More journalists killed in Gaza than in World Wars 1 & 2, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, and Ukraine combined

ANC’s house divided against itself

In a recent address to the Woman’s league by beleaguered ex-foreign affairs minister, Naledi Pandor, the height of hypocrisy and arrogance by the ANC was on full display, once again.

Having caused so much harm for South Africa already, Pandor once again echoed ANC sentiments in the way that she acted so dissatisfied and surprised at the lack of leadership, the incompetence and sheer greed of an ANC and it’s president, for three decades now.

She bemoaned our president’s complete and utter failures as our leader, criticising Ramaphosa as if she had nothing to do with the past 30 years of blatant looting of State coffers, corruption and nepotism. How on Earth can she claim any moral authority after allegedly meeting with Hamas shortly before its horrific attack on Israel, in October, 2023?

Some even say that Pandor has now weaponised the Nelson Mandela Foundation to advance certain narratives which align with dirty foreign actors.

How can it be that someone who was once regarded so highly for her apparent moral soundness and known for her eloquent speeches, could turn out to be so well connected with anti-American, anti-West forces?

How dare she peak on behalf of any of us, when her actions clearly don’t align with those of a democratically free country?

How does she criticise the ANC when she, herself, has been part of this cabal for so long, overseeing all of its malicious, racist, socialist policies and the deeply rooted corruption that took place under every single ANC president since it came into power, with exception to Mandela, of course.

Another laughable matter, was listening to Malusi Gigaba and Senzo Mchunu, calling out the ANC as if they have any moral standing or authority! There is a clear divide in the ANC, with different factions waging all sorts of wars with each other as the lid on the cookie jar for looting slowly closes, and the ANC loses its grip.

Gigaba, the once corrupt and captured finance minister under Jacob Zuma’s leadership, should be the last person to accuse his own inept party, of anything negative! So, too, the corrupt Mchunu. How hypocritical of these two clowns. Even Mbalula’s defence of Pandor is despicable, and should raise eyebrows.

Just like with child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s island of sin and pleasure, all those who ever were involved with the ANC in some way or another, end up falling on their own sword, and drowning in their own cesspool of secular decay.

The ANC’s days are numbered, and they know it.

It’s now a case of dragging us all down with them, as their whole philosophy is centred around the fact that if they cannot rule, then no-one should be allowed to rule. Whether it’s Ramaphosa quickly diving in front of the camera and the Springbok rugby team in Paris to steal the glory from Siya Kolisi and Rassie Erasmus, or Naledi Pandor crying out for support of Palestinians whilst so many Christians are dying in other Middle Eastern and African countries....the hypocrisy knows no end!

It is despicable! | L Oosthuizen Durban

South Korean school lesson for us to follow

I was intrigued by a report by the BBC that said South Korea has taken a bold step by passing a law that bans the use of mobile phones and smart devices during school hours, effective from March 2026.

The move, supported across party lines, is aimed at curbing smartphone addiction, which growing research shows has harmful effects on young people, the Beeb reported.

Parents, teachers and lawmakers argue that phones in classrooms harm academic performance and rob students of valuable study time. By restricting access, they hope to restore focus and discipline to learning.

Not everyone is convinced. Many students question whether the ban is workable, what unintended consequences it may bring, and whether it tackles the deeper causes of digital dependency.

Even so, South Korea has joined a rising number of nations recognising that the constant presence of screens in schools undermines education. It is a conversation South Africa can ill afford to ignore, as we too grapple with falling academic standards and the distractions of the digital age. | Ahmed Vayej

The UN is broken – shut it down

A recent article by Naledi Ramontja on the credibility of the UN highlights the absurdity of what has become a defunct and meaningless organisation that belongs in the dark ages.

Frequently described as a toothless bulldog, the UN as a body has no real power to enforce its resolutions. Hundreds of them lie forgotten in the bottom drawers of its assembly offices.The real power rests with the UN Security Council, controlled by five permanent members – China, France, the UK, Russia and the US. Each of them holds the power of veto, which can strike down any resolution regardless of global consensus. Almost all vetoes come from the US, particularly those addressing atrocities in Gaza and Ukraine.

As it stands, the UN is a farce. Expecting it to act decisively is like asking the devil to bless a church choir. It has become little more than a noise-making, sabre-rattling non-entity – all bark and no bite.

The world deserves better. The UN should be shut down and replaced by a genuinely democratic, credible organisation with real authority and teeth. | Colin Bosman Newlands

The double-tap war crime against truth

When a journalist is killed for doing their job, the world loses a witness to truth.

When journalists are deliberately hunted – as in so-called “double-tap” strikes that target first responders and reporters rushing to document the carnage – it crosses the line into calculated war crimes.

Valerie Zink, who recently resigned as a stringer for Reuters, explained why: “By repeating Israel’s genocidal fabrications without determining if they have any credibility – willfully abandoning the most basic responsibility of journalism – Western media outlets have made possible the killing of more journalists in two years on one tiny strip of land than in World War I, World War II, and the wars in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, and Ukraine combined. To say nothing of starving an entire population, shredding its children, and burning people alive.”

The horror of these “double-tap” strikes was described by Palestinian journalist Hind Khoudary of Al Jazeera English. She reported how Israeli forces launched a drone strike on the rooftop of Nasser Hospital, killing a journalist and a civilian. As civil defence and fellow reporters rushed in to rescue and record, a second strike hit the same spot – deliberately killing them.

Among the victims were Mohamed Salama (Al Jazeera), Hossam al-Masri (Reuters), Mariam Abu Daqqa (Associated Press), Moaz Abu Taha (NBC), and Abu Aziz (Middle East Eye). The death toll for journalists in Gaza now exceeds 250 – including, just weeks earlier, the assassination of Al Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif.

As Abu Daqqa had written before her death: “The Israeli occupation targets journalists because they convey the truth and the images for the outside world. It doesn’t want anyone to report. It doesn’t want the world to know what’s happening – from targeting and killing children to genocide.”

Killing the messenger is not collateral damage. It is a deliberate attempt to silence the truth. And that, too, is a crime against humanity. | Sam Husseini Institute for Public Accuracy

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