Hogarth 02 September

Hogarth does not suffer fools lightly and is compulsive reading for the millions of South Africans who share this intolerance.

Yes, comrade, there are many contradictions to discuss

HOGARTH sees that the ANC hosted a meeting of the Socialist International in Cape Town this week at which President Jacob Zuma spoke forcefully about "the contradictions of capitalism".

Perhaps he had police shooting striking miners on his mind.

The meeting, in true socialist tradition, was set to tackle four themes, enumerated as: 1. For an economy with jobs, growth and social protection: the social democratic response to the financial crisis; 2. The struggle for rights and freedoms: strengthening representative democracy and gaining new democracies in the world; 3. For a common road to peace, sustainability and cooperation: the need to secure multilateralism; and 4. For a new internationalism and a new culture of solidarity among people and between nations.

There's a recipe for decisive action. Not.

A Greek tragedy ... er, farce

OPENING the congress was Socialist International president George Papandreou.

You might remember him as the man who put Greece on the skids, so to speak.

Here's hoping that his brilliant "socialist" management of the Greek economy doesn't rub off on our delegates.

Preventative measure

ARCHBISHOP Emeritus Desmond Tutu's decision to withdraw from the Discovery Leadership Summit at the eleventh hour in protest at the appearance of Tony Blair was the surprise of the week.

Hogarth thought it was only Catholics that pulled out at the last minute.

Name the pretenders, Pravin

AMONG those who spoke at the summit was Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan. He spoke out very strongly against corruption, saying: "In South Africa, we have too many pretenders who say one thing in public, but do other things in private."

Now who did he have in mind?

Protest or starve

ALSO speaking this week - at a "round table" with journalists in Cape Town - was Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.

Said he: "When you are a public office-bearer, I don't think we have the right morally, or otherwise, to say to those who are forever going without basic necessities of life that they should be patient.

"They are within their right to raise those issues as strongly and sharply as possible. If they don't do that, chances are their conditions will never change in their lifetime."

Quite right. That would be as absurd as charging protesters with murder if the police shot some of them dead, right?

Some collective wisdom

FOLLOWING its NEC meeting on Monday, the ANC's Gwede Mantashe issued a statement on the Marikana killings, saying:

"After discussions, the NEC expressed a collective view that this was tragedy."

After discussions? Did anyone really suggest that it was not a tragedy?

Crossing the border

SO the dancing president took a short trip to Botswana on a state visit this week, where he met President Ian Khama, and the ministers of both governments signed agreements on a variety of issues.

The cynic in Hogarth is convinced that the president was also there to reassure Khama that expelled ANC kindergarten head boy Wee Julius won't be returning to cause trouble, not any time soon. After all, Wee Julius was expelled after being found guilty of a number of charges, including his threat to bring down Khama's "puppet" government.

Go ahead, make Mitt's day

CLINT Eastwood's rambling appearance at the Republican Convention in the US to endorse Mitt Romney was a sad moment for his fans.

Hogarth's advice? Clint, you're the strong, silent type. The silent part is important.

• Write to hogarth@sundaytimes.co.za