Ron’s Thoughts …

South African race horses, their trainers and their jockeys are as good as any in the world.

I can remember way back to about 1956 when Colorado King won the classic races for 3-year olds, the Guineas and the Derby, in record time on grass.

He was then taken to America and set a new world record on sand over a mile-and-a-half.

Somewhere around-about 1966, Hawaii was taken to America after 11 unbeaten starts in South Africa.

He won several races and was chosen to represent America in the Washington International, the biggest race in the world at that time. He ran well but was beaten into third place by the French champion,( I can’t remember his name.)

Michael Roberts was South African champion jockey for many years. He went to ride in England and soon became England’s champion jockey.

About 4-years ago London News won the world’s richest race in Dubai against an international field of stars. To fully appreciate the merit of this win one must take into account that South African horses must go into quarantine for several months before they are permitted to race overseas. Proper fitness training therefore becomes a problem.

Mike de Kock and Weichong Marwing have enjoyed great success in Dubai.

Tony Millard, David Ferraris and their jockeys Felix Coetzee and Dougie Whyte,(all former South African champions),are presently enjoying great success in Hong Kong.

Jeff Lloyd, Anthony Delpech and many others have excelled in Mauritius.

I often watch live horse racing on TV and have observed a striking difference in riding styles.

English jockeys stand tall in the saddle, as if they are waving to the queen.

South African jockeys get down low, practically on the horse’s neck, and “pump” an extra inch out of each stride.

Those extra inches win races. 

When I see masses of blacks dancing, singing and toyi-toying for whatever cause they support, I also see brainless voting fodder that doesn’t have a clue about the real world.

President Thabo Mbeki campaigns on a platform of gender equity.

He stubbornly supports a (female) Minister of Health that has become the laughing-stock of the world with her garlic and beetroot cure for aids.

Then the ANC  Womens League nominates Jacob Zuma, (a male,) to be the next party leader and, automatically, the next President of South Africa.

When Jacob Zuma was on trial for rape he said that,”In our culture, when a woman is sexually aroused, you must satisfy her and not just walk away.” (Never mind that because of the age difference she regards you as an uncle.)

Now, Zwelinzima Vavi, a trade union leader, refuses to apoligise for stating that some ANC  front-runners are simply womanisers seeking to seduce women into voting for them.(Why is a trade union leader talking politics anyway ?)

On top of all of this, we in South Africa have one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS in the world.

It seems to me that in present-day South African politics, sex has become more important than boring racism and the legacy of Apartheid.  

Tito Mboweni raising interest rates today in a forlorn attempt to curb inflation makes me think about doctors of yesteryears who would “bleed” their sick patients to supposedly rid them of poisons.

If the patients survived it was in spite of the doctor, not because of the doctor.

If Tito Mbobeni raises interest rates this week it would be a bad mistake.

It would kill the goose that is laying the golden eggs.

It would force more business people and ordinary home-owners into bankruptcy.

It would increase the rate of unemployment.

His mandate is to do all in his power to keep inflation down but the problem is that the only tool available to him is to adjust interest rates.

Sorry Tito, but this time round, if you raise interest rates, you will only aggravate inflation.

You will simply push food prices even further into the pain region of poor people and will steer our country into a downwards spiral with uncertain consequences.

I believe that the answer lies with our Minister of Finance.

I suggest that Trevor Manual should impose a tax on the Debtors Books of all money lenders as “Deemed Income.”

They, the money lenders, would no doubt pass on the costs to the borrowers but, at the same time, I would expect them to be a bit more cautious about how much and to whom they extend credit.

I would also expect them to offer discounts to cash customers.

Surely that is a better way than to blindly knock everyone with higher interest rates ?