By: Tracer

Tracer — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:58:41 +0000

Pierre, is there a way to find more detail on the “Gerhard Pretorius” in your article, eg ID, age, etc.? I’m looking for a missing person with the same names, who has vanished without a trace.

By: Harold Ferwood

Harold Ferwood — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:25:54 +0000

But impressive!

By: Black Star Liner

Black Star Liner — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:18:42 +0000

George is long winded…

By: george

george — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:53:13 +0000

Mr. Achmat; I noted your meteoric rise to public-prominence during your lengthy spell as self-proclaimed social-activist in the TAC with dismay – but decided to not stir public debate concerning your personal involvement, as that would merely have provided you with even more of the publicity which you so obviously craved. I noted your growing status as ‘champion of the people’ with disbelief – but still did not attempt to express my scorn. I noted your ‘endearing humility’ in assuming the mantle of a potential Nobel laureate with disgust, but still resisted the temptation to draw public attention to your sublime cheek in assuming the role of ‘Moral Stalwart of the Nation’. When you had soaked up sufficient adulation – from those followers who also had a political axe to grind with the ANC-government, and / or an opportunistic axe to grind in getting hold of cheaper antiretrovirals – and decided to forego some of the limelight that had accompanied the simply exhausting battle of spearheading TAC publicity-campaigns, I breathed a sigh of relief – and hoped that you would slide into obscurity and marital bliss as unobtrusively as possible. Now, however, you have apparently reinvented yourself as The Legal Expert?? Mr. Achmat, I still have old copies of ‘Die Suid-Afrikaan’, (dating back to the late 80’s and early 90’s), in which you spell-out – in no uncertain terms – exactly how deeply you are repulsed by the conventional sexual parameters of family and society. You regale the reader, at length, with your subversion of sexual norms and the pleasure you derive from contributing to random acts of promiscuity at every conceivable opportunity. Do the words – ” If gay men means the death of your society, so be it. I would be very happy to contribute to the death of heterosexuality”- ring a bell? Or ” …warped morality… from closeted doctors try to legislate child and adult sexuality. The question… should be: if the child wants to enter into a relationship with an adult” ?? Or what about “…straight mans is die lekkerste om te naai” ??? Maybe you can recall this little gem of Achmat-insight: “…the identification of heterosexual men with power is what should be undermined”??? And these sentiments, as you possibly recall, represent only a fraction of a two-page article where you celebrate your status as “…snow queen. Ek verkies wit mans”.
And you expect intelligent, rational people to trust that you are better qualified, (than Judge Hlophe), to determine that balanced version of a ‘constitutional morality’ you so learnedly refer to? Pleeez!!!! Whose views are more “… in direct conflict with our constitutional values…” – yours, or Judge Hlophe’s? Why should one believe that you actually care one jot about the tragic circumstances in the Magida case? Your melodramatic concern “…that she might never get a chance to hold her child again” would surely fool your merry band of followers, but those sentiments are obviously a mere illustration of the opportunism which marked your ascension to the stage as ‘noble activist’ – and stand in stark contrast to your true disdain for motherhood and your obsession with “…undermining the heterosexual image of what sex is…”. Would you suggest that you have since discarded the views expressed in that specific article?? That would be surprising, as the material in question seems to represent the very core of your beliefs and world-view, with impressive quotes from Freud, Bersani, Foucoult et al. Please Mr. Achmat, refrain from any further attempts at pretending that you are qualified to render a verdict concerning Judge Hlophe’s alleged prejudice, his homophobic inclinations, and / or his status as Judge.
For the record: it is totally obvious that (even) Judges would be influenced by personal beliefs when deliberating and delivering judgments. If that subjectivity interferes with legal principle, any resulting anomaly can be rectified or modified within the legal hierarchy. But Judge Hlophe, in 2009, cannot even begin to be compared to the Judges whom administered ‘justice’ in this country during the preceding 100 years. During the Nationalist era, the convenient deployment of ‘hanging-judges’ became part-and-parcel even of public discourse. The government’s co-option of the judiciary was seen in a myriad of different manifestations- ranging from the farcical proceedings of Judicial Enquiries with predictable outcomes, to Broederbond blue-eyed boys ensuring that legislation was steered in ‘approved’ fashion at every level of the legal system. Where was your voice of protest during those latter years Mr. Achmat?? I would suggest that your priorities were as skewed then, as now- while we are expected to further tolerate your jaundiced views spewed from atop the ‘anti-Hlophe’ bandwagon. The personal preferences of a “…snow queen…”, (your own label), allows a very telling insight into your current contribution to the Hlophe-debate.
For the record: I would place far more trust in Judge Hlophe’s ability to administer justice, (and feel more comfortable with the guiding principles of his brand of subjectivity), than the trust I would place in two judges who display such a remarkable lack of backbone that they feel compelled to moan about being ‘unduly influenced’ by another individual. How pathetic – (although it was, as we all know, merely part of a much larger Mbeki / Zuma battle).
In any case Mr. Achmat, please fight your personal battles on another terrain. There are much larger issues that should play a role in monitoring the composition of the judiciary, than your own prejudiced obsession with dubious, sectarian concerns.

By: Herman Lategan

Herman Lategan — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:14:13 +0000

Very good piece this. Thanks for posting it.

By: Bhagwad Jal Park

Bhagwad Jal Park — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:56:26 +0000