Mugabes CNN Interview

It's incredible to hear the man speak. I am in no way trying to turn this into a blog about Mugabe. In fact I would like nothing more than to be talking abot some other form of delinquency. Possibly the state of the players at the UCT rugby club after the finals or maybe even the fearless taxi drivers I have to endure every day on the way to work.
I just could not however let this one go. Apart from Hollands book and the occasional youtube video of Mugabe ranting on to his supporters of the West Madness and his ridiculous interpretation of BBC (read Hollands book to find out), I have never heard the man speaking english.

I haven't been able to get the whole interview (and I am sure there is more to it) but just this five minute segment makes me wonder. We already know how well educated this man is and that he absolutely epitomizes what a modern day tyrant is but does he really know what is going on? He claims to not know anything of the stats that the interviewer quizzes him about and pretty much just plays dumb.

It really makes me think that if he truly does not have a clue of the damage that he has incurred on Zimbabwe is he just a puppet? I know, it sounds kind of ridiculous but he honestly does not seem to think Zimbabwe is in such a terrible place and the interviewer has to continue as if she had not heard his objection. I don't think he does know in all totality what is and what has been going on. I think his cronies have done an impeccable job of breeding him up since he came into office to do exactly what they would like and have kept him at an arms length in order for him to be the face of the devastation. I have no doubt that Mugabe is horrible human being that should be tried in a court for his Human Rights crimes but I also think that he will no be alone. He could possibly start up his own football league with all the others who are responsible.... arseholes.

That's about it, can't be asked to keep talking about this cretin as it just pisses me off.

Dinner With Mugabe

Heidi holland after spending two years trying to get an interview with the Zimbabwean tyrant has written such an in depth depiction of the man behind the monster. The book is superbly researched and Holland delves into the lives of several individuals that have had an influence or have had some significant interaction with Mugabe.

The book goes into Mugabe from a very young age and creates an image of a small, quiet, self-isolated child whose only real passion is his books. Details of his family, his mother, Bona, who thought of him as a Saint as well as cousins are also investigated by Holland. It is incredibly enlightening and you find yourself getting drawn in and actually feeling sympathetic to this young child from Kutama who has since gone on to shred the bread basket of Africa into a pit of economic crisis and fear.

Holland tries to find out what happened to Mugabe during his eleven years of imprisonment during the Smith Regime. She however does not manage to dig up much of Mugabes life behind the walls apart from his ability to almost block out the reality of the situation and keep his composure. It is a fairly moving part of the book as Mugabes first child (fromSally) dies at the age of three and Smith does not allow Mugabe to go to his funeral. Surely enough to create a huge amount of resentment to such a colonial system.

There is a fair amount of politics involved such as the Lancaster house deal. I am no political expert and I found myself drifting off occasionally but still phenomenally written.

The last section of the book finally finds you sitting in front of Mugabe. Holland wanting to actually understand this man describes the situation in great detail and gives the reader an amazing idea of what it must have been like to be sitting in front of a man capable of an atrocity such as Gukurahundi (estimated deaths were between 8000 and 30 000). The man is clearly delusional as to the actual state of affairs that the Zimbabwean people are living with on a day to day basis.

Hollands research efforts and determination have really paid off. The book is amazing and is a must read for anyone that has any interest in Zimbabwe or the workings and development of a tyrant.

Old Mutual InvestmentCard

Old Mutual promoting their new credit card by giving guys R30 000 of virtual cash to buy whatever they like. At the end of the competition you then stand a chance to win that entire bundle of bits. Its awesome, but I don't think that's quite as cool as getting prizes every day, just for registering. Check out this list for the Shebeen Boys