AFRIKAANSE FLIEKS KORT REGTE VERSPREIDING

(My brief in vandag se Beeld)

Daar is wel ’n mark vir die Afrikaanse rolprent. Die fliek Liefling (met Bobby van Jaarsveld) se sukses by die loket bewys dit.

Daar is dus ’n mark wat wag om ontgin te word. Tog moet die volgende oorweeg word om hierdie tendens vol te hou:

Doeltreffende verspreiding en bemarking bepaal flieks se sukses.

Die ongelooflike avonture van Hanna Hoekom (myns insiens ’n briljante fliek wat baie beter as Liefling is) se kort speelvak was te wyte aan gebrekkige verspreiding – dit het in een, miskien twee teaters in die ganse Pretoria gedraai.

Fliekgehore stel nie belang in politieke rolprente nie. Gewone stories waarmee mense kan identifiseer, vind groot byval. Platvloersheid gelaai met toilethumor is geen suksesresep nie.

Moenie Afrikaanse gehore se intelligensie onderskat nie.

Liefling is nie ’n foutlose fliek nie, daarvoor is die draaiboek darem net te yl.

Maar omdat dit ’n ode is aan geliefde liefdesliedjies van gister, het dit daarin geslaag om die hartsnare te roer. Ons land het baie stories om te vertel.

RESCUE BUS SERVICE FROM COLLAPSING

(My second speech in Council yesterday)

The Transport Month Programme can only be lamented for its inability or lack of intention to involve the relevant role players in this field. It can safely be stated that the public at large did not even know about Transport month.
An important point mentioned in the report is Tshwane bus service campaigns.
The year 2010 can only be described as an Annus horibilis for the bus service which forms the most basic and vital component of the city’s public transport system. Consider the following facts:

•Changing the bus ticketing system without consulting political role players or the public saw the most irrational ticket system forced on commuters.
•According to our information close to half of the bus fleet is stranded in workshops due to financial and other problems.
•The road worthy status of many busses seem to be in jeopardy due to non-compliance with provincial regulations
•The morale of personnel at the bus service is at an all time low
• Regular bus service disruptions
•Labour disputes accompanied by violent threats to personnel who either expose corruption practices or personnel who simply want to carry on with their daily task.

The bus service is evidently in trouble. The contributing factors to this sorry state of affairs are either ignorance or arrogance or both. Who is in charge of the bus service, management or elements with a hidden agenda? What is needed to address the situation is the political will to do the right thing and to call management to account. Ignoring this call to rescue the bus service from collapsing will be at our own peril and at the cost of a reliable, accessible and affordable public transport system.

FLIGHT OF FANTASY

(My speech in Council today)

The DA recognises the importance of Transport as a key factor in economic development. Whilst tempted to be impressed by the feasibility studies regarding the Tshwane Inter Modal Freight hub, we suggest a reality check in this regard.
The freight hub will be extremely expensive. The estimated amount mentioned in the report is R7bn to R8bn, with the emphasis on estimated – in reality the costs are usually much more. The fact of the matter is that the Tshwane Council does not have the money.
The future of the Wonderboom airport is linked to the freight hub. In fact, we must seriously consider the state of affairs at the Wonderboom airport.
The Wonderboom airport is not utilized to its full potential. It experienced many challenges and problems this year that casted a shadow of doubt on the Council’s ability to manage a facility of this magnitude. If the Wonderboom airport is anything to go by, we should be worried about the Tshwane Council’s ability to handle a bigger airport that will require even more specialist management skills.
The recent fuel shortage blunders at the Wonderboom airport clearly illustrated the fact that sound business and managerial practices are not in place to assure the smooth operation of this facility. As we speak the Wonderboom airport is not an income generating entity for the Tshwane Metro. Why not? The DA is very concerned about the new fuel supplier to the airport- which was changed due to reasons unknown to us – and we are not convinced that the new fuel supplier is geared to render a sustainable service to the airport.
The DA suggests a back to basics approach. Make basic transport systems like the busses a success. The BRT system requires urgent attention. And let us seriously consider a feasible way forward for the Wonderboom airport.
The freight hub seems like a very expensive flight of fantasy that simply will never take off. We don’t have the money and our basic transport services must be sorted out first before we entertain idealistic transportation dreams.

