Heaven Sent

My Essay!

2010-08-23T04:04:00.000-07:00

“Unemployment remains a crucial social and economic issue facing the South African labour market. Critically discuss the nature of unemployment in South Africa and possible solutions to address unemployment.”

Unemployment is a broad term and also a universal problem with which the political leadership of almost every country has to wrestle. Unemployment remains the most severe problem in the country of South Africa and is conceivably the core root and cause of many other social and economic issues such as crime, HIV/Aids, violence and downturns in the business cycle. It is a colossal waste of human potential and national product, it’s also responsible for poverty and inequality, it erodes human capital and it creates tension wherever it strikes. For many, “robbing the rich” has their only option in terms of survival. In this essay, i will be discussing about the profile of the South African labour market, the key challenges that are facing the supply of labour and the demand for labour, the nature of unemployment in South Africa, the measurement of unemployment, the reasons or causes for unemployment, i will also focus on the structural unemployment and then i’ll finally discuss the possible policies that alleviate unemployment in South Africa.

Definition of Unemployment

Barker, F (2007: 174) defines the unemployed person as the one who is without work, is currently available for work, and is seeking or wanting to work. The unemployment rate is defined as the number of unemployed persons taken as a percentage of the economically active population, which includes both the employed and the unemployed.

In addition to the definition above, it highlights a labour market, which is an imaginary market place where labour is bought and sold (Barker, 2007:2). The labour market consists of two main and important functions; the first one is that they allocate human resources among alternative users, i.e. among sectors, enterprises, locations and occupations (Barker, 2007:2). Then the second one is that they distribute incomes, either wages or salaries, as incentives and as rewards to workers (International Labour Organisation (IOL) 1993:7 ed. Barker, 2007:3). Looking at the South African labour market, poverty is primarily, though not exclusively, a rural phenomenon: for instance, less than 20% of households in rural areas have water, electricity or waterborne sewerage in the house (Barker, 2007:5).

The income inequality has been extensive, but over the past two decades interracial inequality has diminished (particularly between blacks and whites), while inter-racial inequality has increased (Barker, 2007:5). This has been due, firstly, to increased unemployment among the black population in particular, and secondly, to the high upward mobility of many Africans into senior positions in the public and private sectors (Barker, 2007:5). The unemployment, particularly among the black population and among females, created some issues in the labour market. Apart from unemployment being a major problem for the country and the individual concerned, it is also a major contributing factor to two of the country’s other major labour market problems: “inequality and poverty” (Barker, 2007:5). The high labour costs and low productivity, combined with the general absence of inherent pressures to increase the level and quality of output (Barker, 2007:5). The declining labour intensity of economic growth is particularly disconcerting, because far fewer job opportunities than in the past are now being created for every percentage point of economic growth (Barker, 2007:5).

The Nature of Unemployment

South Africa’s official unemployment rate edged lower in the fourth quarter of 2009, halting the massive job losses that had accompanied the first recession in nearly two decades (WEB). Statistics South Africa indicated that unemployment fell to 24.3% from 24.5% in the third quarter, with the economy creating 89,000 new jobs during the final three months of last year (WEB). Africa’s biggest economy registered positive annualised growth in the third quarter of last year, exiting its first recession since 1992. After three consecutive quarters of contraction in which hundreds of thousands of jobs were slashed (WEB). The ‘uptick’ in the fourth quarter left job losses for the year at 870,000 and Stats S.A. officials warned that most of the jobs created were in the informal sector, pointing to still-tough conditions in formal industries (WEB).
The expanded definition of unemployment, which includes people who have stopped looking for work, fell slightly to 34.2% from 34.4%. After three consecutive quarters of massive job losses, 4th quarter of 2009 showed a possible end to the deterioration in the labour market rather recovery (WEB: Stats S.A.). Jobs created, were mostly in the informal sector and unskilled worked. The total number of unemployed people stood at 4.165 million in the three months to December, while the number of the employed people increased by 89,000 to 12,974 million (WEB: Stats S.A).

The Supply of Labour

An individual can decide to work or not to work, or can decide to work more hours or enjoy more leisure hours (Barker, 2007:8). This is the basis of the supply of labour, which Barker. F highlights as being:
“All those people who are working, whether for themselves or for someone else, as well as those want to work and are looking for work, i.e. the unemployed people” (2007:9).
Certain factors influence these decisions that are mentioned above, for instance the personal preferences of the individual, the amount of money he or she needs, the wage rate. If all the decisions of individuals are added up, it gives the market supply of labour (Barker, 2007:8). It does not matter whether the persons are working or simply want to work; they are all part of the supply of labour (Barker, 2007:8). Furthermore, the type of work they do is also irrelevant, for instance whether they work in the informal sector or are an employer of other people. All these people form part of the labour force, or the supply of labour (Barker, 2007:8). The labour force and the supply of labour are then defined as being the population of age that is working or that wants to work (the unemployed) (Ruggunan, 2010 ed. Barker, 2007: 8). It is influenced by factors such as the proportion of the population that wants to work, the size of the population (as determined by, among other things, fertility and mortality rates) and net immigration. Also the changes in the economic environment, especially the wage rates and incomes, fall under the supply of labour (Barker, 2007:8).

Looking at the South African labour force, it shows that the participation of women has increased very sharply over the last number of years. This has probably been both the cause and the result of the rapidly declining fertility rates among all population groups, and the high levels of HIV/Aids (WEB). Whilst on the other hand, the participation of men has gradually declined over time, probably because of people retiring earlier (WEB). There is also a significant increase in emigration, which means that the country is losing skills (Barker, 2007:9). The South African labour force include demographics like race, sex, age, rural, urban, nationality, etc, which is the ultimate nature of unemployment in the country. For instance, a report showed that women have been found to be more resilient than men (WEB). The report showed that within the South African context, 56% of respondents said that women were very to extremely resilient and that only 44% reported men as very to extremely resilient (WEB). Another encouraging finding for the South African market was that 80% more companies were preparing more women for senior management roles than in the last five years (WEB).

Temkin added:
“By providing high-performing women with a variety of experiences, including training, mentoring and ‘stretch’ roles, to increase confidence to prepare them to succeed in senior leadership, leading organisations are ensuring a sustainable and motivated workforce for the future.’’ (Mail & Guardian online: 10 March 2010)
The reasons for such increment, is the rise in women’s wages as a result of reduced discrimination, the expansion of the services sector, also the increasing levels of education among women, the gradual decline in birth rates enable women to participate in the economy for longer periods (Ruggunan, 2010). Triple impacts of the age, skills, HIV/Aids and gender effect are likely to impact negatively on the composition of the labour force, as well as the range of skills, knowledge and experience available in the labour market (WEB). The labour supply is not only a matter of quantity but also quality (Barker, 2007:9).

