Thomas Johnson - The Blog

  Politicsweb's James Myburgh digs deep for a convoluted defense of Israel   People have drawn political and ideological lines over South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the ICJ in the Hague. Western countries, with the exception of Ireland and possibly Norway, the rightwing and Jews are against it while the global South, Russia and leftwing support it. Almost without exception there's hypocrisy on both sides.  Neither side has questioned the escalating tit-for-tat violence committed by Israel and Hamas. But as a fully recognised state and regional military and economic power, Israel bears greater responsibility for its actions. Its refusal to recognise a two-state solution, its occupation and settlement of the West Bank, Netanyahu's past facilitation of Hamas because it suited his political agenda and greed for power and disproportionate responses to Hamas attacks, which is causing far more Palestinian than Israeli deaths, indicates the scales are against Isra...

Unemployed doctor Sunhera Sukdeo writes in Daily Maverick that she's unable to find work. She displays proudful entitlement that because she's a doctor and worked hard for it, she ought to have a job, and a government post at that.  Sukdeo is just one of 7.8 million unemployed people in the country, not including discouraged jobseekers, and among about 10% unemployed graduates and other tertiary, also a large number. However, 800 unemployed doctors is negligible to absolute and relative (healthcare workers only) employment rates and against the number of registered doctors in the country - 46 000 (2019).  Two years ago my GP's daughter, a newly qualified neurologist (master's degree UCT) couldn't find a government job - they weren't hiring. So she opened her own practice or joined an existing one. This does take money but nowhere is it stated government must employ any and all jobseekers. Already government employs far too many people placing a huge strain - 32...

I'm not an educational snob. I left school with a moderate school pass. Then the National Senior Certificate - "matric" - results weren't treated with the fuss it's today. An unfocused student, I still hoped to study mechanical engineering but my maths grade wasn't good enough. A huge disappointment. I bettered them to meet university entrance requirements, but long story short, through self-education and perseverance I ended up graduating with a B Com.  Now every year there's the paroxysm of self-congratulation when the results are released. Btw, before I go on, how is it possible the Western Cape's pass rate is around the national average, which is around the same? It's the best-run province and that should be reflected in the education department. This strongly indicates the results are fixed. Anyway, given the condition of basic education and state of society and economy school leavers are facing as adults, there's little to celebrate. The ...

The Guardian writes the allegations of genocide against Israel, in its second day at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, needs to be heard. "The civilian death toll and human suffering in Gaza and the words of Israeli ministers are unconscionable.The urgency of this case is obvious. But its broader importance is to reinforce that the genocide convention is a matter for everyone. States have a responsibility not just to refrain from genocide, but to prevent it." South African media and commentators, though, are conflating the urgency of the case with inappropriate national pride, jingoism even, rather than a sober consideration of what it means for Gaza, and the genocide convention. They're reframing it as the moral rectitude of South Africa, which really means the ANC government, rather than as the merits of the case. Daily Maverick's Ferial Haffajee: "Amid the horror of Gaza, South Africa’s act of ubuntu raises the bar of justice for all"; Vry...