LIEFLING - DIE MOVIE

Spelers: Bobby van Jaarsveld; Lika Berning
Regie: Brian Webber

Liefling is ‘n ode aan gister se liefdesliedjies. Toegegee, die storielyn is yl. ‘n Tipiese boy meets girl verhaal met ‘n goeie dosis sentiment. Die spel is van wisselende gehalte. ‘n Vak wat prominente aandag in drama kursusse behoort te geniet is die kuns van onderspeel. Die een probleem met Afrikaanse rolprente is dat die akteurs dikwels over act. Die kuns is dat die kyker nie eens bewus moet wees van die spel as sodanig nie.
By tye kitch, kommin en strykdeur onskuldig. Die dramatiese aspekte word nie na behore ontgin nie. Die antagonis in die verhaal word as ‘n karikatuur uitgebeeld. Wanneer sy teen die einde van die verhaal tot selfontdekking kom, is dit onoortuigend. ‘n Ander irriterende aspek is randfigure soos Kurt Darren wat net ingegooi is om te sing – hulle karakters dra nie by tot die verhaal nie.
Die rolprent slaag egter ‘n belangrike toets deurdat dit jou voete laat jeuk vir Afrikaanse musiek. Die repertoire liedjies in die rolprent bewys dat Afrikaanse musiek oor ‘n wye register beskik wat die nuanses van die liefde ondervang. Jy sal saam met Rouel Beukes ‘n lied oor die lewe wil sing, want dit gaan so gou verby......
Liefling- die movie kry 6 uit 10.

UNSTOPPABLE

Spelers: Denzel Washington; Chris Pine
Regie: Tony Scott

Hollywood is nou maar eenmaal gerat om rampflieks tot hul reg te laat kom, veral omdat dit groot begrotings verg om sulke flieks te maak.
Wanneer ‘n onbemande wegholtrein met ‘n gevaarlike vrag chemikalië op volle vaart alles voor hom weg veeg, sit die eienaars van die trein met hulle hande in hulle hare. En om te dink die verhaal is op ‘n ware insident gebaseer.
Die trein ingenieur Frank Barnes ( Washington) en sy protégé, Will Colson (Chris Pine) sukkel om mekaar te vind op hulle eerste skof saam. Met die nuus dat die wegholtrein op hulle spoor (aankomend) is, noop dit die twee om anders na mekaar te kyk. Dis by die dramaties gelaaide ontvouing van ‘n onwaarskynlike kameraadskap waarin die rolprent se trefkrag lê, en natuurlik die bedreiging van ‘n naderende ramp. Die rolprent word ‘n knap metafoor van lewens wat soms dreig om te ontspoor en die menslike wilskrag om koersvas deur die lewe te gaan.
Briljant verfilm met naelbyt spanning tot reg aan die einde. Net jammer vir die tipiese Hollywoond einde wat deurdrenk is met melodramatise sentiment. Hierdie rolprent word sterk aanbeveel vir liefhebbers van spanningsflieke en kry 7 uit 10.

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VRYE POLITIEK IS ALMAL SE KEUSE

(My gepubliseerde brief in gister se Beeld bylaag: BY)

Ons kan nie meer verwag dat politiek mense bevry nie. Die tyd het aangebreek dat mense die politiek bevry. Hierdie waarheid word bevestig deur beide Max du Preez (“Wat beteken ‘n naam? Wat beteken ‘kokkerot’?”) en Michiel le Roux (‘n Doodskoot vir wegbreek-politiek”) vir se artikels oor onderskeidelik die onbeskofte Malema en Cope wat in ‘n oorlewingstryd gewikkel is.
Eers iets oor Cope.
Ek is nie ‘n lid of ‘n ondersteuner van hierdie party nie. Tog hou ek my duime styf vas dat die party sy mojo sal herwin en sy leierskapsverskille sal bylê om uiteindelik ‘n sinvolle bydrae tot ‘n veelparty politieke stelsel te lewer. Voor dit egter kan gebeur, sal die party daadwerkilk moet demokratiseer waartydens ondersteuners sê wat hulle wil hê met die ego’s van die party se leiers vêr op die agtergrond. Slaag Cope nie die toets nie, is die party gedoem tot ondergang.
Om ‘n politieke opponent ‘n kokkerot te noem is primitief. Om deur jou party toegelaat te word om dit te sê, is skandalig. Waarom, vra ons almal, doen die ANC sulke dinge. Die antwoord is voor die hand liggend; want hy kan. Die magsbalans is mos in die ANC se guns.
Die DA se liberale waardes, wat gestalte kry in sy idee van ‘n oop samelewing, behoort byval te vind by kiesers oor ras- en kultuurgrense heen. Die ANC besef dit en sal daarom swart nasionalisme uitbuit solank hy kan. Die prys wat die ANC hiervoor gaan betaal is stagnasie omdat progressiewe politiek wat aanpas by die vereistes van die tyd nie tuishoort by hierdie beperkte tipe politiek nie.
Uiteindelik egter, hopelik gouer eerder as later, sal kiesers in groterwordende getalle besef dat die mag lê in hulle hande. Veral swart kiesers, meer as ooit, bevind hulle by ‘n politieke Rubicon. Ware bevryding gebeur wanneer mense besef dat die politiek oor keuses gaan. Kokkorot-politiek hoort nie tuis in ‘n progressiewe samelewing waar die belange van die mense deur politici gedien word nie.