The Demand for Labour

The demand for labour is a derived demand, which means that it is dependent on the consumer demand for the product produced by that labour or for the service provided by that labour (Barker, 2007:36). The demand for labour will thus be influenced by the price of labour (which impacts on the price of the product or services) and by increases or decreases in the demand for the product or service produced by the labour (Barker, 2007:36). It will also be influenced by other factors such as the market value of the product and by how much of the product is produced by the labour, i.e. how productive the specific worker is (Barker, 2007:36). The demand for labour in South Africa has not been sufficient to provide enough jobs for those wanting to work and has, except in a few years, not even been sufficient to create enough jobs for those entering the labour market for the first time (Barker, 2007:47). Over time, therefore, unemployment seems to have generally been increasing (Barker, 2007:47).

Some of the factors that influence the economic growth in South Africa are the rate and the nature of the economic growth, in which has been failing to create more jobs because of its low economic growth (Barker, 2007:47). The trade liberalisation has also contributed to the loss of unskilled jobs (Barker, 2007:46 ed. Nattrass 1998a), however it’s unlikely to have been the main cause of job losses overall (Barker, 2007:46). Also the impact of unions and bargaining councils on labour costs have increased high wages and also contributed to the reduction of demand for labour (Barker, 2007:46). Then the labour legislation that increases the indirect cost of labour or hinders productivity increases: The introduction of new labour laws has significantly increased the indirect cost of labour (Barker, 2007:48). The “Basic Conditions of Employment Act”, “Skills Development Act” and the “Employment Equity Act”, they all influence the increase in productivity (Barker, 2007:48).

Demand for labour has declined significantly over the past years; this was due to the low labour intensity production, slow economic growth (Ruggunan: 2010). Why is there a decline in the number of jobs? It’s because of the increase in capital intensive: 2 million jobs were lost over 20 years as a result of new technologies (Ruggunan: 2010). South Africa is shifting away from labour intensive production to capital production. We are more capital intensive than other middle income countries, like Brazil, Malaysia, Mexico and Korea (Ruggunan: 2010). The demand for labour in South Africa has increased both in the formal and the informal labour. In relation to the 2010 World Cup, various construction works has been happening, and that demanded for labour, especially in terms of building stadiums.

The Measurement of Unemployment

The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed persons taken as a percentage of the total labour force (the economically active population- EAP), which includes both the employed and the unemployed (Barker, 2007:174). There are also three broad approaches to measure unemployment:
The Sample Survey Method, this involves a survey that is undertaken among a number of households to determine the economic status of the members of the household, example being the Labour Force Survey- LFS (Barker, 2007:178). The Census Method is the second approach to measure unemployment that is based on the economic status of the whole population is determined by asking individuals what their economic status is (Barker, 2007:178). Then lastly comes the Registration Method, this includes the statistics on registered unemployment which was obtained from returns submitted on monthly basis by the different placement centres of the Department of Labour (Barker, 2007:184).

These returns reflect the numbers of people who have registered at the offices of the Department of Labour as unemployed (Barker, 2007:184).
There several types of unemployment, but i’ll be discussing the main one in South Africa which is the “structural unemployment”. This is due to the structural imbalances in the economy, or the way, in which the economy is organising, the country is unable to provide sufficient employment even when the economy is at its peak performance (Ruggunan, 2010). This type of unemployment is not sensitive to changes in aggregate demand. Hence, structural unemployment is the unemployment that exists when the economy is at full employment (Mafiri, 2002:10). Jobless growth appears to the norm in the increasing of unemployment in South Africa (Mafiri, 2002:18). This shows that the major part of the South African unemployment does not react that much to the cyclical changes in the level of economic activity (Mafiri, 2002:18).

However, this means that the major part of South African unemployment is of permanent nature. In other words, the largest part of unemployment in South Africa is structural unemployment (Mafiri, 2002:18). The existence of structural unemployment means that the employment opportunities brought about by the normal operations of the labour market are always less than the total labour force (Mafiri, 2002:19). Only a limited portion of the labour force is absorbed into the labour market. The rest of the labour force is excluded from the operation, influence and benefits of the labour market (Mafiri, 2002:19). The phenomenon of structural unemployment can be ascribed to structural rigidities, distortions and imperfections in markets and the way in which the general economy is organised (Mafiri, 2002:19). Structural unemployment arises from the nature, location and the pattern of employment opportunities. A major portion of unemployment is due to intrinsic mismatches between worker skills and the skill requirements of available jobs (Mafiri, 2002:19). The type of products that are chosen for production, the kind of inputs used and especially the way in which they are combined in production determine what kinds of, and how much labour can be employed (Mafiri, 2002:19).

Causes of Structural Unemployment

Being a complex phenomenon, the causes of structural unemployment covers a wide spectrum of factors. Some of these are common to all market economies; others are specific to South African economic and political order (Mafiri, 2002:19). The following is a list of possible causes: The labour market is not a single or a united market. It is in reality a segmented market, comprising of a number of relatively isolated sub-markets (Mafiri, 2002:20). Labour mobility between these market segments is limited. Employees who become redundant in one segment of the market will not necessarily find employment in another segment, even if there is a labour shortage in that segment, and even if the person is willing to work at a lower wage (Mafiri, 2002:20).

Democratic factors are also very important in South Africa. The rate of population growth causes the labour force to grow faster than the normal labour absorption of the market (Mafiri, 2002:20). Migration patterns in South Africa contribute to this problem, and hence also the population growth in neighbouring countries (Mafiri, 2002:20). Population growth has increased in momentum. Changes in the composition of the economically active population, e.g. the proportion that are young or very old, or the gender or racial composition, also contribute to the absorption problem (Mafiri, 2002:20). Changes in the age structure, as well as the participation rates, are particularly important in this regard (Mafiri, 2002:20).

The level of education, training, skill and experience of the labour force is also important (Mohr, 2000:281). Factors such as climate (in agriculture), and world commodity prices (geographic mismatch), such as the gold price (which has dramatically affected the mining sector), have played an important role in permanently depressing employment in certain segments of the economy (Mafiri, 2002:21).
The main causes of unemployment can include the rapid changes in technology, the recessions, inflation, disability, undulating business cycles, it can also be in terms of the attitude towards the employers (WEB: Economy Watch). The changes in tastes as well as alterations in the climatic conditions, this may in turn lead to a decline in demand for services as well as products (WEB). Also the willingness to work, perception of employees, employee values, even discriminating factors in the place of work (may include discrimination on the basis of age, class, ethnicity, colour and race), the ability to look for employment (WEB: Economy Watch).

