If this doesn't Zondo you, nothing will – and Transnet's in the news again, but for the right reason

IOL News

a day ago

A ploy by miscreants to pervert justice
The president has had his speech to the country, and sets up an enquiry with members of the judiciary involved.
Casting my mind back to the state capture enquiry held by a highly respected judge and involving a substantial cost, I recall that when the NPA requested information from the findings of the 'state capture' they were basically denied access!
What now will change when based on that situation, and in the interests of the country, the NPA were hobbled, and that was the final word?
Why was that the case, knowing the seriousness of the state of apparent lawlessness and corruption at the highest level in the country and yet those with serious allegations against them, were in fact protected by the lack of support for the request of the NPA?
This will another delaying and expensive tactic by the miscreants who have the power seemingly to prevent justice being served.
What now South Africa? | Roland Fisher Durban
Who benefits? Just follow the money
There has been an aggressive global push for digitisation, often driven by unelected technocrats and philanthropic elites. Institutions such as the World Economic Forum, United Nations, and World Health Organization appear to have become platforms for centralised global ideologies, increasingly unaccountable to the public.
Figures like Bill Gates, Anthony Fauci, George Soros, and Klaus Schwab have positioned themselves as influential players in crises – real or engineered. Lockdowns were enforced while vaccine profits soared. At the same time, economic damage and psychological strain were widespread. These men do not simply manage global health; they steer narratives and profit from outcomes, sowing division and fear.
Behind the scenes, major institutions like the CDC receive significant funding from the Gates Foundation, Pfizer, and other pharmaceutical giants – via the CDC Foundation, which operates outside of Congressional scrutiny. This isn't a theory; it's documented reality. Central banks, meanwhile, are piloting programmable digital currencies, allowing unprecedented control over individual spending. This should deeply concern all freedom-loving citizens.
We are told digital ID systems will fight fraud and improve efficiency. While these goals sound admirable, we must question the true intent. The move towards digital control – of identity, currency, even mobility – mirrors China's social credit system and poses a serious threat to personal liberty.
Meanwhile, billionaires aren't just investing in tech – they're acquiring farmland, seeds, and water rights. Bill Gates, notably, is now America's largest private farmland owner. Concerns grow over efforts to manipulate food systems, modify crops, and even interfere with Earth's climate.
All of this aligns suspiciously with Agenda 2030 – a plan whose stated aims may not reflect its true implications. As citizens, we must remain vigilant. Vaccine mandates, carbon tracking, and digital controls may appear well-meaning but could pave the way for irreversible loss of freedom.
When politicians like Leon Schreiber promote digitisation at Home Affairs, we must look beyond the rhetoric. Ask who benefits – and who pays the price. | L Oosthuizen Durban
If this doesn't Zondo you, nothing will
Herewith my submission to the National Lexicon, a new word: Zondo.
Part of Speech: Verb
Definition: To deliberately delay or obscure the resolution of an issue or problem by referring it to a formal commission of inquiry, resulting in excessive bureaucracy, prolonged investigations, and voluminous reports that effectively bury the matter without meaningful action or resolution.
Etymology: Derived from the Zondo Commission (officially the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture), established in South Africa in 2018 under Chief Justice Raymond Zondo to investigate allegations of corruption. The commission became associated with extensive documentation and prolonged processes, inspiring the term's use to describe burying issues under bureaucratic weight.
Usage – Transitive: To subject an issue to excessive investigation to avoid addressing it directly.
Example: The government Zondoed the scandal by appointing a commission that produced a 5 000-page report no one read.
Infinitive: To Zondo something.
Example: They decided to Zondo the controversy, hoping the public would forget by the time the inquiry concluded.
Synonyms: Procrastinate, obfuscate, sideline, stonewall, bureaucratize.
Antonyms: Address, resolve, confront, expedite.
Related Words: Zondoed (past tense), Zondoing (present participle), Zondoism (noun, the act or practice of Zondoing).
Example Sentences: Instead of fixing the issue, they Zondoed it with a committee that took three years to produce a report.
The company's attempt to Zondo the labor dispute only deepened mistrust among employees.
Critics accused the administration of Zondoing the environmental crisis to avoid accountability.
Cultural Note: The term originates from South African political discourse, reflecting public frustration with lengthy inquiries that often fail to deliver prompt or effective outcomes.
It has gained traction as a critique of bureaucratic inertia in governance and institutions worldwide. | David Robert Lewis Cape Town
Transnet in the news for the right reason
Eish! A female pilot docking one of the world's largest container ships? It can't be! This could be a social media prank, but it's true.
Not only is she female pilot but a black one, too. From the rural Qando village in the Eastern Cape, Owelthu Mtsewu-Sisilana made history when she docked the fully-laden, 400m-long MSC Nichola Mastro in the Port of Ngqura without a hitch recently.
Of course, she didn't do it alone. To give you an idea of the size of the ship, it is long as 4 football pitches! A huge responsibility lay on her shoulders and she couldn't fail or she would have made news headlines in a bad way.
The ship's captain was also on the bridge with her and gave her the necessary information about the ship. She also had a student pilot (another woman) and, of course, four tugs to guide the ship into the harbour and dock it safely.
It took three long hours to manoeuvre the mammoth ship into the harbour and dock it. She breathed a sigh of relief when it was all over and admitted it was a nerve-wracking experience. But she had proved a woman could do it.
The sailors were so surprised to see a woman harbour pilot that they couldn't help themselves and kept referring to her as 'sir'.
Transnet has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. At least, now we hear it is doing something good – empowering women in jobs once reserved for men. | T Markandan Kloof
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