The latest debacle with not allowing the Dalai Lama a visa for the Peace Conference in 2010 shows that the South African government is bowing to Chinese pressure. And, the genocidal (more than a million Tibetans murdered already) China is smiling broadly as it bends us over the table and gives us one where the sun don't shine. They've managed to buy the SA government off and as we all know, this is not difficult.

The limp-wristed argument that the Dalai Lama's presence will detract from the World Cup 2010 just doesn't wash. Even the most hysterical supporters of the ANC-led government must see that it is a shambolic smoke-screen.

The Dalai Lama's presence in South Africa would have elevated our status, not detracted from it, in the eyes of the world. We are, afterall, the poster child for reconciliation, aren't we?  That's a mantle we shouldn't carry lightly.

I've got to take my hat off to our Minister of Health, Barbara Hogan for taking a stand against this travesty. At least she's shown us her mettle and written a line in the sand: "I'm no ANC Acolyte".

I think this debacle has backfired on the government as it has created more publicity about their murderously stupid ideology than it should have. I'll bet the Dalai Lama issue has knocked the World Cup off the front pages of the world stage … just what the SA government feared would happen. Once again, a half-cocked strategy that has sprung to life and created a Frankenstein that we now have to deal with. I'm sure the sophisticated nations of the world must be shaking their heads as they watch South Africa drop its name once again – its murderous stance on the people of Zimbabwe, its stance on HIV Aids (although Hogan seems to be a buoy of hope in a sea of stupidity), a government so corrupt that it just ranks second on the corruption scale after Angola, Xenophobic violence, a shambolic justice system that allows criminals to use every loophole to keep themselves out of jail, where criminals have more rights than victims, everytime someone in authority is questioned it is labelled racist and so on. After 15 years of ANC-rule it seems that we have gone backwards.

On March 18, 2009 I wrote a piece called The World Is Kak Scared Of China. You might just want to read it again to get context as to why the SA government's stance is unconscionable.

Jacques de Villiers is a motivational speaker and a sometimes horrified world citizen.

The reason I love Julius Malema, ANC Youth League President, is that every time he opens his mouth, the ANC loses votes. I reckon he, alone, has cost the ANC 20% of the vote on 22 April 2009. So, bye, bye two thirds majority. Bye, bye changing the Constitution to fit the ruling party's jaundiced and tainted view.

Karl Niehaus and his shennanigans; Naledi Pandor and her destruction of the education system; Jacob Zuma and his court cases and unprotected sex; President Kgalema chickening out of running for President in the future; and, the whole government for bending over for Bob Mugabe and letting him get away with murder and bringing Cholera to our country – this has to count against the ruling party. Never mind all the other misdemeanours that are too boring and numerous to mention here – rampant corruption, high crime rate, licencing debacle, AIDS pandemic, dumbest nation on the planet …

And, another telling blow against the ANC leadership is that they can't rein Malema in. He should have been fired long ago. It shows weak leadership and a will to act.

So, go for it Julius Malema. And, if the ANC does get its two thirds majority, then we really have got the government we deserve.

So, those of you sitting on the fence deciding whether or not to vote … step up and do your duty and vote. I don't care who you vote for, just vote. And, spoiling your vote is not going to help. Yes, none of the parties are ideal, but take a stand by voting for the one you believe can do the best for you and this beautiful country.

Jacques de Villiers is a motivational speaker and obviously, a wannabe political analyst.

The way the ANC spokespeople are couching their words makes me think that they're not convinced that he is innocent of the charges he faces after the Appeal Court decision for the case against him to go ahead.

They say the judgement was a technical judgement (and here's the kicker) it doesn't indicate his "guilt or otherwise".

I find that language strange under the circumstances. Surely the ANC should say his "guilt or innocence", not "otherwise". They really need to get someone to coach them in language and the nuance thereof. By leaving out "innocence" they're classically Freudian slipping and their deepest fears are coming out – that they believe he is guilty.