The Solutions: Policy interventions

In most countries where unemployment is a major problem, it is products of several simultaneous causes, in which i have mentioned previously, each of them, interact with the rest: small wonder that unemployment policies are difficult to design. Furthermore, many policies that could improve economic efficiency are not politically implementable. The political realities dictate that it is not enough to find policies that give more jobs for those currently unemployed than they take away from those currently employed (Snower & De la Dehesa, 1997:1).
The following are the recommended government policies for alleviating unemployment problem in South Africa:

Growth, Employment And Redistribution Policy (GEAR)
One of the South Africa’ high unemployment is the relatively slow growth of the economy (National Economic Development and Labour Council, 2000: 44). In 1996 the government announced its Growth Employment and Redistribution policy which recognises higher economic growth and significant jobs creation as the key challenges of economic policy the fiscal deficits, while strengthening the redistributive effect of expenditure; a reduction on tariffs to contain input prices; the gradual relaxation of exchange controls; anti-inflationary monetary policy; tax incentives to stimulate new investment; Small and Medium-sized Enterprises development; restructuring of state assets (which among others include privatisation); expansionary infrastructural investment; a structured labour market flexibility within the collective bargaining system; an enhanced human resource development; and a social agreement to facilitate wage and price moderation (Barker, 2007:186). The government’s employment strategy specifically proposes measures to promote investment and exports, and others (RSA 1998: par. 3.5.11 ed Barker, 2007: 186).

Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (ASGISA)
In 2005, the President announced that the ultimate objective of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa is to halve unemployment and poverty by 2014 (Barker, 2007: 187). It is not intended to cover all elements of a comprehensive development plan; rather it consists of a limited set of interventions to complement GEAR (RSA 2006- Barker, 2007: 187). This particular strategy, highlights the following binding constraints: the volatility and level of the currency; the cost, efficiency and capacity of national logistics systems; the shortage of suitably skilled labour amplified by the cost effects on labour of apartheid spatial patterns; barriers to entry, limits to competition and limited new investment opportunities; the regulatory environment and the burden on small and medium businesses; and the deficiencies in state organisation, capacity and leadership (Barker, 2007: 187). The response to the constraints is a combination of systematic initiatives, optimising on public expenditure, improving the environment to do business in South Africa and also removing bottle-necks (Barker, 2007: 187).

Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA)
This is a new structure that is led by a committee of relevant Ministers, business leaders, trade unionists and education and training providers or experts (Barker, 2007: 188). Its main job is to confirm the urgently needed skills find quick and effective solutions (Barker, 2007: 188). Its interventions focus more in the second economy, which intends to create sustainable bridges between first and second economies to enable growth and graduation to a sustainable economy (Barker, 2007: 188). This will done by focusing on growth cooperatives; unlocking the value of assets in poor people’s hands; small business; public works programmes, especially training; women in training; and also the youth (unemployed graduates), even the public administration issues and the macro-economic issues are dealt with in this form of policy (Barker, 2007: 188).

Public Works and Special Employment Programme
South Africa does not have a system of social security and therefore urgently requires a programme to assist unemployed persons who do not receive unemployment insurance (Barker, 2007: 194). According to the Reconstruction and Development Programme, the key in which special measures to create jobs can lead to building the economy and meeting basic needs is in redressing infrastructure disparities (Mafiri, 2002: 66 ed Barker, 2007: 195). The government’s strategy refers to the following: clean cities campaign (the delivery of waste services to poorly serviced areas); working for water (clearing invasive alien vegetation); land care campaign (rehabilitation and conservation of natural resources); municipal infrastructure programme (for low income areas); welfare programmes (which offer training, education and other opportunities for destitute); and community-based public works programmes (primarily in rural areas) (Barker, 2007: 195 & 196).

The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), which deals with the upgrading, rehabilitation and maintenance of existing infrastructure delivery, can be used to remedy the situation by employing some of the employing some of the unemployed in construction projects (KZN Budget: 2010/2011). Under the EPWP, the work force will be given formal training, thus reducing poverty and increasing the skills base of the people (WEB). Part of the agenda of job creation is to ensure that public infrastructure is predominately implemented through the use of labour intensive methods (KZN Budget: 2010/2011).

In addition to what i have discussed in this essay, i will conclude by saying that unemployment is one of the most pressing economic and social problems facing South Africa today. The nature of unemployment has been a bumpy one over the past 2 years, due to the recession phase that our country was in. But fortunately, it was stabilised this year. It challenges both the demand and supply labour side. The social impact is particularly severe in the context of a fragile social safety net for the poor and a small underdeveloped informal sector. It is accepted that economic growth is an important contributor to addressing unemployment and poverty in this country. After looking at what’s causing unemployment, the government has adopted targets to 2014 and implemented certain policies in alleviating unemployment, which are namely the Growth, Employment And Redistribution (GEAR); the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (ASGISA); the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA); and the Public Works Programme. Certainly, these actions could make a positive impact on job creation and economic growth.

mY eXpErIeNcE oN fAcEbOoK***

2010-08-23T03:56:00.000-07:00

It's been just 3 weeks since i've joined facebook, but it feels like it's been 4ever. Wow...em just enjoying da moment. Da experience ia amazingly gr8, meeting new ppl, socialising wid 'em n jst interacting...is awesum 4 me.

*LUV IT*

The Articles in Newsportal*

2009-11-04T03:57:00.000-08:00

1) Oh! Man...it's a Rickshaw Puller's life in the city of Durban.
http://internetstudies.ukzn.ac.za/inst102news/node/149

2) PROSTITUTION VS THE 2010 WORLD CUP!!!
http://internetstudies.ukzn.ac.za/inst102news/node/279

3) Victoria Street...is where the true market's at!
http://internetstudies.ukzn.ac.za/inst102news/node/280

Saying Good-bye to Internet Studies for 2009*

2009-10-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

*To say "Good-bye" has never been the easiest thing to do!!!

*I really enjoyed doing Internet Studies this semester, it was like i wasn't doing it for the first time, but yes...this was my first time and i gotta say that i really loved every moment of it. Though at times it was really challenging, i found myself working through those challenges in a fun and patient way.

*By doing this particular module, i found that i used more of my creative side and that's one of my major talents.

*A special thanks to:

*My lecture- Thembisa

*My tutor: Joe

*My 2 collegues: Mildah & Grettah

*The rest of the Internet Studies students

*Thank you for making this module (INST102) enjoyable*

*I'd like to say that it was fun while it lasted (just for this year "2009"), i can't wait for next year.

***CHEERZ***

Semester Test '09***

2009-10-28T06:11:00.000-07:00

(A 2 HOUR TEST WITH 45 MCQ'S)

*Pheew...I've just finished writting the INST102 Semester Test and DAMN...i felt like my head was cracking, that was one hard test that i wrote there man...yoh.

*Just kidding (SMILING), it wasn't hard at all because it was one of those "open-book test". You just brought your notes, readings and your previous quizzes, and the rest was left up to you. It was all in terms of using your material wisely and cleverly. I feel that i will do very well in this test, i must say, it's easy to pass this test and it's easy to fail it to, because everything just seemed so...easy.

Wh@ did i learn in INST102?

