Dani on the state of the nation

I solemnly pledge myself to the service of humanity and will endeavour to practice my profession with conscience and with dignity.
I will maintain by all the means in my power the honour and the noble traditions of my profession. The total health of my patients will be my first consideration.
I will hold in confidence all personal matters coming to my knowledge.
I will not permit considerations of religion, nationality, race or social standing to intervene between my duty and my patient.
I will maintain the utmost respect for human life. I make these promises, solemnly, freely and upon my honour.

This is the oath pledged by nurses that practice within South Africa today and I find it disheartening that a promise with such eminence has become so meaningless and erratic.

Don’t get me wrong, I am under no misconceptions that nurses and health care workers should be paid more. You only have to watch the likes of Saving Soweto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43sF56TF280&feature=channel
a documentary which follows a Trauma doctor through one of many 24 hour shifts at Baragwaneth hospital in Soweto SA) to see what atrocities and pressures our health care workers are put under every day; however; this is no excuse to place the lives of desperate people in jeopardy. This is no longer a strike, it is attempted murder.

The country is in chaos, some internationally may even call the breakdown of medical care and the sudden standstill of educational facilities a catastrophe. Not our government however. While the country sits on the verge of a national crisis Jacob Zuma is shipped off to China with fiancé number… oh who knows…. because according to ANC’s spokesperson Jackson Mthembu “the work of the government must go on.” Well call me selfish but surely the South African governments first priority is… well… South Africa.

The government sector is filled with holes and questions - Why is the government not implicating the promises made? Why are they not arresting violent strikers? How can our Unions make excuses for destructive employees who took an oath to “maintain the utmost respect for human life”? In most professions people have been fired or even jailed for less.

Sometimes I just wish South Africa could be run a little more like a powerful, passionate power house and a little less like a school playground – Hopefully then the head of South Africa “Pty Ltd”, Jacob Zuma, would be made to penalise those not contributing, inspire those that hold our country together and reward those who work hard.

But instead, here we sit. Sigh.

-Dani Moolman

Malema says something Intelligent

http://www.thestar.co.za/?fSectionId=3268&fArticleId=vn20100823054117182C511957&fFeed=breakingnews
No, I'm not joking. For once the man has said something useful: (as a result, look out for flying pigs and perhaps a little snow fall)

'Julius Malema has warned the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) that the deaths of patients in hospitals arising through disruptions by striking public service workers would haunt it and that it would regret the consequences.'

'"You can't be proud that you took out a doctor from an (operating) theatre and a person died. Those are the disruptive (incidents) that will haunt Cosatu."'

'Malema said that while the Youth League supported the strike in principle, it opposed the violence by strikers.

"No matter how (unhappy) we are, they can't close down hospitals." '

Strike Action

It had to get violent. This is what stumps me and I’m sure what bothers all of you out there. Why get violent. For one, you lose public sympathy immediately, two, you lose government sympathy and three, you make us look like fools. Can’t you toyi toyi in peace? (I asked someone in the know and apparently that’s how you spell it).

http://www.thestar.co.za/?fSectionId=3268&fArticleId=nw20100820083409400C155628&fFeed=breakingnews

Read this article. This is a nurse who puts her job first, these are the kind of people we ought to celebrate. In the very same breathe, I must say that I am in agreement with the public service demand for more money. Not to suck government dry but perhaps a little redistribution of funds huh? What about those million rand car allowances being spread to teachers, nurses and policemen and women that could use a little extra money for you know…food! How about giving the people that earn less than R6000 a month a little bit of your travel allowance that affords you weeks in 5* hotels? Sharing is caring.

What makes me mad though is the method. Strike by all means, every nation in the world strikes. Some get violent (like the French burning tired in the streets) and our wonderful civil servants. Others, like the Dutch, cripple the government by staying home. No violence, no protests, they all just stay home for a couple of days. It works wonders. Lastly, emergency services should not strike….people are dying in hospital, babies are not being fed and cared for in neonatal wards and for what? The R300 or so extra you are fighting for? Come on South Africa. There are ways of doing things. You catch more bees with honey I think the saying goes.