Jacques de Villiers is a sales trainer and most times really worried about the moral degradation in our government.

Checking out a Saturday Star from 2007 I was intrigued to hear Jacob Zuma say that it is dangerous for the clergy to be involved in politics. He was responding to Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s involvement in some or other political fray.

Here’s three questions I have for Jacob Zuma.

1. What if Reverend Martin Luther King Jnr. never got involved in politics? Do you think the black man would have had the rights he has now.
2. What if Reverend Beyers Naude and at least 30 other dominees never stood up against apartheid in 1960? They were treated as traitors to the Afrikaner race (hounded and discriminated against by the Afrikaner), just so that he could have the privileges he has now. Without these dominees starting a movement in the white heart, our new South Africa may have taken longer than 1994 to get on its feet.
3. Aren’t you a honorary pastor? By your own argument, it then must be dangerous for us for you to be involved in politics, wouldn’t you say?

Jacques de Villiers runs sales training seminars in South Africa

Today I heard that South African’s will be getting our public holiday on 2 May because two holidays will fall on one day. According to our Deputy President it is our constitutional right as South Africans to have 12 public holidays.

I wish she’d be as outspoken when it comes to our constitutional right to safety, security, life, liberty and electricity.

I’m not a fan of populist leaders like Jacob Zuma. I can only hope that he has some savvy, logical advisers. If he has a bunch of sycophantic acolytes advising him, then we’re in the dwang.

A thought came to mind after he was elected president of the ANC … If the USA can elect George W Bush, then I suppose we can elect JZ. After the election debacle which saw Al Gore lose by a hair to George Bush all those years ago, some wit said in all seriousness: "We’re still a young democracy …"

I suppose that means that South Africa is an embryonic democracy. However, I don’t think we should be taking the kind of risks we are on someone like JZ. We’re hardly out of the incubator and still in a fragile state.

Now let’s see if the NPA has the gumption to charge him. That will make for a delicious soap opera, that’s for sure.

Jacques de Villiers is an inspirational speaker and sales trainer in South Africa

The ANC power struggle doesn’t auger well for opposition parties.

The ANC is a party at war with itself and will not be able to function as a unified force after its Limpopo conference. Whether Zuma or Mbeki wins, one thing is for sure the ANC is a divided force.

Neither faction can do a simple thing like stop its followers from wearing tee shirts supporting either one. The mass of the ANC is an undisciplined and unwieldy lot. It makes me nervous when leaders can’t control their followers as is patent in Limpopo. In fact, if it is not watched, this lack of control will create a low-grade civil war. And, as you know, in Africa things escalate very quickly and we could sit with a real civil war like the one we had in KwaZulu Natal not so long ago. But, I digress …

Come next election, there’s a strong possibility that the ANC will split. If Jacob Zuma loses in Limpopo, he’ll create a new party, as will Mbeki’s successor.

If this happens, two parties will be seriously affected: the Democratic Alliance and the Inkatha Freedom Party.

Democratic Alliance (DA)

Since the ANC won 70% of the vote in the last election, this left the DA as the official opposition at a distant second – 12%. Simple math dictates that if the ANC splits, between it and the new party, it will still hold 70% of the vote. This means that the DA will come third in the next election and will not be the official opposition.

Inkatha Freedom Party

Whichever way Zuma goes, he’ll attract the Zulu vote in a big way. We’re far from a sophisticated society and vote for our tribe (who is the largest tribe in Zimbabwe? Now you know why Mugabe is still president and is being put forward to lead again). So, once again African tribalism will win and  it will be the Xhosas against the Zulus. If Zuma is the next President of the ANC, he’ll definitely attract a lot of voters from the IFP. I believe that this will be the death knell for the IFP.

If they want to be relevant after 2009, both the DA and IFP will have to come with radically new strategies to keep their power base.

Jacques de Villiers is a specialist in sales training and sales management