2009-10-26T03:58:00.000-07:00

*I chose Internet Studies by mistake (i thought)...
But not exactly, because i believe that t'was already meant that i choose this module. I was always told that this particular module is very hard and easily failed. After hearing that, i felt like changing this module, but i thought otherwise. I just told myself that, nothing is easy when it comes to school work, you just have to give your ultimate best & 100% in your work.

*We now drawing to an end of Internet studies for "2009". What a wonderful experience it has been...YOH! During this course I have learnt a lot of new things about the news media and how it interlinks with the internet. Plus i got the chance to be a journalist and a movie-maker (WOW), something i never thought that i will do in a million years. With the help of my understanding and utterly great lecturer Thembisa, she has made this course unforgettable. She was always there whenever we needed her with a smile on her face. Due to this I have no regrets in taking this module.

*Mmmmm, tutorials were also very enjoyable, thanks to my wonderful, helpful & patient tutor Joe. Here we were offered extra support and motivation to excel in doing our best. We were free to express concerns about the course and just speak out what we thought. And i even got the chance to create my own blog (AWESOME).

*There was a lot of work to be done...but i surely enjoyed every moment of it*

Diversity & democracy in the urban spaces of Durbz***

2009-10-21T23:37:00.000-07:00

*Go grab a bucket of pop-corn...coz' it's going to be one helluva fabulous ride. (wink)***

***E.N.J.O.Y!!!

The 2nd day of my photo shoot...

2009-10-16T13:20:00.000-07:00

*Since my camera had a low battery yesterday, today was a must for me to complete my photo-taking. The day was chilly and windy, but i had to finish. Today, i was the rickshaw puller and also dressed the part.

*Damn...i really looked weird pulling that Rickshaw, though it was a lil' bit heavy...but it was sure fun.

"FLASH-FLASH-FLASH" (1st Day of the shoot)

2009-10-15T10:39:00.000-07:00

* Today is the day to take photos for my movie project. So, it's time to head down the Beach front and pursue this. My mum accompanied me, for safety and to be my photographer. Thank God it's a sunny day, surely the photos will look good (i hope). But it was a little bit windy, because we were near the sea. Everything was going well...up until the camera had a low battery (t'was very frustrating), because this meant we had to come tomorrow.

(The picture on the right, is a sneak-peak shot of my photo collection!).

Embedded Journalism***

2009-10-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

*Today in class, we got a lecture on Embedded Journalism (A Broader sense of it).

*What is "EMBEDDED JOURNALISM"?

*It refers to the news reporters being attatched to the military units involved in armed conflicts.

*To view the "PROS & CONS" of embedded journalism, click on the link below:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june03/embed_3-27.html

*Embedded journalism could be applied to many historical interactions between journalists and military personnel, it 1st came to be used in the media coverage of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The U.S Military responded to pressure from the country's news media who were disappointed by the level of access geranted during the 1991 Gulf War and in the 2001 U.S. invasion of Afganistan. The Gulf War was one of the biggest wars in history, many were killed and many lost their homes.

EXPLORING CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF DURBAN!!!

2009-10-13T00:55:00.000-07:00

*Cultural diversity refers to manifold ways in which the cultures of social groups and societies find expression. From the diverse forms taken by culture over time and space stem the uniqueness and plurality of the identities and cultural expressions of the peoples and societies that make up humankind. Cultural diversity is made to manifest not only through the varied ways in which the cultural heritage of humankind is protected, augmented and transmitted to future generations, but also through the variety of cultural expressions which are born by cultural goods and services, in all parts of the world at any given time, through diverse modes of production, dissemination, distribution and consumption.

Why are Tabloids soooo...popular in our culture?

2009-10-09T03:15:00.000-07:00

*TABLOIDS*

*The tabloids are a big industry in our current society.We seem to have a weird fascination for the famous and we love to read about their lives. We love to see pictures of them- especially pictures of them in compromising positions. It is very sad that our society has come to this.Some tabloids are in actual newspapers online and in print. Sometimes they are just a small section of the paper.

*NEWSPAPERS*

*The tabloid paper size varies.Sometime it is a thick section of the paper and sometimes it is the whole paper. The new York daily news just has a small section online. The sun newspaper is all a tabloid paper. The entire paper is covered with tabloid news. These newspapers can be found in any grocery store.

*THE TABLOID MAGAZINE*

*The New York Post has a quite large section for tabloid news. Online you can view their photo gallery of stars with news about them. Some newspapers are truly dedicated to tabloid news. These tabloids are constantly getting in trouble for the stories they print.If they cannot prove the source of the story and someone sues them and says that the story is not true then they can be sued for a lot of money.The national enquirer is one of these magazines. They are one of the biggest in the world for tabloid news. The sun tabloid is also a very popular magazine. It is a weekly tabloid that mainly has stories about famous people and stars.

THE MAIN POINTS TO Y THEY ARE VITALLY POPULAR:

*They are inexpensive.

*They are based on opinion and on emotion.

*They invite the reader to apply judgement or derision.

*They celebrate improbable content.

*They bring the rich, powerful & famous down (levelling them in other words).

*They trade in the economy of emotion.

*They evoke a world with few real life consequences for the reader.

*They appear to disclose secrets and what is private: We feel like "insiders".

*They revel conspiracy theories and other paranoic explanations of phenomena.

*They also relish confessional, "tell all" narratives and exclusive disclosures.

My movie idea...

2009-10-09T00:38:00.000-07:00

*Finally...i have an idea on what my movie will be about.
It's gonna be about...wait 4 it, wait 4 it...
***RICKSHAW PULLERS***

*I chose this because, this type of informal job carries a lot of diversity and democratic usage of the spaces in the CBD.
*It's that type of a business that's open to anyone and it's widely varied. Plus it's one of the greatest experience that a person could ever experience.
*It portrays a lot of elements...socially, economically & culturally.
*I believe that this idea i've chosen, has a lot of history behind it and plus it takes place on the focal point of Durbz... the "Durban Beachfront".

*Have a close look on the "BIG TEN"

2009-10-07T06:53:00.000-07:00

*They are namely the:

1. AOL/Time Warner
2.AT & T Corporation
3.General Electric
4.News Corporation
5.Viacom, inc.
6.Bertelsmann
7.Walt Disney Company
8.Vivedi Universal
9.Liberty Media Corporation
10.Sony

*Click on the following weblink for more info:

http://www.thenation.com/special/bigten.html

What's "NET NEUTRALITY"?

2009-10-07T06:24:00.000-07:00

*Simply put, net neutrality is a network design paradigm that argues for broadband network providers to be completely detached from what information is sent over their networks. In essence, it argues that no bit of information should be prioritized over another. This principle implies that an information network such as the internet is most efficient and useful to the public when it is less focused on a particular audience and instead attentive to multiple users.

For more broader definitions of net neutrality, click on the ffg:

http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=Net+neutrality&i=55962,00.asp
http://www.google.com/help/netneutrality.html
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB114839410026160648-l8Cd7lakn_8givyNOVIeReUDNLw_20070523.html

Our idea 4 the 3rd Article...