Let's hope the new broom sweeps the city clean

My letter to the Tshwane mayor in the Pretoria News - 11 November

Dear Mr Mayor, please accept my congratulations on your election as mayor of Tshwane. By all accounts you are a man with a plan. Your statements regarding service delivery and rooting out corruption are truly inspiring.
But our beloved city has gone through a bad patch over the past few years. Voters across the political spectrum are disillusioned with outdated political rhetoric, empty promises and power games that are only about the positioning of politicians and politically connected civil servants. The number one casualty of this dismal situation is effective service delivery to our residents, many of whom are paying their rates and taxes religiously.
The transport and roads portfolio on which I serve is so neglected that any reasonable dialogue reaches an impasse that can only be rescued with an intervention from the top. This is the only way forward to find sustainable solutions for the many challenges in this field, the mainstay of economic development. Changing the bus ticketing system, without consultation with political role players or the public, saw the most irrational ticket system forced on commuters. People who depend on a reliable and affordable public transport system are calling us daily expressing their frustration with the transport services, or lack thereof. Considering all the problems at the bus service and the metro’s refusal to tackle the problems , we are risking losing the bus service. The long awaited BRT system more than ever seems only a pipedream.
The Melgisedek Christian Centre in Riviera -council property - is fast becoming another Schubart Park disaster. This facility has been functioning for more than two years in a vacuum posing many social, health and safety threats. My motion that was accepted at the June Council meeting called on council to draw up an action plan indicating what measures will be taken to take control over this facility. With no plan forthcoming, I had to compile questions ( to be tabled at the this month’s council meeting) asking if the motion is receiving any attention, and when an action plan can be expected.
There are scores of other problems that have been ignored for too long: lawlessness on our roads; incorrect billing; a dysfunctional helpdesk, streetlights not working, messy parks and sidewalks, neglected graveyards, illegal businesses, inadequate infrastructure, squatters, regular power supply failures, to mention but a few.
As a member of the official opposition, I hope that your approach will be different from your predecessor’s. While wishing you all the best with a mammoth challenge I am fearful that you will be confronted with your own party’s destructive forces choosing to ignore diversity, lacking the political will to do what is right and placing a higher premium on selfish party political goals at the expense of the greater community.

DEON MEYER SE NUUTSTE BOEK NIE SY BESTE

Deon Meyer se jongste werk, Spoor, beslaan ‘n allemintige 541 bladsye. Konseptueel sien die boek anders daar uit as sy vorige werke. Die boek is in 4 boeke ingedeel wat uiteindelik 109 hoofstukke beslaan.
Meyer kies ‘n wye doek om sy verhaal, weereens sterk geanker in ‘n kontemporêre Suid-Afrika van georganiseerde misdaad en internasionale terreur, te vertel. In Boek 1: Milla (Komplot), word ‘n alledaagse huisvrou betrek by die binnekringe van ons land se spioenasie agentskappe as daar vermoed word dat ‘n groep Moslem- ekstremiste ‘n terreurdaad in die aanloop van die sokkerwêreldbeker wil pleeg. In Boek 2: Lemmer (Die Swart Swaan), is ons vriend Lemmer, daardie onstuitbare lyfwag van Onsigbaar,terug. Hy word gevra om hulp te verleen met die vervoer van renosters, ‘n ekspedisie wat onaangename verrassings oplewer. Boek 3 Milla (‘n Teorie van chaos), hervat Milla se verhaal as haar voorstedelike bestaan vir eens en altyd op sy kop gekeer word wanneer die enigma Lucas Becker haar pad kruis. In Boek 4: Mat Joubert (Form 92), maak nog ‘n ou staatmaker sy opwagting om die verdwyning van ‘n bestuuder by ‘n busdiens te ondersoek. Verrassende aanknopingspunte met die vorige verhaalyne , alhoewel skraps en toevallig, meld hulself aan tydens die knap speurwerk van Joubert.
Alhoewel ambisieus in omvang het iets van die impetus, outentieke situasies en spanningslyn van Meyer se vroeëre werke verlore gegaan met hierdie boek. Daar is verskeie redes hiervoor.
Die boek is hopeloos te lank. Meyer maak homself skuldig aan die kofferboek-sindroom,om te kyk hoeveel hy in een werk ingepak kan kry. Wat gevolglik in die slag bly is fokus en ritme. Ek wil my verstout om te sê dat daar met ‘n goeie twee honderd bladsye gesny kon word.
Die spioenasiewêreld wat Meyer oproep is verbeeldingloos en vervelig. Daar is eindelose jargon en onnodige dialoog om bladsyruimte te wen.
Die gebruik van spoorsny-aanhalings bokant elke nuwe hoofstuk in boek 2 (die leitmotif van die boek is inderdaad om spore te laat of te volg) is pretensieus en irriterend.
Daar is ook ander lastige foefies wat afbreuk doen aan Meyer se letterkundige vermoëns.
Al die karakters is nie ewe geloofwaardig nie en sommige situasies en ontknopingspunte is niks anders as onwaarskynlik en vergesog nie.
Meyer is op sy beste met ‘n goeie speurverhaal met ‘n minimalistiese styl. Spoor kan allermins as ‘n waardige toevoeging tot hierdie meester van die speurroman se oeuvre beskryf word. Francois Bekker