Did my vote make a difference?

So the ANC got 65,9% of the vote. That means they missed a two-thirds majority by 0,7%. About 20m South Africans voted. That means the ANC missed a two-thirds majority by 140 000 votes. South Africa had almost 20 000 voting stations.

That means, on average, it took only 7 votes per voting station to deny the ANC a two-thirds majority.

Now tell me it is not worth voting because, "What difference can one vote make?"

Will you vote based on principles?

It is interesting that for the first time that I can remember, details of South African parties policies are being circulated prior to the election. The Mail & Guardian policy test seems to be spreading like wildfire. It asks a series of questions and provides party policies as answer choices. Based on your responses, it then ranks parties based on their alignment with your choices. The results will surprise you. Of one of my client's teams, we all ended up with parties other than those we had considered. Makes you think, doesn't it?



Another person had sourced the Family Policy Institute's guide to parties' values and that generated huge interest.

Then we began to remark at how interesting the interest in party policies and the appearance of these tools is. It really is encouraging. Instead of listening to the mud slinging that characterizes South African political debate, we can now evaluate parties based on their policy. Surely the voter curiosity and the creation of these tools marks a maturing of our democracy?



We remarked that what we were experiencing is perhaps due to the emergence of a potentially credible opposition in Cope, but most likely the sensation of Obama's campaign and election. A colleague remarked how she had listened to her 17 year old daughter discuss the elections with friends. She asked her daughter who she would vote for.

"Cope, mom," her daughter replied.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because Cope is hope," her daughter recited the party's enigmatic slogan. It sure echoes the Obama, "Yes we can!"

What was also evident is how much damage the DA's Stop Zuma campaign has done to the party's image. People are tired of "anti-" campaigning. Tell us what YOU stand for.

Someone remarked, "What does it matter? If you don't vote DA, your vote against the ANC is wasted."

No dammit! If the Cape Town results of our last local government election proved anything, it was the power of coalition politics. Non-ANC parties were forced to form a coalition to gain control of the Cape. It meant that those that agreed with the Independent Democrats' policies were granted huge power as the ID became the king-makers in their coalition choices. Their initial choice of siding with the ANC probably knocked the party back forever, but the point was proved. Even the third, forth or fifth most popular party can wield tremendous power in the swing vote in coalition formation. Lesson - vote your conscience.

Further history demonstrates this point. Most South Africans know of when Helen Suzman was the only representative of the Progressive Party in South Africa. She stood up against tireless abuse from the National Party and her voice echoed from the one seat her party held in parliament to the corners around the world. Tell me it was not worth voting for her.

On a far lighter note, the Nandos campaign has landed it in hot water with the ANC Youth League. But oh how brilliant:



I really hope you vote tomorrow if you're eligible. It should mean something that people died for the right to vote. Some friends won't vote for a variety of reasons:

• "Because all politicians lie"


• "Because the ANC will still win"


• "Because I don't identify with any of the parties"

Vote for the rational above. It only takes a few thousand votes to obtain one seat based on South Africa's proportional representation system. That means that even if only a couple of people in each town or city vote for your choice of party, together you could add up to a seat in parliament for your choice.

How do you vote Liezel van der Westhuizen off Idols?

Holy crap. Without doubt the most useless presenter they could have chosen for Idols South Africa.

The woman drives me crazy with her affectations and complete lack of ability to appear anything close to natural. Compare to the original Pop Idols presenters Ant and Deck. Or Ryan Seacrest.

She changes dresses in between songs on the show!!!! She tears up every week when someone is voted off. She recites the same scripted lines every show. Give me a break woman.

How do we vote the useless woman off air?

As an aside, the results show sucks big hairy ones. Besides Liezel virtually bawling every time, the staged suspense is pathetic. Yeah it is part of the formula, but take a cue from American Idol, bring some former winners in to perform, reduce the time you fill with the crap and get to the point.

Who the hell is Susan Boyle?

You'll remember the name after you watch this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

13 million YouTube views in no time at all - and there are about 500 other versions on YouTube too.