2009-10-06T01:28:00.000-07:00

*Pheew...thank God that this is our final and last article for this semester. Talk about work, i mean, "journalism" YOH... It may be fun and interesting to investigate and interview, but it aint that easy...trust me. Being a journalist is tough work, that in which i got to realise now.

*Anywho...

*My collegues and i thought that for our 3rd article, we gonna write about the "cultural diversities" in the city of Durban.

How to pull an all Nighter...

2009-10-03T04:30:00.000-07:00

*Ah, the desperation of an important test or exam the next day, or a large amount of missing homework that's due tomorrow. Whatever it is, the Sleepless Night b4 is always annoying. Here's how to pull it off and live safely:

*Do your work. Plenty of times, you get sidetracked. Avoid this by setting a constant pace for yourself: 50 minutes of work, and a 10 minute break. Besides, keeping your mind occupied will make it easier to stay awake.
*Avoid caffeine, if possible. See warnings for reasons why. Drink two brimming glasses of ice cold water every 30 minutes. Not only will the cold keep you awake, but you’ll need to urinate very often. It’s difficult to sleep on the toilet.
*Play (softly, if you have a roommate) fast-paced, grating music. You may enjoy it, but it must be, at all costs, harsh and a bit arrhythmic. Try to stick to instrumental music, which is less distracting. This will keep you from being lulled to sleep.
*Work with windows open: cold air will keep you awake. Warm air knocks you out. If you find the cold air is effective in keeping you awake, you can even go to the bathroom and wash your face with cold water. Only wash your face if you are getting tired, you don’t want to waste studying time.
*Set your computer screen to a lower setting, (duller and darker) so as not to strain your eyes. See warnings for why not to.
*Turn off instant messengers, your cellphone, the TV, and do not surf the Internet, edit wikiHow, read, draw, etc. In fact, pinch yourself if you do. This can distract you very easily.
Do not work in bed, on a couch, or on the floor. If you work in any other place than a cold, hard table and chair, you will feel very tempted to sleep. If possible, work somewhere far away from your room/bed, so it’s a pain to go back and sleep. Try to be around some other people, too, so you do not feel comfortable sleeping in your chair.
*Set a timer, if you’re going to nap. Don’t nap for more than 20 minutes, and stay half-awake. Avoid napping at all costs, though. “Just 20 minutes of relaxation” will more likely involve you waking up past your class the next day.
*Rotate subjects every hour, if applicable. You’ll quickly mentally wear out on one topic.
Work through it all. If you have time at the end, pack up your stuff, lay out your clothes, then set your alarm as late as possible, to achieve the most possible sleep.
*Try sitting in different places around the room.
*Remember: if you are tired and are completely slumping over your work, sit up straight. It could immediately make you feel more awake. Yes, it sounds stupid, but try it.
*Eat protein-rich foods like sandwiches, cheese, and other dairy products. Sugary foods may make you feel awake for a little while, but can eventually make you feel drowsy.
*Think positively. Thoughts such as: “I am almost done,” “This is actually not too bad,” “I will get to see the sunrise,” “I will get a good grade” can definitely help.
*Get scared. Sure, it sounds silly, but do it. Watch a horror movie or read something frightening. You’ll be too scared to fall asleep. Do not do this if there is work to be finished, though!
*Note: if you are tired and bored of studying the same thing over and over again, remain positive. You can even try to make a game out of it so studying won’t be so strenuous and dull. (It sometimes helps to time how fast you get math problems done, and try to beat that time:)

The Biography* of "Aung San Suu Kyi"

2009-09-30T23:52:00.001-07:00

Biography*

1942:	September 6. Marriage of Aung San, commander of the Burma Independence Army, and Ma Khin Kyi (becoming Daw Khin Kyi), senior nurse of Rangoon General Hospital, where he had recovered from the rigours of the march into Burma.
1945:	June 19. Aung San Suu Kyi born in Rangoon, third child in family. "Aung San" for father, "Kyi" for mother, "Suu" for grandmother, also day of week of birth. Favourite brother is to drown tragically at an early age. The older brother, will settle in San Diego, California, becoming United States citizen.
1947:	July 19. General Aung San assassinated. Suu Kyi is two years old. Daw Khin Kyi becomes a prominent public figure, heading social planning and social policy bodies.
1948:	January 4. The Independent Union of Burma is established.
1960:	Daw Khin Kyi appointed Burma's ambassador to India. Suu Kyi accompanies mother to New Delhi.
1960-64:	Suu Kyi at high school and Lady Shri Ram College in New Delhi.
1964-67:	Oxford University, B.A. in philosophy, politics and economics at St. Hugh's College (elected Honorary Fellow, 1990). British "parents" are Lord Gore-Booth, former British ambassador to Burma and High Commissioner in India, and his wife, at whose home Suu Kyi meets Michael Aris, student of Tibetan civilisation.
1969-71:	She goes to New York for graduate study, staying with family friend Ma Than E, staff member at the United Nations, where U. Thant of Burma is Secretary-General. Postponing studies, Suu Kyi joins U.N. secretariat as Assistant Secretary, Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions. Evenings and weekends volunteers at hospital, helping indigent patients in programs of reading and companionship.
1972:	January 1. Marries Michael Aris, joins him in Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, where he tutors royal family and heads Translation Department. She becomes Research Officer in the Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
1973:	They return to England for birth of Alexander in London.
1974:	Michael assumes appointment in Tibetan and Himalayan studies at Oxford University.
1977:	Birth of second son, Kim at Oxford. While raising her children, Suu Kyi begins writing, researches for biography of father, and assists Michael in Himalayan studies.
1984:	Publishes Aung San in Leaders of Asia series of University of Queensland Press. (See Freedom from Fear, pp. 3-38.)
1985:	For juvenile readers publishes Let's Visit Burma (see Freedom from Fear, pp. 39-81), also books on Nepal and Bhutan in same series for Burke Publishing Company, London.
1985-86:	Visiting Scholar, Center of Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, researching father's time in Japan. Kim with her, Alexander with Michael, who has fellowship at Indian Institute of Advanced Studies at Simla in northern India.
1986:	On annual visit to grandmother in Rangoon, Alexander and Kim take part in traditional Buddhist ceremony of initiation into monkhood.
1987:	With fellowship at Indian Institute Suu Kyi, with Kim, joins Michael and Alexander in Simla. Travels to London when mother is there for cataract surgery. Publishes "Socio-Political Currents in Burmese Literature, 1910-1940" in journal of Tokyo University. (See Freedom from Fear, pp. 140-164.) September. Family returns to Oxford. Suu Kyi enrolls at London School of Oriental and African Studies to work on advanced degree.
1988:	March 31. Informed by telephone of mother's severe stroke, she takes plane next day to Rangoon to help care for Daw Khin Kyi at hospital, then moves her to family home on University Avenue next to Inya Lake in Rangoon. July 23. Resignation of General Ne Win, since 1962 military dictator of Burma. Popular demonstrations of protest continuing. August 8. Mass uprising throughout country. Violent suppression by military kills thousands. August 15. Suu Kyi, in first political action, sends open letter to government, asking for formation of independent consultative committee to prepare multi-party elections. August 26. In first public speech, she addresses several hundred thousand people outside Shwedagon Pagoda, calling for democratic government. Michael and her two sons are there. September 18. Military establishes State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). Political gatherings of more than four persons banned. Arrests and sentencing without trial reaffirmed. Parliamentary elections to be held, but in expectation that multiplicity of parties will prevent clear result. September 24. National League for Democracy (NLD) formed, with Suu Kyi general-secretary. Policy of non-violence and civil disobedience. October-December. Defying ban, Suu Kyi makes speech-making tour throughout country to large audiences. December 27. Daw Khin Kyi dies at age of seventy-six.
1989:	January 2. Funeral of Daw Khin Kyi. Huge funeral procession. Suu Kyi vows that as her father and mother had served the people of Burma, so too would she, even unto death. January-July. Suu Kyi continues campaign despite harassment, arrests and killings by soldiers. February 17. Suu Kyi prohibited from standing for election. April 5. Incident in Irawaddy Delta when Suu Kyi courageously walks toward rifles soldiers are aiming at her. July 20. Suu Kyi placed under house arrest, without charge or trial. Sons already with her. Michael flies to Rangoon, finds her on third day of hunger strike, asking to be sent to prison to join students arrested at her home. Ends strike when good treatment of students is promised.
1990:	May 27. Despite detention of Suu Kyi, NLD wins election with 82% of parliamentary seats. SLORC refuses to recognise results. October 12. Suu Kyi granted 1990 Rafto Human Rights Prize.
1991:	July 10. European Parliament awards Suu Kyi Sakharov human rights prize. October 14. Norwegian Nobel Committee announces Suu Kyi is winner of 1991 Peace Prize.
1991:	December. Freedom from Fear published by Penguin in New York, England, Canada, Australia, New Zealand. Also in Norwegian, French, Spanish translations. December 10. Alexander and Kim accept prize for mother in Oslo ceremony. Suu Kyi remains in detention, having rejected offer to free her if she will leave Burma and withdraw from politics. Worldwide appeal growing for her release.
1992:	Suu Kyi announces that she will use $1.3 million prize money to establish health and education trust for Burmese people.
1993:	Group of Nobel Peace Laureates, denied entry to Burma, visit Burmese refugees on Thailand border, call for Suu Kyi's release, Their appeal later repeated at UN Commission for Human Rights in Geneva.
1994:	February. First non-family visitors to Suu Kyi: UN representative, U.S. congressman, New York Times reporter. September-October. SLORC leaders meet with Suu Kyi, who still asks for a public dialogue.
1995:	July 10. SLORC releases Suu Kyi from house arrest after six years of detention.

