President-elect Donald Trump - Good or Bad News for South Africa?

Donald Trump’s election to President of the United States on November 9th sent shock waves through America and the rest of the world, as political analysts and especially the media had convinced everybody that Hillary Clinton would be America's next president.

South Africans, too, were dumbstruck with surprise and uncertainty when Donald Trump's votes started to exceed Clinton's. With Hillary in control not much would change, but who knows what would be the consequences of Donald Trump's efforts to make America great again?

While South Africa’s wealthiest people happened to score millions since Donald Trump took the lead in the election, South Africa’s economy suffered the results of a collapsing Rand. Economists predict no good news for SA under a Trump-administration.

Peter Vale, Professor of Humanities and Director of the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study (JIAS), thinks that Donald Trump is going to be intolerant and disinterested in issues around the domestic politics of African countries.

Even one of South Africa’s most beloved comedians, Pieter-Dirk Uys, has no idea what to expect from 'the Donald'.

Nevertheless, Donald Trump being elected as America's 45th president, was most certainly the most noteworthy news of the week.

Torrential rains caused mayhem in Johannesburg

On November 9th – the day Donald Trump was elected President of the United States, torrential rains and flash floods caused havoc in and around Johannesburg. Several people went missing after their vehicles were washed away. By Saturday afternoon seven people had been confirmed dead, including a man who was struck by lightening while hiding under a tree. Two 3-year old girls from a community immigrants from Zimbabwe, who had erected shacks on the banks of the Jukskei River, are still missing.

Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (third largest political party in SA), appeared in court on November 7th after inciting his followers to grab land that belongs to whites. Malema said his party is on a mission to disturb the white man’s peace, as white men found peaceful Africans (way back in the 17th century) and killed them like animals.

"White man has been too comfortable for too long.... White minority be warned, we will take our land no matter what," he threatened from the steps of the court.

The court case against him has been postponed, as his lawyers asked permission to challenge the Act he has violated in the High Court.

The Riotous Assemblies Act Nr. 17 of 1956 prohibits gatherings in open-air public places if the Minister of Justice believes they could endanger the public peace. It also prohibits the engendering of feelings of hostility between European and non-European inhabitants.

If Malema succeeds in his efforts to scrap this law, a new law against hate crimes and hate speech will be implemented soon. The bill is available for public opinion on the website of the Department of Justice until December 1, 2016.

Controversial-State-of-Capture-report-finally-released

On November 7th former Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, also released an audio of her meeting with President Zuma in order to prove that he was lying when he said she didn’t give him an opportunity to respond to the allegation against him. Two days later the presidency told Madonsela to step back as she has no further role to play in the process regarding her report.

Following the release of her report the 7^th motion of no-confidence in President Zuma - has been tabled - the 3^rd time since January 2016. On Thursday, November 10th, the ANC again used its 62% majority in parliament in favor of their president, Jacob Zuma.

The resignation of Eskom’s CEO (Brian Molefe) is another result of the “Capture of State” report. According to the report Molefe's cell phone records revealed 58 phone calls from him to Ajay Gupta between August 2015 and March 2016. For some reason or another Molefe chose resignation above a formal inquiry.

Re: President-elect, Donald Trump - To be honest, I ‘voted’ for Hillary Clinton, and I believed the prediction of the media that she would be the United State's next President. So, Mr. Trump's victory left me totally flabbergasted. As a matter of fact, I’m still not ‘over it’. The last time I’ve been this shocked about an international event was when Lady Di died in a car crash. Although there is no comparison between the two events, my mind (and body) suffered the same kind of shock.

Nevertheless, Donald Trump is going to be America’s next president. Being an open-minded optimist, I hope with all my heart that the changes he plans to initiate will be for the better.

Re: Julius Malema’s threats to white South Africans – By now we are actually used to Malema's racist utterances, so all I see in my crystal ball is a bloody civil war, especially after reading Solly Moeng's article, "Why SA doesn't need Julius Malemas". “Malema is both naïve and irresponsible if he believes that whites will act like sitting ducks and just let him and his supporters rob them while they cower in fear,” Solly reckoned. I can but only hope that God will bless each and every South African with insight, vision and wisdom.

Every time the media turns their spotlight on Julius Malema and his doings I remember Jesus’ instruction,“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you!” (Matt 5:44). This forces me into a ring where I have to challenge my own shortcomings.

Re: The unsuccessful no-confidence vote in President Zuma - I have no idea why the ANC keeps Jacob Zuma in the President's Chair, while they found it so easy to get rid of former president Mbeke without any significant reasons. Obviously they have a lot to lose when they turn their back on the Zuma. One day, hopefully, this riddle will be explained.

Molefe's resignation - Why resign if one has no reason to fear a formal inquiry, I would like to know.

Of course, my opinions have no value. I am only an owfma-sa - a white female middle-aged South African.

White, right-winged South Africans are hopeful after President-elect Donald Trump announced that Governor Nikki Hayley of South Carolina would be the USA’s new ambassador to the UN. Their hope is based on Hayley’s reaction to the controversial Charleston church shooting and the nationwide call for the old Confederate flag of the southern states (regarded by liberals as a symbol of white superiority) to be banned – she defended the historical value of the flag and expressed her concern about racial laws impoverishing minority groups. As she has distant family ties in South Africa, she may also be concerned about the whites in SA who are a minority group suffering the consequences of racial laws.

Right-winged whites still bewail President Obama’s ambassador to SA, Patrick Gasspard’s hatred for whites. Gasspard repeatedly proved to have an association with the far left, anti-white political party, the EFF.