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What's the issue

What's the issue

Author: Tomas Yoko
Date: 2016-12-09
It is descending upon us at an alarming rate, the Bony M songs are already causing psychologists' telephones to ring excessively and hey presto, Christmas gift to the nation, our illustrious president won't be taking a pay increase for 2016 / 2017. His salary has been approved for next year at R2.87 million a year. Not sure what base the increase is coming from but something tells me that he will still be able to make ends meet next year. Even if he has to call in a few markers from his buddies the Guptas.

Anyway, thanks for that little Christmas Present. Jascob isn't the only one that the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers recommended no salary increase for 2016/17 year. All members of NEC, parliament, provincial government, judges, local government, even our Kings and Queens and traditional leaders. What a wonderful Christmas present that will be for our country.

Anyway we have something real to celebrate this week and that is another victory for "The People". The Standing Rock Sioux were elated when they heard that an Army decision, to prevent the oil pipeline that is planned to run through their ancestral home, put a stop to the pipeline plans.

You can imagine the elation, the joy, the victory of "The People" over government and big business. Protestors cried with joy, chanting the movements phrase "Water is life!" As winter sets in over the Oceti Sakowin camp, some protestors said that they would not leave just yet, not trusting the system enough for that. Wise.

However what impressed me the most about The Standing Rock Sioux, members of a race that is so inspirational and holds our Mother Earth so dear, is the Forgiveness Ceremony that the elders held on hearing the news. In the native American ceremony, these incredible people with their wisdom and great leadership skills met with U.S. Veterans and offered them a chance to atone for the military actions brought against the Native Indians throughout History.

The Sioux leader, Leonard Crow Dog formally forgave Wes Clark, son of retired General and former NATO supreme commander after he read out his apology saying, "Many of us, me particularly, are from the units that have hurt you over the many years. We came. We fought you. We took your land. We signed treaties that we broke. We stole minerals from your sacred hills. We blasted the faces of our presidents onto your sacred mountain. When we took still more land and then we took your children and then we tried to make your language and we tried to eliminate your language that God gave you, and the Creator gave you. We didn't respect you, we polluted your Earth, we've hurt you in so many ways but we've come to say that we are sorry. We are at your service and we beg for your forgiveness." People wept throughout the ceremony.

Now there is some Christmas Spirit.