In the last four years her movements have still been restricted. While she has had some opportunities to telephone her family in England, she is regularly denounced in the government-controlled media, and there is concern for her personal safety. Efforts to revive any NLD party activities have been balked, and its members have been jailed and physically attacked. In the first months after detention was ended, she was able to speak to large gatherings of supporters outside her home, but this was stopped. Yet her popularity in the country has not diminished.

Internationally her voice has been heard not infrequently. Reporters with cameras and videotape have been able to interview her in person, and telephone interviews with the media outside Burma have also been published. Using video cassettes she has sent out statements, including the keynote address to the NGO Forum at the U.N. International Women's Conference in Beijing in August 1995.

There have been a number of visitors from abroad, including a member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, whom she told that Norway will be the first country she will visit when free to travel. SLORC has changed its name to the State Peace and Development Council, but its repressive policies and violation of human rights continue unabated.

Suu Kyi discourages tourists from visiting Burma and businessmen from investing in the country until it is free. She finds hearing for such pleas among western nations, and the United States has applied economic sanctions against Burma, but Burma's neighbours follow their policy of not intervening in the internal affairs of other sovereign states, and Burma has been admitted into the Association of South Eastern Asian Nations.

On March 27, 1999, Michael Aris died of prostate cancer in London. He had petitioned the Burmese authorities to allow him to visit Suu Kyi one last time, but they had rejected his request. He had not seen her since a Christmas visit in 1995. The government always urged her to join her family abroad, but she knew that she would not be allowed to return. This separation she regarded as one of the sacrifices she had had to make in order to work for a free Burma.

What is Censorship?

2009-09-30T23:49:00.000-07:00

*Censorship is the suppression of speech or deletion of communicative material which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or inconvenient to the government or media organizations as determined by a censor.

*INTERNET CENSORSHIP*

*Internet censorship...is the control or suppression of the publishing or accessing of information on the internet.

The DOUBLE "F"

2009-09-30T02:46:00.000-07:00

*Forgiving is love's toughest work, and love's biggest risk. If you twist it into something it was never meant to be, it can make you a doormat or an insufferable manipulator. Forgiving seems almost unnatural. Our sense of fairness tells us people, that we should pay for the wrong they do. But forgiving is love's power to break nature's rule.

*You know what they say: "Men forget but never forgive, to whereas women forgive but never forget"...But w@ i know is that, to FORGIVE is possible but to FORGET is impossible (it also depends on the kind of hurt you went through).

*It's no use to hold grudges...b'coz they are simply a waste of perfect happiness. N plus life is too short to that, so rather "4gv"...b'coz that will surely set you free.

***THERE'S NO LOVE WITHOUT FORGIVENESS, AND THERE'S NO FORGIVENESS WITHOUT LOVE!!!***

The Internet & Democratic Project!

2009-09-28T11:05:00.000-07:00

*The project’s initial case studies investigated three frequently cited examples of the Internet’s influence on democracy. The first case looked at the user-generated news site OhmyNews and its impact on the 2002 elections in South Korea. The second documented the role of technology in Ukraine’s Orange Revolution. The third analyzed the network composition and content of the Iranian blogosphere. Fall 2008 saw the release of a new series of case studies, which broadened the scope of our research and examined some less well-known parts of the research landscape. In a pair of studies, we reviewed the role of networked technologies in the 2007 civic crises of Burma's Saffron Revolution and Kenya’s post-election turmoil. In April 2009, Urs Gasser's three-part case study examined the role of technology in Switzerland’s semi-direct democracy. This case expands on our study of foreign blogospheres with an analysis of the Arabic language blogosphere.

WEB INDICATORS***

2009-09-26T04:21:00.000-07:00

- The internet and the WWW have made a large number of new sources of data available, including meta data. They also provide new interfaces to existing data sources.
- The internet and the WWW are becoming the dominant platform for new communication media between researchers (including new forms of virtual collaboration) and between research and society at large.
- The internet and the WWW enable the development and use of new web-based research tools in all areas of scientific and academic research and thus create new challenges for science and technology policy

*CHOMEEZ 4 LYF!!!