Have you heard the new Pet Shop Boys single?

Holy crap..... AWESOME! Vintage PSB.

Love Etc.




Jeez. Loving this.

Pet Shop Boys - Love etc. Lyrics

You need more You need more You need more You need more
You need more You need more You need more You need more
You need more

Boy it’s tough getting on in the world
When the sun doesn’t shine and a boy needs a girl
It’s about getting out of a rut, you need luck
But you’re stuck and you don’t know how, oh

(Don’t have to be) A big bucks Hollywood star
(Don’t have to drive) A super car to get far
(Don’t have to live) A life of power and wealth
(Don’t have to be) Beautiful but it helps
(Don’t have to buy) A house in Beverly Hills
(Don’t have to have) Your daddy paying the bills
(Don’t have to live) A life of power and wealth
(Don’t have to be) Beautiful but it helps

You need more
Than a big blank check to be a lover, or
A Gulfstream jet to fly you door to door
Somewhere chic on another shore

You need more You need more You need more
You need more You need more You need more
You need love
You need love
You need love

Too much of anything
Is never enough
Too much of everything
Is never enough

Boy it’s tough getting on in the world
When the sun doesn’t shine and a boy needs a girl
It’s about getting out of a rut, you need luck
But you’re stuck and you don’t know how, oh

(Don’t have to be) A big bucks Hollywood star
(Don’t have to drive) A super car to get far
(Don’t have to wear) A smile much colder than ice
(Don’t have to be) Beautiful but it’s nice

You need more
Than the Gerhard Richter hangin’ on your wall
A chauffeur-driven limousine on call
To drive your wife and lover to a white tie ball

You need more You need more You need more
You need more You need more You need more
You need love

I believe that we can achieve
The love that we need
I believe, call me naïve
Love is for free

(Don’t have to be) A big bucks Hollywood star
(Don’t have to drive) A super car to get far
(Don’t have to live) A life of power and wealth
(Don’t have to be) Beautiful but it helps
Beautiful but it helps
Beautiful but it helps

Are you one of the missing South Africans?

So South Africans overseas will be voting tomorrow. 16 240 of them.

Anyone else disappointed by this? There are hundreds of thousands of South Africans in London alone. And hundreds of thousands more in Perth. After all the celebrations of the court case victory allowing them to vote, 16 240 seems a very disappointing number.

Is it too late to take up music?

When I was a kid, I played piano for a year or so. Looking back it is really sad. My parents could not really afford to buy a piano and somehow found the means. I never really practiced and wasted the opportunity.

Music is one of things like gymnastics that you kind of have to take up when you're a kid if you want to be good. Sadly it is also one of those things that you may only realise you like when you're older.

Is it too late to take up music at 35? I'm fresh from a weekend of attending the Coke Zero Fest. Fantastic. The talent was just amazing. Local bands like Zebra and Giraffe (if you have not heard them, click through and listen - awesome), Cassette and The Dirty Skirts. And Snow Patrol. Wow. They just blew me away. Oasis were polished and very good, but the Gallagher brothers are every bit as arrogant as you might have heard. But bigger arseholes than you could imagine. While I'm sure the palpable hate between Liam and Noel is real, the on-stage posturing and attitude was pathetic. Insulting your fans is never a good idea. It compared to the complete lack of pretension by every other band including the unbelievable Snow Patrol - who seemed in awe they were opening for Oasis. Dudes, you're better then those pricks.

So back to me taking up music. Keyboards make the most sense. I've been looking and found this amazing keyboard, the Yamaha Motif XS8:



Take a look at this amazing demo video:



This Burt Smorenburg is incredible. Watch this video for entertainment even if you have no musical inclination!

The problem is time. Music takes practice...

So Vavi is quite OK with the LRA protecting lazy incompetent workers?

I can only assume so based on this quote:


Vavi added that Cosatu would ensure that Zuma keeps to his promises that ministers who do not perform will be fired.

"The Labour Relation Act should not apply to lazy ministers. The thing of keeping deadwood in Cabinet belongs in the past."

M&G