot stop asking myself whether the family has a spokesperson at their disposal. Such private issues in the public domain require the skill of a public relations practitioner (PRP). Mandla Mandela shouldn’t be troubled with communicating with the media when a family spokesperson should be made available to deal with all matters and enquiries by the press. Mandla Mandela’s wife is alleged to have had a child not by her husband but by her husband’s brother!

Nelson Mandela and grandson, Mandla Mandela
(source: www.oryxmedia.co.za)

True or not that is beside the point. The issue remains question whether Mandla Mandela public image is treated with fairness by the Media.is his voice being projected the way he wants when challenged by printed stories. Having a PRP in a way levels out the battle field in order for all parties to have a voice. I for one would be shocked beyond words if indeed Mandla Mandela has a spokesperson.if so ,then I urge that particular individual to communicate using all the relevenat resources available to him\her in order for us to hear the voice that with dim out the intensity of this fire of a scandal.

Women's Day Disables Women

Women standing together for a common course at the union building on the 9th August 1956

Looking at the picture above even as a man, I feel proud and honoured to know that our country had and still has some courageous women. Celebration of National Women's Day for me feels like it is inspired by the International Women's Day. The local special day has a more personal feel for women who were present on the day were South African women marched to the Union buildings in unity for a common course/believe. For such organised acts and standing for what they believe in proves to me an organisation or federation was found were women can as a collective stand tall for what they believe in.

 As women of today reflect and celebrate the "special day", in my ear there seems to be a voice which echoes from a lot of different women:

• "Today is my special day I am not cooking, you man must cook for us"
• "You forgot to wish me happy women's day"
• "This is a day for all women to feel special"

One can clearly observe the word women shares same platform as the word 'special' in many phrases. My question is, do you not think associating women with words such as "special" renders them disabled in a way? I believe it does, even though that was not the initial objective for when days were set aside to remember and honour women all over the world.

 I also have to state that by no means is this blog about the battle of the sexes as some may think. It is about magnifying the unintended meaning Women's Day presently carries along with other meanings and views every individual has. "Men do not understand", a reply I get when I verbalise the issue and voice my concerns about what the future role of continuous celebration for women on a particular day  have on little girls when they too grow up to become women. I hate to think the same issues that plague women today in society will still recycle themselves in the unbreakable circle chain of human ignorance.

 Women rights groups will therefore agree with me when I say women equality in a society full of male dominance is an objective! Again these possess a few questions as to the type of equality which is desired? Would that mean equality with special conditions? Or are we offering that a special day be set aside also to celebrate Man Day?

 On the other side of the spectrum I have personally observed and researched the drastic changes noticeable in the way women today are treated, which is totally different to women of yesterday. Do we credit the endless struggle and fight for women's rights for this achievement of were women are today? And at what price has the battle for equality are women currently paying for?



Picture mocking Women's Day which has gone viral on the social media



The picture above was send to people and forwarded by same people with the intention of appealing to the humorous side of both men and women. My thought are that the initiator of the picture did not think twice about the implications a simple photo will have on years of struggle and fight for women equality it would have on society. It makes one wonder what triggers this type of insensitive humour. This results in more questions than answers at some instances. As I conclude I am reminded of a phrase which says "inside every joke there is truth". To me every day is women's day and no special day needs to be set aside to remind me about just how important and vital are the women of the world are. Nor do any women need a day to celebrate what must be a daily thing.

Related blog : http://overberginfo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=798:2007-womens-day

Youtube video of Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga

Whats in a book?

Is it words only or is it knowledge I ask myself! in Limpopo textbooks are not a neccesity nor are they an immidiate need! why do schools,principals only cry mid year that they do not have material that shapes a childs mind?

What is in a book for me is : Empowerment

                                           Dreams

                                          

                                           Literacy

                                          Independence

The Basic Education Minister cannot take full blame for the embarrassing saga that has plagued the Limpopo province for more than six months. I grow up knowing that in January when schools open I would receive all the relevant study materials I would need for the rest of the year! Has procedure changed since my last day at school? I doubt it! But I sense a culture of relaxation has infiltrated the broader education system. Why do I say so? It is human nature to believe when people take responsibility for their own actions they would not point fingers at one individual for being at fault for all that has happened. Our Minister did not fail the schools, the system did. I am not about sides, but I am on the side of perspective.

Our dear Minister Agie Motshekga is only at fault for one thing, and that is her cunning ability to stand firm for what she believes in within her confidence as a woman and as a leader! We all know that human behavior that seems to project a certain high level of confidence other people can mistake that for being too pompous or arrogance. Many people like me at first can misjudge this character in the Minister as a blind fold over her eyes from seeing the truth and absolute truth about the matter at hand. I would love to challenge the Basic Education ministry public relations and communications team to better project the Minister's public image, so that she can better her work without any distractions, as I am a firm believer in the notion that says "The is always room for improvement".

The saga of textbook in limpopo only highlighted the importance of books in society. Even professionals in the department of Basic Education can confirm that they too are were they are because it all started with a book! Lets help each other as a community,as principles,as Ministers to restore the Dreams of many children in order to Empower them within a high Literacy rate that gains them Independence in the near future.

5 LANGUAGES OF LOVE applied to Business

In the current world of technological advancement and innovative business practice, it comes as no surprise that human behaviour has evolved over the generations to accommodate the different levels of generational functionality. I personally think people are putting too much pressure on themselves to assert themselves and conform to the norms of the day. Business innovation occurs with the help of set business values and systems. The type of business practice is mostly driven by the different elements compiled by experts in that particular field. When I look at the various business elements, using Public Relations as an example, one can observe that the core value of executing all elements relies heavily on appealing to the basic human emotion. My question is if we use all the elements that project and evoke the human emotion of LOVE and we use those same elements in conjunction with already existing ones to use in business function to better project organisation brands and other aspects for a successful business practises.

I one came across a book called “THE 5 LANGUAGES OF LOVE – the secret to love that lasts”. Can you image what power any organisation can have by applying the same elements that go into the basic yet strongly effective emotion of LOVE by duplicating them to function and help in a business context. To me this book on love represents an innovative outlook on finding generational solutions of organisations and their respective customers or clients. Total client satisfaction is the desired form of achievement by any organisation.

Book by Dr Gary Chapman

Let us briefly look at the “five languages of LOVE”

1.   Word Affirmation (People who love hearing the words “I love you” as to seeing the action of that specific love).

2.   Quality Time (Some people treasure and view the time you spend with them as a validation that indeed they are loved).

3.   Receiving Gifts (the receiver of the gift thrives on the Love that the gift represents and what it means symbolically).

4.   Acts of Service   (Going the extra mile to help the one we love thus making them feel special and important).

5.   Physical Touch (Human emotion of showing compassion).

To sum up all that was discussed, the Five Languages of Love as stated above can easily be duplicated and translated to fit in the business context when it comes to dealing with customers and clients. Anything is possible with creativity and different innovative minds coming together to modify and utilise the elements of LOVE in order to achieve the ultimate business objective of total customer/client satisfaction.

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