2009-09-26T01:24:00.000-07:00

DEE...Final Project***

2009-09-18T04:45:00.000-07:00

*Look @ the camera...FLASH!
*Smile @ the camera...WOW!

***IT'S TIME TO MAKE A MOVIE***

DAMN...I've never been so excited in my whole entire life.
I mean, i'm gonna make a movie...hello did you get me?
i said a "M.O.V.I.E"...wow! this is soooooooo gonna be fun, can't w8!!!

*The movie must deal with the ffg topic:
"Informal Durban-- Diverse and democratic use of the city spaces in the CBD"

*I got so many ideas, but am still a lil' bit confused on which particular "aspect of an everyday life in the city of Durban" to choose 4rm.
*But which ever aspect i choose, i gotta make sure that i do a gr8 and an interesting movie on it (this project carries a lot of marks).
*I have to showcase my news-media "practitioner" side, you know!!! (wink)

Prostitution versus the 2010 World Cup!

2009-09-15T01:24:00.000-07:00

*The 2nd Article: Me and my collegues chose to write about prostitution on the resemblence of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

*We thought the best way to go about writing this article, was to find out what are "people" views on the matter of legalising prostitution, so we took it down to the streets of Durban. Many people had difference views, but more or else it was the same, because most of them thought that prostitution shouldn't be legalised, to whereas some of the thought that it should. But all of this boiled down to: THE 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP!!...what will be the best solution for it.

*The main QUESTION was: "Is legalising prostitution the best way to secure the 2010 World Cup?"

*See our article on this link: http://internetstudies.ukzn.ac.za/inst102news/node/279

...and for more info, click on the following web-links:

http://allafrica.com/stories/200907310941.html

http://www.project2010.co.za/

Does "MUTHI" really work when it comes to soccer?

2009-09-11T01:24:00.000-07:00

*That's an ultimate myth!...But it's reality!!!

*Every team wants to win when it comes to soccer, and the team would do anything (when i say "anything", i mean "anything") to achieve that particular win. Even if it means they have to conspire, cheat, use muthi or diabolically still...to even kill (you'll never know, they are desperate....remember).

*Approximately 94.7% of soccer teams here in S.A, use muthi (...Yep, believe it). @ times it works but sometimes it backfires. They say funny and weird things happen if it's used wrongly. @least a majority of the team believes in 'muthi', but the rest just don't. One has to follow the Inyanga's orders or else sparks will fly and the team will certainly lose...KABUHLUNGU FUTHI!

*They could use their muthi, i don't have a problem with that. But...i believe and have faith in God! Surelly if you ask God anything in a good & faithful way, he will answer you in a good way...believe me...i know.

*When it comes to soccer...pure luck works it way out, and you know what they say:

"Ibhola lyaginqika" (The ball rolls)

Bafana Bafana, kant' kwenzenjani?

2009-09-09T01:22:00.000-07:00

*It really saddens me that the fact that the FIFA World Cup is just around the corner, and our team is just repeatingly losing every game they play. It's so disappointing for our country yaz', i mean, we hosting D' Biggest event but, it's seems like we gonna get booted out early in the game...(w@ a pity). The 2-0 loss with Germany was bad, but the 1-0 loss with Ireland was much even worse...(what's going with our boys?). No doubt about it, we've got exceptional players but, it seems like they have a black cloud over their heads. I don't know if the problem is with them or it's with the coach himself, ey'...only God knows.

*The ultimate question still remains: "Can Bafana Bafana win the FIFA World Cup?"

*My answer: ...uhm, if only a miracle can happen. But i still have HOPE and FAITH that maybe, just maybe they'd do the country proud. Eish...but the chances of doing that are very slim.

What is "Perfect Happiness"?

2009-09-08T06:06:00.000-07:00

*Perfect happiness really does exist!

Yep. It does exist in the heart of countless idealists of all creeds, ages, and colours.

Is it an abstract concept of an ethereal dreamworld inhabited by naive mavericks and lost souls?

I don't think so.

To me, perfect happiness is...

*accepting the fact that life is not other than the one you are living. So while @ it, enjoy as much as you can, doing your utmost best to take chances that come your way.
*discovering and celebrating who you are. Do not despise yourself and wherever you find yourself today. Comparing yourself to the pretenders and contenders will only make you more miserable.
*walking as far away as is possible from the gurus and their weird prescriptions. Life, as it is, is already complicated, so make yours as easy as you choose.
*realising that your ability to string together a conversation with your creator, is the surest way to delay the greying of the follicles. "Worry", is a spoiler. So why become a beast of burdens when you can choose to become a temple of joy?
*accepting who you are not. You cannot be everybody and everything. So put on your uniqueness and strengths. In the company of intergrity, love and compassion, hold your head up high and swagger your way towards your dream.
*learning to give yourself a hug every new day. Laugh a lot and let your regrets be few.
*knowing that there are sharks in the waters around you, so learn the secrets of preserving your soul. Do noy point a finger @ others. Deal with your faults and mistakes responsibily and you will definately find grace.

Weekend Special...

2009-09-07T23:11:00.000-07:00

*I really enjoyed my weekend bra...

...How?

*Well...last week Saturday, my family and i went to a party @ Newland West.

* T'was 1 of those "colour of the day" type of a party, so t'ws restricted that everybody dat was invited 2 da party, must wear a red top and a pair of jeans.

LIFE IS TOO SHORT***

2009-09-06T23:23:00.000-07:00

*Life is too short...
Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness.
Laugh when you can, apologise when you should and let go of what you can't change.
Love deeply and forgive quickly.
Take chances...give your everything and have no regrets.
*Life is too short...
To be unhappy, you have to take the good with the bad.
Smile...when you're sad, love what you got and always remember what you had.
Always forgive but, never forget, learn from your mistakes, but never regret.
People change, and things go wrong but always remember that...
LIFE GOES ON!!!

T.G.I.F*

2009-09-04T23:39:00.000-07:00

*THANK...

*GOD...

*IT'S...

*FRIDAY!!!

...Ey, i wonder neh...ukuth' w@ will this particular "Friday" bring 4 me.
But so far so good, everything jst seems normal.

Peace, Love & Happiness!

2009-09-03T00:19:00.001-07:00

*You may say im a dreamer, but ey'...i aint the only 1.

HAVE A BLESSFUL DAY***

2009-09-03T00:03:00.000-07:00

*God Bless!!!

Eminent examples of alternative presses!

2009-09-02T04:30:00.000-07:00

*Mr Tengo Jabavu...
*He's 4rm the Eastren Cape, born in 1859 and passed away in 1921. And he owned the newspaper: "Imvo Zabantsundu". This particular newspaper, sought to articulate & unify the interests of the emerging African Christian middle class. He was a 2ru master publicist!

*Mr Solomon Plaatjie...
*He's 4rm the Northern Cape, born in 1876 & passed away in 1932. And he owned the newspaper: "Koranta ea Becona", which was published in August 1901. He was the 1st black person to translate Shakespeare to an African language. he was a 2ru investigative journalist!

Alternative Press in S.A!

2009-09-02T03:01:00.000-07:00

*This is the 1st full-length study of the protest-cum-resistance press and its role in the struggle for a democratic South Africa between the 1880's and the 1960's. South Africa's alternative press played a crucial, but still largely undocumented, role in the making of modern South Africa. Projecting the point of view of intermediary social groups, who saw themselves as a modernising, upwardly mobile non-ethnic force in the struggle to create a black middle-class culture in South Africa, these presses mirrored political realities that differed substantially from those projected by South Africa 's established commercial press, which was owned and controlled by whites, and concerned almost exclusively with the political, economic, and social life of the white population. An important venue for an emerging black literacy tradition, these alternative presses also constitute a unique political and social archive.(Switzer Les)

SPRING IS HERE...

2009-09-01T07:12:00.000-07:00

*BLOSSOM FLOWER BLOSSOM!!!
*The yellows, the oranges, the reds, the pinks...now those are "spring" colourz!!!
*It"s all about being B.R.I.G.H.T

Durban Rickshaw Pullerz!!!

2009-09-01T04:49:00.000-07:00

*My collegues and i went down to do our project "article" that was of livelihoods in the informal sector. So, the 3 of us chose to write an article about the amazing Rickshaw Pullers. We saw that this would be a great experience , to actually find out more about these people and these Rickshaws.

This led us to interview a Rickshaw Puller:
John Sibiya (He tells more about his personal background in this business). He was born in 1958 and he started doing this Rickshaw business in 1981. His late father got him into this particular business, because he to, was a Rickshaw Puller 4 many years till he died. (MY HIS FATHER'S SOUL...REST IN PERFECT PEACE). Mr.J.Sibiya is a husband to 3 wives and a father to 19 children. He lives @ Kwa-Nongoma with his whole family.

He utters that the earnings he makes from this business, simply sustains him and his family. BUT... we asked ourselves how? 'Coz he just charges R20 per ride, but depends on the trip. He said that kyazameka (coping), though @ times it's really tough 2 da matter of, he sometimes goes home without even enough 2 buy a loaf of bread. That's 1 of the challenges he faces almost everyday. But he also comes across to whereas people just walk pass by him when he's marketing himself, some other people just ignore him, totally.

But despite all of that, he still loves his job and he does it with great passion. In addition to 2010, he has great anticipation, due to the fact that he feels that the World Cup will bring him an inflow of large number of tourists. Which he sees that t'will boost his economy for just those few months. He enjoys every moment in this pulling business.

*We also enjoyed ourselves during this whole experience of the "RICKSHAW WORLD"!!!
*T'was ultimatetly a gr8 privilage to meet and interview Mr .J. Sibiya.

*To view our article, click on the link below:

http://internetstudies.ukzn.ac.za/inst102news/node/149

Social inequality, is a defin8 REALITY.

2009-09-01T03:15:00.000-07:00

"Social inequality occurs when ideology and power combine in such a way as to make one group superior or inferior to another group." This definition comes 4rm my dad's old Sociology textbook, that was just laying around the house. So, yeah...racial discrimination can be considered as a social inequality b'coz prior to the past, the days of the Apartheid Era. The Whites were superior, which made the Blacks to be inferior in many aspects. Other examples of social inequality, includes "sexism". For many years, women didn't have the right to own property or vote. They were essentially consindered to be possessions of their husbands or fathers and were therefore inferior to the superior males within the society. Even the difference in economic classes, is considered as social inequality. Those with significant wealth have considerably more power than those without wealth. Along with that, there's a commonly held ideology that supports the idea that wealthy (or even middle class) people are superior 2 those who live in poverty.

Pshhh...as if love?...

2009-09-01T02:23:00.000-07:00

Dat's just a negative attitude... As if love would change the world?...
Does any1 trully believes that could really happen? YES, i do believe. It's all left up 2 the people @ large, on whether they to live in a more loving and caring atmosphere. LOVE CAN CREATE 2GEDANESS!!!

"Good-night and Good-luck"

2009-08-26T04:02:00.000-07:00

*Today in class, we watched a very interesting movie.

*That's about the renowned CBS News anchor Edward R Murrow's (David Strathairn) legendary on-air confrontations with red-baiting Senator Joseph McCarthy that helped bring down the infamous politician in the mid-1950s. The film traces the true story of how Murrow and his producer, Fred Friendly (George Clooney), helped bring an end to the tyranny of the blacklist and the house Un-American Activities Committee' anti-Communist hearings. With the platform provided by his CBS News program See it now, Murrow challenged McCarthy on his claims that hundreds of avowed communists were working covertly as Soviet spies in the US government, among other allegations that at the time had the power to destroy lives and careers.

*T'WAS A GREAT MOVIE, I MUST SAY!

Brokenhearted girl...

2009-08-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

You were everything i thought you never were,
And nothing like i thought you could've been,
But still...u live inside of me,
So tell me how is that?
You are the only one i love 2 not 4get,
The only one i wish to not 4give,
But than, you broke my heart,
And then there are times when u hurt me,
And put tears on my face, da times when you
stabbed me with a knife thru my heart.
...(CRYING)...

There are times when i hate you,
Cause i can't erase...this excruciating pain. But why do i still feel like...(PAUSE)
Like i don't wanna take a breath without you?
I despise u, but yet again I LOVE YOU!!!

Dignity as "RESPECT"!!!

2009-08-20T10:02:00.000-07:00

What is the 2ru definition of "dignity"?

2009-08-20T00:22:00.000-07:00

Each individual has their own definition of the term "DIGNITY". As humanbeings, we very diverse, but we tend to have almost the same understanding of this particular term.
My definition of DIGNITY would be:

Respect!
Manner!
Worthiness!
Excellence!
Gratitude!

An elevation of mind and character.

Just livin' my life the way i wanna!!!

2009-08-18T04:09:00.000-07:00

*JUST LIVIN' MY LIFE LIKE IT'S GOLDEN.

Really...What is love?

2009-08-18T03:16:00.000-07:00

*Overall, love is 1 vital and most "AMAZING" feeling that 1 could eva experience.

L.O.V.E.... how fascinating!!!

2009-08-18T03:00:00.000-07:00

*2ru dat!

ENJOY!!

2009-08-18T02:47:00.000-07:00

Nobody deserves a dull day, but rather a bright one.

Wish you 2 have a colourful day...E.n.J.o.Y!!!

What is "Human Dignity"?

2009-08-18T02:03:00.000-07:00

*I believe that, it is a person's God-given inalienable right that deserves to be protected by the Government and promoted by the community.

*Heaven Sent*